Git ‘er Done
Prez O has expressed confidence in Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner’s ability to get things done. But, David Cho, writing for The Washington Post, sees things differently. ‘”No one knows how to get decisions made,” said a senior government official familiar with the Treasury’s inner workings. “Major decisions can happen very fast at the top, and then after that there are tons of detail and nuances that have to get worked out without clear chains of command. Either the seats are unfilled . . . or you have to answer to a half a dozen counselors running around.”’ For example, 7 weeks after Rick Wagoner was dismissed as GM chief, he is still on the payroll because the Treasury can’t decide if the $20mn severance package previously agreed to will be honored. For more, go here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/17/AR2009051702268.html?wprss=rss_politics
Is the Phoenix housing market a harbinger of things to come soon to the rest of the country? According to Nicholas Riccardi, writing for the LA Times, there are bidding wars for many houses in the market, albeit bidding on lower-priced homes rather than housing at large. Nationally, pending home sales rose 3.2% in April, the second month of increases. Phoenix was one of the hardest hit markets with median prices for homes in 2006 of $268k spiraling to $120k today. The sooner the turn-around, the sooner the economy, right? Or, is it vice versa? For more, go here: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-phoenix18-2009may18,0,7979477.story?track=rss
“Reaching across the aisle” may be a subversive method of eliminating top GOP candidates from running for President or for other key positions. Prez O recently tapped Jon Huntsman, GOP Governor of Utah, for ambassador to China. Can’t the Reps read between the lines and see through this underhanded plot?
On a positive note: This from Greg Bluestein, AP: “The housing market may be sputtering, but Habitat for Humanity International is getting a $100 million gift from an Atlanta businessman [J. Ronald Terwilliger] who built his fortune developing real estate and is now giving it away piece-by-piece to support affordable housing.” Good on you, Mr. Terwilliger!
Blessings.