disturbing

I hadn't realized until now that the phrase "the best and the brightest" was coined to be ironic.

And now history might be repeating itself.

Speaking of disturbing, it is really disturbing that Lawrence Summers is heading up Obama's economic team. Not just because he seems to think women are less capable in math and science than men (though Kim Gandy, President of NOW, poses the very interesting question whether "if [Summers'] comments about women's lack of aptitude for math and science had instead been a comment or an opinion about African Americans having less capacity for math and science, would he be on anybody's short-list?"). And not just because he's generally considered to be a total prick. But mostly because he played a significant part in creating the mess we're in now.

As Naomi Klein points out, there is quite a bit of "intellectual dishonesty" in parts of the Left about when the groundwork was laid for the current economic crisis. Calling it the Bush administration's fault sounds good in an election campaign, and certainly the last eight years have been completely disastrous for this country.

But c'mon guys. Deregulation really started rolling under Clinton. And who ran the Treasury under Clinton? Robert Rubin (who is now eating crow over at Citigroup) and... Larry Summers.

It's not that he failed to forsee the complete implosion of the economy. HE HELPED CAUSE IT.

And this is the guy Obama is going to be turning to for advice? Pardon me if I'm not overwhelmed with optimism.