Just now at the DealBook conference, Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein spoke to Andrew Ross Sorkin.
Below are our notes.
-- Blankfein: White House marketing their position. If this were any place other than Washington, there would be a 100% chance of a deal.
-- The fact that there's so little compromise is predictable given extremes on both parties.
-- "Any side that puts out its compromise position now will get shot at.. by its own side."
-- Blankfein: "Any compromise will involve some dose of austerity... AKA deflationary policy." In the near term, we're not going to get escape velocity because of fiscal headwinds.
-- Economy is like 1944 in WWII. Not quite won, but it's clear who will win.
-- Blankfein: In some industries, they have their wives go out and start their car in the morning. I had my wife read the paper.
-- "Of course" we're going to stay in France.
-- Sorkin asking Blankfein about money and inequality.
-- Blankfein: "We have two responsibilities... we have responsibility to enlarge the pie. And distribute it in a fair way... doesn't mean equal"
-- I like the fact that we've had as much growth in our country as we've had. I rue the fact that the discrepancy has widened, not contracted.
-- Unless there's some redistribution that occurs, we won't have a stable society.
-- Blankfein no interest in stopping. Enjoying it.
-- Does the next CEO of Goldman Sachs work at Goldman Sachs? Close to 100% chance .
Interview over.
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