Sunday, February 1, 2009

Being Shelia Bair

Just read an article by the Associated Press on Shelia Bair, the Republican FDIC Chairman, who has the ear of President Obama. The article caught my attention for its title alone: "Shelia Bair Shakes up Washington, Wall Street."

I really like what I have just read. While I'm not too clear on the "bad bank" idea, I'm very much impressed with the tone of her words and her Midwestern values of thrift and saving and non-partisanship:

""She's off on a lot of social missions," said Bert Ely, a banking industry consultant in Alexandria, Va.

Bair, though, said she remains "very much a capitalist."

"Sometimes people misinterpret that as somehow I'm not a real Republican or something. I very much am. I guess I'm more of a Teddy Roosevelt kind of a Republican ... It's been said that Franklin would be proud of me, but I think Teddy would be proud of me too."

It is said that she is the most influential woman behind Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany. From what I've read so far, she seems pretty solid and this is not because of her position alone. We've seen empty suits in spades these days in government and business, so positions alone do not mean much. I look forward to reading more.

2 comments:

Cynthia said...

Thank you for posting this Judith,
I'll have to keep my eyes open for
more of Shelia Blair.

Judith Ellis said...

Yes, do. I have been quite impressed by what I have read of Ms. Bair so far. Perhaps, I will write more of her in the months to come.