What a Day, What a party, What a Country

Ever day is a new beginning for all of us. However, the last three months have represented some of the most extraordinary new beginnings in history. We have inaugurated the first black president and the Republican party has elected the first black chairman of either major political party. The Land of Lincoln produced President Obama and the Party of Lincoln produced Chairman Steele.

These two milestones represent a major improvement and forward movement in race relations as well as allows the country to celebrate the visible forward movement on the Rev. Dr. King's dream, though there is still work to be done. It would be unfair and incorrect to assume that these two milestones only occurred because of either white guilt or black pride alone. These may have been present to some degree, but Mr. Obama and Mr. Steele were elected on the strength of their character and the strengths they posses as individuals.

The election of both men represent a desire to have excellent communicators at the helm. They also mark a shift and reaction against the old order. Mr. Obama had to first best Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Steele had to beat out an incumbent chairman chosen by Mr. Bush. Even though I voted for Mr. Huckabee in the primary, Mr. Barr in the general election and supported Mr. Dawson for RNC chair I see the elections of Mr. Obama and Mr. Steele as positive directions in the country. I still like Mr. Dawson and admire his accomplishments but realize that Mr. Steele is most likely to be able to counter Mr. Obama effectively without race becoming an issue. Mr. Steele is also very well qualified and an extremely able communicator. These factors will aid us in the hard work to come of countering Mr. Obama's most unacceptable policies and presenting our own vision.

Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner

On January 26, 2009, Timothy F. Geithner was sworn in as the 75th Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury in a ceremony attended by President Barack H. Obama, and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.

Before his nomination to the Treasury, Secretary Geithner served as the ninth president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he began on November 17, 2003. In that capacity, he served as the vice chairman and a permanent member of the Federal Open Market Committee, the group responsible for formulating the nation's monetary policy.

Secretary Geithner first joined the Department of Treasury in 1988 and worked in three administrations for five Secretaries of the Treasury in a variety of positions. He served as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs from 1999 to 2001 under Secretaries Robert Rubin and Lawrence Summers.

He was director of the Policy Development and Review Department at the International Monetary Fund from 2001 until 2003. Before joining the Treasury, Secretary Geithner worked for Kissinger Associates, Inc.

Secretary Geithner graduated from Dartmouth College with a bachelor’s degree in government and Asian studies in 1983 and from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies with a master’s in International Economics and East Asian Studies in 1985. He has studied Japanese and Chinese and has lived in East Africa, India, Thailand, China, and Japan.

He and his wife, Carole Sonnenfeld Geithner, have two children.

Speeches & Statements

2004

03/25 - Change and Challenges Facing the U.S. Finanacial System05/27 - Perspectives on the U.S. Financial System06/09 - The Changing Face of Risk management06/10 - The Bretton Woods Instiutions in the 21st Century10/01 - Changes in the Structure of the U.S. Financial System and Implications for Systemic Risk10/14 - Challenges Facing the Global Payments System11/17 - Hedge Funds and Their Implictions for the Financial System12/08 - Remarks at the National Academy Foundation's 2004 Dinner

2005
01/13 - Key Challenges in Risk Management01/19 - A View from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York03/30 - Perspectives on Monetary Policy and Central Banking
04/01 - Perspectives on U.S. Monetary Policy04/12 - Economic Policy and Sustainability of U.S. Productivity Growth04/19 - Financial Integration and its Implication for International Cooperation04/25 - Remarks by Timothy F. Geithner at the Institute of International Finance, Inc.'s Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C.10/18 - Challenges in Risk Management10/19 - U.S. and the Global Economy

2006
01/11 - Some Perspectives on U.S. Monetary Policy01/23 - Policy Implications of Global Imbalances02/28 - Risk Management Challenges in the U.S. Financial System03/09 - U.S. Monetary Policy in the Global Financial Environment04/05 - Risk Management Challenges in a Changing Financial Environment05/16 - Implications of Growth in Credit Derivatives for Financial Stability
05/19 - Principles to Guide Future Evolution of Financial Supervision and Regulation05/31 - Uncertainty and Transperancy in the Conduct of Monetary Policy
09/15 - Hedge Funds and Derivatives and their Impliction for the Financial Systems
10/04 - Progress Toward Financial Stability in Emerging Market Economies
10/26 - Global Economic and Financial Integration: Some Implications for Central Banking

2007
01/11 - Developments in the Global Economy and Implications for the United States
02/28 - Liquidity and Financial Markets
03/23 - Credit Markets Innovations and Their Implications
04/17 - Global Economic Integration: The Opportunities and the Challenges
05/04 - Reflections on the Changing Global Economy
05/15 - Liquidity Risk and the Global Economy
06/13 - Asia, the World Economy and the International Financial System
06/20 - Reflections on the Asian Financial Crises
12/13 - Restoring Market Liquidity in a Financial Crisis

2008
03/06 - The Current Financial Challenges: Policy and Regulatory Implications
04/03 - Actions by the New York Fed in Response to Liquidity Pressures in Financial Markets
06/09 - Reducing Systemic Risk in a Dynamic Financial System
07/24 - Systemic Risk and Financial Markets

2009
01/26 - Remarks of Secretary Timothy Geithner (Swearing-In Ceremony)
01/27 - Treasury Secretary Opens Term with New Rules To Bolster Transperancy, Limit Lobbyist Influence in Federal Investment Decisions03/25 - Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner Remarks Before the Council on Foreign Relations

Purging and Hushing Internal Critics Will Not Rebuild the Republican Party

One thing is clear after the election defeat of John McCain: The Republican Party must assess, rebuild, and better communicate in the future. However, the assessment stage is taking an unacceptable turn which hears calls for purging the party and conservative movement of those considered to be RINOs and purify the ideology. Purging and purification will only make the party smaller and not persuade independent ad moderates to join us.

RINO, a term I intensely dislike is thrown around at anyone that finds disagreement or is unorthodox with their approach, a practice that does not help. Republicans need to remember how Ronald Reagan brought the Republican Party together and attracted some crossover conservative Democrats. They also need to observe and learn to marry the internet and community organizing rather than purging the party and purifying it. We need Republicans of all stripes to help in rebuilding the party.

Purging and Hushing Internal Critics Will Not Rebuild the Republican Party

One thin is clear after the election defeat of John McCain: The Republican Party must assess, rebuild, and better communicate in the future. However, the assessment stage is taking an unacceptable turn which hears calls for purging the party and conservative movement of those considered to be RINOs and purify the ideology. Purging and purification will only make the party smaller and not persuade those whom we need to join us any more likely to do so. RINO, a term I intensely dislike is thrown around at anyone which creates disagreement or is unorthodox with their approach. This does not help any Republicans need to Remember how Ronald Reagan brought together the Republican party and also attracted some crossover conservative Democrats. They also need to observe and learn to marry the internet and community organizing rather than purging the party and purifying it. We need Republicans of all stripes to help in rebuilding the party.

Then there is the harsh and impolite way that we have been dealing with internal critics. The internal critics: Kathleen Parker, Michael Smirconish, Christopher Buckley, and now Jim DeMint; need to have their view points considered. It was uncalled for that DeMint’s Senate colleague Richard Shelby said that DeMint should just shut up with his concerns once he is outside the caucus room. DeMint dared to criticize the policy direction of the party over the last few years. His criticisms are insightful and could lead to solutions if we wish to have them. The people need to hear from Mr. DeMint because otherwise we may not know what our GOP is doing.

Post Election Wrap-up: Time to Rebuild as History is Made

Last night the election results showed that American has changed and grown-up on the issue of race, however, there are conservatives that are seething at their brethren who dared to question the orthodoxy during the election cycle. It is time that conservatives learn to take criticism from within because this criticism is often meant as a loving admonishment to look internally for the answers to their questions about what went wrong.

First, lets recognize and celebrate the history of electing Sen. Barak Obama President of the United States. There were people that believed that this momentous turn of events could not happen because of racist sentiment in the country. However, people from all backgrounds unified to elect Barak Obama. Obama also brought in many new voters and won the youth demographic. His coattails helped bring some new blood into the legislatures of this country as well.