Reading of Angela Merkel’s victory in Germany today (not to mention Sarkozy’s comments to Obama at the Security Council), I was reminded that there’s nothing more square and old fashioned these days than a left-liberal. I mean what fuddy-duddies, mired in leftover rehashed ideology from Gramsci and the Port Huron Statement. (I’m not sure Obama read either of these first hand. More likely he sat there nodding unquestioningly as his professors shoveled in the received wisdom of the sixties… er, ages.)
Apparently, Merkel and her coalition partners won victory on a platform of tax reduction, relying on the theory that that would spur production in the recession and ultimately increase government revenues – the same concept that Obama, seemingly confused, called “unfair” when asked about it during the campaign. I am more certain than ever that he had simply never heard of it.
According to reports, Obama phoned Merkel with congratulations. Wouldn’t it be nice if he adopted some of her policies too? Unlikely.
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