A Crises Is A Terrible Thing to Waste

In David Boaz's article "Obama's Shock Doctrine," he likens the current activity of government spending and expansion over the market to what Naomi Klein described in her book of the same name as Shock Doctrine. In her book, she claims that government conservatives have successfully used times of war and economic crises to ram through policies of free market. In Boaz's article he claims that same strategy is being used by democrats and liberals in the current economic crises. He ultimatly contends that Obama is using this crises to "ram through a progressive agenda."

As this modern day depression carries on, the current administration has passed a stimulus bill for over 700 billion dollars, have nationalized some of the countries largest financial institutions and made wards out of large corporations. As White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel stated, "You never want a serious crises to go to waste." This administrations attempts to expand the government is not without precedent.

Historian Rick Perlstein said that during FDR's first hundred days he "hurled down executive orders and legislative proposals like thunderbolts." He also noted that Roosevelt did not stop for almost four years. As the attempts to solve the crises carry on, Obama's administration has already exceeded that of New Deal spending and although a confident front is being provided by President Obama, a skeptical public is anxious to see the results of the spending and the reform they expect, even when both were said to be slow to show.

Obama has faced almost unanimous opposition from the Republican Party on his plans making it even more essential that he be able to keep a worried public calm, and more importantly patient if his plans have any chance to succeed.