From: "Wahome, Kimamo" <WAHOMEK@uwec.edu> Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:26:54 -0500 Subject: 'Seeing Obama as Norwegians See Him' Message-ID: <E3F0E607B3CF71418CE725F002B5F6047A540714D3@CHERRYPEPSI.uwec.edu>
Published on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 by CommonDreams.org<http://www.commond
reams.org>
Seeing Obama as Norwegians See Him
by George Lakey
I just returned from a research trip to Norway where the people I interview
ed often brought up the topic of our new President. The first was Kristin C
lemet, the director of a conservative think tank. "This spring on a delegat
ion to Washington I was struck again," she said, "by how different the poli
tical spectrum is in Norway from your country. Here, Obama would be on the
right wing." I checked her view with others -- academics, politicians, acti
vists all over the Norwegian spectrum -- and all but one agreed. In Norwegi
an terms, our President's positions are very conservative.
When Norway hit a major financial crisis in the early '90s (from a real est
ate bubble and speculating banks), the Norwegians decided against bail-outs
. Three of the biggest banks were simply taken by the government, their sen
ior management fired, their stockholders sent packing. The government nurse
d the seized banks back to health over time while the economy made a quick
recovery. The other troubled banks were left to declare bankruptcy or find
new capital. Norway's action sent a clear message to the banks: mismanageme
nt and greed don't pay. The result is that today its own financial sector i
s clean and only needs to deal with the impact of other countries' disaster
s. Norway's strategy was very far from Obama's bank-friendly game plan.
When Norwegian oil was discovered, the country decided not to risk putting
their new treasure in private ownership. Norwegians were therefore able to
lead the world in environmental responsibility and to avoid boom/bust impac
t on their seacoast cities. Most important, Norway has been stashing the oi
l profits in a public, socially responsible "Pension Fund" that will suppor
t the Norwegians' famously high living standard for many generations to com
e.
Half a century ago Norway already had a universal health care system that i
s simplicity itself. There's a single payer (the government) and minimum re
d tape, something like Medicare but for everyone and better. The entire pol
itical spectrum supports this. By contrast, Obama says he backs the failed
U.S. private insurance scheme and his team is wobbling on his own modest pr
oposal to add a public option. So I would have to say to thoughtful Republi
cans: even if you don't like the Nordic blend of capitalism and socialism,
with its virtual abolition of poverty, free university education, and enlig
htened environmentalism, you're only confusing the issue when you try to la
bel the President with the "S"-word. You may think his policies are wrong,
but in Norway even conservatives would say the Democrats and Obama don't go
nearly far enough.
George Lakey, formerly Eugene M. Lang Visiting Professor for Issues in Soci
al Change at Swarthmore College, is now directing a research project there.
Author of seven books, he founded Training for Change. Author of seven books, he founded Training for Change. Glakey1@swarthmor
e.edu<mailto:Glakey1@swarthmore.edu>.