A VC - Latest Comments in Thinking About Obama

Re: Thinking About Obama

lilly — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:17:54 -0000

I dont think obama should win,because if he does he will shut down war and send back our troops if he would do that then the muslims would come and bomb our country..have you ever thought about this??

Re: Thinking About Obama

tetsuotrees — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:57:00 -0000

I don't think you could have described anything LESS Marxist, Fred. The fact that you CHOOSE to give your capital away is the ultimate expression of capitalism.

And just why "being Marxist" is such a fashionable thing confuses me to no end.

Anyway, Fred Wilson, hyper-capitalist (who knew?)...

Re: Thinking About Obama

Ranjit Mathoda — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:14:06 -0000

My understanding of Marxist ideology is that you wouldn't have the right to make money personally, or choose where to give it away. Instead "the state" would make those decisions for you. Sounds to me like you're a compassionate capitalist: make the money, give it to others based on their need. The real question is when others make money, how happy are you to take that money from them and give it to third parties?

Re: Thinking About Obama

Ranjit Mathoda — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:09:21 -0000

Interesting post. I did a thorough book review of The Audacity of Hope by Obama which can be found here: http://mathoda.com/archives.... Here's an excerpt of my book review on the topic of trade: Mr. Obama notes that the Central American Free Trade Agreement, a law allowing more open trade and investment with poor countries like Honduras and the Dominican Republic, was “overall … probably a net plus for the US economy,” but that any effect it did have would be minimal since the countries effected by the trade agreement in combination don’t have an economy the size of Connecticut. Yet he voted against it because labor unions hate it. As Mr. Obama wisely notes, unions argue for (a) stronger labor protections in countries that trade with the US, (b) rights for foreign workers to unionize, (c) bans on child labor, (d) improved environmental standards, (e) an end to unfair government subsidies, (f) stronger protection for US intellectual property, and (g) an end to artificially devalued foreign currencies, but Mr. Obama observes none of the measures requested by labor unions change the “underlying realities of globalization.” As he states, “work in a dirty factory or overheated sweatshop is often considered a step up on the economic ladder”, “… when all is said and done, China will still have more surplus labor in its countryside than half the entire population of the United States.”, and “the basic debate surrounding free trade has hardly changed since the early 1980s, with labor and its allies generally losing the fight.” As Mr. Obama states, it is “hard to even imagine, much less enforce, an effective regime of protectionism.” Despite all these observations, he voted against a law that would benefit society. Yet Mr. Obama is correct that those political realities are hardly unimportant. As he states, “Unless … a strong signal [is sent] to American workers that the federal government was on their side, protectionist sentiment would only grow.” The issue he faces is that no credible policy has been put forward to address people’s fears, by himself or others.

Re: Thinking About Obama

fredwilson — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:20:05 -0000

I make money and then I give it away, basically

Re: Thinking About Obama

Antman — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:34:19 -0000

I have this discussion far too many times, with far too many friends on both sides of the aisle. We have had years of an inflexiable President who refuses to readdress his positions, regardless of new information. We need, in our next President, the commitment to show flexibility. We cant afford another rigid, idealistic leader with an agenda.

I concur with you on your desire to have Obama change his position on trade. It is a global economy. Also, I am not a fan of his tax policy and definition of "rich". Although people making 250k to 500k are doing very well, I would not consider them rich. Especially the younger generation, who have just achieved this earning level Also, increasing capital gains, to me is as aburd as Bush privatizing social security.

Re: Thinking About Obama

gregorylent — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:04:14 -0000

we are still in neanderthal times

Re: Thinking About Obama

tetsuotrees — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:39:44 -0000

You have to remember here that the Democrats are virtually guaranteed to build on their majorities in both houses. It's highly unlikely that the court moves to the right during the next Presidency, even if someone MORE conservative than McCain were to win.

Also, I think if you look at the trend objectively you'll see that the past 8 years have been among the least "right leaning" of the past twenty-five. More conservative legislation was passed during the Clinton Administration than during the last four years of the Bush Administration, while GWB's first four years were littered with a mix of both very conservative and very liberal legislation. Given the length of the relatively "conservative" trend and it's debasing by the current administration, it's hardly surprising that the country seems to be moving left. But just how far left remains to be seen...

Re: Thinking About Obama

tetsuotrees — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:32:56 -0000

How one reconciles a "Marxist core" with long-standing gainful employment as a venture capitalist is simply beyond me...

Re: Thinking About Obama

tetsuotrees — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:30:42 -0000

Obama doesn't lean toward socialism - he's a socialist. And trying to dissect the man's voting record is almost as much a joke as the record itself. Any mention of the fact that he votes exclusively with his party should be accompanied with the disclaimer "when he votes at all." I don't think anyone in the Senate has voted "Present" as much as he has.

That kind of voting is a change alright. It just isn't the kind of change I can believe in.

Re: Thinking About Obama

tetsuotrees — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:24:44 -0000

I'm not entirely certain you're getting a better picture of what the guy really thinks - in fact, the rhetoric coming from both Obama and McCain is dramatically at odds with their respective actions (which last time I checked, do speak louder than words). Look at Barack's history and it's extremely difficult to reconcile with the things you're hearing come out of his mouth. Are we really to believe that Hillary Clinton's withdrawal from the race changed Barack so much?

When the Opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal have enough ammo to write a piece about you (Obama) that draws on the similarities between your post-primary policy recommendations and those currently in place in the Bush administration, you may have given yourself a credibility problem...

(You can read the piece here: http://tinyurl.com/5r9r2s)

Re: Thinking About Obama

andyswan — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:21:37 -0000

Tough to "retool" his thinking though. He sees government as a mechanism for the redistribution of wealth, and he said so. I'm sure he'll "reword" that in the future.

Re: Thinking About Obama

BillSeitz — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:25:59 -0000

I'm not so sure the surge is "working" in the sense of demonstrating sustainable progress/success.

http://webseitz.fluxent.com...

Re: Thinking About Obama

AndrewShotland — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:06:24 -0000

Obama is going to do whatever he needs to do to get elected. What interests me is what he does after he's elected. I think this is where he could potentially blow everybody's minds (in either a good way or a bad way). I like the Obama as Red Bull analogy. He could give you wings or he could make you crash from the sugar/caffeine overload. I am hoping for the flying part of course.

Re: Thinking About Obama

Peter — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:36:48 -0000

i agree completely. we have to keep the troops in no matter what - it's a matter of national pride. and besides, it's complicated. you can't just pull the troops out because that would be bad. or something.

Re: Thinking About Obama

fredwilson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:26:11 -0000

Phew. 13 books was a lot

Re: Thinking About Obama

fredwilson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:26:10 -0000

I'll start reading. But its gonna take a while

Re: Thinking About Obama

fredwilson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:48:06 -0000

Mike bloomberg rides the subways but that doesn't make him a regualr joe

Re: Thinking About Obama

Lumberg — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:04:05 -0000

I stand corrected. Many of these books, he has authored the Foreward or Afterward. He is not a co-author on all these books.

Re: Thinking About Obama

Lumberg — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:01:19 -0000

I just looked up John McCain on Amazon. He has authored, and co-authored over 13 books. Here is the link.

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid...

Can probably get a good feel for him as well.

Re: Thinking About Obama

Lumberg — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:52:50 -0000

I met Ralph Nader - It was 10 years ago when I worked for Price Waterhouse. I was on a flight from DC to Chicago and Nader was in line with me. He fle wcoach like everyone else and was just an average Joe.

It made me think twice about him.

Re: Thinking About Obama

Lumberg — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:42:32 -0000

I completely disagree with this. Look at the facts. McCain was part of the Gang of 13 that helped bridge the gap on Judges to the Federal bench.

McCain is a centrist and has been one for over 20 years.

Re: Thinking About Obama

bill — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:40:21 -0000

I was in B-school in Dublin during the mid 90's while my spouse was working for Intel Ireland. She was on the site-architectural team, so I got an open door to some of Intel's greenfield-development strategy. Where in some parts of the world it was chaotic (Some California development would be full-off to full-on and back again every 48 hours), Ireland seemed pretty easy to commit to. It was an amazing capitulation on Ireland's part - basically letting Intel buy the land, sell it back to the govt under "1st right to Intel" rules, and letting them lease it back at next-to-nothing rates, all deductable. I assume there were similar deals for the other US high tech companies. Rather than feel exploited, the Irish (ever the pragmatists and still remembering the 70's) were elated, because this time rather than being assembly workers, they owned and managed intellectual property - that was part of the deal.

Ireland is known to have one of the highest-educated per capita workforces, and in trade for cheap rent, they got the best and the brightest from around the world to invest in Ireland and allow their people to make stuff, not just build it.

Someone was really looking down the road, not just down the tip of their nose when they came up with the corporate tax incentives, although maybe it took the dark 70's-80's for them to figure that out. I hope we don't wait that long!

Re: Thinking About Obama

Lumberg — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:40:10 -0000

Chicago and Cook County is getting killed in taxes Our sales taxes are the highest in the nation. Our gas taxes are close to the highest as well. If you are in Chicago, you have to pay Federal tax, State tax, County tax, and City tax for each gallon of gas. Almost $1 a gallon in taxes. The County tax is a %, so the higher the price of a gallon, the higher the tax.

Meanwhile, Illinois, Cook County and the City of Chicago have the most FBI agents here investigating corruption. More FBI agents here assigned to corruption investigations than any other State right now.

Obama is a product of this environment. I am not saying he is corrupt, but I do see why Hillary carpetbagged it to New York instead of running in her home State of Illinois.

We have a Governor in jail for bribes, a Mayor's Office being probed and a Country President being investigated. Meanwhile we are being gouged with more taxes, driving customers and businesses away.

Obama has come out with the idea of another tax rebate - Which I agree with - Chicago will become another Detroit and Illinois another Michigan if they don't turn this around.

Re: Thinking About Obama

fredwilson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:23:08 -0000

That was a b'fast w/ Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown where I laid this whole
thing out to him