As I would expect, this is an extremely interesting response to the issues raised by the legislation. And the commentary concerning the Scandinavian approach is both very relevant and correct. In the US the term used to denigrate this approach is Scandivavian socialism. That just so aptly captures the ignorance and one-eyed approach (if that isn't a tautology) of so much of the American approach to society. Look after yourself and you will get ahead in the "land of opportunity"!

I agree - an interesting and articulate response. I have one small point, though.

"even the wildest optimist would have to agree that the net economic benefits from the workplace-welfare reforms will be at best small - hardly enough to justify the community anxiety it is causing and the long term effects on social cohesion."

If we are to properly account for the cost of the IR changes, surely the effects on social cohesion should push the balance sheet into a net economic loss as result of the changes.

Des Griffin writes "In the US the term used to denigrate this approach is Scandivavian socialism. That just so aptly captures the ignorance and one-eyed approach (if that isn't a tautology) of so much of the American approach to society."

I know socialism is considered by some as a dirty word but I have to wonder how we are meant to address political and social issues without some form of socialism. Economics, as useful as it is, has not and never will be the magic bullet that solves all our attempts to live cohesively. The concept that society should be left to organise itself around free market principals will not deliver social justice and the likes of Hayek freely admit this.

The question is how do we live cohesively without social justice? Even if we do well in the system and wall ourselves up for security, life has a way of climbing over the wall in the dead of night and confronting us with what is going on in the world outside.

Valerie

It is so refreshing that after $55+ millions spent trying to hoodwink the population, the truth of the matter just keeps popping its head up. Nice article and wonderfull supporting comments.

It's not about whether we want it or not it's about whether we will punish the Libs at the next election for doing it to us.

Kenny, so true, that we may not is a much more scarier nightmare.

*the use of propaganda to distort and distract,
* the maintainance of confusion and complicity,

The dumbing down of us all.