by Mark Silva and updated
President Barack Obama's bid for a global strategy to gain rebalance in the world's economy faces at least a few obstacles.
Such as the leader of the European Union, who calls the president's economic stimulus "the way to Hell.''
As the dispatch from Brussels in The New York Times today notes, the words of Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who has assumed the rotating presidency of the E.U., aren't going over all that well with everyone in the 27-nation alliance, particulary the British prime minister who will play host to Obama at a global summit next week.
Comes word today from the E.U. presidency, however, that the prime minister's remarks were misinterpreted. "He didn't say that," Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra said at a news conferencetoday. The explanation is that Topolanek, speaking through an interpreter, had noted that the United States is taking strong fiscal action to combat the economic crisis and said the European Union would be on the "way to Hell" if it boosted its own fiscal spending.
Whatever he said, it may be a blessing for Obama that the E.U. presidency lasts only six months. As Obama heads for the summit of the Group of 20 major industrial and emerging economies in London next week, the words of the E.U. leader may hang in the air over a conference in which Obama is seeking a global commitment to attacking the economic problems underlying the global recession.
Just five days ago, the Times notes, "E.U. leaders had reached a carefully constructed political truce designed to bury their differences and agree on a common policy ahead of the London meeting. At last Friday's E.U. summit, they pledged an additional 75 billion euros to finance loans by the International Monetary Fund and to double a credit line for its struggling eastern economies.
"European countries, including Germany, have resisted calls to increase the scale of their fiscal stimulus arguing, that the G-20 should concentrate on tightening financial regulation. ''
It is suggested that perhaps the Czechs aren't feeling the same pain that others are feeling. The E.U. president "is sitting in the Czech Republic," one official told the newspaper, "where growth is holding up relatively well and a fiscal stimulus makes no sense... He has never been in favor of a big fiscal stimulus -- though he did not argue against it at the E.U. summit."
Analysts in Prague call Topolanek eager to "show Europe that he was still politically relevant despite the collapse of the government'' and say that "railing against interventionism'' is consistent with ideology of his center-right Civic Democratic party.
"While Mr. Obama in recent weeks has pleaded with European partners to stimulate the economy, countries including the Czech Republic that endured decades of Communism are deeply suspicious of state intervention,'' the Times notes, suggesting that the leader's comments are "likely to come as an embarrassment'' for Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, visiting the United States today in preparation for hosting the G-20 summit in London next week.
Comments
Best I can recall, no one has ever pointed to the Czech Republic as a model of economic prosperity.
I wouldn't rely on Topolanek's opinion on economics any more than I'd rely on George W. Bush's opinion on how to conduct a war.
Posted by: a blinkin | March 25, 2009 11:39 AM
Of course its not known for economic prosperity - it was held down by communism!
That is what he is warning the US about. In fact it seems that several countries that used to be under communism have issued similar warnings.
Posted by: Pedro | March 25, 2009 12:18 PM
The Czechs were under comminism for a long time. It is extreme socialism
and they are very biased. But, many
people who haven't reached their own
level of success seem to think socialization will bring them equality when in fact it could bring us down to the level of Cuba. Or it could do to us what happened under Communism.
All of us living in poverty will not make this a better world...all of us having a chance to better ourselves will.
Posted by: reza santorini | March 25, 2009 12:31 PM
Let me guess. Repiglicans will suddenly give weight to something an EU member says because it supports their anti-Obama rhetoric?
Posted by: malachi goldbergmann | March 25, 2009 12:37 PM
Those countries who lived under Communism have expertise in extreme socialism. We in the U.S. really don't understand what socialism can do to the humans desire to take responsibility for themselves. Look at Cuba...it is NOT wonderful.
Equalization of all things does not mean all people should make the same amount, or can have the the same IQ or be limited by the limitations of others.
Some people regardless of color or ethnicity are harder workers, more tolerant and brighter than others. Some believe in culture and others do not. Being rich does not make you bad, neither does Gay being Muslim or Catholic or Jewish or whatever. Neither does gender.
Posted by: mzmarlena | March 25, 2009 12:38 PM
Gee, blinkin, maybe no one's EVER referred to the Czech Republic as a model of economic prosperity because the country's only sixteen years old! I think it's a little early to dismiss it. Did you know that the CR is on World Bank's list of High Income countries?
Posted by: SharonD | March 25, 2009 12:39 PM
is Mark Silva a Journalist or
Propagandist?
Posted by: Larry Copeland | March 25, 2009 12:45 PM
It seems as though Sen. McCarthy has risen again. Let's start the hearings again and bring back the good old days of "commie fever". Now that's American! Bravo boy's.
Posted by: bill r. | March 25, 2009 12:46 PM
This article, as well as a couple of others i saw on this subject, contains no useful information. What are his specific criticisms? And if all he did was say "way to hell", why is this a news piece?
Pedro - countries who used to be under communism (e.g. Russia) shouldn't be relied upon, they still don't know what they're talking about (just read about the distribution of wealth in Russia). Besides, this is more like socialism than communism anyway, and you don't see Scandinavians blasting Obama.
Posted by: Westlooper | March 25, 2009 12:47 PM
No stop signs, speed limits...
Posted by: Adolph | March 25, 2009 12:52 PM
Pedro:
With all due respect, it is not credible for people to keep talking about anything Obama does or proposes as anything remotely like communism. Communism means no private ownership of property -- all government ownership. He's never suggested anything of the sort. Nothing. Period. Ever.
The government is not about to take over private wealth. The 5th Amendment remains part of the Constitution, and no one has proposed otherwise.
We ought to spend less time on silly fear tactics -- e.g., we're about to go commie like the Czech dude says -- and more time trying to come up with a feasible solution to the economic crisis we're in.
Posted by: a blinkin | March 25, 2009 1:16 PM
Fortunately for the President, his critic here has an unusual and unpronouncable name.
(Just teasing.)
Posted by: ornery | March 25, 2009 1:20 PM
Gordon Brown is visiting Washington today. Quick, get Obama a copy of the latest Oprah magazine for his gift presentation. It will go well with the movie discs he presented on Brown's last visit.
Posted by: Sabrera | March 25, 2009 1:41 PM
The Annoying One should heed this advice. His Socialist programs will kill this country and will not get us out of recession.
Posted by: Den C | March 25, 2009 1:48 PM
FYI - July 5 of last year delivery was completed of 550 metric tons of yellowcake uranium to Montreal to be used in Canada's nuclear energy program - that's more than one million one hundred thousand tons of the stuff.
Where did it come from?
It seems that not long after the invasion in 2003 American troops discovered it north of Baghdad near Al-Tuwaitha. For obvious reasons the discovery was kept secret.
I don't know about you but to me more than a million pounds of uranium seems a bit dangerous and kind of massive.
Source? MSNBC.COM JULY 5, 2008
And we all know they NEVER lie.
Posted by: Terry | March 25, 2009 2:49 PM
There is a misspelling in the last paragraph of this article. "the Czech Republic that endured decades of Communism are deeply suspicion (this should be suspicious) of state intervention,''
Posted by: steve swanson | March 25, 2009 2:56 PM
There is a misspelling in the last paragraph of this article. "the Czech Republic that endured decades of Communism are deeply suspicion (this should be suspicious) of state intervention,''
Posted by: steve swanson | March 25, 2009 2:56 PM
Thank you. That really changes everything for me. You are most astute observer.
Posted by: a blinkin | March 25, 2009 3:35 PM
don't blame the republicans there you liberal tards...the media is only reporting the news..you know, like they did so fairly the last 4 years... Funny, I get to sit back and watch karma exemplified and it's simply wonderful... Especially gratifying are all the Mobama apologists...even after only 60 days in office! LOL
Posted by: jsub | March 25, 2009 4:14 PM
don't blame the republicans there you liberal tards...the media is only reporting the news..you know, like they did so fairly the last 4 years... Funny, I get to sit back and watch karma exemplified and it's simply wonderful... Especially gratifying are all the Mobama apologists...even after only 60 days in office! LOL
Posted by: jsub | March 25, 2009 4:14 PM
None of the liberal tards on this thread blamed the Republicans at all. Little defensive there, loser?
BTW: What's with the "mobama" stuff? Surely someone with your class and sophistication would not make a cheap racial statement, would you?
Do tell. You strike me as utterly fascinating.
Posted by: a blinkin | March 25, 2009 6:21 PM
if you can't take advice from a country that fought to gain independence from a socialist regime on the direction the us is heading ask any of the historian's how germany turned it was not a mile at a time it was by inches and feet. over the past 60 days we in the us are moving by miles at a time. it causes concern worldwide
Posted by: james r hartsell | March 25, 2009 6:50 PM
It would be terrible to live in a socialist state.
For example, France, except for the free medical care, food, wine, architecture,..
Or Denmark or Norway or Sweden.
Nasty places. So nasty everyone gets 2 months of vacation a year.
I want to live in an earthly paradise, like Houston or Tulsa or Birmingham.
Where life is so delightful......
Posted by: ornery | March 25, 2009 9:27 PM
don't blame the republicans there you liberal tards...
Posted by: jsub | March 25, 2009 4:14 PM
No doubt one of those who was the loudest to complain about Obama and the Special Olympics.
Posted by: bill r. | March 26, 2009 7:41 AM