Sure, sensibly tough, not
stupidly tough. Still it seems like he is pushing his "fuel
efficient cars" by American manufacturers agenda on GM, even though
GM finds it hard to compete against the foreign car manufacturers
in this market.
GM sells big cars to the locals
and that is their niche. Obama wants them to manufacture small
cars/fuel efficient cars or else. (Obama: US auto industry must lead on
'clean cars' - 30 Mar 2009)
The American philosophy is hands off government
and they look upon governments pro-active in the economy as
"communists" and socialists" (think Japan Inc) but Obama and
Geitner were brought up in Asia and he must have seen how massive
government intervention in the economy is not such a bad
thing.
He does not realise that it
leads to massive cronyism if not outright corruption or maybe he
realised that but he thinks that it will never happen, the cronyism
and corruption, in America with its multiple freedom
feedoms.
So to him it would be the best
of both worlds. A first world democracy with a government actively
"manipulating" the economy like the Asian economic
powers.
The Americans would be sceptical but as an Asian,
I think it would work. So the conclusion is still "Watch Out
World!!!"
