The Obama administration, for its part, says there is no basis for the crony capitalism claims.

There you go, clearly the accusation is false; the accused says he didn’t do it… what more do you need to know how innocent he is?

In terms of the “sweetheart deal” for the UAW, it’s fairly clear that the president gave precedence to the union and its blue collar members, who fared better than they would have been under Chapter 11.

General Motors will eventually be back in trouble again in the next few years. The systemic problems that resulted in GM’s bankruptcy are still in place and will eventually lead GM to return to the government teat. Market forces can’t resolve the problems when the government keeps interceding. Just like Amtrak, the taxpayers will be on the hook for GM forever.

TulsAmerican on February 20, 2012 at 3:10 PM

Yes, and the root of that systemic problem is the greedy UAW. Until the UAW is thrown on the trash heap of American history, American auto manufacturing will not survive.

In terms of the “sweetheart deal” for the UAW, it’s fairly clear that the president gave precedence to the union and its blue collar members, who fared better than they would have been under Chapter 11.

General Motors will eventually be back in trouble again in the next few years. The systemic problems that resulted in GM’s bankruptcy are still in place and will eventually lead GM to return to the government teat. Market forces can’t resolve the problems when the government keeps interceding. Just like Amtrak, the taxpayers will be on the hook for GM forever.

We wouldn’t want a Post writer daring to stick his neck out with a criticism of Barry, would we? I don’t seem to recall the Post being hesitant to judge Bush.

He doesn’t have definitive proof of Obama’s intentions, even if the evidence suggests continued grounds for suspicion.

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So are we now going for ‘beyond a shadow of a doubt’ before a politician’s half a billion dollar walking around money move(s) can be pointed out?
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BTW… I love the ‘well you caught him here, almost caught him here, but didn’t really catch him here’ feel of Kessler’s analysis. Paints Obarry as a sneak and a thief.
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If someone with great power over you literally or figuratively puts a gun to your head insisting you relinquish your rights as they demand, and you do so, your are not “voluntarily” relinquishing those rights.

Also, I agree with your observation that: “what obama long ago figured out is that if nobody actually resists you you can do anything you want.”

Obama is a bully and that is exactly how bully’s function.

Obama is at this very moment demonstrating to his elite cronies how it is going to be done. He is using health-insurance-premium-payers money to funnel political favor and power toward elite “feminist leaders”.

It is going to get far, far worse. Under the rubric of “preventative care” billions upon billions of dollars of tax-payer and now premium-payer money will be going to Democrat cronies of all flavors.

And much of what progressive politicians, bureaucrats and judges will deem “preventative care” will be related to health care only in their fevered money-drunk, rationalizations.

http://townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2012/02/15/the_progressive_legacy_part_ii/page/full/

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It would be much more honest to say Obama believes strongly in the green energy market, largely because it may prove to be the path forward but also in part because it supports traditional political allies. He selected Solyndra for public funding because it represents both of these factors.

It is also likely true that the green energy agenda was in part behind the bailout for GM as a quick and massive infusion of cash could help jumpstart the fledgling American electric car market. The structuring of the deal to wipe out bondholders and build up the unions was a blatant political move.

So in both cases, it was clearly crony capitalism. Why WaPo feels it needs to cover Obama on this is curious and can only mean that if voters knew the details, they would likely be turned off by either the practice or the substance. Which by it’s very nature, makes it un-American.

Too many people in the GOP don’t get that the MSM is a constituent group of the Party.

The Romney people least of all.

Socialist/Marxist/Capitalist? you guys are so confused.

P.S. Capitalist, not even a poor one. He would have to believe in it first. 0 doesn’t.

The MSM can’t help themselves reflexively flacking for Obama. Just this morning a 30 second ABC news blurb on rising gas prices started and ended with assurances that the president has no control over gas prices.

forest on February 20, 2012 at 9:23 AM

Funny that, because George Bush had control over gas prices, and he proved it. In 2008 we saw gas prices approach $4 a gallon. Bush lifted the moratorium on off-shore drilling and gas prices dropped almost over night, levelling off at $1.84 the day Obama took office. But Obama….Nooooo, he has no control over gasoline prices!

residentblue on February 20, 2012 at 9:41 AM

So many apply, take for instance in your case, denial. Could also be, abnegation, or even projection. Or perhaps one might go with disavowal. You see how that works. Many descriptives can be used all equally correct. You got it?

Doughboy on February 20, 2012 at 9:29 AM

Strangely, ABC didn’t mention any of that stuff.