It's a curious time to be observing politics. Leaving aside for the moment the quite rational fear that Greece will topple over at any\u00a0moment\u00a0and trigger a\u00a0domino\u00a0effect across Europe, in the\u00a0process\u00a0ripping away the veneer that any of our banks are solvent, the behaviour of the right in the UK, Europe and USA is extraordinary to watch.<\/p>\n
David Cameron says he won't bail out Greece, so making insolvency of our banks more likely.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Republicans\u00a0in the US refuse to increase the borrowing allowed by their governemtn, so sthreatening the default of their\u00a0government\u00a0on its obligations - including in places like Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
In Europe centre right governments shove money at a problem - called Greece - but have no clue how to actually solve it.<\/p>\n
In the UK the Tories say they're going to cut\u00a0spending, so\u00a0endorsing austerity plans for Greece, but time after time are already failing to\u00a0deliver\u00a0- the NHS reform (which is adding\u00a0whole\u00a0massive new rafts of bureaucracy on top of that already there) being one such case, the reverse on legal\u00a0reforms, whilst logical, being another. So\u00a0their\u00a0plans to control spending - on which they are pinning all their hopes - are collapsing as I write.<\/p>\n
And on, and on.<\/p>\n
What's extraordinary about all this? Three things. First the incoherence: some on the right are bailing out, others are refusing to do so to\u00a0spite\u00a0their own faces. Second the\u00a0incompetence: there's no underlying logic to these polices, in theory or in practice. They're just expediency for the sake of media gratification which they hope will deliver them further electoral gains. And thirdly, the fact that so far they're getting away with it.<\/p>\n
How long can that last?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"