Wanted: a superhero to save America

[babylonsister]

Wanted: a superhero to save America
Barack Obama will need help from the rest of the world for his economic rescue to work

Gerard Baker


Barack Obama surprised America this week when he let it be known that he was planning to nominate a television doctor as the US surgeon-general. In fairness, Sanjay Gupta is a qualified neurosurgeon, not a cast-member of ER. But his contribution to medicine has been somewhat less memorable in the past few years than his telegenic performances as CNN's medical expert. Morbidity plus good looks are sure ratings winners on TV news and Dr Gupta, with his handy graphics of the urinary tract has been quite effective whenever - “Breaking News”! - some celebrity is stricken with a horrible disease.

Now he will presumably bring these skills on to an official stage in the latest round of efforts to persuade Americans to stop eating too much and abstain from other self- destructive habits. Good luck to him.

Although it has its critics, it is a clever idea, if you think about it, to put a plausible and popular TV personality into a senior government post, and it has possibilities. Oprah Winfrey would make an excellent education secretary. Dr Phil could look after the nation's mental health. And, if you stretch the imagination a bit, Jack Bauer of 24 - minus the predilection to torture that regrettably seems to animate him - would be ideal for homeland security.

But what Mr Obama really needs right now is a television superhero to help him to rescue the US economy. His inauguration as president in 11 days' time will take place in what can be described, without hyperbole, as the worst economic conditions the US has faced in at least 70 years. Data due from the Labor Department this morning is likely to show that the US lost more jobs, net, in 2008 than in any year since the Second World War. Economic activity in 2009 is likely to decline at its fastest since the same historic landmark.

Most alarming, not only is there no obvious end in sight, the evidence suggests that things are getting worse. Despite the bailouts last year, the financial system, crippled by the housing market disaster and folly, remains clogged and more big financial institutions are likely to be in trouble in the next few months.

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article5477551.ece

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. Aparrently our fearless leaders learned nothing from the Roming

Empire.