tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post7554831846659516947..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Saturday Morning Musings – Ukraine, confusions over Australian politicsJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-74471448306279866492014-05-06T21:44:14.683+10:002014-05-06T21:44:14.683+10:00That was an interesting election, anon. It wasn...That was an interesting election, anon. It wasn't just the GST, but Mr Hewson really did present an alternative view. I don't think that the election results should be read as supporting a small targets approach. Mr Hewson provided just so many targets! Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-22480991025844030432014-05-06T21:41:39.728+10:002014-05-06T21:41:39.728+10:00Hi Evan, tough on crime mightn't have been a t...Hi Evan, tough on crime mightn't have been a traditional left wing trope, but Labor in NSW has not been left wing for a very long time. Agree on media management!<br /> Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-65528718529733450752014-05-04T15:56:53.816+10:002014-05-04T15:56:53.816+10:00With the Canberra news, I don't think I've...With the Canberra news, I don't think I've seen much more appalling mishandling of an initially sympathetic press and public. It's far too early to call 'one-term Government' but some of the clangers that have been dropped are doozies.<br /><br />James, I suspect that you might be recalling the 1993 Keating election victory over Hewson. Hewson had the election in the bag (IMHO) by pursuing a small target strategy, until he pulled out the GST and Keating finally had an attack point.<br /><br />If Abbott maintains current form, and Shorten is smart, the latter will go to the election with an entirely negative Abbott-esque campaign and almost no policies apart from 'dump the liars'.<br /><br />I'm basing this guess on Shorten's refusal to do anything of substance apart from carp a bit on the sidelines and point out faults, not outline alternative vision.<br /><br />Time will tell.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-48810978662316312192014-05-04T12:26:41.807+10:002014-05-04T12:26:41.807+10:00ICAC - same thing happened with the painters and d...ICAC - same thing happened with the painters and dockers. Money, greed, corruption don't have an ideological bias it seems.<br /><br />Much of Tony's behaviour makes sense from a DLP perspective - just not from the loony neo-liberal perspective that so dominates the majors.<br /><br />I think Tony thought he had it figured out because he found a way to win government. He hadn't realised how different government was to opposition. Coupled with his belief in becoming different (which David Marr highlighted). Turns out he's just the same in government as opposition - without nuance, loath to negotiate, disliking complexity.<br /><br />This lot remind me of the last years of the Bjelke-Peterson years in Qld. Same narrow blindness and incompetence.<br /><br />It seems to me that both Abbott and Carr took a 'media management' approach to government. (Both have been journalists.) But Carr pulled it off more successfully. He was less ideological I think - the 'tough on crime' nonsense wasn't exactly a traditional left-wing trope.Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13355215688351759230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-57096089643547595612014-05-04T10:28:45.370+10:002014-05-04T10:28:45.370+10:00It was, kvd,as you note. I think that the point ab...It was, kvd,as you note. I think that the point about lines is just where the line is drawn, what does this mean for later events? But this was canvassed too!<br /><br />I fear that that cornflakes bowl is the repository of more things than I care to know about! Read the Klugman piece. Think he misses a few key points. <br /><br />Undeclared war is not a bad description, AC. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-49031222849596405662014-05-03T19:06:42.628+10:002014-05-03T19:06:42.628+10:00I listened to an expose of the Polish Prime Minist...I listened to an expose of the Polish Prime Minister this morning. He definitely is not a panicky person but in his measured and composed way he expressed concern for Ukraine and stated that Russia and Ukraine are already at war even if it has not been formally declared.<br />ACAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-24391472565612045562014-05-03T18:33:35.364+10:002014-05-03T18:33:35.364+10:00Geez! All this (about gas supplies to Europe) was ...Geez! All this (about gas supplies to Europe) was canvassed in comments on your March 2nd/3rd post on Ukraine. And also the Polish angst of living so close to such an unstable regime.<br /><br />"My best guess is that Europe will draw a line."<br /><br />They could maybe borrow one from Pres. Obama? He has several, unused, which are probably spare (they are certainly inactive) - I would have thought.<br /><br />On a lighter note, did you read Paul Krugman's latest: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/02/opinion/krugman-why-economics-failed.html?_r=0<br /><br />- which includes this agonising rhetorical: "Why, at the moment it was most needed and could have done the most good, did economics fail?"<br /><br />The sheer presumption behind that question! Where's my cornflakes bowl :)<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com