Obama begins leading America in a new direction

[bemildred]

Source: LA Times

On the last Friday in March, President Obama summoned leaders of the banking industry to the White House, where they gathered around a mahogany table in the State Dining Room, site of many a feast. On this day there was not a piece of fruit nor can of soda in sight. At each place was a glass of water. No ice. No refills.

The president's message was hard and crusty as a slab of day-old bread.

He urged the bankers to view corporate excess through the eyes of Americans who are belt-tightening their way through the recession. Obama mentioned the carpet stains in the Oval Office, to make a frugal comparison with $1-million suites decorated with $8,000 trash cans.

The corporate chieftains protested, citing the specialization of their field and the need to pay handsomely to avoid a brain drain. Obama cut them off: "Be careful how you make those statements, gentlemen. The public isn't buying that. My administration is the only thing between you and the pitchforks."

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-obama-presidency19-2009apr19,0,1035963.story

[jody]

1. I'll believe the OP subject when troops are home, innocents are not killed, prisoners are free,

corporatist no longer control our government, we are not spied upon by government, etc.

[bemildred]

2. No reason to start be naive about politics, no. nt

[Lorien]

3. I agree.

it's fine to chastise the bankers, but we're still keeping their failed system propped up while billions more are drained away and lives are wasted.

[empyreanisles]

9. So we should get rid of the entire banking system, then? RIGHT. (eom)

[FrenchieCat]

7. Great for you to acknowledge that you will be a believer at some point....

with nearly 100 days passed, he's got 1,360 to go. I think he'll get it done.

[doodadem]

4. Love that quote!

"My administration is the only thing between you and the pitchforks".

[PSPS]

5. I'd find this more believable if Obama's actions tracked more closely with what he says

This reminds me of those puff pieces you'd see regularly published about some white house meeting bush would have. They'd attribute all kinds of bloviating, anonymously sourced of course, in a naked attempt to attribute qualities to bush that everyone knew he didn't posess.

Now we have this piece, with Obama's veiled threat to "the bankers" about the public's "pitchforks." Well, that sounds all gutsy and macho and all. But our trillions are still paying for those $8K trashcans and the multi-million failure bonuses. It's taxpayer subsidy that is creating "profits" for the financial sector while unemployment rises to historic highs and real income is below 1970's levels.

[w4rma]

6. I would rather he allow the pitchforks to visit them. (nt)

[Scurrilous]

8. K & R

:thumbsup: