Weekly roundup Saturday 4 July
July 4: it’s not about MAGA — it’s actually about public ideas.
Weekly roundup of links to articles, reports, podcasts and other media on current political and economic issues in public policy.
Tax reform
The shitstorm: An extraordinarily shrill and alarmist reaction to modest and overdue taxation reforms.
Housing and other assets: The reforms have helped deflate an inflationary housing bubble, and have removed share market distortions that favoured speculators over patient investors. That’s good.
One Nation’s resurgence
Pauline Hanson meets the press: Hanson’s Press Club appearance reveals the hollowness of One Nation’s platform and the supineness of our press gallery.
What is One Nation? It’s a movement around a “leader” rather than a political party.
Who is supporting One Nation?: We have a fair idea of who votes for them Nation but we don’t know why they are voting against their own interests.
Opinion polls
Are we passing peak Pauline? A chance for a Liberal Party resurrection perhaps.
The Lowy poll: We have definitely fallen out of love with the Trump administration, but not with the US alliance.
Other politics
Abbott’s return to the political stage: In electing Abbott as president the Liberal Party is defining itself as the natural party of opposition.
Immigration: Some basic figures to offset waves of alarmist disinformation.
Public ideas
Viktor Shvets on a world on fire: The present age has many similarities to the 1930s. That’s scary
Mariana Mazzucato on government: If governments and the public sector work together economics can promote the public good.
July 4: Look past the hoopla of July 4 and Trump’s vulgarity. July 4 is actually a celebration of public ideas.
Fanfare for the Common Man
If you have comments, corrections, or links to other relevant sources, I’d like to hear from you. Please send them to Ian McAuley — ian, at the domain name ianmcauley.com
