Obama & His Chiefs of Staff

 

So.  Obama represents an alternative to GOP rule.  Really?  Let’s take a moment and ask ourselves:  Is placing Wall Street Predators in positions of power a path to change?  Or would such Predators look out for Wall Street (and their own) interests? 

It’s really a pretty simple question.  And let’s keep in mind:  Obama gets to choose his Chief of Staff:  The GOP can’t filibuster it, there’s no one forcing Obama to pick this or that Chief of Staff (except the 1%) – IT IS OBAMA’S CHOICE AS PRESIDENT.  It is HIS POWER to decide.

And what has Obama decided?

That ALL of his Chiefs of Staff should come from Wall Street Banks.  ALL of them.  One would be bad enough… but ALL?  This is called a PATTERN.  Let’s examine Obama’s three Chiefs of Staff, shall we?

Rahm Emanuel:

After serving as an advisor to Bill Clinton, in 1998 Emanuel resigned from his position in the Clinton administration and joined the investment banking firm of Wasserstein Perella, where he worked until 2002.^[35] Although he did not have an MBA degree or prior banking experience, he became a managing director at the firm’s Chicago office in 1999 and, according to Congressional disclosures, made $16.2 million in his two-and-a-half-years as a banker.^[35][36]

Really?  Someone close to Clinton – with NO banking experience – suddenly becomes a banker and makes out like a bandit?  I wonder what value the banksters saw in Rahm?  Perhaps his political connections?  Which implies Rahm would advance their interests?  Either that, or the banksters just loved Rahm so much they were moved to make him wealthy with nothing expected in return.

Emanuel was named to the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) by President Clinton in 2000. His position earned him at least $320,000, including later stock sales.^[37][38] He was not assigned to any of the board's working committees, and the Board met no more than six times per year.^[38]

320K for meeting six times in a year.  Not bad “work” if you can get it.  I wonder what value he brought to the table?  Surely – Certainly – the banksters weren’t expecting Rahm to advance their interests politically, right?  Why, that wouldn’t lead to Change We Can Believe In, would it?

During Rahm's time on the board, Freddie Mac was plagued with scandals involving campaign contributions and accounting irregularities.^[38][39] The Obama Administration rejected a request under the Freedom of Information Act to review Freddie Mac board minutes and correspondence during Emanuel's time as a director.^[38]

Well, color me shocked!  Obama rejected calls for information related to questionable activities conducted whilst Rahm was a Board Member?  I’m certain Obama had no choice (snark) – the GOP would have filibustered something, right?

William “Bill” Daley:

He became associated with Amalgamated Bank of Chicago, where he was first vice chairman (1989–1990) and then president and chief operating officer (1990–1993). Daley returned to the practice of law, as a partner with the firm Mayer Brown (then Mayer, Brown & Platt) from 1993 to 1997.

Daley was appointed to the board of Fannie Mae in 1993 by President Bill Clinton,^[2][3] serving until 1997. (Hmm.. seems to be a pattern here, eh?)

In December 2001, following his service as U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Clinton, he was appointed President of SBC Communications to help reform the company's image. In May 2004, Daley was made the Midwest Chairman of JPMorgan Chase, following its acquisition of Bank One Corporation, to oversee its operations from Chicago. Daley formerly served on the Board of Directors of Boeing, Merck & Co., Boston Properties, and Loyola University Chicago. He is currently a trustee of Northwestern University and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Again.  We see Obama SELECTING (no GOP obstructionism here folks!) a Bankster as Chief of Staff.  Why?  What kind of policies do you think a Wall Street Bankster from JP Morgan would advance?  Do you think he would advance the 99% or the 1%? 

And now we get to Obama’s latest Chief of Staff:  Jacob Lew.

In June 2006, Lew was named chief operating officer of Citigroup's Alternative Investments unit, a proprietary trading group. The unit he oversaw invested in a hedge fund "that bet on the housing market to collapse."^[3]

Gee, Beav – any thoughts as to what policies ol’ Lew will advance?  Think it’ll be for the 1% or the 99%?  Perhaps THIS is the Wall Street Bankster who will seek to make up for his past behavior which helped impoverish the 99%?  Ya think?  Or – and this is just a suggestion – perhaps the American public should wake up and smell the java? 

Call me cynical, but if you made your fortune betting that the 99% would be evicted from their homes, I’m guessing that you probably don’t give too much of a shit about the working class.  Perhaps I’m jaded.  Maybe I just don’t understand how the Banksters that destroyed the 99% actually wish it well?  Or maybe I’m facing reality.

Lew co-chaired the Advisory Board for City Year New York. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, (ooh! Council on Foreign Relations.. well, that’s certainly an interesting group, eh?)  the Brookings Institution Hamilton Project Advisory Board, and the National Academy of Social Insurance. Lew is also a member of the bar in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.^[4]

So what we have folks is that Obama – the President who supposedly the 99% should invest their future in – appoints Wall Street Banksters with a history of destroying of destroying the 99%, advancing policies that destroy the 99%, to… the White House Chief of Staff position. 

Explain to me again why I should have any faith whatsoever that Obama actually gives two shits about the 99%?