US Needs a Lesson In Leadership
- Print print this page
- Discuss 28 comments, Blog about
Advertisement
In the summer issue of “National Affairs,” Fred Barnes has an essay titled “Learning from Canada.” It’s about how the liberal government, led by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Finance Minister Paul Martin, turned around Canada’s ruinous fiscal situation and put the government on a solid and sustained fiscal course.
With the national debt and growth of government out of control, strong leadership and bold action were essential. Chrétien and Martin provided the leadership and were able to implement real reforms.
After a concerted campaign to convince the public that the fiscal problems were real, Martin told the House of Commons that “Canadians have told us that they want the deficit brought down by reducing government spending, not by raising taxes, and we agree.”
Further, “The era of tax and spend government is gone.”
Barnes notes that, “The government’s 1995 budget was a game changer.” All programs were systematically reviewed for their need and effectiveness and cut as appropriate. They did not raise taxes. This from a liberal government.
The real lesson here is leadership. Canada has it; we don’t. Until we get leadership and commitment from the liberals and especially the president, we are not likely to solve our own debt and deficit problems. In this capacity, President Obama is a failure.
It is not leadership to give prime time political speeches aimed at pitting groups against each other. It is not leadership to trash Congressman Ryan’s plan in a political diatribe, instead of acknowledging the opportunity to work the problem together.
Would Obama’s position have moved to where it is without pressure from House Republicans? The president must get serious and out in front. If he does this, he won’t have to worry about re-election. He could learn a lot from our friends up north.
Don Delauter
Southern Pines
More like this story
Advertisement
Comments
DaveyNC 1 year, 9 months ago
Nicely done.
HillTopper 1 year, 9 months ago
Nail on the head!
fugitiveguy 1 year, 9 months ago
Its true, had Obama shown some leadership on this issue, proposing across the board budget cuts, he could have skated to re-election. Heck, I may have even voted for him. The big lie of the left that Rebublicans/conservatives/tea partiers don't like Obama because he was black would have been fully discredited.
TOYTIME 1 year, 9 months ago
Nicely put Don, Bravo!
moonchild7 1 year, 9 months ago
We have a LEADER in the White House but a bunch of WHINEY SPOILED kids in Congress. Last April President Obama at George Washington U. outlined his long-term deficit reduction plan. This proposal embraced most of Simpson-Boles. But the word he kept getting from the Teapot Republicans was, "We're just NOT gonna approve of ANYTHING you want. We only want Paul Ryans plan." And so, that was it and has been it. The spoiled BRATS turning blue in the face unless they get what they want. BULLIES all of them.
TreadLightly 1 year, 9 months ago
A "long term deficit reduction plan" that stretches over YEARS is worthless hokus pokus. Reducing the deficit THIS YEAR, the one we are living in, the one we are taxing for, the one we are budgeting for is the only true reduction.
Only a communist or mental case would raise taxes in a great depression.
teufelhunden 1 year, 9 months ago
Alright Don, you are correct sir! Leadership who listens to its people, who shares information and works together to solve the issue at hand.
Aberdeeniac 1 year, 9 months ago
Nice piece Don!!!
irkim13 1 year, 9 months ago
Well Obama is certainly the LEADER of the Blame game.
HillTopper 1 year, 9 months ago
We have no leader. We have a bunch of idiots in congress. If I ran my business the way the government runs our country I'd hate to even guess what my credit rating would be. S&P should have dropped it even lower. I wouldn't loan the US any money.
skylinefirepest 1 year, 9 months ago
Good article. The problem is that the great Hope and Change guy is totally incompetent and a liar to boot. In his tv time this afternoon he simply kept trying to blame Bush, the Tea party, literally trying to hand out responsibility everywhere but to himself. Everybody with a quarter brain knows that we have to cut spending and the ten year stuff is just Democrat sleight of hand. We need to cut spending NOW , not ten years from now. I hope the country can survive until the next elections. If we re-elect this bunch of yahoos we will simply be showing the world how stupid we are as a nation!
Toda 1 year, 9 months ago
The last stock market drop was in December 2008. Obama wasn't sworn into office. I see a leader who took control and brought this country out of the brink of depression. So those who are now playing the Blame Game, who is to blame for Greece, England, France, Italy' financial woes. Don't say Obama. Congress is totally psychologically dysfunctional. The most recent poll by Neilson, only 24% of Americans think the present House and Senate should be elected! POTUS'O's administration is attempting to keep our nation afloat. I agree that pork barrel spending should be reduced.
skylinefirepest 10 hours, 59 minutes ago, every time I see a drop in the stock market I can't help but laugh at the TEA NUTS ~ their keep my money mantra backfired! Now because of the TEA Party minority in Congress acting stupid, they are losing trillions in their investments.Open mouth and insret foot. Oh ~ I forgot they were investing in job creation with all those trillions...according to Boner and the gang of nuts.
bigD 1 year, 9 months ago
Toda: the stock market had a huge drop that started the day of President Obama,s Inauguration and lasted until March of 2009. The drop was greater that 20%. Check your data
Toda 1 year, 9 months ago
Here you go bigD: http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/29/markets/markets_newyork/index.htm http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/business/30markets.html http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/2918185 http://www.online-stock-trading-guide.com/stock-market-crash.html
"There is no doubt that the 2008 stock market crash (October 5, 2008) has caused stress in many lives. I have written this article to provide some material to use for comparison of past economic downturns such as the 1930's U.S. Stock Market Depression Era, and help people become aware of some possible. outcomes"
Since, I don't write for any of the source links I mentioned, 2008 was the worst year since the 1930's Great Depression. Question my friend? When was POTUS'O elected?
bigD 1 year, 9 months ago
Toda; You stated in your post "The last stock market drop was in December 2008" The articles you use to defend your statement are from Sept 2008. Everybody knows the market crashed in the fall of 2008. However, the markets started to recover(some) by early November and into the new year. So I stand by my statement that the stock market had a huge drop of over 20% from inaugration day until a low point on March 9, 2009 and this was when the "last"stock market dip occured. Once again I ask you to check your data
Toda 1 year, 9 months ago
How about AAA+ Isle of Man? I am sure those I mentioned are all democracies. When did this country reject altruism? Should were revert back to Almshouses? Rather than sending C-130's to Afghanistan and pushing pallets out of the back loaded with newly minted 100$ bills, why not keep that money here at home. Recall the 500$ hammers and the 3000$ toilet sets? Congress on both sides of the isle has pocked the American people to desperation. Cut the pork first and then step back and take a breath....
skylinefirepest 1 year, 9 months ago
A leader that took control?? And then spent us into the poorhouse with no relief in sight! This administration will go down in history as being worse than the Carter years. I'll say it again...there is practically nothing this administration has done that has been or will be positive for America. An administration of crooks and tax evaders and as clearly incompetent as their leader. I'll make you a little bet, Toda, that when Obama is defeated in the next election the markets and economy will show a positive upswing within forty eight hours!! This man has delved into the inner workings of business and it's a place he knows nothing about. The regulations are killing small businesses in the U.S. and that is where our economy usually shines. Government has no money of it's own...only that which is given freely or otherwise taken at the point of a gun. When we, the people, no longer can afford the tax and spend of the Democratic regime we'll make a change.
Toda 1 year, 9 months ago
Wow ~ on a roll there skyline...Okay I'll take your bet...a burger at the restaurant of your choice! I had an excellent telephone conversation with a close political friend who parroted your contention that Obama is the root of all our nations problems. Leaders of companies or organizations have about 6 months to produce. Well that mindset works except when one is talking about two parties and a bunch of fruit cakes who drink the TEA. Regulations and taxes are the very reasons I stopped building. Just when I thought I made a profit, the government came in and took more than their share. Obama has nothing to do with regulations that were in place for decades. Think Congress and who owns their votes. http://www.opensecrets.org Personally ~ I don't like any of those bought and paid for in Congress.
moonchild7 1 year, 9 months ago
This HEAT has most of you becoming DELUSIONAL now. From a NYT Editorial 8/8/11: "No one was surprised that the President felt wounded by S&P's downgrade of the Nation's credit rating. In the defective knowledge of the Republican machine, that was Mr. Obama's fault because it occured on his watch(that's a breathtaking bit of hypocricy, by the way, that fabricated the debt ceiling crisis.) The downgrade is a blow to American prestige and credibility....The credit decision put a price tag on the agenda of dysfunction that Republicans brought to Washington, in which unnecessary crises are created to acheive their goals of shrinking government and bringing down Mr. Obama. When one of the two political parties announces it's willingness to let the nation default, S&P essentially said, those who lend it money can no longer trust it to act rationally." The truth has now been told and the Teapots are not just Teahadists but also Teadiots.
skylinefirepest 1 year, 9 months ago
MC7-- Have you been hitting the happy weed?? The NYT??? One of the most Liberal biased entities in the known world?? You cannot seriously take any editorial in the NYT as being impartial or un-biased towards anything but the extreme left. Mr. Obama, it's the spending, stupid!! We have given this administration the green light to spend another two point one trillion dollars on top of a debt that already exceeds the GDP. What part of that don't you understand? The rating was going down already, and the refusal of the conservatives to consider more taxation from a nation where only half the people pay taxes in the first place was a good thing. If you give this man and his buddies more money,they will simply spend it!! We have got to cut the spending and, yes, it can be done. The Grace Commission, several years ago, said that if we cut the fraud out of Medicare that there would be enough money to provide health care for every man,woman, and child in the United States!! It is a severe crisis, not because it can't be done, but because the incompetent liar in the White House and his cronies refuse to even think about it. And I refuse to believe that the MC7's, and the JER's , and the Jim Heims, and the Toda's, and the Dusty Rhoades are so ill informed as to actually believe that we can continue the un-bridled spending and survive as anything more than a third world country!!
teufelhunden 1 year, 9 months ago
BAM. And there you have it.
RmeMP 1 year, 9 months ago
"Can't fix stupid" - but you sure can elect someone else :)
Toda 1 year, 9 months ago
Perhaps the name calling is out of character for one trying to express an opinion. There is only one Toda To/mmy Da/vis. Only God could have cleaned up the economic mess left by GW Bush.
"There is no doubt that the 2008 stock market crash (October 5, 2008) has caused stress in many lives. I have written this article to provide some material to use for comparison of past economic downturns such as the 1930's U.S. Stock Market Depression Era, and help people become aware of some possible outcomes". http://www.online-stock-trading-guide.com/stock-market-crash.html
FYI ~ POTUS'O wasn't even in office. Stock Trading Guide is not the New York Times. Should they not print the news according to FOX NEWS or Rupert Murdoch? Try not to get too bent out of shape...chill!
Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago
MC - Please explain to me how the Teahadists, Teapots or Teadiots are responsible for the US Debt & S&P credit downgrade when they were only elected into office less than 2 years ago? According to you, the US Debt was directly caused by Reagan & Bush (with Bush personally responsible for $6.4 trillion of the $14.5 trillion). Per Wiki: "The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009. It endorses reduced government spending, opposition to taxation in varying degrees, reduction of the national debt and federal budget deficit, and adherence to an originalist interpretation of the United States Constitution."
RmeMP 1 year, 9 months ago
Whoa, whoa, whoa... you know you can't go around stating facts for libtards, if you do then they just clam up. The problem with trying to actually debate someone like MC, JER, or DR, they have no real facts and they find it physically impossible to even think that they may be wrong; the only "WORD" they believe in, is NYTimes gutter trash to spew - oh yea, and the almighty anointed one himself, "Oblunder".
moonchild7 1 year, 9 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
RmeMP 1 year, 9 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago
MC - There were no Teapots during Reagan's or Bush's reign. They didn't show up until after Obama was elected. So answer my question, how are the Teahadist, Teapots or Teadiots responsible for the either the Debt or Downgrade??
Toda 1 year, 9 months ago
Try freshman Congressman whose elections were trumpeted by TEA NUTS, and their money. TEA NUTS got what they wanted ~ I bet they wish their 401K's will stay in tact since they tossed the money bags out with the trash.
Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago
So the Teanuts, Teahadists, Teapots, Teadiots (smallest representative group in either house or senate) are solely reponsible for the US Debt & S&P rating. Oh Please! They held the entire Democrats & Republicans hostage at the expense of us poor voters - if this is what you are using to support your platform for the next election, I wish you the best of luck. People are not stupid (R or D), though many of you think any conservatives are idiots.
buddysmith 1 year, 9 months ago
at least obama killed bin laden, he also helped our country by, umm, umm, let me see, ah,um, ah, well, um, and um,( i need my teleprompter)ah, um, ok, give me a while I may think of something else he did for us that made any sense!!!
RmeMP 1 year, 9 months ago
I think what you meant to say is, "Bin Laden was killed while Obama was in office".
buddysmith 1 year, 9 months ago
i got to give him credit, he made the decision which was the right decision to make, still thinking about something else he did! may take a while though!
JER 1 year, 9 months ago
And 9/11 happened while Bush was in office.
skylinefirepest 1 year, 9 months ago
MC7--You've got to be kidding...the NYT has very little respect in the world today. It is simply a mouthpiece for the extreme left. Why, if supply side economics almost destroyed the country, did the whole country really prosper during the Reagan years?? And the Tea party "hijacked" Congress? How? They are a minor percentage of the House and not much more of a voice in the Senate. "The WORLD is seeing us as Foolish Imbeciles" because we elected an incompetent liar who blames anybody, or anything ( see Japan's Nuclear Crisis ) for HIS short-comings.
Toda 1 year, 9 months ago
Gosh ~ now Obama is being blamed for an underwater earthquake and tsunami? Good Lord ~ Is he the Anti - Christ? What next a meteor from deep space? Geez perhaps one could cut thousands out of a household budget like Progress Energy, Time Warner, Medical expenses, home mortgages, quit buying gas from foreign countries who hate Americans. The WORLD is as broke as we are unless ABC News is broadcasting jabberwocky. OIC ~ Fox and Glenn Beck and Ann Coulter have their hand on the pulse of our nations economic woes. Please post some links supporting your ire with Obama's lies? What exactly are you throwing out there for public consumption?
skylinefirepest 1 year, 9 months ago
Toda-- Just a quick comment on your mis-perception of what I said. Obama listed the Japan earthquake as one of the reasons for the downgrade in the rating!
moonchild7 1 year, 9 months ago
Reagan's "supply-side economics" have almost destroyed our country. The RICH are ROBBING it BLIND? Don't you get that? That's the bottom line of ALL of it. Billionaires?! Who could have imagined that there would be more than a couple by now. In 1982 there were 23 Billionaires in the U.S. Today(Forbes)there are 412; 34% of the Worlds total. That's incredible and horrible at the same time. Why are we having so many economic problems? With that many Billionaires they should be hiring every unemployed American looking for a job...RIGHT NOW! But they aren't. They would rather HOARD and/or STEAL money.
Courseaire 1 year, 9 months ago
Which is it the Teadiots or the Billionaires - make up your mind. You still have not answered how all this is the Teapots fault.
irkim13 1 year, 9 months ago
How are they stealing the money?
moonchild7 1 year, 9 months ago
Billionaires are a class to themselves but I imagine most are Republicans so Teapots=Sorta Rich Republicans. Where have all of you been? Reagan FIRED the UNIONIZED Air Traffic controllers...just like that. Less Unions, less benefits, less decent salaries, less job security. TARP? Billions to the Banks? Now we're downgraded? TAX BREAKS! Off-Shore accounts! Hiring Non-Unionized workers. Chinese goods that cost $1.00 to make there but are sold in America for $100.00 or more! I saw a woman just the other day buying a $150.00 desk at Walmart(Yes I do shop there but mostly for food). It's made of PARTICLE BOARD and won't last a year. She could have gone to Habitat, Goodwill, Thrift Stores to find a "cheaper" but 100% Wood Desk. And if it was still particle board made in China at least that money was "RECYCLED" here. Do some reading because this IS becoming Class Warfare.