LONDON -- With his brooding aspect and sagging poll numbers, Prime Minister Gordon Brown had seemed to personify the bleak mood of a world traumatized by collapsing house prices, lost jobs and banks that would not lend. But that was last week.After devising a bank rescue plan that has now been endorsed by European and American officials -- and has sent global stocks soaring -- he is being celebrated worldwide and has revived a political career that the "commentariat," as Mr. Brown disdainfully refers to the chattering classes, had predicted would soon be at an end. While Mr. Brown, 57, has moved up in the polls, he still trails his younger conservative rival, the fresh-faced David Cameron, 42, whose months of deft parliamentary jabs helped define Mr. Brown as a leaden, out of touch leader. But for all the troubles of the British economy, and after a 10-year apprenticeship as chancellor of the Exchequer under Prime Minister Tony Blair, Mr. Brown is suddenly in his element, proudly pointing to his long experience. "Now is not the time," he said in a pointed jab at Mr. Cameron, "for a novice."
LONDON -- With his brooding aspect and sagging poll numbers, Prime Minister Gordon Brown had seemed to personify the bleak mood of a world traumatized by collapsing house prices, lost jobs and banks that would not lend.
But that was last week.
After devising a bank rescue plan that has now been endorsed by European and American officials -- and has sent global stocks soaring -- he is being celebrated worldwide and has revived a political career that the "commentariat," as Mr. Brown disdainfully refers to the chattering classes, had predicted would soon be at an end.
While Mr. Brown, 57, has moved up in the polls, he still trails his younger conservative rival, the fresh-faced David Cameron, 42, whose months of deft parliamentary jabs helped define Mr. Brown as a leaden, out of touch leader.
But for all the troubles of the British economy, and after a 10-year apprenticeship as chancellor of the Exchequer under Prime Minister Tony Blair, Mr. Brown is suddenly in his element, proudly pointing to his long experience.
"Now is not the time," he said in a pointed jab at Mr. Cameron, "for a novice."
DemCurious What the Hell? Brown, who removed the Bank of England's role as a regulator? Brown, who sold off the UK's gold reserves at an historic low? Brown, who helped steer HMS British Economy into a Post Industrial phase where it makes nothing, imports everything, and has a balance of trade deficit of $9 billion a month? Brown, who sat on his hands and declared, McSame-like, that the Fundamentals of the Economy are Strong, then dithered while the banks teetered towards collapse? Brown, who just told the bailed-out banks that as a condition of getting their handouts that they have to restore mortgage and personal lending to 2007 levels - the very same levels that caused
Brown, who removed the Bank of England's role as a regulator?
Brown, who sold off the UK's gold reserves at an historic low?
Brown, who helped steer HMS British Economy into a Post Industrial phase where it makes nothing, imports everything, and has a balance of trade deficit of $9 billion a month?
Brown, who sat on his hands and declared, McSame-like, that the Fundamentals of the Economy are Strong, then dithered while the banks teetered towards collapse?
Brown, who just told the bailed-out banks that as a condition of getting their handouts that they have to restore mortgage and personal lending to 2007 levels - the very same levels that caused
neroden: Credit to him for doing the bleeding obvious Brown copied the Swedish plan -- with the full backing of the LibDems and the Tories. It was the bleeding obvious thing to do. It was already recommended by most economists. Any half-brain who read the newspapers could have figured out that it was the correct plan to restore confidence. The reason it looks good is simply that nobody else in power seems to have done the bleeding obvious thing! Which is sort of horrifying.
Brown copied the Swedish plan -- with the full backing of the LibDems and the Tories. It was the bleeding obvious thing to do. It was already recommended by most economists. Any half-brain who read the newspapers could have figured out that it was the correct plan to restore confidence.
The reason it looks good is simply that nobody else in power seems to have done the bleeding obvious thing! Which is sort of horrifying.
to which I added:
a man that has pretented, together with his pal Blair, that center-right, or fully rightwing policies spun in leftish-tinted discourse was the only future for the left, thus helping move the Overton window right?; a man whose only constituency for the past 10 years was the City Of London (the bankers, the hedge funds) and the billionaires of the world, whom he enticed to London via extravagant tax breaks? a man who has shown nothing but contempt for Europe now saying that coordination is a necessary thing?
a man whose only constituency for the past 10 years was the City Of London (the bankers, the hedge funds) and the billionaires of the world, whom he enticed to London via extravagant tax breaks?
a man who has shown nothing but contempt for Europe now saying that coordination is a necessary thing?
