Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: ancient_geezer
I will also note he is one of the few high level bureaucrats that I have written to that has responded with a personal letter addressing issues and questions directly, rather than sending out a useless form letter that ends up saying nothing at all.

Very interesting. Thank you!

It would be very interesting to hear from others on this---even from his detractors---if they would be forthright enough to get specific in their criticisms...something more than questions of style.

Don't get me wrong, style is not totally irrelevent at that level...but it shouldn't be everything...especially from those we look to to be setting policy in an area that is frankly 'the dismal science', after all.

Rubin had 'style', but like all things and people Clintonian, his policies were what were slowly but surely squandering the Reagan prosperity.

23 posted on 11/17/2002 7:33:22 PM PST by EternalVigilance
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies ]


To: EternalVigilance
---if they would be forthright enough to get specific in their criticisms...something more than questions of style.

He has consistently failed or refused to speak forthrightly and coherently in favor of tax cuts. This may be because he doesn't believe in them, but even if it's a matter merely of inept "style" as you put it, that's a disqualifier as well, because in the public arena, when you're trying to push the president's policies, STYLE COUNTS.

45 posted on 11/17/2002 10:11:33 PM PST by churchillbuff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies ]

To: EternalVigilance
You want specific criticisms of O'Neill? Read the following, from Larry Kudlow's column this week:

A solid one-two punch

TownHall.com ^ | 11/18/02 | Larry Kudlow

Fresh off his stunning midterm election victory, President Bush wasted no time in putting his newly acquired political capital to work. First, he slammed a homeland-defense bill through the Senate. Then -- the very next day -- he said he intends to offer "new ideas" on ways to stimulate the economy.

... So, the president and the Fed chairman appear to be cooperating in the development of a new pro-growth policy mix -- supply-side tax cuts to reignite business investment and risk taking, and easier money to finance a hoped-for growth spurt. If only they could get Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill on board.

Inexplicably, O'Neill told a Fortune magazine conference that he didn't believe broad-based tax cuts are necessary. He would rather consider "targeted stimulus proposals" to help particular industries. This sounds like something from the Carter-Mondale era.

These off-the-reservation comments underscore the president's need to find a new captain for his economic ship -- someone who is completely in sync with the presidential growth package and has the communication skills to sell it to Congress and the public -- someone like New York Stock Exchange President Richard Grasso. His massive Rolodex of key financial-market players and his indefatigable can-do spirit make him an ideal choice to replace O'Neill, who's a fish out of water at the Treasury. More, such an appointment would punctuate the president's determination to move his pro-growth economic agenda forward.

Investors, of course, will wait

48 posted on 11/17/2002 10:27:53 PM PST by churchillbuff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies ]

To: EternalVigilance
Crossing the divide
TownHall.com ^ | Thursday, November 21, 2002 | by Larry Kudlow


Posted on 11/20/2002 9:50 PM PST by JohnHuang2


A tax-cut battle royale is shaping up in the White House, with President Bush's economic team divided over which measures will best strengthen incentives for economic growth and stock-market investment.

Economists Larry Lindsey and Glen Hubbard continue to favor a broad-based tax-cut package that would boost stock-market values and increase after-tax cash flows for businesses and families. Those two made similar arguments a year ago, but they were overruled by Paul O'Neill and Mitch Daniels -- the Bush advisors who favor a much more austere economic strategy based on deficit reduction.

Treasury Secretary O'Neill has never been a friend of supply-side economics. He has illustrated this by way of numerous hip-shooting comments since joining the Bush team. Though he professes to favor a thorough overhaul of the corporate tax code, perhaps even its elimination, his position is much more narrow and smacks of social engineering. At a time when deep cuts are receiving deep attention, O'Neill is appealing for very light, targeted tax relief, such as child tax credits and reductions in the marriage penalty. More, he has never set a detailed economic blueprint down on paper. He's all talking points and no package.
57 posted on 11/20/2002 10:08:16 PM PST by churchillbuff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson