Simple Answers to Simple Questions (Bernacke Edition)

By Dave Anderson:

Matt Yglesias is being obtuse as he feigns confusion as to why Senate Republicans are voting against Bernacke despite Bernacke's promise to tie the anchor of 10% unemployment around the Democrats' necks for the next five years. 

it’s somewhat baffling to me that six Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee voted no on his nomination. Bernanke’s approach, at the end of the day, makes GOP wins in 2010 and 2012 very likely.

To have it both ways --- get ahead of bash the bankers crowd that is legitimately pissed off @ 10% unemployment and a decade of no-wage gains already and the prospect of another decade of stagnant wages (if we are lucky), and get the policy that will produce 10% unemployment... smart politics on the part of the Republican Party. 

Liberals and Democrats hung Heckuva Job Brownie and Bernie Kerik around Bush's neck.  Those millstones stuck because one lose a city and the other was amazingly indictable as soon as anyone with grand jury access decided to take a look at him.  Both individuals epitomized the basic critique of the Bush Administration's policy (non)making system and its attendant results. 

Republicans are attempting to hang Bernacke around Obama's neck as a symbol of tolerated incompetence and promotion after unacceptable results.  And guess what, I think it will work as the GOP will run ads that say ' Senator X voted for Bernacke to be appointed, after Bernacke said he was fine with 10% unemployment.  Conservative Candidate Y approves this message because he wants to put America back to work again..."