Obama's priorities

Although President Obama has warned us repeatedly that the country is facing an economic "crisis" that could turn into a "catastrophe," numerous commentators have noted that his stated priorities do not address, much less solve, the underlying causes of the economic downturn. In his State of the The Union address, the President stressed that we need cap and trade for carbon emissions, universal healthcare, and education reform . Each of these policy initiatives can be debated on their merits, but none of them address our core economic problems. So, is the Administration tackling our economic problems?

The British are beginning to wonder (HT: Jonah Goldberg). The head of the British civil service, Sir Gus O'Donnell, made a rare complaint about the new Administration. Sir Gus and his minions have been trying to consult with the US Treasury regarding the upcoming G20 world economic summit. But he can't get anyone to answer the phone. "There is nobody there," he said. "You cannot believe how difficult it is."

Obviously, this does not bode well for the country or even for the world economic order. Moreover, it reinforces the impression that this Administration is not ready for prime time. Saturday Night Live may wish to take notice.