US investors reject Obama but foreigners love him.

  American investors find Obama anti-business but
  global investors love him. (AP photo)

News & Commentary from the liberterrain...

Thursday, a poll of Bloomberg investors and analysts reported, "Obama Seen as Anti-Business by 77% of U.S. Investors"

This news could easily be filed under the "duh" column.

If Obama were as socialist as the right claims he is and the left wishes he were a better description would be anti-capitalist.

A primary aim of socialism, or Marxism, or whatever name collectivists are using these days, is to usher in the glorious utopia of universal social justice and equality for all via the destruction of evil capitalism.

Of course, capitalism has its own identity crisis.

Marx, according to Wikipedia, characterized capitalism as "a system of primarily private ownership of the means of production in a mainly market economy, with a legal framework on commerce and a physical infrastructure provided by the state."

It's that "provided by the state" part that causes modern American libertarians to call this system "corporatism" and reject it.

From Wikipedia again, the French coined "laissez-faire" to describe a capitalist system that allows industry "to be free of government restriction, especially restrictions in the form of tariffs and government monopolies."

It's that "free of government restriction" part that causes modern American libertarians to call this system "the free market" and embrace it.

But if "Obama Seen as Anti-Business by 77% of U.S. Investors" belongs in the "duh" column, the fact that 60 percent of European and Asian investors are "viewing him favorably" might belong in the "huh?" column.

The article doesn't offer any reason for the disparity between Obama's US detractors and his global fans, but speculation is possible.

“Investors no longer feel they can trust their instincts to take risks,” said one US poll respondent.

So maybe global investors don't invest on the basis of instincts. Maybe they invest on the basis of cynicism.

All mainstream politicians, Democrats as well as Republicans, are johns shacked up with billion dollar corporatist prostitutes. Whichever party is in power will play sugar daddy to its own mistress. This time, with the Democrats holding the taxpayer's wallet, it was trillion dollar gifts to the bankers and the auto industry-coveting unions.

Or, switching metaphors, savvy investors will see which sharks the politicos are feeding and then feed the same sharks.

Sort of like finding out which prizefighter the mob has the fix on and then betting along with the mob.

Just a theory.