A Reality-Based Economic Policy?

Is this the beginning of the change for the Bush administration? Henry Paulson is not somebody who is going to passively watch economic policy made by political operatives in the White House. This could be very good news:

Bush taps Paulson for Treasury Secretary - Yahoo! News: WASHINGTON - Treasury Secretary

John Snow resigned Tuesday and President Bush nominated Goldman Sachs chief executive officer Henry M. Paulson Jr. as his replacement -- another chapter in the shake-up to revive Bush's troubled presidency.... Paulson, who also is chairman of Goldman Sachs, called the U.S. economy "truly a marvel, but we cannot take it for granted. We must take steps to maintain our competitive edge in the world."... Paulson has been both chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs since May 1999. It is considered one of the premier financial firms on Wall Street and has sent a number of its top executives to high positions in Washington....

The Senate must confirm Paulson for the post. The Senate Banking Committee is expected to act swiftly on Paulson's nomination, a spokesman for the panel said, and a top Democrat said he would support the nominee. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., a member of the Senate Finance Committee, gave Paulson his backing after talking to him Tuesday. "His experience, intelligence and deep understanding of national and global economic issues make him the best pick America could have hoped for," Schumer said....

Paulson was known on Wall Street for his dedicated support of environmental causes. Earlier this year, he made a gift of $100 million in Goldman stock to a family foundation dedicated to conservation and environmental education. Even after that gift, Paulson has a net worth estimated at more than $500 million. Paulson, who was known to favor bird-watching in New York's Central Park to playing golf, is chairman of the Nature Conservancy and the chairman emeritus of the Peregrine Fund. Last year Goldman Sachs donated 680,000 acres in Chile to the Wildlife Conservation Society...