Is the ‘radical transformation’ of U.S. politics now underway a ‘tribute to American pragmatism’?
According to Pierre Rousselin, editorialist for France’s Le Figaro:
“In economics as in diplomacy, the most ideological administration in America’s modern history is about to end with a dramatic renunciation of the dogma it defended at its debut. … This is a tribute to American pragmatism, which remains their only true religion and allows them to burn the idols they worship before it’s too late.”
EDITORIAL By Pierre Rousselin
Translated By Sandrine Ageorges
October 15, 2008
France – Le Figaro – Original Article (French)
The financial crisis is now accelerating a radical evolution in American politics, which the presidential election on November 4th is very likely to consecrate. A few weeks ago, between the abandonment of investment bank Lehman Brothers in the name the religion of the market and “laisser-faire” – and making the decision to employ the Paulson plan to recapitalize the banks by up to $250 billion, a genuine ideological revolution is unfolding across the Atlantic.
After the Iraq fiasco, the failure of the neoconservatives became obvious in terms of foreign policy. This has been confirmed by their defeat in open country on the battlefield of the economy.
If, on September 15th, the federal government allowed Lehman Brothers to go down by not providing its guarantee, it was because the “pragmatic” ones in the administration – Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and FED Chairman Ben Bernanke – could not convince the ideologues who regarded the rescue of Wall Street’s fourth largest bank as “the beginning of socialism.”
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated and English-language foreign press coverage of the unfolding economic crisis and the U.S. election – including all-night coverage of the global reaction to the last presidential debate.
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