Monthly Archives: January 2010

(Community Matters) I played hooky from church this morning, reading the NYT and drinking coffee, then breakfast with my godson Cameron and Steven’s cousin Zac. What the heck, we’re having dinner with 3 Episcopalian priests and two former nuns tonight – that ought to count and will be even more fun – not to mention tasty!

(Community Matters) yikes – we were scheduled to attend the Alley Theatre last night for their performance of Wonderland.  Though, we just couldn’t get motivated for the drive to Houston.  This necessarily canceled our night and breakfast at the ranch with my parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew – regret not spending the morning with them.

Alas, had already declined . . . .  Mark Salmanson’s surprise 50th birthday bash – hope you were surprised and had too much fun.  And, the party celebrating Crystal Cotti hosted by Mark Strama.  And, Graham Reynolds’ & Shawn Sides’ for dinner, celebrating the launch of next week’s Symphony VI, the world premieres of Graham’s The Difference Engine and Peter Stopschinski’s Rough Night with Happy Ending.  See Golden Hornet Project (Feb 6) here

Sorry, once we canceled one event, it was a slippery slope and we sloughed with the best of ‘em.

(Community Matters) message to my President: please pass healthcare at all costs. If it takes reconciliation to get it through the Senate, so be it. I don’t care about D majority or presidential reelection as much as finally insuring 30mm, 40mm Americans + excluding preexisting conditions + initiating cost containments + increasing Amer mfg competitiveness + portability

Obviously, I don’t think it would cost D or POTUS reelection but if so, so be it. LBJ knew signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 lost the south for Ds for a generation but it was the most important civil progress of our generation. So will be healthcare – both from civil and economic perspectives. Combined with financial services, it (they) consume too much of our GDP

And, absolutely, each bill currently passed is grossly imperfect – and extraordinarily better than what we have today.  We will fix the problems going forward.  Many are predicting our margins in each house of Congress will narrow in Nov (I’m not yet signed on to this assumption) and we cannot afford delays any further into the election cycle.

(Community Matters)  Thom Singer’s blog posting – Who Know’s Who, It’s a Small World - prompted me to randomly check the number of mutual friends I shared with several folks:

Steven Tomlinson (606), Michael Barnes (576), Kirk Watson Senator (427), Forrest Preece (341), Brenda Thompson (277), Evan Smith (274), Ian Davis (203), Amanda Chiampi (181), Michael Mitchell (172), John Thornton (170), Carla McDonald (169), Linda Ball (158), Amy Everhart (150), Kim Hughes (149), Kirk Rice (124), Bettie Naylor (115), Thom Singer (99), Tana Christie (97), Melanie Barnes (84), Margo Weisz (83), Alexa Lange Wesner (83), Alex Winkelman (83), Tom Meredith (80), Lynn Meredith (72), Amy Rudy (55), & Kirk Rudy (10 – doesn’t seem like a lot but he only has 13 since he only ever signed on for one day! +me, there’s 2 not mine) . . . cool little exercise. 

hmm, who are Steven’s 600 friends not mutual?

update:  sorta interesting: by far, most of ST’s friends who weren’t mutual, I didn’t know (appear business and former students).  A couple handfuls, I do know and have requested friends.  And, most interesting are the 3 or 4 who I was friends with but who must have defriended me*.  That’s cool – I’ve defriended less than a handful myself – usually because they broke up in a mean way from someone I’m close to. Ah, the secret of online relationships

* this includes our 16-yo niece who banished me after I sent a note to her boyfriend.  Lesson learned, though she refuses to regrant privileges, explaining to me there must be consequences for bad behavior – understood

(CommunityMatters) I’m a total Volckerite - much of my initial confidence in President Obama’s financial stewardship stemmed from Paul Volcker’s and Warren Buffett’s support & advice.  During the last several months, I’ve been especially bothered by reports that Sumners and Gheitner had been crowding him out from the President’s ear.  I’ve been pleased by reports and obvious, deliberate signals of late otherwise.  This editorial in today’s NYTimes superb. A few extracts:

Apart from the risks inherent in these activities [proprietary trading, ownership & sponsorship of hedge funds and private equity funds] they also present virtually insolvable conflicts of interest with customer relationships, conflicts that simply cannot be escaped by an elaboration of so-called Chinese walls between different divisions of an institution.

The concept of a “living will” has been set forth by a number of governments. Stockholders and management would not be protected. Creditors would be at risk, and would suffer to the extent that the ultimate liquidation value of the firm would fall short of its debts.

I’ve been there — as regulator, as central banker, as commercial bank official and director — for almost 60 years. I have observed how memories dim. Individuals change. Institutional and political pressures to “lay off” tough regulation will remain — most notably in the fair weather that inevitably precedes the storm.

(Community Matters) forgot I even took these

I asked David Kurio for a signature flower arrangement – this extraordinary wall of flowers greeted our guests

Larry Connelly & James Armstrong accepting the Maislin Humanitarian Award

Amy Rudy

Amy is the most open and vulnerable person we know.  Her short acceptance speech was pure Amy – genuine, piercing and authentic.

Kirk Rudy

They are both, two of my best friends (our best friends).  Kirk was poignant, insightful, challenging and quite thoughtful in his remarks.  I have pasted them at the bottom of this posting.

Fernando Cutz

Fernando Cutz is the senior class president of Washington University in St. Louis.  He and friends were having a senior party at a club when their Black classmates were denied entrance.  The ADL helped them pursue this injustice.  He talks about it here.

Continue reading →

(Community Matters) some DC pics from earlier this week

the Cramer family as we’re out & about in Old Alexandria

@ the Torpedo Factory where Sonya engaged us all in games to survey the art

David Corn & Sonya Cohen-Cramer

David Corn (the Mother Jones Washington Bureau chief) wrote a good story about the MA Senate race – it’s all about the independents.  Reid Cramer (head of research at the New America Foundation and Director, Asset Building Programs) has posted good pieces on the importance of consumer protections and financial regulatory reform here.

I enjoyed my debate and conversations with Reid & David, my banter & fun with the kids, and I cherish the depth of conversation with Sonya Cohen-Cramer - the artist among us.

(Community Matters) During the Q&A in posting below, Texas Republican Congressman Jeb -> Hensarling from Dallas and East Texas, asked the President about deficits, suggesting that government debt was tripling under President Obama

President Obama corrected Rep Hensarling, reminding him that:  when this administration came into office, the deficit was already $1.3 trillion with $8 trillion more of debt projected for the next decade because of unfunded mandates, programs and other commitments.

When Republicans took over the White House and Congress in 2000, they enjoyed a surplus of $200 billion.  They enacted 2 tax cuts that weren’t paid for, passed a prescription drug plan (the biggest entitlement program launched in decades and didn’t pay for it) and failed to pay for 2 wars.  Additionally, the deficit increased by another $3 trillion as a result of the economic slowdown, even before Obama was sworn into office.  Legislation passed under Obama, has added $1 trillion to the deficit.

Ok, we agree – unsustainable deficits and spending  need be brought under control.  But, if the conversation is about fiscal responsibility, if it deteriorates into blame, we start with what this administration has inherited and who has acted most fiscally irresponsible.  Though, that’s much less productive than moving forward.

We must also be sensitive to the economic recovery.  Our relapse in the Great Depression happened when Washington prematurely reacted to the deficits and retreated on economic stimulus.  And, it’s a reality that a progressive agenda won the election – we will enact healthcare reforms, environmental protections and investment in infrastructure & education.  Taxes will increase – primarily to pay for the $9 trillion+ inherited deficit.

(Community Matters) Pres Obama’s speech and Q&A at Republican’s retreat yesterday in Baltimore. I highly recommend watching this

And, the Q&A

CBS rejecting this ad from Super Bowl airing

(Community Matters) Kirk Rudy’s acceptance speech at last night’s ADL Torch of Liberty Dinner. He challenges all of us

(Community Matters) Amy’s acceptance speech last night – “being a bit more sensitive”

(Community Matters) Rebuilding our economy is the #1 priority. Infrastructure is crumbling and too many honest, hard-working Americans must earn money to keep their homes, their cars and feed their children - I’m not talking about the crooks who lied on their mortgage applications or the foolhardy who borrowed three times against paper profits. The government must help Americans when there’s systemic unemployment created by a failed and gamed economy.  It isn’t partisan; it’s American.

It’s not 15% or 25% unemployment as it might have been without the economic recovery act, and 10% is still way too high. Even signs of recovery are too anemic.  It was good to remind us that Bush inherited a budget surplus and spent us into a trillion dollar deficit while cutting taxes in the middle of two wars.  And, that’s not a buy; it’s Obama’s baby now (our baby now), and we gotta fix it or be tossed out on our asses.

I emailed my cousin this morning about the extraordinary progress underway at the agency level.  I’ve now had a chance to hear directly from the secretaries of energy and the EPA (the latter called the administrator) as well as top deputies at education and energy.  These people blow me away.  They aren’t waiting for legislation to pass, they’ve hired the very best & brightest, and have started enforcing laws, judiciously spending their budgets, and are already making huge differences in improving America’s economy and Americans’ lives.

Good things are underway, and a hell of a lot more needs to be done – today.  Rescue, rebuild, restore must be substantive and immediate.  Our citizens are tired of political rhetoric and partisan bullshit.

“Obama didn’t sound like a president buffeted and beleaguered by the political fates. He sounded determined, patient, forceful, good-humored, at times even mischievous.” -the Most Rev. Eugene Robinson

(Community Matters) Finally met Honey, officially known as Alan Rudy, Kirk’s dad.  He and Stephanie (already my buddy from door to door in Grand Rapids during the election) in for today’s Torch of Liberty Dinner.  Steven, Zac and I joined them, Amy & Ellie for dinner and State of the Union watching.  good gosh, I think (actually I know) I just invited ourselves over.  My presumptuousness even embarrasses me sometimes – well, kinda, sorta, okay – not really.

(Community Matters) It was a terrific trip.  DNC meetings for our national finance committee and national advisory board.  Heard from lots of folks.  We asked for a meeting reflecting accountability for spend and how we’re responding to electorates’ priorities and sensitivities.  I went keenly attuned to the investment of our donors’ monies and the promises we made them as we raised, as well as the promises of the Administration & those of us who worked to elect him to the electorate.

I came away impressed by the thought and reflection, by the articulation of lessons learned – not only in MA but in NJ and VA as well.  I don’t mean to suggest the left will be any more pleased than the pragmatic middle of our party from the president’s speech tonight – obviously, I haven’t read it. Since early 2008, I’ve noted that the President is a pragmatic man.  He’s always promised a keen focus on the middle class, on healthcare, on energy/climate control, on rescuing our economy and on education.

Has it been foolhardy to spend so much political capital in the first year on rescuing the economy, insuring children (s-chip), establishing a strategy & spend on two wars, hiring thousands of top level people, rebuilding America’s standing in the world, and fighting for healthcare?  I think not.  Have we handled healthcare correctly, many say not.  And, yet we’ve gotten further than any previous administration in 60 years – though, admittedly, close doesn’t count.  It’s not over by a long shot.

Have we lost perspective of Americans’ demand for more focus on the deficit and spending?  I guess there are initiatives being announced to address this.

Down to 59 in the Senate – I’ve already said on here, I’d prefer 58.  Let’s thank Senator Liebermann for his chairmanship this last year and move forward with a new one.  Fifty nine (or fifty eight) – these are incredible numbers.  I think we’re better off with a little competition and the need to strike some consensus.  If Republicans decide they only want to obstruct, pull the trigger – do away with the filibuster using the same rules they proposed.

As far as all the Wall Street bankers screaming that the populist rhetoric is not what we promised while running:  You are spending hundreds of millions on an army of mercenaries (lobbyists) to kill all proposed regulatory reform and consumer protections.  You are jacking up credit card and banking fees.  You are still borrowing at the Fed window, relying on gov’t guarantees for money market accounts & commercial paper lines, and paying yourselves obscene amounts of money.  If this were pre-revolutionary France, you’d have already lost your heads.   Until you negotiate in good faith and call off your mercenaries, you cannot complain with any integrity.

photo: www.solarnavigator.net