Obama's choice of top economic advisor

I was very disappointed to hear David Sirota today on the Rachel Maddow show talking about Obama's pick for his top economic advisor--Jason Furman, a man who is closely linked to Robert Rubin, who helped pave the way for NAFTA and other parts of the neoliberal free trade agenda under Bill Clinton in the 1990's, and who is now chairman of Citigroup. Furman helped defend Wal-Mart after the release a few years back of the documentary Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price and has been a globalization cheerleader.

It seems like this choice is sending exactly the wrong message. At a time when more than 70% of Republicans are saying they want a change in our trade policies--well, I think America has caught on to the fact that what helps Wall Street doesn't necessarily help Main Street--and in fact that the opposite is often true. A company lays off its workers and up goes its stock. A CEO drives a company into the ground and walks away with millions while the workers see their pensions reduced to nothing. Technology companies offshore the jobs that were supposed to replace all the manufacturing jobs we have lost to "free" trade deals.

One of the criticisms that I heard early on about Obama was that he was too closely linked to Wall Street. This appointment certainly doesn't reassure me.

This is the message I sent to the Obama campaign today:

I am deeply deeply disappointed in the choice of Jason Furman for top economic advisor to your campaign. When even 70%+ of Republicans are saying in polls that they want our trade policies changed, having a champion of Wal-Mart and someone so close to the taint of Rob Rubin as your top advisor sends the wrong message. I understand letting them be at the table--you want balance, and perspective. But such a choice begs the question--Whose side are you going to be on anyhow? I'd heard about the close ties to Wall Street. It was one of the reasons I was not an early Obama supporter. We know free trade doesn't work. We are not stupid. We need change in this country, not the same old neoliberalism that is destroying America. I hope you listen to what the people are saying. We know Wall Street is not on our side. What about you?

I hope that many others will make their voices heard as well.

Links:
Barack Obama contact page
LA Times article about the Furman appointment