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"There Will Be Growth in the Spring!"

Marla Singer's picture




 

In the "Everything Old is New Again" category, Tim Geithner inadvertently (we hope) invokes classic (and classically fitting) political satire in the form of Peter Sellers' cinemagraphically immortal "Chauncey Gardner," introduced to an unwitting American public in Hal Ashby's 1979 piece "Being There."  It is fitting that on the film's 30th anniversary real life political characters should so perfectly resemble the lumbering incompetence and "form over function" sketched so comically by Sellers.  You can almost hear the words tumble from his mouth:

 

 

President "Bobby": Mr. Gardner, do you agree with Ben, or do you think that we can stimulate growth through temporary incentives?
[Long pause]
Chance the Gardener: As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden.
President "Bobby": In the garden.
Chance the Gardener: Yes. In the garden, growth has it seasons. First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again.
President "Bobby": Spring and summer.
Chance the Gardener: Yes.
President "Bobby": Then fall and winter.
Chance the Gardener: Yes.
Benjamin Rand: I think what our insightful young friend is saying is that we welcome the inevitable seasons of nature, but we're upset by the seasons of our economy.
Chance the Gardener: Yes! There will be growth in the spring!
Benjamin Rand: Hmm!
Chance the Gardener: Hmm!

Relax.  We're in good hands.

 

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Thu, 12/24/2009 - 15:55 | 173867 rapier
rapier's picture

Hell, forget about spring. Morgan says 4th quarter growth will be 5.1%. By spring I figure around 12% and those Chinese can eat our dust.

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 16:53 | 173887 msorense
msorense's picture

I am an uber bear but I believe they might be right.  My business has soared like 80% in the Oct.- Dec. time frame compared to earlier this year.  Where does the money come from to fuel this growth - straight from the printing press:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Are-Big-Banks-Pumping-Up-etfguide-3166930847.html?x=0&.v=1

Fri, 12/25/2009 - 13:54 | 174227 chumbawamba
chumbawamba's picture

Ironically, Capitol One has been hammering me with phone calls to harass me over my long unpaid balance, while simultaneously sending me a steady stream of new credit card offers in the mail.  Don't these people check credit scores anymore?  Or their own records?

Or has the bubble sufficiently re-inflated that prior credit risks and deadbeats are now game for new credit expansion?  I'll send in one of the apps and see.

I am Chumbawamba.

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 16:01 | 173870 waterdog
waterdog's picture

Yes, I expect growth in the spring also- dandelions, nut-grass, sand spurs, pig weed, and thistles.

 

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 20:02 | 173989 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Hey Waterdog you in Arkansas too?

Fri, 12/25/2009 - 10:11 | 174150 Hephasteus
Hephasteus's picture

Don't forget the bitterweed! ;)

Mon, 02/01/2010 - 16:40 | 213701 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

I figured Uncle Ben had just watched Being There when he made his "Green Shoots" remark.

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 16:03 | 173871 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Springtime

for Hitler!#&^! *la la la *

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCUfkMkVbwo

-MobBarley

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 19:50 | 173879 spekulatn
spekulatn's picture

Brilliant stuff, Martha. U B 1 in a mill!

 

Happy Friggin Holidayz folks.

Back in 2010 wearing steel ballz.

 

P.S. Thankful for ZH and itz williagers

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 16:23 | 173880 Anonymous
Thu, 12/24/2009 - 16:45 | 173883 no cnbc cretin
no cnbc cretin's picture

ABC = MSM

Total BS from Tim. Duh.

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 16:50 | 173884 cocoablini
cocoablini's picture

I just saw this movie-it's so apt. Sellers was super-all the Bernanke mumbojumbo

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 16:51 | 173886 Rusty_Shackleford
Rusty_Shackleford's picture

Apt.

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 16:56 | 173888 cocoablini
cocoablini's picture

Or was Chauncey/Timmy speaking about the Kondratieff Wave Cycle. 80 years of seasonal metaphors for the collapse of a capitalist economy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kondratiev_wave

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 16:58 | 173889 Cursive
Cursive's picture

This about sums up the current state of our democracy.

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 17:01 | 173890 sawyer
Thu, 12/24/2009 - 17:30 | 173902 Jewelsnorth
Jewelsnorth's picture

The Benjamin Rand character in the clip looks like Warren Buffett.

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 17:19 | 173898 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

I just spent 1/2 hour watching Peter Seller's out takes/bloopers...

Thanks, Marla!

Here's to asking the right question:
Does you dog bite?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYeVQzTVyLk&feature=related

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 17:34 | 173904 Fish Gone Bad
Fish Gone Bad's picture

Best Chance quote: I like to watch.

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 17:41 | 173907 vfsv-fl
vfsv-fl's picture

In addition to being unable to do arithmetic (hence his $700K mortgage taken out at the top of the market), Geithner is not old enough to have seen this classic movie when it was released. Hopefully, once he does see it he won't also try to walk on water. He probably also thinks (assuming he is able to do any thinking for himself) the Pink Panther is Steve Martin. Maybe the next Prez will appoint some grown-ups in these offices...

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 17:54 | 173911 litoralkey
litoralkey's picture

Springtime for Geithner and 'conomy
Watch out, Europe
We're going on tour!
Springtime for Geithner and 'conomy... 
CHORUS:
Look, it's springtime
LEAD TENOR ACORNER:
Winter for Iceland and Greece 
CHORUS AND ACORNER:
Springtime for Geithner and 'conomy! 
CHORUS:
Springtime! Springtime!
Springtime! Springtime!
Springtime! Springtime!
Springtime! Springtime!
STORMTROOPER:
Come on, Conmans
Go into your dance!

STORMTROOPER "RAHM":
I was born in Chicago und that is why they call me Capo. 
STORMTROOPER "REID":
Don't be stupid, be a smarty, come and join the Ponzi party! 
KATY COURIC:
The Savior is coming, the Savior is coming, the Savior is coming!

OBAMA:

Heil myself
Heil to me
I'm the cadge
Who's out to change our history
Heil myself
Raise your hand
There's no greater
Dictator in the land!

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 17:55 | 173912 Blue Fairy
Blue Fairy's picture

Green Shoots!

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 18:08 | 173918 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

3t is a growth so he should know.

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 18:29 | 173931 Daedal
Daedal's picture

"The Legislative process works in mysterious ways in our country" - Tim Geither (last 25 seconds of this video http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9406369)

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 19:17 | 173959 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

I like to watch - Chaunce Gardener

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 19:45 | 173978 Rollerball
Rollerball's picture

Sounds like a job for ObviousMan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v53UxOZbwU4

Fri, 12/25/2009 - 14:02 | 174231 chumbawamba
chumbawamba's picture

Ha ha, excellent.

I am Chumbawamba.

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 21:07 | 174023 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

As long as Ben prints and the algos keep pushing up the market, those of us with jobs who kid ourselves we won't be next and we will dodge the crash ( this time) don't care... Pathetic sheeple we are.

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 22:23 | 174043 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

"We are starting to see green shoots",Ben "The Gardener" Bernanke

Thu, 12/24/2009 - 23:44 | 174068 Missing_Link
Missing_Link's picture

Would give this post 6 stars if I could.

Fri, 12/25/2009 - 10:14 | 174152 Hephasteus
Hephasteus's picture

Growth has it's seasons. Sometimes fraud hits dead of winter and nobody is screwable.!!

See you in sustainable land or bugger off.

Fri, 12/25/2009 - 12:11 | 174190 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Both Timmy and Barry have a really annoying whistle when they speak.

Fri, 12/25/2009 - 15:51 | 174350 justrichard
justrichard's picture

Being There by Jerzy Kozinsky is worth a read.  Even better than the movie.

Sat, 12/26/2009 - 14:32 | 174952 eroc66
eroc66's picture

OMG!   My vague ongoing discomfort with the whole "green shoots" metaphor has been made jarringly clear!  Yes and don't we all "like to watch"?

Sun, 12/27/2009 - 03:24 | 175286 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

When Chauncey walks away from the pyramid tomb and walks on water at the end, well, that explains the end of the show. Don't yuh just love that RUSH CD, 2112, that's Dec 21, 2012 to you man, when the grand final part announces ''attention all planets of the solar federation, we have assumed control''? Kinda reminds me of this aborted generation inheriting debt right now. Looks like the Obomb is the tool for this tomb about to rise on time. Have you learned how to walk on water yet? You will need to know soon enough, after 2012 it will be to rough to swim in this black hole.

Mon, 12/28/2009 - 00:22 | 175735 TumblingDice
TumblingDice's picture

Nice quote: The president is doing what he's supposed to do.

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