mood: just tired.
state i'm in: interested.
tune: corduroy "mini".
federal ALP leader kevin rudd has snared some prize recruits in his bid to become the 26th prime minister. just yesterday, award-winning ABC journalist, and former host of "lateline", maxine mckew, announced she would be joining the campaign as a special adviser on strategy. particular areas where ms mckew will offer advice will be education, climate change and the vexed issue of federal-state relations. this comes only days after the announcement that spin doctor to former NSW premier bob carr, walt secord, will stand as mr rudd's chief media adviser.
further, i anticipate ms mckew may well campaign for a seat in parliament in two elections time. with union boss bill shorten another likely contender for federal parliament in the same election, the long-term prospects of the ALP are looking the brightest they have been in many years.
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I don't if you like George Orwell but these people resemble his idea of the "intelligent left" (I forgot what essay it came from). Don't know if you could say that these people are "democratic socialists" but there is something about them... I've been looking at Rudd's speeches, as well as Shorten's, and McKew's writing style and they (mostly) follow his rules about political writing in English.
Also... out of curiosity, which side of the political spectrum do you lean towards, and how far? Are you an ALP Fanboy, Green-noser, or Tight-assed Tory? The last question you don't really have to answer. At the last election I didn't vote as I forgot to change my address, but I would classify myself as a swinging voter.
i've not read any of the essays you mention, but would definitely be interested in doing so. any idea what they might have been?
as for my political leanings, i claim the centre left as my home. not a cop out from being more fundamental or passionate, but a genuine embracing of the third way philosophy of governance. i believe to a degree that the market can offer practical solutions to most economic and many social issues in western society, but also recommend that the state take a keen interest in its workings... you might call me an ordoliberalist.
i have been a sporadic ALP fan, but certainly not invariably. i voted green at the last federal and state elections, and will probably be a consistent green voter in the senate.
currently, mr rudd has my attention firmy fixed. i have been impressed with the man since sometime in 2003. can appreciate his views and policies on many things, and would be proud to have a genuinely intelligent man as our PM. he is a religious man, indeed, but i can appreciate that mr rudd does not appear to allow his religious leanings hijack policy decisions, and appears to make himself open to opinions from all spheres of influence. allow the following article excerpt to elaborate further:
"a christian perspective on contemporary policy debates may not prevail. it must nonetheless be argued. and once heard, it must be weighed, together with other arguments from different philosophical traditions, in a fully contestable secular polity. a christian perspective, informed by a social gospel or christian socialist tradition, should not be rejected contemptuously by secular politicians as if these views are an unwelcome intrusion into the political sphere. if the churches are barred from participating in the great debates about the values that ultimately underpin our society, our economy and our polity, then we have reached a very strange place indeed."
godspeed mr rudd.
Interesting.
Unfortunately, I cannot remember what it was. It was in an anthology that one of my lecturers recommended back in first year (two years ago). I could ask her again, but I don't think she is lecturing anymore because she's finished her PhD and the advanced subject that she taught is no longer on the elective list. However, one thing I recall is that the "intelligent left" positioned themselves just left of centre to be more 'intouch' with society. While there are lots of critiques about the ALP shifting towards the right (maybe even over the centre), one the characteristics of the intelligent left is their ability to woo over swinging voters (particularly those who are more than likely to vote for the conservative). When it comes to Third Way politics and governance, I just think it's neo-liberal propaganda. It's a way of embedding fundamental right-wing policies under the guise they are left-wing. It classifies itself as a way of progressing towards a sustainable social democracy... Anthony Giddens is member of the Fabian society and I don't think the Third Way allows society to progress as much, because he rejects Keynesian ideology and is pro-Ordoliberal.
From what I understand, learnt and written about Ordoliberalism is that the Ordoliberals believed in government intervention in all parts of society but the economy. Neo-liberals (Chicago School, and Hayek) look this a bit further and said there should be no government intervention at all in our lives. I'm sure anarchists would love this but those with the power and money would definitely want a state and some kind of militia to maintain their status. I don't have a solution, because I don't think there is. I just think that politics is like the economic cycle and fashion trends. Whatever is the flavour of the day, week, month, year etc. that's what people will vote for. Just like a sine equation, political flavour can be at it's highest, lowest, or somewhere inbetween. That's why it's the perogative of the citizen to keep the bastards (namely government and big businesses) honest...
The only thing I know that will prevail are our animal instincts, and whether or not our intentions are "good" or "bad".
I'm with you on voting for the Greens in the Senate. If the Democrats can't sort themselves and keep the bastards honest, the Greens definitely will. I personally think once people realise the power of minor parties in the Senate they will definitely choose the parties that won't backflip on their policies. In other words, the Democrats are more than likely gone, leaving the Greens and Family First the only competitors against the Coalition and ALP. I think my first Federal election will be very exciting! I can't wait! (That sounded really nerdy didn't it?)
P.S. I'm really impressed that you know about the Ordoliberals - what do you read?! Have you got a formal education in political science/political economics? As far as I'm aware, most "Political Science for Dummies" books don't go beyond explaining the left and right, and the certain positions (such as communism, Nazism, liberalism etc.), often leaving out the Ordoliberalism. So what do you actually read?! I'm curious to find out.
just 'the economist', weekly, and try to sponge up any other articles or pieces of information that float my way, be they politics, economics, neuroscience, or otherwise.
it's hard with a med degree for competition, but i try to stay afloat in the sea of good and evil we swim through.
as for ordoliberalism, they are interested in legally creating a framework for economics and society to function within, allowing the market to work its wonders, but aiming to prevent such consumer catastrophes as a monopoly in a necessary service.
ps. i'm not a dummy, lol
Hehehehehe, nice work! I like your style! I don't think you are a dummy, and I'm sorry if you assumed that I was implying that you were. I'm really quite amazed by your knowledge, especially economics and political economy. You would make a great doctor, because you seem so well-rounded compared to doctors and med-students I have came across. Mind you some people think I am easily impressed (eventhough my friends disagree).
As for the legal framework for an economy to function as theorised by Ordoliberals, it's so broad that if governments were to legislate in certain areas, namely with in fiscal policy, they affect the economy in a huge way as demonstrated by Keynes in his AD/AS model. There is a need for government intervention especially when there is a major recession/depression (by economic definition there is a difference but for the sake of demonstration they will be the same thing) - like the Great Depression - having fiscal balance, restructuring the workforce etc is quite unrealistic. Look at the government not spending on public health and education for the sake of having a surplus. The surplus is pretty much a deadweight loss to society when people are dying because of long waiting lists etc... Nonetheless you are right about the legal framework thingy, I was just making a large generalisation about the Ordoliberals and oversimplifying things. While I think it is good to have an independent central bank, I don't think governments should leave macroeconomics to both the labour and capital markets, especially when peoples' lives (not including livelihoods) are at stake.
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