Time magazine has named Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke “Person of the Year” for 2009. It’s also posted information on the “runners-up.”
Time magazine has named Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke “Person of the Year” for 2009. It’s also posted information on the “runners-up.”
Adam B. says:
He also was a co-winner in 2006.
December 16, 2009, 9:03 amThe River Temoc, In Winter says:
A very good choice, and I’m glad to see TIME moving away from idiotic choices like “the computer” and “you” (gratified though I was to win the award). They haven’t abandoned these gimmicks completely, since “the Chinese worker” was one of the runners-up; but at least they finally seem to recognize that the whole point of picking a “Man of the Year” is to validate the great person view of history.
If you believe that institutions and trends are more important than individuals, then by all means argue that that the personal computer was more important than, say, Ronald Reagan; but then don’t pretend that “Man of the Year” is worth a damn.
December 16, 2009, 10:22 amDotar Sojat says:
Sheesh!
December 16, 2009, 10:38 amDave N. says:
To paraphrase River Temoc, “I was Time’s Man of the Year (along with everyone else) and I didn’t even get a free subscription.”
December 16, 2009, 11:00 ambpbatista says:
As Time’s Person of the for 2006, I heartily congratulate Mr. Bernanke. Welcome to the club!
December 16, 2009, 11:36 amwm13 says:
I’ve been Man of the Year twice: in 1966 I was part of “the under 25 generation” (admittedly, I was 8, and not quite the under 25 person the editors were thinking of) and in 2006. Plus I have a personal computer and I live on the planet. It’s getting a little boring, this constant adulation.
December 16, 2009, 12:05 pmSyd Henderson says:
wm13: I’m a two-time Man of the Year, too, just like Deng Xiao-Ping and Josef Stalin.
December 16, 2009, 12:16 pmsam sambob says:
Chairman Bernanke has operated without any real accountability while printing trillions of dollars out of thin air and keeping interest rates artificially low, practices that continue the destruction of our dollar and will eventually plunge our economy into an even greater crisis.
But the real issue at stake during this confirmation process is transparency at the Fed.
No one – whether a “Person of the Year” or not – should be able to commit us to deals with foreign central banks or give taxpayer dollars to Wall Street while refusing to tell us who is receiving our money.
When you call the Senate Banking Committee members, urge them to join Senators Jim DeMint, David Vitter, Jim Bunning, and Bernie Sanders by calling for a hold on Bernanke’s confirmation until there is an up or down vote on Audit the Fed (S. 604).
December 16, 2009, 11:02 pmBen Bernanke — Person of the Year | Liberal Whoppers says:
[...] original post here: Ben Bernanke — Person of the Year Share this [...]
December 17, 2009, 12:05 amAllan Walstad says:
On a similar note, wasn’t the Edsel Motor Trend’s “Car of the Year” in 1959?
December 17, 2009, 2:31 am