Hillary trots out Rahm’s crisis-management advice in Europe
posted at 10:26 am on March 6, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Rahm Emanuel famously offered the advice not to waste a good crisis, and apparently that’s the new motto of the Barack Obama administration. In fact, they have so much fondness for that strategy that they want to share it with our allies. Hillary Clinton told the European Parliament that they shouldn’t allow the economic meltdown to pass without exploiting the panic for more statist policies. And that’s only a slight exaggeration (via Mitch Berg):
The financial crisis offers a new chance to rebuild economies based on a greener model with less dependence on unreliable overseas energy imports, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday.
“Never waste a good crisis,” Clinton told a hearing at the European Parliament. “And when it comes to the economic crisis, don’t waste it when it can have a very positive impact on climate change and energy security.” … “This is a propitious time … we can actually begin to demonstrate our willingness to confront this. We are making up the best we can for lost time,” she added.
No, Saul Alinksy didn’t say that, or at least he didn’t say it first. Machiavelli originally said, “Never waste the opportunities offered by a good crisis.” I’m not sure which leadership strategy is more worrisome; at least Machiavelli relied on competence and success.
I’m not sure if we’re seeing Machiavelli or the Peter Principle at play in the new administration. The incompetence has been so pronounced and so widespread that one almost wants to believe that some master plan is at work that will make sense in retrospect. On the other hand, any plan that starts off by destroying Wall Street and the capital investors is a plan I don’t want to see succeed, regardless of its eventual denouement.
Regardless, having Hillary cackle with glee over the opportunities for statist global-warming policies this crisis has created provides the administration with some highly questionable optics. I guess she’s got a job and doesn’t have to worry about the economic meltdown.
Blowback
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Good point :-)
neuquenguy on March 6, 2009 at 11:10 AM
I just had a conversation about Hillary with my mom and made me want to stab both my eyes out. She thinks Hillary is just following The One’s orders and doesn’t actually share the same feeling as he does about it. I tried to tell her until I was blue in the face that she wouldn’t be doing it if her and bubba didn’t endorse most of The One’s policies. I need a Crown and Coke now! LOL
Texas Dude on March 6, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Looking at the stock market I am guessing he started talking at 10:00 AM eastern time.
WashJeff on March 6, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Al Capone available?
neuquenguy on March 6, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Released the text of the speech to the wire services.
genso on March 6, 2009 at 11:12 AM
At least she knows Obama wants capitalism to fail. She’s half way to full enlightenment. 50% better off than my dear progressive Mom.
forest on March 6, 2009 at 11:13 AM
Ed, it’s called Affirmative Action, in full bloom. That’s what we get when we elect a Precedent.
progressoverpeace on March 6, 2009 at 11:18 AM
Considering that Iran has just been invited to talks discussing the fate of Afghanistan, I’d say this administration is doing everything possible to create crises which they can exploit.
I just hope there is something left when the reckoning finally comes due.
Bishop on March 6, 2009 at 11:20 AM
though i’ve never been a military “dove”, i don’t want our soldiers in afghanistan or anywhere else in harms way when bambi is CiC. their safety is not a priority with him. and he has never, ever used the word “victory”.
kelley in virginia on March 6, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Ed, do you have a reference for this quote? I googled it and couldn’t find a citation. I might want to use this, but wanted to make for sure that Machiavelli actually said this. Anyone? Bueller?
CP on March 6, 2009 at 11:24 AM
What should be the final nail in the AGW myth’s coffin.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/03/05/negative-feedback-in-climate-empirical-or-emotional/#more-6036
This study proves that there is no positive feedback to drive the very small temperature increases from increased CO2 to scary levels.
A few million years ago, CO2 was 20 times what it is today, and life thrived. Yet we are told that merely doubling it will kill 80% of life on earth.
MarkTheGreat on March 6, 2009 at 11:28 AM
carbon_footprint, wherever you are, sorry about the
strike through. I wish Ed and AP wouldn’t put the quote button next to the strike button. But then I wish I had the sense to proofread consistently.BuckeyeSam on March 6, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Good lord. If we can’t hang that quote around Hillary’s neck, we don’t deserve to ever be in power again.
I doubt the millions of Americans who have recently lost their jobs think this is a good crisis. I think most of us would have been quite happy to continue being employed, even if we were causing a tiny bit of pollution and using some fossil fuels to get to work and back.
rockmom on March 6, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Here here. I am at a total loss to understand what could make seemingly intelligent human beings… well anyway. I hope we can undo this idiot’s experiment in whatever he is experimenting with…
petunia on March 6, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Mission Accomplished!
H/T: The Anchoress
Mr. Joe on March 6, 2009 at 11:41 AM
How exactly are we to power our cars and our home heating/cooling in their Brave New World? There simply is no green substitute ready to go any time soon.
They really just want to slow us down to a nice Euro crawl.
PattyJ on March 6, 2009 at 11:42 AM
So why is global warming being crammed down our throats? In my opinion it was debunked years ago and the evidence against keeps growing and growing yet the world is wasting more and more treasure on it.
The whole world is just upside down these days!!!
petunia on March 6, 2009 at 11:42 AM
Don’t you worry, Patty. Perpetual motion machines are being delivered to every American household sometime very soon … They’re just busy trying to get them into the boxes, right now.
progressoverpeace on March 6, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Anyone who still actually believes in Globaaaaal Waaaaaarming is demented.
MB4 on March 6, 2009 at 11:51 AM
To those of you who wouldn’t vote for McCain because you thought it would be better for the country to go through a hard space, because then people would realize the need for conservatism – happy now?
exhelodrvr on March 6, 2009 at 11:51 AM
The chaos and incompetence are intentional in the sense that chaos feels normal to a president whose background is leftist community organizer and Chicago political deals.
So I suspect that the administration as a whole feels energized, rather than anxious.
It’s revolution, dude. It’s hope and change. Don’t take that as sarcasm, because I mean it as example.
The bogey man Big Business has fallen (markets) and the People will be better off in the long run — that’s behind what we are witnessing, in my opinion.
alice on March 6, 2009 at 11:53 AM
That does not even read like the way Machiavelli wrote.
Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.
- Niccolo Machiavelli
MB4 on March 6, 2009 at 11:55 AM
CP- I was unable to find the quote ascribed to Machiavelli, but I did find the following from him:
“The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.”
“The new ruler must determine all the injuries that he will need to inflict. He must inflict them once and for all.”
“There is no surer sign of decay in a country than to see the rites of religion held in contempt.”
“I’m not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it.”
“Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions.”
“Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others.”
“No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution.”
“One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others.”
“Politics have no relation to morals.”
“Princes and governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society.”
“Severities should be dealt out all at once, so that their suddenness may give less offense; benefits ought to be handed ought drop by drop, so that they may be relished the more.”
“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.”
Do any of these sound vaguely familiar? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?
College Prof on March 6, 2009 at 11:58 AM
I had an uncle who was brain damaged in the 1918 flu, he spent his life trying to make a perpetual motion machine. Whenever he got a little money he would buy gears and chains and add it to his “machine”. He died in about 1985 and the machine is stuck in a wood shed on my mother’s property. Maybe we should dig that baby out and see if it is the answer to today’s problems!
petunia on March 6, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Heh. At least he had a hobby. I say, “Dig it up.” I’m sure you could wrangle a few billion out of the Porkulus for it. You could apply for funding for a “Machine That Transliterates Superconductive Effects to Kinetic Enterprises”. They’ll love it.
progressoverpeace on March 6, 2009 at 12:12 PM
My God, they’re not even hiding it now. The Socialists have mad their move and are announcing it to the world.
The Whigs will have nothing to say about this power grab, that party is all but dead. How about the conservatives?
james23 on March 6, 2009 at 12:20 PM
These people (clintons, obama, rahm etc) arent americans
they are LEECHES.
they are the ones who should be deported to IRAN..
they make ALL americans SICK..
jcila on March 6, 2009 at 12:22 PM
MB4 & College Prof:
Thanks guys.
CP on March 6, 2009 at 12:30 PM
***
I like Hillary Clinton’s super high intellect and toughness. It is good to see someone in charge of the State Department that has real relevant experience and skills. It’s good that the untalented and inexperienced Condi Rice was replaced by a much more competent person–our gal Hillary.
***
I think it is time for Hillary to show us how well SMART POWER WORKS in the real world. She and President O’Bummer can talk the birds down from the trees and the radical Islamists into being rational friendly persons.
***
My plan–tart up Hillary in a low cut mini skirt, high heels, and bright red lipstick. Air drop her off in Taliban country–Pakistan tribal areas–and have her “do her stuff” for the new U.S.S.A. No military or guns needed. Stand back and see real diplomacy in action.
***
John Bibb
***
rocketman on March 6, 2009 at 12:41 PM
Communists of the world unite! Dang, now I sound like Glenn Beck!
petunia on March 6, 2009 at 12:44 PM
I like Glenn, by the way, I just was surprized how easy it is to see the communism in this stuff.
petunia on March 6, 2009 at 12:46 PM
I for one am about as sick as one can get at seeing the Messiah on TV everyday and hearing that he is taking another trip. Hope someone is keeping track of his frequent flyer miles. Maybe he just wants to get away from the family.
hillbilly on March 6, 2009 at 1:12 PM
Reischstag fire sale of freedoms?
DavidM on March 6, 2009 at 1:14 PM
I have never bought into the “Hillary is brilliant” school. I haven’t read a thing she’s written, haven’t heard a thing she has said and haven’t seen a thing she has done, to convince me this overrated old hag is “brilliant”.
Same with the Bed Crapper in Chief.
The two of them working together must be a thing to behold.
Two people whose opinion of themselves are elevated so far beyond their actual abilities, they must truly despise one another.
NoDonkey on March 6, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Ah, the European Parliament…
The den of pedophiles, corruptocrats, anti-democrats, communists and fascists. The forum that wants to destroy democracy and liberty in Europe.
Hillary should feel at home there.
Penguin on March 6, 2009 at 1:40 PM
NoDonkey on March 6, 2009 at 1:14 PM
I think of these Hillary as the girl in high school that wanted to be elected as the class president.
She’s the girl that wasn’t pretty enough to be elected just by her looks, not nice enough to be elected for personality, but just smart enough to parrot what people wanted to hear – from classmates to teachers and professors.
But certainly not brilliant in her own right, with her own thoughts, at least as far as I can tell.
Otis B on March 6, 2009 at 1:48 PM
and Israel.
reaganaut on March 6, 2009 at 1:57 PM
That one caught my eye…
right2bright on March 6, 2009 at 2:04 PM
I wonder how soon before that ponce, Emanuel, gets president 0gabe to put forth a scheme forcing investors to invest to make the Dow go up?
GeneSmith on March 6, 2009 at 3:57 PM
Mugabe’s only working part time.
Speakup on March 6, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Please, no more Shrillary pics! I’m sure her doofy mug is emblazoned on way too many brain cells by now anyway.
Dr. ZhivBlago on March 6, 2009 at 6:58 PM
Hill, Barry and Rahm are all crisis pimps cut from the same ideological cloth.
Sounds like a call for govts to maintain a united front against the plebes.
moxie_neanderthal on March 6, 2009 at 10:18 PM
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