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Buffett says in NBC interview that US is in 'economic Pearl Harbor'
AP / Yahoo News ^ | Sunday January 18, 8:00 pm ET | Timberly Ross, Associated Press Writer

Posted on 01/18/2009 6:34:32 PM PST by gpk9

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Billionaire investor Warren Buffett says the U.S. is engaged in an "economic Pearl Harbor."

In an interview that aired Sunday on "Dateline NBC," the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. said the nation's economic situation is not as bad at World War II or the Great Depression, but it's still pretty severe.

Buffett said Americans are in a cycle of fear, "which leads to people not wanting to spend and not wanting to make investments, and that leads to more fear. We'll break out of it. It takes time."

Buffett's interview centered on President-elect Barack Obama and the tough task he faces in fixing the U.S. economy.

"You couldn't have anybody better in charge," the Omaha resident said of Obama, who'll be sworn into office on Tuesday.

As one of Obama's economic advisers, Buffett said the president-elect listens to what his advisers say, but ultimately comes up with better ideas.

He predicted that Obama will be able to convey the severity of the economic situation to the American people and explain their part in alleviating it.

As to how long the crisis would continue, Buffett said he didn't know.

"It's never paid to bet against America," he said. "We come through things, but its not always a smooth ride."

Omaha-based Berkshire owns a diverse mix of more than 60 companies, including insurance, furniture, carpet, jewelry, restaurants and utility businesses. And it has major investments in such companies as Wells Fargo & Co. and Coca-Cola Co.

(Excerpt) Read more at biz.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 111th; bhoeconomy; buffett; duplicate
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"Buffett's interview centered on President-elect Barack Obama and the tough task he faces in fixing the U.S. economy."

This is the entire problem in a nutshell. Government screwing up the economy, then trying to "fix" it.
1 posted on 01/18/2009 6:34:33 PM PST by gpk9
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To: gpk9

I hope Buffet doesn’t miss no meals.


2 posted on 01/18/2009 6:35:54 PM PST by jarofants
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To: gpk9
"As one of Obama's economic advisers, Buffett said the president-elect listens to what his advisers say, but ultimately comes up with better ideas.

Why did I think of Kim Jung Il when I read that?

3 posted on 01/18/2009 6:37:06 PM PST by blam
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To: gpk9
Buffett says in NBC interview that US is in 'economic Pearl Harbor'

OK, so who do we drop the nuke on?

4 posted on 01/18/2009 6:37:12 PM PST by AZLiberty (I hope Obama changes.)
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To: gpk9

http://www.youtube.com/user/JimRogersChannel


5 posted on 01/18/2009 6:37:21 PM PST by sickoflibs (Obama : " How would my treasury secretary know to pay taxes?")
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To: gpk9

Buffett is talking down, sucking up, and drooling to reap the benefits of bailouts.


6 posted on 01/18/2009 6:37:35 PM PST by xcamel (The urge to save humanity is always a false front for the urge to rule it. - H. L. Mencken)
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To: gpk9
I believe that enemies within our own government screwed us with a will.

NOW WE KNOW WHAT A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER DOES

OBAMA, THE STOCK MARKET, AND ENERGY

7 posted on 01/18/2009 6:38:05 PM PST by Jeff Head (Freedom is not free...never has been, never will be. (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))
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To: gpk9

That might be the “crisis” talked about a month or two ago.


8 posted on 01/18/2009 6:38:26 PM PST by familyop (combat engineer (combat), National Guard, '89-'96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote, http://falconparty.com/)
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To: gpk9

I’m sure this will help the markets overseas and on Tuesday for us. /s


9 posted on 01/18/2009 6:38:37 PM PST by BGHater (Tyranny is always better organised than freedom)
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To: gpk9

How does Pearl Harbor have any relevance to our economy?


10 posted on 01/18/2009 6:39:25 PM PST by skr (May God confound the enemy)
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To: gpk9
"You couldn't have anybody better in charge," the Omaha resident said of Obama

Alzheimer's affects the rich and the poor.

11 posted on 01/18/2009 6:39:49 PM PST by relictele
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To: gpk9

Imagine that. The same “economic adviser” to Schwarzenneger and look what happened to California...


12 posted on 01/18/2009 6:40:14 PM PST by max americana
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To: AZLiberty

So we elect a ‘buck private’? Hope we don’t ‘nuke’ ourselves.


13 posted on 01/18/2009 6:40:32 PM PST by yadent
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To: skr

None whatsoever. A meaningless, facile metaphor. Like Obama.

Buffett is a tool.


14 posted on 01/18/2009 6:41:23 PM PST by ecomcon
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To: gpk9

Buffet has drunk the koolaid


15 posted on 01/18/2009 6:41:45 PM PST by yldstrk (My heros have always been cowboys--Reagan and Bush)
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To: gpk9

My prediction is that the next several years will be marked by a decline in the American capital stock. And it’s the capital stock that determines the standard of living. Obama is not going to change that no matter how much money he spends.


16 posted on 01/18/2009 6:48:06 PM PST by Brilliant
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To: yldstrk
Buffet has drunk the koolaid

Well, what do you think would happen to the financial markets if a guy like Buffet called it like he saw it? I think he's just trying to calm the waters.

17 posted on 01/18/2009 6:48:57 PM PST by randog (Tap into America!)
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To: gpk9
Buffett lost about half his net worth in just a few days.

That's the upside to this whole deal.

We aren't done yet, though. First we have to tax the billionaires out of business ~ just take all their stuff, and the same for the foundations that have that much money.

18 posted on 01/18/2009 6:49:27 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: gpk9
So the Japanese did this to us... Buffett sounds like a real idiot with that statement...

I think KMFDM put it best..

"We owe so much money we're not broke we're broken"

"We're so poor we can't even pay attention".

19 posted on 01/18/2009 6:50:12 PM PST by MD_Willington_1976
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To: gpk9

Given buffett’s habit of invoking sexual inneundoes in every other sentence, I’m surprised he didn’t describe the economy in other terms.


20 posted on 01/18/2009 6:50:29 PM PST by the invisib1e hand (revolution is in the air.)
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