Lying Or Incompetent - Either Way, Geithner Needs to Be Fired

[babsbunny]

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12288

by: David Sirota
Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 08:59

I've never been a fan of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner - he's a Rubinite who has been too close to Wall Street, and too focused on using government power to protect private shareholders. This is the guy who told the Senate that his primary goal in bailing out the financial industry with public money was not to protect the economy or taxpayers, but instead to use our taxpayer dollars to preserve "a financial system that is run by private shareholders managed by private institutions." Despite my strong disagreements with his ideology, only today have I gotten to the point where I think it's clear he needs to be fired. Why? Because today he proved he's either lying to the public or totally incompetent.
David Sirota :: Lying Or Incompetent - Either Way, Geithner Needs to Be Fired

[blueinindiana]

1. Didn't he have a "Tax problem" too?

People like Geithner live in an alternate universe compared to ordinary americans.

[backscatter712]

2. I have to agree.

Everywhere else in the Obama administration, things have been awesome, except in Treasury.

Geithner clearly doesn't have his shit together, and it's becoming clear he doesn't have his story straight.

I'm questioning whether he's on our side - he's doing the same thing as Paulsen - tossing billions of taxpayer dollars at the gang of pirates on Wall Street with little accountability or transparency.

Get him out!

I nominate Robert Reich as his replacement. He's a Keynesian, which makes him a huge improvement over Geithner and Summers right there, he absolutely knows his shit about economics, and he's served in the Cabinet under President Clinton, earning high marks.

[Raksha]

20. I'm not questioning it...

Re I'm questioning whether he's on our side - he's doing the same thing as Paulsen - tossing billions of taxpayer dollars at the gang of pirates on Wall Street with little accountability or transparency.

I think it's pretty damn obvious whose side he's on.

[global1]

3. Slow Down On Sinking Geithner - Too Many Repugs Are Calling For His Head......

that suggests to me that he's doing a good job and they don't like it. Don't let the MSM and Repug talking heads influence you. Think about this - why don't the Repugs want him in this job?

[EFerrari]

4. He hasn't done a good job, the GOP is just out ahead of the frame

as usual.

[tbyg52]

6. A stopped clock is right twice a day.... nt

[ihavenobias]

7. There's a thread in GDP right now where everyone is cheering for Geithner.

I felt nauseous reading it. I might as well have been reading cheers from Republicans rooting for (insert Bush cabinet member here) after he/she did something wrong.

I don't get it, EVEN IF you think TG is completely innocent in this one situation, he is UNDENIABLY a Wall Street bubble guy. He was part of the pro-deregulation, pro-Wall Street group that helped create this mess to begin with.

Why the f*k are DUers defending him? I'm honestly disgusted by this partisan cheer-leading. And don't give me the "it's only been 2 months" bullshit. He was a bad choice to begin with (see prior explanation). Replace him with Joseph Stiglitz NOW and be done with it.

[tbyg52]

8. Yep. I didn't like it to begin with, and I'm liking it less and less.

Nobody says the president is not entitled to mistakes - but I believe he's known for *admitting* them....!

[pleah]

11. I was against his appointment from the beginning.

As you said "He was of the pro-deregulation, pro-Wall Street group that helped create this mess to begin with".

[ihavenobias]

12. According to some here, it doesn't matter because Obama chose him.

Therefore there's something we don't know, and we need to shut up and fall in line. I'm not sure I've ever been this pissed with my fellow Dems.

[pleah]

14. I try never to do the goose-step.

:P I like Obama, but some of his appointments were a dis-appointment, to say the least.

[BeFree]

22. Well

If you are smarter and more connected than Obama, then hell yeah, argue the case. But for someone like me, if Obama thinks the guy can do it, that's good enough for me!

No Brainer!

And believe me, I ain't no goose-stepper.

[ihavenobias]

24. Yeah, I don't buy that argument.

It suggests that the only people who can criticize decisions must be somehow measurably "smarter" and "more connected" than the President. That's not a fair or productive argument IMO.

And no, I won't assume that just because the man I supported for president does something that it must be good, not at all. That's what Republicans did with Bush for 8 years and we all HATED IT, for good reason!

:)

[MisterP]

26. authoritarianism's a dirty legacy of Reagan and especially W

it proclaims that a decision is correct because of WHO made it
it fits snugly with the shrill, 1914-Prussian-ish atmosphere the Iraq War fomented, where police are to go unquestioned--just look at the reactions HERE to the guy booted for a "Peace on Earth" t-shirt at Christmas, McKinney prodding a cop with her phone, or someone who dares ask Kerry a question about his frat and dares to provide RESISTANCE to the taser currents: there's just a vomiting gout of invective against the victims and heel-clicking before the wielders of the truncheon

[Donnachaidh]

16. how many of the cheerleaders work in the financial industry?

THAT would be a reason for the pom pom parade... just saying....

[ihavenobias]

18. Honestly, I hadn't even considered selfish motivations like that.

I just chalked it up to blind partisanship. Either way, I have no patience for it.

[Donnachaidh]

21. considering how bad the economy is - it's something that should be considered

People have wondered how many paid trolls were here during the elections. I think the same question can and should be asked about how many are here trying to downplay the righteous anger about Wall Street and how they've developed their *own* laws about finance.

The stock market is slow -- which gives the players more time to surf important sites to blow smoke and try to turn opinions. :shrug:

[Paula Sims]

23. Those in the financial industry that REALLY know about him

never supported him in the first place. I'm truly disappointed in Obama. I'm voting for Reich or Krugman to take over.

[FLAprogressive]

19. I no longer post in GD:DLC....too many party loyalists who have zero sense of objectivity

unfortunately many of the worst GD:DLC'ers post in here.

[Donnachaidh]

15. now that's naive *logic*

*suggests* to you -- really?

And in this world, *because* the republicans are calling for his head, we have to back his play? :wow:

This is the EXACT sort of reasoning that the republicans have used over the last decade - and you want the Dems to do that? Advocating lockstep just *because* the pukes are calling for his head?

Those of us actually paying ATTENTION can see that Geithner is NOT on the taxpayer's side -- in fact, has NOT been an advocate for the taxpayer, despite the pr pushed by the Obama administration. I'd also wager to say that he's been part of the *inner circle* of Paulson and all the others writing gravy train tickets for the banks since last fall.

Obama needs to dump this guy FAST. He IS part of the problem. And HE should be investigated. NOW.

[rpannier]

17. It's not that he's doing his job

They've failed at going after Obama, so they're going after the easiest target.

And he is an easy target

[bigwillq]

5. Geither is just another

sleazy scum of a business man. He's not hope and change at all, and I was disappointed by Obama's selection of him.

Pay your taxes. He was making $400,000 at the Fed reserve and acknowledged he owed money. The pay up should've have happened along time ago, not when he was nominated for the Tres. Sec. position.

I just don't like him. Obviously he's not going to be fired, nor should he be, but I don't like him.

[customerserviceguy]

9. Somebody is going to be the first to leave

unless you believe the unlikely scenario that all of President Obama's Cabinet secretaries will serve a full eight years.

It wouldn't disappoint me if that first one to split was Turbo Tax Timmy.

[Paula Sims]

25. I can't believe NO ONE questioned that excuse

Excuse me, but I make WELL under what Geithner ever made and I have someone do my taxes for me. I'm too paranoid that I'll screw up and really get myself in trouble. I know the Beltway folks think differently, but that's one excuse I never bought.

[BeFree]

10. Seen this before

It is called Politics of Personal Destruction.

The question of whether or not TG can pull the financial system out of it's tailspin is missing, all we see is "I don't like him".

And the pubbies have worked PPD so well we have our own partisans calling for his destruction!

Obama has given TG some credit and unless you are more connected than Obama and have a better plan than TG, it might be wise to leave it slide, eh?

[eridani]

27. Anyone who believes in deregulation can't fix the financial system. Period. n/t

[steelmania75]

13. I agree as well. Geithner needs to get the boot

[ProfessorPlum]

28. Shock Doctrine

Geithner and Summers (and Paulson, and Bernanke, and Greenspan . . . ) are all Milton Freedman-ites.

they need to be kept as far from the levers of power as possible.