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The Australian edition of the Guardian web site has a good article by David Marr on Shorten the leader of the Labor Party. It is an extract from his new Quarterly essay. It is a superbly written and fascinating examination of Shorten's personality and method of doing politics. But that is also its weakness as a piece of political journalism. Marr still thinks too much in terms of style. I think, and Marr does not mention this, that the problem is Shorten is pro neoliberal economics. I also think that the key to understanding the present political conjuncture is that Abbott and his treasurer were brought down by the people's rejection of the first budget. However, because that rejection was not named or explained as anti-austerity and an alternative articulated, the rejectionism could be thought of and presented in terms of a rejection of Abbott's style. If the style argument wins out, it means that TINA still rules and no fundamental challenge to neo-liberal policy will emerge on the economic front. Everyone is so happy to see the back of Abbott that Turnbull may well have an extended honeymoon. He has already shuffled off some of the right wing crazies and promoted more women. Threats from the far right of a split in the Liberal Party only severe to perpetuate the illusion that Turnbull represents a real change rather than a stylistic makeover. Here, once again, John's Passant's biting rhetoric is fully justified. Crucially in the UK, Corbyn named austerity and outlined an alternative. That, as Richard Seymour points out, has polarized Britain and brought down on Corbyn's head the most savage of retribution in the media and in the backroom maneuvers of the Labour Party. What is at the heart of this anger, though, is a fear that TINA is in danger. Quite simply the nightmare that weighs on the brain of everyone committed to the status quo in Britain is precisely that Corbyn is electable. Alas there is no such danger in Oz for those who march under the TINA banner. Hence the hopes and expectations that small liberal commentators like Marr and Lenore Taylor are now placing in the "new" leadership of Malcolm Turnbull. We are in for some hard lessons in Australia. comradely Gary _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
