OS Has A Few Questions For Dr. Brad DeLong

This morning's post from Dr. Brad DeLong is worth a read, as are his daily musings.

DeLong is a brilliant gent, as one can see in his short bio:

J. Bradford DeLong is a professor of economics at the University of California at Berkeley, chair of its political economy major, a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and was in the Clinton administration a deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury. 

OS has never had the privilege of having his very occasional questions published under Dr. DeLong's posts. Which is perfectly ok--it's his house, he gets to do as he pleases.

OS did send some questions along this morning, and as of this moment, they haven't been acknowledged. It's the academic year now, with all those pesky students stalking the halls, so patience is a virtue.

In the meantime, OS will post his questions here, to see if anyone else may have the same thoughts in mind.

Dear Professor DeLong:

At what degree of downward slope, for how long a period of time, will you perhaps consider the notion that the Obama Administration, with its parade of economic advisors, stimulus packages, 'Summer(s) of Recovery', etc. has not been an effective steward of the privilege of governance granted to it by the electorate? Their task was to reverse the direction of those lines.

Bin Laden is dead, thank heavens. GM is operating, but still significantly underwater if we look at its share price. It's better that it be operating than not, granted, but it's not quite as resuscitated as JoeB would have us believe.

What we were told last week was that all those promises made in 2008 simply were unattainable. Bill Clinton himself said that. Many of us knew that in 2008, just not a majority of us. Then, in his acceptance speech, the President seemed to reiterate those promises. I'm genuinely concerned by that.

What course of action do you see the Obama Administration taking that truly would turn those lines significantly in the other direction? We are 16 trillion in debt, which does limit our room to maneuver a bit.

You are a brilliant gent, and this is said with not a hint of irony. No one occupies your position in academia without that quality of brilliance and true achievement.

So, what do we do next? It appears to me that Obama will retain his office, as will most of the GOP House.

What should HE do next, the day after he is re-elected? Much of what he had done to date has not been effective.

Many thanks and good wishes--your blog is a favorite read.

Bill Clinton Tells Us: Words Matter

Brad DeLong, of the Economics faculty at UC Berkely, shares this post with us.

This, of course, is posted in the aftermath of the tragedy in Arizona. Expect a wave of commentary to the effect that all who publicly disagree with the Vision of Obama share culpability with the deranged man who opened fire.

Strange that DeLong would cite Clinton on the subject, but then again, that Memory Hole seems to be working well for Bill, since Clinton actually appears sane compared to Obama.

So, OS ruminates in response here, since it is unlikely Prof. DeLong will tolerate such impudence from his readership:

Well, yes, words do have meaning.

It is interesting to hear these words emerge from the lips of the man who vociferously declared: I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky; and is most remembered for his most famous turn of phrase 'That would depend on what your meaning of the word 'is' is.'

It is good at last to see that Mr. Clinton finally agrees with the rest of us that words have meaning, and that they matter. His current successor has used the words 'enemies' and 'hostage takers' to describe those who disagree with him, and these words uttered quite recently.

So, indeed it is a good thing to witness Mr. Clinton utter sounds that sound like the words we understand to mean '...the words we use really do matter...'

Let's hope at last he understands them, and means them.

Perhaps, on his next visit back in his old 'hood, he could even remind the current occupant...