GE CEO Immelt slams Obama

According to the financial times Immet was addressing a group of Italian CEOs.

"Mr Immelt also had harsh words for Barack Obama, US president, lamenting what he called a “terrible” national mood and expressing concern that over-regulation in response to the global financial crisis would damp a “tepid” US economic recovery. Business did not like the US president, and the president did not like business, he said, making a point of praising Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, for her defence of German industry."

He latter hedged his comments by stating they were made at a private dinner and taken out of context.  Its understandable that he didn't want to expose GE to the ire of this administrations overzealous regulators, but we need more leaders to speak out and explain why a new course is needed.

One way to solve the Immigration crises

Wall Street Journal: Spanish Downturn Sparks Immigrant Exodus 

When Spain's construction-dependant economy cratered amid the global financial crisis, the government sharply curtailed foreign-worker recruitment programs, limited family reunifications and stiffened penalties on employers of illegal immigrants. Spain created a Voluntary Return Program, paying accumulated unemployment benefits as an incentive to get legal immigrants to go home.
Immigrants have borne the brunt of job losses and their unemployment rate has shot up to 30%, from 12% in 2007, compared with the 20% national average.
Ecuadoran fisherman Gustavo Luzuriaga had been in Spain seven years, but he returned home last year after he couldn't find work on a boat. "Everything had gone sour there, and there was not much hope for the future," he said.

Immigrants come to a new country because they seek opportunity driven by the demand for their labor.  We often loose sight of this fact when discussing the issue here in America.  Most of the debate is centered around language and culture.  But it's often superficial I'm not concerned if people enjoy soccer and eat burritos but rather if they subscribe to the American tradition of liberty and are willing to work to become productive citizens.

I do think its important to enforce the law but lets ensure the law meets the needs of the country.  We shouldn't force talented engineers educated in American universities to migrate to Canada or Australia if they are willing to pledge the fidelity to the republic.  Nor should we allow crops to rot in the fields or migrants trampling private property in boarder communities when when we could create an orderly process.  What we desperately need in Washington is leadership and debate that is not focused on platitudes and fear.

G20's deaf ear towards Obama

Why aren't the Europeans listening to the US's call to continue "stimulating" the economy through massive deficit spending? The obvious wrong headedness of was never an obstacle in the past, but the difference this time is Greece.

The sovereign debt crises has scared governments so much that they are forced to address the reality. The social democratic model is not sustainable programs & spending must be cut. The big question is will Obama head figure this out before it's too late?