How Does Geithner Fit Into the Harvard-Goldman Filter?

Economic Policy Journal ^ | 12/20/09 | Robert Wenzel

[FromLori]

Arnold Kling has a post on what he calls the Harvard-Goldman filter: The Harvard-Goldman filter works like this.

1. To get into a position of power, you have to pass through a filter. The easiest way to show that you can pass through the filter is to go to Harvard and then work for Goldman.

2. If you do not go to Harvard and work for Goldman, then you have to show that you can get along with people who did.

3. The best way to show that you can get along with people who pass the Harvard-Goldman filter is to show that you believe in applying the Harvard-Goldman filter. Kling goes on to try an explain how Geithner fits into the equation, since he didn't go to Harvard and has never worked at Goldman: Why was Tim Geithner regarded as such an obvious, in fact necessary, choice to be Treasury Secretary? Because he satisfies the Harvard-Goldman filter, particularly point (3). He is not going to bring people from the wrong social caste into the policymaking arena. In other words, he plays the game and knows how to talk code.

Then there is also the curious fact of the relationship between Geithner's father (My guess he is/was a high ranking CIA operative) and Obama'mother.

Kling also recommends a book to learn more about the Harvard-Goldman filter:

The best book to read on the topic of the Harvard-Goldman filter is David Halberstam's Vietnam era opus, The Best and the Brightest. Goldman was not such a big deal then, but Harvard was, and so was Wall Street. What Halberstam shows is that investment bankers certified who was reliable or not--to serve in foreign policy positions.

[FromLori]

ping

related

http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2009/12/the_harvard-gol.html#more

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2009/11/did-paulson-disuade-warren-buffett-from.html

http://philanthropy.com/news/government/index.php?id=6453

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2009/03/obamas-mother-and-geithners-father.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-harvard-goldman-filter-keeps-too-big-to-fail-banks-intact-2009-12

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/politics/2009/12/goldman-goldman-everywhere.html

http://www.nlpc.org/stories/2009/12/07/goldman-sachs-challenged-embrace-global-warming-wake-%E2%80%98climategate%E2%80%99

http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/07/will_dems_allow_goldman_to_man.html

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?order=A

http://www.businessinsider.com/its-goldman-vs-london-as-bank-threatens-to-move-employees-to-troubled-spain-2009-12

[Dick Bachert]

The FAIRTAX is a far better solution.

It would have kept poor little Timmy here out of trouble and...

What? Say again?? Oh, you say that because he was well connected, HE didn't GET into trouble?

NEVER MIND!!

[Hawthorn]

Why post a post about another post? Why not just post the original Kling article? See here:

http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2009/12/the_harvard-gol.html#more

[Liz]

Can you say conflict of interest?

Goldman Sachs Will Be Sitting Pretty With Emanuel in the Obama White House
By Timothy P. Carney, Examiner Columnist, Nov 21, 2008

EXCERPT Today, in these tumultuous times of bailouts and meltdowns when the investment banking leviathan needs Washington more than ever before, Goldman Sachs can leverage its most valuable asset yet White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.

Traditionally a Democratic booster, and one of Barack Obama’s top sources of funds in this past election, Goldman has always had particularly strong allies in government.

Rahm Emanuel is one such ally. An interesting early chapter in the Goldman-Emanuel relationship took place in the setting of Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign for the White House. Clinton hired Emanuel as his chief fundraiser.At the same time, however, Emanuel was on the payroll of Goldman Sachs, receiving $3,000 per month from the firm to “introduce us to people,” in the words of one Goldman partner at the time. This is certainly a noteworthy relationship, but it’s one that has almost entirely escaped scrutiny. (snip)

In his four terms in Congress, Emanuel raised $74,750 from Goldman, making the firm his number four source of funds. Goldman has helped Emanuel. How has Emanuel helped Goldman? The most obvious answer, as mentioned in this column two weeks ago, is in Emanuel’s lead role in shepherding the “$700 billion” bailout—first proposed by former a Goldman CEO, Bush Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson—through the skeptical House.

Of course, back in the Clinton days, Goldman benefited from NAFTA and the bailout of the Mexican currency, with Emanuel pushing NAFTA through Congress, and Rubin hammering out the peso bailout.

Did Goldman improperly funnel money to the Clinton campaign by subsidizing Emanuel’s salary in 1992? Did Goldman’s help to Clinton spur the Democratic president to push NAFTA and the Mexican bailout?

The answers to these questions are opaque, and with Emanuel burrowed deep within the Obama White House, the continued relationship between Goldman Sachs and Obama’s right hand man won’t be easy to follow.

Watch which regulations of Wall Street Obama fights for. Watch where the bailout money goes.

SOURCE http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/TimothyCarney/ Goldman_Sach_Will_Be_Sitting_Pretty_With_Emanuel_in_the_Obama_White_House_112108.html

[pointsal]

Then there is also the curious fact of the relationship between Geithner's father (My guess he is/was a high ranking CIA operative) and Obama'mother.

What? Please give me a hint or link to the relationship story. Thanks.

[parsifal]

Have you read this little bon mot yet? Spitzer and Frank Portnoy calling for investigation.

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2009/12/spitzer-partnoy-black-call-for-aig-open-source-investigation-and-goldman-implications.html

parsy, who figures some folks should be going to jail

[hennie pennie]

*ping*

[onyx]

Thnk you for the ping, HP.

It’s Sunday, my Chargers are playing.

I ditto piontsal’s request:

“Please give me a hint or link as to the relationship between Geithner’s father and Obama’s mother.”

[FromLori]

There is one in the related info. links I posted but here are more

http://www.aim.org/aim-column/the-big-money-behind-geithner/

http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/ckincaid/2009/ck_0128p.shtml

Turbo Tax Timothy Geithner, tax cheat is the son of Peter Geithner, former Ford Foundation head of the Indonesian region’s microfinance program, which formerly employed one S. Ann Sutoro, Program Director, and Mother of the Obamessiah

http://www.fordfound.org/archives/item/1982/text/100

According to this Columbia.edu website, Daddy TTTG, tc is also the recipient of the Royal Thai Government Order of the White Elephant.

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/china/PeterG.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/26/us/26ford.html

Obama’s Mama and her role in assisting Indonesian women get small loans from banks for pots, looms
http://www.ericstone.com/2008/05/me-and-obamas-mama.html

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090118/OBAMAINAUGURATION10/901180301/inauguration&template=inauguration

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_F._Geithner

http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/11/the_asian_angle_on_the_geithne.php

http://www.newyorkfed.org/aboutthefed/orgchart/geithner.html

http://www.ustreas.gov/organization/bios/geithner-e.shtml

[FromLori]

Just posted more info.

[onyx]

Thanks, Lori!

[hennie pennie]

*ping*

For anyone interested in Harvard Business School...

[pointsal]

Lori- This is interesting. Is there more?

[FromLori]

Yes there is I have it somewhere I would have to look for it do you want me to post it?

[FromLori]

No but I did now thank you~

[Tellurian]

Not Tim Geitner:

Just the next head of Bank of America, Brian Moynihan. He sure looks blood related.

[Dick Bachert]

No surprise as incest is a favorite indoor pasttime among the ruling elite here.