Commentary on different ways to think about the global economic crisis, unleashing the market, what could Obama have done differently, the benefits of bilingualism, funding partisan politics, and trashing Bob.

Crisis what crisis? (ed’s note – societies that supress economic outcomes or fail to create intergenerational mobility will find themselves in crisis).

Financial Times -- America’s three takes on the crisis
Is capitalism in crisis? The question, posed earlier this year in a series of articles in the Financial Times, is suddenly commonplace.

Go capitalist or go home.

Telegraph -- What Britain needs now is a celebration of the 'big capitalist society'
The Chancellor has two tasks in this budget — to put in place measures that will provide growth as well as tackling debt and put flesh on the bones of the economic vision that will shape policy in the coming years.

Related.

Economist -- Unlocking companies’ cash
The chancellor’s budget measures should focus on spurring investment by cash-rich firms.

In politics timing is almost everything and your friends.

New Yorker -- Replay
 As he faced an ailing economy, what could Obama have done differently?

Related.

New York Times -- Obama’s Economists, Not Stimulating Enough
Much has already been written about President Obama’s economic team, and much of it has been highly critical.

 

Parlez-vous francaise?

New York Times -- Why Bilinguals Are Smarter
SPEAKING two languages rather than just one has obvious practical benefits in an increasingly globalized world.

democracynot.USA

Independent -- Rupert Cornwell: Big money takes aim at the heart of Washington
Out of America: Party political bankrollers are mounting a takeover of think tanks. If they succeed, US politics will become more partisan than ever.

Related. (ed’s note -- Rae took office at a time when Ontario's manufacturing sector was being savagely restructured because of the free trade agreement, when John Crow was applying a Paul Volker-like squeeze to inflation, and when the US economy was in recession. No premier could have prevented what happened to the Ontario economy).

Sun News -- Conservative ads target Bob Rae's NDP economic record
Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae's economic record as NDP premier of Ontario in the 1990s comes back to haunt him in a black-and-white television attack ad the Conservative party will air in key markets starting Tuesday.

Times Colonist -- Keep a Cool Head About Gas