The American Spectator : Managing the Non-Recovery

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Managing the Non-Recovery

It takes a special skill to pull that off.

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Half or more of the cabinet members in the following administrations had prior private sector experience: Eisenhower 57 percent, Reagan 56 percent, George W. Bush 55 percent, Nixon 53 percent, Wilson 52 percent, George H. Bush 51 percent, Franklin Roosevelt 50 percent, Truman 50 percent.

Prior private sector experience ranged from 49 percent to 40 percent in the following administrations: Harding 49 percent, Coolidge 48 percent, Johnson 47 percent, Ford 42 percent, Hoover 42 percent, Taft 40 percent.

And the presidents with the lowest percentages of cabinet members with prior private sector experience: Clinton 39 percent, Teddy Roosevelt 38 percent, Carter 32 percent, Kennedy 30 percent, Obama 8 percent.

Unfortunately, even these “private sector experience” numbers overstate the case. The CEO of Solyndra would be included as “private sector” if President Obama would have bumped him up to the cabinet as Secretary of Energy.

Perhaps it’s Obama’s record-breaking lack of cabinet level “private experience” that explains the administration’s failures with job creation, the apparent lack of understanding and appreciation in this White House about the role of profit, investment, small business, risk-taking and entrepreneurship.

It’s not unlike putting a group of people in charge of a zoo who know next to nothing about animals.

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About the Author

Ralph R. Reiland is the B. Kenneth Simon professor of free enterprise and an associate professor of economics at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (48) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

Aristocat| 8.22.12 @ 6:54AM

Hit the road, Bammy, and don't let the swinging door hit you on your way out..

TLP| 8.22.12 @ 4:54PM

Where are all the Jobs?

They're Everywhere, if you happen to be someone who WANTS Jobs.

There are 1,000,000 Jobs, ripe for the taking, locked under ground, in the form of Oil, Natural Gas, and Coal, if you happen to be someone who WANTS Jobs.

Can anyone tell me why we've had an Illegal Drilling Moratorium in place, for almost The Muslim's entire Reign?

Anyone?

Purp? DRed? vtwin? Jackass from London?

Why was the Most Studied Pipeline, in the History of Studied Pipelines, DECLINED by President No Jobs, even after his own State Department gave it their OK?

Why was BOEING prevented from opening Shop in South Carolina, for so long?

Why is the EPA doing everything in their power to shut down the Coal Industry, and anyone else that wants to do business, in this Country?

Why won't the Interior Department let Companies Mine for Ores, out West?

Why is The Muslim buying up all the Land he can, out West, to INSURE that Nobody puts a Shovel in it?

Why is the Agriculture Department Slaughtering Farmer's Pigs?

Why hasn't he met even ONCE with his Vaunted Jobs Committee?

And, why did he Force Thousands of Car Dealerships to Close Their Doors, throwing Hundreds of Thousands of people OUT OF WORK?

Purp? DRed? vtwin? Dumbass from London?

Anyone?

It's because he DOESN'T WANT ANYONE WORKING.

It's called: Occam's Razor.

Look it up.

Appleby| 8.22.12 @ 7:12AM

Obama is now enjoying all the special privileges to the max, hobnobbing with people who will not answer his calls after February, enjoying the goodies before they are snatched away. He is the man who shoots his ex-wife, sets his foreclosed house on fire and races the repo man in his leased Ferrari off the edge of a cliff into the middle of rush hour traffic.

He belongs to the Thelma and Louise school of management. Live fast, die young, leave a good looking corpse.

Pecos Pete| 8.22.12 @ 9:43AM

Appleby: This is one of your best comments.

TLP| 8.22.12 @ 4:56PM

That's not saying much.

MK48| 8.22.12 @ 6:35PM

Applebag.....you belong to the Jane Fonda school of tratiors.

George True| 8.22.12 @ 2:40PM

Win or lose in November, the Obamas have a lifetime of luxury and super wealth ahead of them. From day one is has been speculated that after he is no longer in the white house, Obama will probably be made head of the UN or some other position where he will be paid millions per year. Moochelle will probably be installed on the board of various corporations and foundations where she will also be paid millions for doing nothing.

The Saudis and perhaps even the Iranian regime will pay Obama millions to help facilitate the continuing Islamization of the West. Putin would probably be willing to pay many millions to Obama and Jarrett for a complete debrief on all the inner secrets of the Pentagon, CIA, DIA, NSA, etc.

Obama will live in the lap of luxury without ever having to work and with nary a care in the world for the rest of his execrable life.

Appleby| 8.22.12 @ 3:34PM

But he'll be looking over his shoulder all the way.

Mimi | 8.22.12 @ 8:02AM

This President...8%....8%... of private sector people around him?....8%?
Just goes to show it's only HIS agenda on the table...And he ABSOLUTELY must have 4 more years....The UNITED STATES OF AMERICA has not been destroyed fast enough...He has to go " FORWARD".....Give me a break....And the POLLS are EVEN? WHAT?

The Avenger| 8.22.12 @ 8:33AM

It truly is frightening that the polls show a dead heat. We have a choice between someone who has been wildly successful in the private sector vs. someone who has zero experience in anything except the art of demagogue. My faith in the American electorate is being shaken to its foundation.

Pecos Pete| 8.22.12 @ 9:46AM

TA: It is too early to rely on polls except that at least R&R are hanging in there. The R&R campaign will hit the road after the convention and they have LOTS of cash to use for their advertisements. It will be a close election if for no other reason than demagoguery is persuasive with the uneducated. Maybe the uneducated won't vote? Wouldn't that be a surprise for the democrats?

TrueBlue | 8.22.12 @ 4:31PM

The thing is Romney and Ryan are both very good speakers too, and unlike Obama they don't require a teleprompter.

TLP| 8.22.12 @ 5:01PM

And, unlike Obama, they know their Shit, and don't need a Machine in front of them, so they can speak words that somebody else wrote for them.

Like all Leftists, he's only good at one thing: Tearing things down.

When it comes to Building Something?

He's like a Monkey with a Typewriter.

Appleby| 8.22.12 @ 10:59AM

As I recall, the race between Reagan and Carter was considered a "dead heat" until five minutes after the polls closed, when Carter conceded in what turned out to be the mother of all routs (until Reagan's re-election, anyway).

As they say, the only poll that counts is the one we cast on election day.

Tom Kyba| 8.22.12 @ 12:35PM

You're right. The recent closing of the gap by Obama sounds like wishful poll-fiddling.

MK48| 8.22.12 @ 6:38PM

Applebag.........polls are for idiots and cool-aid drinkers.

Which are you..................

Alej| 8.22.12 @ 9:40PM

Why are you jumping her ass ? You agreed with her.

Von Mises Jr| 8.22.12 @ 10:23AM

The Foundation for Economic Education has a pamphlet "Great Myths of the Great Depression" for $2.
The twenty pages is frightening to read when you look at 2008 to 2012. It is like a carbon copy.
Read it and you will understand why Obama does not need to meet with business leaders or counsels outside his shill crony capitalist Immelt and Buffet.
If he is re-elected with these policies and tax increases across the board, you will relive the 1930's.

Al Adab| 8.22.12 @ 11:32AM

Jr:
That is exactly what they hope to achieve. Enlargement of the dependent class strengthens the power base of The Left. To them that is what matters not free men or free markets. Central control and the mandarin class is the goal. This economy is intended to represent the new norm as to make the U S similar to a european welfare state.

MK48| 8.22.12 @ 11:35AM

Don't we know all of this already....come on Ralph thanks for the umteenth artical on what we already know.

Everyday we sit on TAS a post the same old sh*t...I don't know about you but it's getting old.

Let's get this dog and pony show over with......even no he's 1 point ahead 1 point behind it's all BS.

We are all stiing in the stands watching a tennis game....looking to the LEFT looking to the RIGHT ......who's ahead what's the score.

I hate tennis....... I like dueling take 10 paces and turn around.

MK48| 8.22.12 @ 11:45AM

This was in respone to PURP

Al Adab| 8.22.12 @ 1:27PM

MK:
"Don't waste time bantering words with idiots and barbarians." Marcus Aurelius

Purp| 8.22.12 @ 11:37AM

When the nation becomes overextended in credit, personal and business - when the bubble bursts, de-leveraging must ensue before confidence is restored. THAT is what happened in the 1930's and now. This time is far more like the Great Depression than any other Recession. Luckily, we have the safety net provided by the Democrats under FDR and LBJ primarily for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Unemployment Insurance that eases the severity of this awful time.
Credit shouldn't have been extended as much as it had been, but when you remove regulations, and that was Bush, the Republican Congress and the Federal Reserve that should have provided the oversight to stop the overheating of the economy, what can we expect?
The economy needs to be regulated to smooth out the ups and downs inherent in capitalism, and lacking that - we are doomed to repeat.
There is little Obama OR Romney can do to restore the economy until the de-leveraging is complete. But under Obama, fewer people will suffer, the government will help as much as it can. Under Romney it will help as little as possible.

George True| 8.22.12 @ 2:48PM

Maybe that's how it happened in Bizarro World, but not here in this world. On 17 different occasions, prominent Republicans, including Bush himself, went before congress and beseeched then to rein in Fannie and Freddie before it was too late. On every occasion, they were rebuffed by the likes of Dodd in the senate and Bawney Fwank in the house, who insisted there was no problem.

As always, PurpTroll, what you say is the polar opposite of the actual truth.

Von Mises Jr| 8.22.12 @ 3:35PM

Don't waste your time on rear hole troll. Sometimes he is Jefferson, other times Purpleguy and probably Nathan and TEA Party Now.
He is a $10 per hour MoveOn scum and you will only get bogus arguments and lies.

Alej| 8.22.12 @ 9:45PM

"Credit shouldn't have been extended as much as it had been, but when you remove regulations, and that was Bush, the Republican Congress and the Federal Reserve that should have provided the oversight to stop the overheating of the economy, what can we expect?"

The names Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Frank Raines, and the anti-redliner Bill Clinton, mean anything to you at all, with respect to your statement ?

Thought not.

TLP| 8.22.12 @ 5:05PM

That's nothing.

Finger through Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto, concerning Taxation, Property Ownership, Inheritance, and Control over the Means of Production.

It's like a Carbon Copy of President Sealed Documents' Administration.

Purp| 8.22.12 @ 11:30AM

Try again. The President has a jobs bill languishing in the Republican House and Congress in general which would create 1 Million more jobs to help ignite the economy. What is Congress waiting for? Could it be they want the President to lose the election while making the economy bad by neglecting their work? That is the Job #1 according to Sen. Mitch McConnell, isn't it? Not JOBS, not the deficit, not defense - defeating the President. And, that's fine - but the shameful, appalling thing is that America must hurt so Republicans can win in November.
Ya think America isn't aware of that?

JTinNC| 8.22.12 @ 11:58AM

You forget that when we had 5% unemployment and 3%+ GDP Harry and Nancy were telling everyone we had the worst economy since the Great Depression. Obama and the Democrat party had control of Congress for 4 years and the Presidency for 2 years (2008- 2009) in which they had a filibuster-proof margin and needed no Republican votes to do what they thought was going to fix things. So we got a stimulus bill that actually created under 1 million jobs so far (using actual net employment numbers from the BLS).

$800 billion to create a net 1 million jobs shows how poorly conceived his stimulus was. This article points out how under-represented business people are within his administration, which may be a clue to the quality of the advice he gets.

Why would anyone implement any 'jobs bill' he created? Even Democrats have admitted it would not pass, and they did not expect it to, just trying to make political points. Obama cares only about his reelection, and not one wit about working people (as he ignored the unemployment issue for 3.5 years).

Purp| 8.22.12 @ 1:51PM

Wrong. Not that you care, but the Democratic Control of Congress with 60 votes in the Senate started after Norm Coleman finally conceded to Al Franken in May of 2009, and before Scott Brown of Mass. was sworn in on Jan 6, 2010. A whole 7 months! The first 2 years, Bush vetoed any legistlation that made it to him. The rest of the time before and during Obama's term, the Republicans had the filibuster and used it more than at any time in history. Stop the Right Wing Mythology.
At least let's deal in truth and facts.

George True| 8.22.12 @ 2:53PM

Other than the date that Al Franken stole the election and the date that Scott Brown was sworn in, everything else you said is complete nonsense, as it is the exact opposite of the actual facts.

It's really quite funny to hear you extoll truth and facts. Sort of like Hitler extolling the virtues of pacifism and religious tolerance at the same time he's invading Poland and exterminating the Jews.

Von Mises Jr| 8.22.12 @ 7:33PM

Tom Kyba| 8.22.12 @ 12:38PM

Would anyone expect you to see anything other than a tinfoil hat conspiracy behind everything Republicans do? Please go to the dictionary and look up "redundant".

Purp| 8.22.12 @ 1:52PM

Truth is truth. They want to create JOBS, or they just want power? They seem to just want power to me.

George True| 8.22.12 @ 2:55PM

Truth and your comments are mutually exclusive.

Von Mises Jr| 8.22.12 @ 7:34PM

TLP| 8.22.12 @ 5:11PM

Actually, your Boy has a JOBS COMMISSION that has been Languishing FOREVER, waiting for their first meeting with their Master.

Maybe you can explain why he hasn't met with them, even ONCE, in all that time?

But you won't, because you can't.

Why don't you just STFU with your stupid Dog and Pony Show, trying with all your might, to Defend the INDEFENSIBLE, that is The Muslim?

Louis Jenkins| 8.22.12 @ 11:36AM

Where are the jobs? They have left the country, 23 skido, gone. And they will not be coming back. Obama was the wrong guy when the nation needed rebuilding, and McCain sure couldn't have done the job either. Essentially we were screwed during the 2008 campaign. But the clean, articulate Obama was the man of the hour, and the non-understanding voted for him. Obama hasn't met with the job council in over seven months (?), but what's worse, he hasn't said one thing that makes sense to conservative America since he was elected. The mentally insane rule not just the asylum, but the US of America. And he want's four more years?

MK48| 8.22.12 @ 11:44AM

Dude.......when are you going to wake up....tough to think rational when you are recovering from the last glass of cool-aid.

America isn't hurting it's being DESTROYED !

but you knew that..........

I don't know why I even responded to you........you have no clue day after day you spew your sh*t here and most respond....I don't get it.

This will be my last and only time.......AMF

TLP| 8.22.12 @ 5:14PM

Please see my column at the top of the page, and loan me $500.

MK48| 8.22.12 @ 6:43PM

10-4 you got my email address sh*t LOAN I'll give it to you.

Kwan| 8.22.12 @ 11:47AM

The apparent lack of understanding and appreciation in this White House about the role of profit, investment, small business, risk-taking and entrepreneurship....Obama and his communist co-conspirators don't believe in free enterprise/capitalism because it doesn't create an equal distribution of wealth. Therefore they are attempting to collapse our economy so they can then implement a Soviet-style command economy. This obsession of the left's with equality is designed to chum the suckerfish in the electorate into actually believing that Obama is going to confiscate billions of dollars from Bill Gates and the rest of the rich (anyone making more than $100,000 per year) and hand it over to them. Actually history shows us that once in power, these communist dictatorships descend into paranoia, and begin pouring the wealth of the nation into the military and creating an oppressive secret police force in a desperate bid to remain in power.

George True| 8.22.12 @ 3:08PM

Kwan is the winner today. The destruction of jobs and the free market economy is being done intentionally by the current regime in the white house, and their willing Commie-crat accomplices on the left side of the aisle in the house and senate. And they will attempt to hold on to power by any means necessary. (Who do you think the two BILLION rounds of ammo are intended for that DHS recently ordered?

Kwan| 8.22.12 @ 8:03PM

Right you are George. This accumulation of hollow-point ammo by these federal agencies makes no sense. We know that if you have any patriotic inclinations that you are on DHS Comandante Janet Napolitano's "Terrorist Watch List". To be sure whatever nefarious plans these people have will be revealed once Obama loses the election.

MK48| 8.22.12 @ 2:27PM

Kwan............I don't know about you but aren't you tired of beating the drum to deaf ears.

We are in a "fish or cut bait" time we got what we got It's up to HIM.

Kwan| 8.22.12 @ 8:24PM

MK we can only hope that a majority of the electorate come to their senses by November 6th. Four more years of the communist traitor Obama is an unthinkable proposition.

John II| 8.22.12 @ 3:22PM

Mr. Reiland's piece reminds me of the current Newsweek cover feature, evidence that segments of the MSM may be leaving the ideological plantation, if only to retrieve a bit of self-respect and market share.

The Left is not just ideologically bankrupt; it's morally degenerate--the graver weakness. Notice the faux-boldness of the Newsweek cover. No pretense at open questioning this time: "Has President Obama wasted his political opportunity?" None of that stuff. Just "Hit the Road, Barack!"

Ronald Reagan's most significant legacy, I think, was to change the terms of debate in the American conversation. Obama's only legacy, I hope, will have been to disabuse American consciousness of Lefty nostrums. Even the handlers of the Catholic bishops are waking up to what the Nanny State really means--and America will have the queasy memory of the smug Obama to thank for such awakenings.

Again, even if he somehow wins this election, the Professor is toast. Yes, we'll all get pretty badly singed amid the antics of a second, uninhibited Obama administration. Yet one takes heart in the high quality and the spread of negative comment on the fraud and his handlers. The American experiment seems to thrive on second thoughts and wake-up calls.

And now back to "True Grit" (the superior 1969 version), in which John Wayne famously articulates his conservative philosophy to a skeptical Mattie Ross: "I ain't afraid of no booger-man."

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