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June 24, 2004
My guess about the implications of recent events is that they signified the ALP in policy retreat. Labor has backflipped on the PBS and is also giving tactical ground on the US trade deal. They will backflip on energy going for market efficiency at the expense of sustainaility, a strong regulator and open acountability.
My judgement is this. The socially conservative authoritarian ALP will continue to backflip until it becomes like the Coalition. Then they are not vulnerable to the Coalition's attack. That is what is meant by being a small target----repudiating the social and cultural agenda of the Keating Government in the early 1990s.
David Rowe
On this account they are showing that they are fiscally responsible. They too are sound economic managers using the utilitarian calculus to achieve the greatest happiness of the greatest number of individuals. They too can make the tough economic decisions that please the money markets. They too have what it takes to run the country. So say the neo-liberals in the ALP.
You can kiss social liberalism goodbye. Social liberalism's ethical state concerned wth the public good should be placed on the endangered species list.
What we have is market freedom, easy-going on state interference, light regulation of the market, user pays, self-reliance and individual responsibility.
Pity about the public good and citzenship. Of course, the public good does not exist, does it?
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Gary, you write:
"You can kiss social liberalism goodbye. Social liberalism's ethical state concerned wth the public good should be placed on the endangered species list."
To that I respond with a rousing "hoo-ah, and not a moment too soon!"