Obama’s Economic Policies Cut Unusual Path

Alan Stewart Carl, a moderate blogger, opines: "Obama, I think, understands the importance and superiority of the free market system, but he consistently gravitates towards solutions which rely on the powers of big government. Part of that is because you use the tools you have. As president, Obama has the hammers of state at his disposal. But I also think he is preconditioned by his liberal ideology to believe all problems have a government solution. He is thus left balancing his instincts with his intellect, and that has confounded many of us on the sidelines. [E.J.] Dionne goes on in his column to write specifically about Treasury Secretary Geithner’s plans to save the banks, noting that the administration is wielding a lot of federal power but is still placing a lot of confidence in the free market by not nationalizing the banks like some liberal economists believe is necessary (Paul Krugman being the most vocal)..."

He continues his commentary: "Even though I think Obama has been cavalier on the deficit and too intransigent on cutting back his pet projects, I do appreciate that his administration has made an effort keep the free market viable, rather than running roughshod over it. That’s why Obama’s 'firing' of the CEO of GM was not socialism. Socialism would be the government seizure of GM. Like with the banks, what Obama is engaged in [h]is statist-directed free market recovery. Sounds like an oxymoron. But I believe that’s what Obama is trying to achieve, even though I’m not sure it’ll work. As such, Obama is likely continue to confound me and others with each new response to the economic crisis. Whether or not that’s a bad thing depends entirely on whether or not the plans work."