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April 7, 2011
I see that News Ltd's plan to destroy The Greens is continuing to target their criticisms of Israel and support for the Palestinian people. The extremist Greens are anti-Israel effectively providing succour to extremist, Iranian-sponsored groups such as Hamas, even though the Greens policy is support for a two state solution.
The problem with this use of conventional political weaponry in the attack on the "red Greens" from the conservatives is that their compassionate conservatism is no where to be seen. The red Greens are seen to stand for social justice and they are as much a moral project as well as a political party. In contrast, The Australian's style of conservatism is one of travelling carelessly down the laissez-faire road to free markets and hacking into the supply of government services for those being excluded by the market.
Yet most Australian voters aren't anti-government libertarians. They don't want to be left alone. They want government to care for the weak. They want government to be there when adversity strikes. They want government to work better, not to disappear. They want the welfare state. So the Australian's laissez-faire conservatism is seen to be morally inferior to the ethos of social justice. Those excluded by the market and left behind should stand on their own two feet and receive an occasional helping hand from charity.
Christian-based charities dependent on volunteer donations, greater school choice, and welfare-to-work are the dominant response to poverty and social exclusion.Oh, and strong families. Is that the strand of compassionate conservatism? If so, then compassionate conservatism is less a governing philosophy and more a mildly useful bolt-on to laissez-faire economics (cut government and unleash enterprise) + law and order + strong defence + carefully-policed immigration.
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News Ltd have taken it upon themselves to demonise green politics generally and the Greens specifically. Its war.
A recent example