Former U.S. Treasury Secretary and Iraq war critic Paul O'Neill dies at 84: WSJ

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.todayonline.com/world/former-us-treasury-secretary-paul-oneill-dies-84-wsj?cid=todayInsideTodaypage



Paul O'Neill, the blunt-spoken former head of Alcoa Corp who was fired after two rocky years as U.S. President George W. Bush's Treasury secretary, died on Saturday at the age of 84 at his home in Pittsburgh, the Wall Street Journal reported.

His family said he had been treated for lung cancer and his death was unrelated to the novel coronavirus, the WSJ reported.

O'Neill served as the Republican Bush's first Treasury secretary, from January 2001 to December 2002, during a period of in-fighting within the administration and tough economic times worsened by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

The multimillionaire former corporate chieftain - he led aluminum company Alcoa from 1987 to 2000 - was not a big fan of Bush's first round of tax cuts. He then argued in vain with others in the administration, including Vice President Dick Cheney, against more cuts that he felt could fuel budget deficits and hurt the economy.

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Cross gently, Secretary O'Neill - thank you for telling the truth.

[BeyondGeography]

1. He was never dull

I liked him.

RIP, Mr. Secretary.

[renate]

2. I was thinking of him just the other day!

After all these years... weird that he crossed my mind out of nowhere. I thought about what a shame it is that Republicans like him aren’t in government to help guide the country through this... instead we have the Keystone Kops.

I’m sorry to hear this news. I liked him too.

[Roland99]

3. Bought his book: The Price of Loyalty

He argued for triggers on the Bush tax cuts

He lost

[JI7]

4. and Cheney continues to live

[BGBD]

5. The Price of Loyalty

was a good book if anyone hasn't read it yet and would like have an inside look at the inside of the Bush Administration in the lead up and time following the invasion of Iraq. He explains how there was planning for removing Saddam Hussein from almost the day Bush took office.