
Obama Saved Wall Street from
a Downward Spiral
November 20 2008: Wall street was on a permanent downward spiral. The sell off that had started since the Lehman crumble, multiple huge bank failures, and eventually a Wall Street bailout had become a consistently downward spiral in the week of November 17th culminating in an 7586 low of the DJIA. Organizations that measure recession finally did make it official that we had been in a recession since December 2007 - how hard it is to figure that is quite startling - unless this was to avoid affecting the election outcome).
The flailing of the Bush-Paulson treasury from a bailout to buy toxic assets which was switched to investing in bank equity could not stem the spiral. The cause was deep rooted, unemployment numbers continued to pour in, the general global economy was also not doing well, it was becoming clear that a lot of our economic base was based on puff as more and more of the products we rely on was bearing the Made in China insignia. Indeed there is very little to do in the short term to instill confidence in the market that things would turn around - enough for investors to put at least a price on the assets we currently had. It was clear that the new administration needed to do something if they wanted to have an economy to take over in January. Enter the Obama plan - instill some confidence in the market to at least put a bottom to the slide by demonstrating that better days are ahead and American assets are still worth something - something valuable.
Friday November 21
2008. The Obama
team release word that Tim Geithner would be the next Treasury Secretary.
The markets rose by 500 points. The markets had known Tim for several years as
the president of the New York Federal Reserve and saw in him a competent and
pragmatic steward as the economy. Even most republican
in economic decision making positions praise the selection.
Monday November 24
2008. Obama
officially announced four members of his economic team. Saying he had sought
leaders who could offer both experience and new ideas, he said New York Federal
Reserve President Timothy Geithner would be his pick for
Treasury secretary, named Lawrence Summers, a former Treasury
secretary in the Clinton administration, as the director of the
National Economic Council, Christina Romer, as chair of the Council of
Economic Advisors and Melody Barnes to be director of the Domestic Policy
Council. He also announced detailed plans to stimulate new growth in the economy
and create jobs. For the first time in nearly a week, the Dow rose consecutively
in two days.
Tuesday November 25
2008. This
day Obama addressed fiscal responsiblity while stressing the importance of
crafting an efficient and responsible budget, while arguing that middle-class
tax cuts must be put in place quickly to help stimulate the flagging economy. At
the same time, he named Peter Orszag as director of the Office of Management and
Budget, and Rob Nabors as Orszag's deputy. Another day of Dow gains.
Wednessday November 26
2008. Three
days, three press conferences, more details on solving the economic problem
and growing the economy. This time, Obama reveals his economic advisory board.
The board of economic experts from outside the government to advise him, in his
latest bid to reassure nervous consumers and financial markets that he will
bring swift economic relief as president. Another day of Dow gains.
While this may have permanently put a bottom on the free fall, recent news regarding terror arracks in India might make for more uncertainty in the next week but few can ask for more from a president elect that still has more than 50 days to take office. This also highlights again why we have remained the greatest country for some many decades - the ability to find and select the right person in the most trying times. Of course we continue to watch and wish him and us all the best.
By the end of the last week, the Dow had gained a total of 1200 points. Yes rocky days are still ahead but at least investors had put a bottom on what they considered the worth of US stocks.
The sense of competence, the interest in solutions, the bipartisanship, the pedigree of the team and the confidence and intelligence exuded by that one in command made it clear that better days are ahead again.
He had only started where he left off this week with meeting with the governors in bringing together an inclusive growth solution.
LOL, as the markets continue to drop the tards keep trying to sell the oblama kool aid
You even have an inability to read charts as equally as read articles. Let me know when you find a bottom below Nov 20 you tard.
As you typed the market rose (continue to drop?) and you refused to look and Obama was meeting with the republican and democrat governors in continuation of fashioning a plan.
Of course there will still be ups and downs in the months to come but an intelligent and an adult is in charge now.
It's unfortunate that Bush has been allowed to drive the death spiral bus pretty much since the day he took office. It's time for a new driver that knows how to read a freaking map and steer the bus to a new and better America. Thanks Obama for being smart enough to read and not be afraid to ask for directions.
hooray hooray the Clintons are coming O excuse me this is suppose to be Obama's admin. For your information Tim G has been involved with Tarp from the beginning and had played a big roll in implementing it so far. He loves bailouts. So much for blaming on GWB. That was the only day market rose that much after Obama's announcements. The rest of time the market barley moved one way or the other on announcements. I'm sorry to tell you this the market really don't care about Obama right now it grows or falls on many indicators.
You have a business idea. You borrow money, you spend/invest it, you grow, repay (you turn debt or deficit into surplus like in the 90s - dem 8 years). When you are in debt and actually not making anything and you look behind 8 of 10 products you are using and see Made in China. You are already too broke to change things, credit has ceased. You make a plan/business idea. You borrow money.
We have no choice but to borrow now. But it has to be on what will grow and yield returns right here. The problem with borrowing and spending 500 billion in Iraq is that we have 0 to show for it because it was not invested here. Same for the trillions in tax cuts to the rich. Most was invested offshore where there were more returns.
That was the only day market rose that much after Obama's announcements.
Click a link to the article or go to djia.com to plot your own chart before making an easy to verify false statement. Four straight days of rising! If we will even deny what is easily verifiable, where does our debate or conversation begin or what will be its foundation if not undisputable facts? That was not supposed to be subject to opinion or made up typed words.
Nobody is going to loan you money when you are already deep in debt and show no signs of being able to pay it back.
Good for you then. Your problem is solved. No one will loan the US money for the bailouts. We will have to recover the slow, hard way.
As for Iraq war, while I am not a fan, the 'dividends' was never supposed to be a cash back deal
The purpose is to show that as a source of debt, Iraq grew nothing that will offset its investment. You didnt follow the argument too well. It is a business argument. I am not debating the merit of Iraq (which your bringing up as towards a different kind of gain a contradictory support for borrowing for some gain as long as it is defined what the gains are) but the business consequence of its debt. Sometimes, you also borrow money to make yourself safe (if I must give you an assist on your Iraq point).
The whole argument again in case I wasnt clear is that borrowing money is not always a bad thing (although having enought to not borrow is always anyone's first choice) nor does it have to result in long term debt. Used wisely, it can lead to growth and posperity and eventually surplus. Sometimes, borrowing money is necessary when you are already too much in a hole. Better a live broke man able to drive to work, eat, grow, and repay his debt in future (and hopefully having a plan to do so) than a dead peniless but debtless one (although our situation is even worse than this already since we are already way deep in a hole).
So what if there was 4 straight days of rising, there were many more in the negative.
Not in the 7 day period my article focused on. Those four days were connected to the rollout of the transition team, naming of the new Treasury steward, and disclosure of plans to stimulate the economy, cut taxes, introduce fiscal discipline, and invest in America through states and infrastructure. Economists called it. They know what the markets are reacting to
(When the terrorist struck on 911, makets went down, you can lead a one-man contrarian march to how ambiguous it is to attribute the reason to the attacks, and I will not interupt you. Same thing on Monday after Mumbai. Markets respond to event and what will happen in future through disclosed policy plans.).
There will be more up and down days to come I give you that and many will be due to Obama as he becomes the only responsible head. However, click on the article, and see the chart, the correlation between the sudden consistent upward climb with the four rollout days is clear compared to the nearly consistent downward trend for an entire month prior. Alternatively, make your own cogent suggestion to explain each up and down (or just some) in the chart or use the contrary argument from your preferred republican economist. Its a basic constructive cause and effect question to you.
It hasnt been that short term. It appears those four days definitely marked a V shape on a two month long straight decline.
Others are finally taking note:
Of course, he continues working hard as he should. Its his JOB. There will be no excuses (we wont allow him the luxury that you folks gave the current president, we wont allow him keep saying Bush did Bush that 4 years later, or worse still excuses 8 year later). That's what nearly 70 million Americans were expecting (and many more since the elction).
Yeah I recall Rachel Maddow (briefly) mentioning this on her show. Every time Bush or Paulson addressed the market, there was another plunge. When Obama said something, evern something very brief and meaningless, there was a sudden rise in the stock market.
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