2012年10月14日日曜日

4-19 Everything to play for




ESG Season4 19th meeting
DATE: 14th Oct. 2012 10:00-12:00
PLACE: Kanda, Tokyo
MEMBERS: Ogawa, Iino, Murakami, Mizutani, Shimada, Yoshida

START FROM THE TOP
From last week, we started a new style discussion. In ESG, we choose one article each and prepare for the weekend. The problem is we cannot decide articles in the beginning of the weeks. There is a short time to read and prepare for discussion. Our new style "START FROM THE TOP" will be a solution. Every week we start our discussion from top article (cover article). Merits of this style are:
(1) We can recognize on which article we will discuss, on at least one article in the beginning of the week.  
(2) We can take our time to read and prepare for the discussion at least on one article.
(3) We can pick up an article that the Economist thinks is the most important of the week.


Leaders
The race for the White House got even closer. Now the candidate must face up to the real issue.

1. What is the main focus (topic) of the article?

The result of the first of three presidential debate
Mitt Romney outclassed Barak Obama.


(1) Who is superior to another and who is going to win at last?

Mr. Obama outperformed Mr. Romney in nine of the ten “swing states”. Mr. Romney has possibility to win the race but the time is running out because the election is on November 6th. Mr. Obama also still has to survive two more debates, possibly gloomy economic reports and the possibility of the October surprise, ether at home or abroad.


(2) What the Economist want to suggest in the article?

The outcome will be uncertain so both candidates should focus on a more deep, weighty issues than negative, small-minded issues. Voters should also focus on that.
Whatever the result is going to be, the state will be an extremely divided country: white and non-whites, ideological difference (Big and small government). So the next president will face striking challenges such as “fiscal cliff” in a short term, the need to close deficit in the medium term and tsunami of “entitlements” that America’s elderly expect to get.  

2. What are the controlling ideas?

The outcome of the first debate
Two PR disasters
The situation in the ten swing states
The style of both candidates in their campaign
Fiscal problems America is facing or will face

3. What are the backgrounds?

“Fiscal cliff”, (issues in America)
The history of American presidential elections
The schedule of the election
Mr. Ryan’s plan to reconstruct the states fiscal structure

4. How do you respond to the article?

It is important to know American election and its debating issues because its not the matter of America but also the matter of state. For example as Ms. Lagarde said in her interview that one of the world economical risks is America’s fiscal cliff because it will lead global recession in the time when EU is in crisis, China is going to shrink their economy and emerging economy is in ambiguous situation.


Other discussions

China’s state capitalism from Leaders (Iino)

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