I suspect both towns could use a little less drama. Indeed, I've been coming to Washington frequently hoping for fewer theatrics and more business. I'm not a stranger to Washington, but I'm no expert on how this city works either. I have learned that if you are to survive here, patience may be the most essential virtue. On Wall Street you have traders making decisions the moment news flashes across their computer screen.
Patience often means delay, which often means missed opportunities.
Here, every piece of news generates a report, a hearing, a subcommittee vote, a committee vote, a conference, and so on. By June, you already hear people talking about waiting until next year. If we've learned anything over the past year, it's just how intertwined the world's financial markets have become. The rest of South East Asia catches cold. Symptoms spread through other emerging markets.