Comments on: Obama’s Opportunity Cost http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/06/obamas-opportunity-cost.html Overcoming Bias is economist Robin Hanson’s blog, on honesty, signaling, disagreement, forecasting, and the far future. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:09:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: janet http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/06/obamas-opportunity-cost.html#comment-429734 janet Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:24:31 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=18871#comment-429734 A rose by any other name is still a rose. Liberals now call themselves progressive, like polishing a turd if you ask me. A rose by any other name is still a rose. Liberals now call themselves progressive, like polishing a turd if you ask me.

]]> By: Dave http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/06/obamas-opportunity-cost.html#comment-429325 Dave Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:24:08 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=18871#comment-429325 Nah....Obama is still so deified, far and above any politician in my 46-years, that he can do no wrong via the general populace and mainstream press... Nah….Obama is still so deified, far and above any politician in my 46-years, that he can do no wrong via the general populace and mainstream press…

]]> By: Gary http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/06/obamas-opportunity-cost.html#comment-429272 Gary Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:28:41 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=18871#comment-429272 lol lol

]]> By: Michael Bishop http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/06/obamas-opportunity-cost.html#comment-429158 Michael Bishop Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:28:10 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=18871#comment-429158 > little more than subtle Obama bashing. Try rereading it then. There is sophisticated content here. > little more than subtle Obama bashing.

Try rereading it then. There is sophisticated content here.

]]> By: ungtss http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/06/obamas-opportunity-cost.html#comment-429144 ungtss Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:45:10 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=18871#comment-429144 Do you really think Obama needs to build up political capital in congress, when he already has a majority in both houses behind him? What indication do you have that they won't just do everything he asks for right now? Meanwhile, his policies have been so stereotypically and irresponsibly leftist that they are pushing the public's political pendulum back to the right. Do you really think Obama needs to build up political capital in congress, when he already has a majority in both houses behind him? What indication do you have that they won’t just do everything he asks for right now?

Meanwhile, his policies have been so stereotypically and irresponsibly leftist that they are pushing the public’s political pendulum back to the right.

]]> By: Jim Babcock http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/06/obamas-opportunity-cost.html#comment-429143 Jim Babcock Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:27:47 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=18871#comment-429143 <blockquote>Obama has spent much of his political capital on changes far from professed progressive priorities. He spent lots on fiscal stimulus and nationalizing the auto industry, and seems to have too little left for big medical and financial reform.</blockquote> This seems backwards to me; the fiscal stimulus wasn't spending political capital, it was *building* it, by giving congress permission to spend money on projects for their home districts. When it comes time to pass a health care bill, all those congressmen who used the stimulus money will owe him one. The media still takes every possible opportunity to write about Obama, even when there's nothing newsworthy to say. The front page of cnn.com currently links to filler a story about Obama visiting a custard shop with his family. So I don't think there's much risk of the media losing interest or turning against him any time soon.

Obama has spent much of his political capital on changes far from professed progressive priorities. He spent lots on fiscal stimulus and nationalizing the auto industry, and seems to have too little left for big medical and financial reform.

This seems backwards to me; the fiscal stimulus wasn’t spending political capital, it was *building* it, by giving congress permission to spend money on projects for their home districts. When it comes time to pass a health care bill, all those congressmen who used the stimulus money will owe him one.

The media still takes every possible opportunity to write about Obama, even when there’s nothing newsworthy to say. The front page of cnn.com currently links to filler a story about Obama visiting a custard shop with his family. So I don’t think there’s much risk of the media losing interest or turning against him any time soon.

]]> By: ungtss http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/06/obamas-opportunity-cost.html#comment-429134 ungtss Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:19:52 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=18871#comment-429134 If Obama's goal is genuine "change," then his actions are inexplicable, as you rightly point out. He's squandering all his chances. But if his goal is to pay off political contributors, then they make perfect sense -- he's hitting everything on the nose. Since I believe him to be a highly intelligent man, I can only infer that his goal is not social change so much as paying off his contributors. If Obama’s goal is genuine “change,” then his actions are inexplicable, as you rightly point out. He’s squandering all his chances. But if his goal is to pay off political contributors, then they make perfect sense — he’s hitting everything on the nose. Since I believe him to be a highly intelligent man, I can only infer that his goal is not social change so much as paying off his contributors.

]]> By: Etl World News | Blaming the Republicans http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/06/obamas-opportunity-cost.html#comment-429124 Etl World News | Blaming the Republicans Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:40:39 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=18871#comment-429124 [...] I'm not yet sure what are the correct lessons, from a progressive point of view (Robin Hanson and I have been chatting about this and I hope to blog it more soon).  Deep in my bones, however, I feel that if the main takeaway [...] [...] I'm not yet sure what are the correct lessons, from a progressive point of view (Robin Hanson and I have been chatting about this and I hope to blog it more soon).  Deep in my bones, however, I feel that if the main takeaway [...]

]]> By: Lord http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/06/obamas-opportunity-cost.html#comment-429123 Lord Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:51:47 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=18871#comment-429123 Conservatives underestimating Obama with wishful thinking. Nothing I like better... Conservatives underestimating Obama with wishful thinking. Nothing I like better…

]]> By: josh http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/06/obamas-opportunity-cost.html#comment-429122 josh Sat, 20 Jun 2009 18:53:35 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=18871#comment-429122 Are you serious? Are you serious?

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