Gittins once more

I know it’s boring to keep linking to Ross Gittins, but today’s article is really very good.  Instead of explaining the economic situation, this time he’s explaining why people explain the current economic climate in the ways they do, and why they get into such big huffs with each other about it.  That is, what are the beliefs they have about economics, which lead them to interpret economic data in one way or another. Ultimately, it’s an argument about what the proper role of government is.  Excellent reading for anybody wanting to keep their wits about them.

Filed under: Politics, links , economic beliefs, economics, ross gittins

Viewpoints: GFC

Wow, Paul Sheehan really doesn’t like Kevin Rudd.  He is almost shuddering with contempt in this piece.  Somehow I don’t think enlisting Mark Latham and Michael Costa as supporting cast in the criticism of Rudd actually helps his case, though.  Not exactly what you’d call trustworthy witnesses.  In contrast, Ross Gittins is just not that excited.

Filed under: Politics , Global financial crisis, political positions, stimulus package

Trickling down

I received a letter today from Tear, an organisation that Ell and I are interested in.  It described the very real and sudden changes that the world financial situation has prompted for developing countries, and the many NGO’s that seek to work in them.

If you think times are tough here, it only gets worse as you go down the line.  Lay offs here, entire factories or markets dry up there.  Along with this, as people tighten the belts – even perhaps from the talk of hard times that is in the air rather than from any change in income – generosity dires up too.  Tear’s ‘useful catalogue’ that you may have seen around (buying water pumps for villages, and so on) suffered a considerable drop in ’sales’ over Christmas. Likewise, the pressure on Governments will probably result in a reduction of aid to foreign countries as well.

Given that the only impact so far for us of the whole situation is that we get richer at a slower rate, it makes you think differently about the $950 the government is going to be dishing out in a couple of months time.

Suffering doesnt deal in comparisons.  There is no point comparing the faring of a laid off worker here to a small plot farmer somewhere else.  But I am in neither of those positions.  Whatever the case, I wonder what it takes to think of generosity as an essential in life, rather than the cream skimmed off the top when things are going well?

Filed under: Politics, economics, ethics, experiences , global economy, poverty, TEAR