With a new Republican Congress falling all over itself to hand corporations whatever they want, it was only a matter of time before some politician turned up in the pages of the Wall Street Journal, breathlessly describing the “dazzling” and “path-breaking” nature of the free market, and vowing to get rid of regulations that have placed “unreasonable” burdens on businesses.
We just didn't think it would be Barack Obama.
But the man who couldn't give an executive order to halt dismissals of gay and lesbian members of the military has apparently issued an order to review regulations that stifle job creation, or place unreasonable restrictions on business, or -- and these are his own words -- are “just plain dumb.”
Obama's words at times echoed U.S. Chamber of Commerce president Tom Donohue, who called for regulations to be “swept away” -- and who cheered the hiring of Wall Streeter Bill Daley as White House Chief of Staff. For more on Donohue and the Chamber, check out our series “The Loaded Chamber" at our website.
Reality check: Deregulation or lax regulation, let's not forget, led to the BP oil spill that Naomi Klein notes is still wreaking havoc on the ocean floor. It permitted ultimately deadly practices to continue at profit-mad Massey Energy. A Mine Safety and Health Administration official called those 29* miners' deaths “preventable" this week.
And the point is, while there are always "dumb" rules you can dig up and make fun of, what's raging in the U.S. isn't a political fight over dumb stuff. What's raging right now is a very real fight over government, and its role in protecting the public and the public sphere, and the relative power of private profiteers. And in that fight, well, the argument is part of the point.
The President and his advisers may think that getting ahead of the GOP on "releasing businesses from regulations" may steal their thunder and dull the U.S. Chamber and Donahue's political bite. But as blogger Melissa McEwan said “Spoiler alert! Corporate America still won't like you.”
Given the choice between a Democrat who gives in most of the time and a Republican who gives in all of the time, corporations will still go with the latter. And isn't the president supposed to work for the rest of us?
*Video version of this commentary says 22 deaths--it is actually 29.
The F Word is a regular commentary by Laura Flanders, the host of GRITtv and editor of At The Tea Party, out now from OR Books. GRITtv broadcasts weekdays on DISH Network and DIRECTv, on cable, and online at GRITtv.org and TheNation.com. Follow GRITtv or GRITlaura on Twitter and be our friend on
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Every major financial bubble has been followed up with careful reregulation of the financial markets to prevent another collapse. The US instead is about to allow bankers more power to destroy the economy in a very short time.
Obama never said anything about getting rid of regulations, despite what some would like you to believe. Mind you, this is the same President who vastly increased the number of regulations against business already on the books, and their enforcement.
Obama talked about _reviewing_ the regulations in existence, with a public comment phase.
Anyone who takes one step outside the ivory tower of progressive purity will quickly realize that there are a vast number of useless and cumbersome dead wood regulations. To argue otherwise will gain no traction with the public.
So let's not have a meltdown every time Obama says something, however pragmatic, that strays from progressive purity.
Do you understand what a compromise is (the tax cut deal, healthcare reform) versus a unilateral concept that doesn't conform to your standards of unrealistic rigidity?
Of course they say that is from individual donors in their organization. Right? How many people would have to contribute $2,500 to make it a million? Why can't they just give it individually like the rest of us?
Because that would do away with their leverage. Toe the mark or you won't get it next time.
I voted for Obama, because I really thought he would keep his word. That was before I read about his contribution from Goldman Sachs. Right about the time he bailed them out first, but it really wouldn't make much difference who they get elected. They buy all of them just to make sure. Bush sold out to oil, among others, like Haliburton who managed to electrocute our troops, and at present their managers are buying children.... Little kids for crying out loud, and we do nothing about either crime.
I would like to go shout from the rooftops, "WAKE UP America!" , but I am an old woman.
LOL! Great comment, but it seems like quite a few Democrats for whatever reason cannot though. The precision with which this guy is proceeding make me believe that he is canned and planned and working for some larger purpose that is employing him. He was a "brand" made full use of, and if whatever it is that hired him and put him there is capable and willing to do that ... what else is coming in the future that no Americans get to vote on ?????
At this point there is no way I would ever vote for Obama again, no matter what.
We are being programmed by Barack Obama, and because the Republicans spend 7x24 attacking him and calling him a LIBERAL, it's supposed to make Democrats feel better about being marginalized and disenfranchised from representation in the faltering system of the American Empire.
Democratic political ideals are being trampled under this media farce in hopes that at some point it will become too hard to reverse, like the fake health care dispute, or impossible to resist.