Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

November 22, 2008 8:38:24 AM CST



Labor Blasts Obama's Top Economist

Posted Jun 12, 08 7:37 AM CDT in Politics 

(Newser) – After locking up the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama moved quickly to bring Clinton supporters into his general election tent, including Robert Rubin, President Clinton's treasury secretary. Jason Furman, an economist closely associated with Rubin, was hired as economic policy director, and that's provoked the ire of labor unions, who see him, along with his mentor, as tilting toward Wall Street, writes the New York Times.

At issue are the campaign's economic priorities: Free trade or preserving jobs? Balancing the budget or public investment? "For years we’ve expressed strong concerns about corporate influence on the Democratic Party,"  AFL-CIO leader John Sweeney tells the Times. Furman says his role is to consult with a broad range of economists to help flesh out Obama's policy directives. "My own views, such as they are, are irrelevant."

Source New York Times

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon
Barack Obama's top economics adviser has come in for criticism from labor unions.   (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Former Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin listens during a panel discussion, Friday, Sept. 28, 2007, at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in New York.   (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
Barack Obama's top economics adviser has come in for criticism from labor unions.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
Barack Obama's top economics adviser has come in for criticism from labor unions.   (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 9)



Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Politics Stories


What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »