Comments on: Zakaria: Cable News Exaggerates Terrorism

By: Jennifer Warren

Jennifer Warren — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:29:43 +0000

oops, eclectic, so much for my spelling.

By: Jennifer Warren

Jennifer Warren — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:27:27 +0000

My commentary is based on years of listening to foreign policy experts’ presentations. Last books read were Lawrence Wright’s Looming Tower, Three Cups of Tea, and A Golden Age (East Pakistan/Bangladesh).The first two give a very good view inside.

Read World is Flat, and intend Hot, Flat, Crowded but…But I also read (and have followed) Greenspan, Bernanke, and R. Fisher’s Fed speeches. Other sources of interest are Far Eastern Economic Review…

I write about these subjects some. I have an ecletic array of sources too long to list and less book time than I’d like.

By: WV

WV — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:52:31 +0000

Jennifer Warren – best commentary in far too long, and well-written to reflect, modestly, “…from what I have read and understood…” Where have you been hiding?

Although I was going to put Zakaria’s new book at the top of the list, I now ask Jennifer, what did you last read?

By: Candace Evans

Candace Evans — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:03:25 +0000

One more thing: Zakaria said that when things don’t go well, government has the power to step in, police, make changes. Article in yesterday’s WSJ — despite the bailout, the banks are still not lending across the price spectrum, which is really hampering our real estate recovery.

By: Jennifer Warren

Jennifer Warren — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:14:10 +0000

First, one other missed cause in Zakaria’s analysis of crisis is that the excess liquidity that found its way into US markets was matched by excess risk-taking. Investors, financial intermediaries, and others found new ways to make money through complex financial instruments, etc. and they were not overseen (regulators, politicians), simply call it excess greed and laxity while the punch bowl was full and filling up. There were no incentives to the complicit to stop the party. The over-optimism in markets for housing, tech, stocks, was classic market psychology with its manic depressive tendencies.

As for Reagan taming inflation, he really did two things. One was attempting to rein in government spending and putting in place policies which were more pro-business. It was actually Paul Volcker of the Fed that raised interest rates in a draconian fashion to tame inflation, which was needed. But Reagan and the Fed were on the same page, ie., policies reinforcing each other.

As for China buying Treasuries. Their excess supply of profits in their economy were parked in the US because we have been the safehaven in the past. They being a creditor to our debtor status helped keep our interest rates low. These purchases didn’t make anyone buy more. People chose to consume, leverage themselves with debt, trade up their homes, and make poor choices. Not everyone did. But we will be paying for years to come with higher taxes. The admin’s bets (via stimulus) in green energy and other areas will be interesting to see how they play out.

As for terrorism and news. From what I have read and understood, the terrorists have a much longer time horizon than our news cycles or administration’s changes. They are patient. And while they are being patient, we should keep vigilant and identify their pipelines of new recruits as possible, and new practices which are everchanging.

I hope for some balance of market forces with clear and authoritative government oversight that punishes wrongdoing. I worry about finding easy regulatory scapegoats like over-restricting short selling. They are the bears that keep the optimists/bulls in check, I’ve been told.

By: Neither party

Neither party — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:44:11 +0000

Yeah, we never see opinion slipped in on these issues, you are just not familiar with that opinion being one that acknowledges that perhaps there should be a war on terrorism.
It is now un-American to not have your Obama pom pons out.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 07:36:44 +0000

Thanks for that passive-aggressive last paragraph, Glenn, because we really wanted to know what you think on the matter. Such sniping is hardly an earnest entrant into the marketplace of ideas. That you try and peddle your nonsense on a fun but frivolous city magazine makes you all the more silly. Could they rehire McGill to do your job, please.

By: Dallasite

Dallasite — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 03:24:00 +0000

“As long as the Holy Land Foundation was here, we *were* safer. No terrorist is going to nuke the home office.”

You really haven’t paid much attention to the typical terrorist’s preferred method of attack, have you?

By: NeitherParty

NeitherParty — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 01:31:05 +0000

Glad to see the “Bush is the devil, and responsible for all my ills” crowd made it. Nothing like standing up for an empty suit like this cat.

By: Buck

Buck — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:08:22 +0000

As long as the Holy Land Foundation was here, we *were* safer. No terrorist is going to nuke the home office.