G20 Summit: Let's See Some Action!

Yes, I want to see some action, and not the rioting, violent, “I’m scared to walk my normal route home from work for fear of being caught in the crossfire” action. Many Londoners went into work in jeans today, buying in to a ubiquitous dress down policy enforced through fear of attack from the protesters. Fortunately I have seen limited aggression so far; in fact, it pretty much seems business as normal to me from my vantage point in the City.

But I digress. I want to see action in the form of cooperation and progress at this summit. I’m not looking for mighty, unrealistic plans of grandeur but practical, cooperative strategy that addresses our current grim economic reality. Obama speaks of cooperation with the UK and Gordon Brown reasserts that the UK and USA will renew their special relationship through a “partnership of peace.”

This is all fine in principle but talk is cheap without show. There have been many rumblings of disagreement between the USA’s stimulus approach to economic reform versus the more regulatory approach favored in Europe. This debate will need to be had.

Economic upturn won’t come overnight but international cooperation may bring it one step closer. So I wait with the world for some first steps and positive actions.