NEWS: Obama's selection of economic advisor upsets leftists

Posted By: Russell
Date: 6/12/08 12:03p.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

[There is an economic left in this nation, characterized primarily by its opposition to globalism, which naturally allies with those who seek protectionism. It isn't much recognized, because it has little influence today, and because the right tries to pretend that anyone who isn't a supply-sider must therefore be a Marxist. The fact of the matter -- one that some Democrats are just now beginning to realize -- is that Obama ran to the economic center compared to Clinton and Edwards, not to mention Kucinich on the outside edge of the field. That should come as no surprise. It was clear in Obama's various proposals. He already had a University of Chicago economist on board. And now he has added an economist who defends Walmart. As usual, click the link for the entire article.] WASHINGTON -- Labor union officials and some liberal activists were seething Tuesday over Barack Obama's choice of centrist economist Jason Furman as the top economic advisor for the campaign. The critics say Furman, who was appointed to the post Monday, has overstated the potential benefits of globalization, Social Security private accounts and the low prices offered by Wal-Mart -- considered a corporate pariah by the labor movement. ... Furman, 37, is linked closely to Robert Rubin, a Wall Street insider and Clinton economics aide who eventually became Treasury secretary. Rubin's views on global trade and deficit reduction riled liberal economists and labor activists, though his presence gave the Clinton administration valuable credibility in the business and financial communities. "We are very much taken aback that Furman has been put at the head of this team," said Marco Trbovich, a senior aide to United Steelworkers President Leo W. Gerard, whose support is considered crucial to Obama's success in heavily unionized areas of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Minnesota and other battleground states. Trbovich worked with Furman during Kerry's presidential campaign, in which Furman was also an economic advisor. "He is a very bright fellow, but he is an unalloyed cheerleader for the trade policies that have been very destructive to manufacturing jobs in this country," Trbovich said. "There are very serious concerns" about his appointment. ...