The current malaise of the ALP has seen a recent upsurge of interest in primaries as a way to draw Labor supporters into participation within the ALP. But would this work? What do Labor supporters want? None of the recent discussion about primaries considers the example of Tasmanian state politics. The Hare-Clark proportional representation system […]
After the revolution: lessons from Latin America
What would a socialist revolution be like? Socialist Alternative has a view If socialism is not Stalinism, it is also much more than a nationalised economy and a few more publicly run services. When we argue that another world is possible, we mean a world free of the class divisions and inequality of capitalism; a […]
What do Labor and Green voters think of each other?
Further to last post I continue examination of the beliefs of Australians as revealed in the Australian Election Survey from 1998 to 2010. Asking voters were they position themselves on a left-right spectrum where 0 is furthest to the left and 10 furthest to the right might seem abstract but analysis suggests that these classification […]
John Brumby and Joe Sestak
The Victorian government’s reversal of policy on a state anti-corruption commission will be popular with voters and the media. Such bodies are useful but some scepticism is warranted. There is danger in encouraging a judicialisation of politics, judicial bodies and judges are skilled at certain things but not necessarily at public policy. The Victorian Bushfire […]
One of the greatest Speakers?
As health care reform passes this afternoon it is noteworthy to consider Nancy Pelosi’s outstanding role as Speaker. Back in 2006 before the Democrats won Congress I was the first Australian observer to highlight her potential importance: The task of uniting the Democrats in opposition has been surprisingly well-handled by San Francisco liberal and Democrat […]
The South Australian Liberal revivial
The strong performance by the Liberals in the South Australian election campaign has surprised many and driven Labor to resort to a highly negative campaign as shown. One clear pattern in recent Australian politics has been the recasting of the national Liberals as a strongly conservative party. Malcolm Turnbull’s downfall was evidence of this.
American health care reform and NSW power privatization
In the US currently debate about the political impact of health care reform, public opinion is on average mildly hostile, although this partially reflects misinformation and some of the opponents of the current proposals think it does not go far enough. Can it be advantageous for a government to do unpopular things? Joshua Tucker asks:
Back to the Ord?
One of the longstanding themes of Australian politics is the idea of northern development. This usually takes the form of the argument for vast taxpayer subsidized irrigation works to enable vastly expanded agricultural production.
600 odd words on the ALP and others
Lenin famously penned 600 odd words on the ALP, Rick Kuhn writes here on the fate of this article. Labour History in 2011 will publish a special issue on the state of labour history in Australia. I have submitted a proposal to be the author of the article on labour and politics. Below are my […]
Barack Obama & Jim Scullin
It is true that the Massachusetts debacle exaggerates the Democrats woes, just as NY-23 obscured them. But Barack Obama might remember the example of the Scullin government. Jim Scullin who led Australian Labor to a landslide victory in 1929 was a nice guy (who shocked senior bureaucrats by asking them to call him ‘Jim’), and […]