Reagan
Ronald Reagan's death has led to some grossly untrue claims being made by his supporters about the effects of his policies. On economics, readers should consult Peddling Prosperity by Princeton economics professor Paul Krugman. "Rapid growth from 1982 to 1989 was possible because the economy was recovering from a deep recession." An expansionary monetary policy by the Federal Reserve drove the upturn.
"The conservative claim to have found the secret of growth is entirely false — there is absolutely no sign that [conservative] policies did anything to produce faster growth.
"The policies of the Reagan and Bush administrations were if anything biased against long-term growth."
Investment to GDP fell.
"Supply siders get furious at what they see as the simplistic claim that Reaganomics involved cutting taxes on the rich, raising them on the middle class, and punishing the poor. In fact, however, that seems to be just about what happened."
Brent Howard
Rydalmere, NSW
Day After Tomorrow
Day After Tomorrow director Roland Emmerich has a delightful sense of irony which he exploits in his films. This writer/director allowed the Jews and the blacks to save the world from upstart ETs in Independence Day. In The Day After Tomorrow, the tables are turned on the imperialist countries which must seek shelter in the Third World as stateless refugees. He even manages an inter-racial marriage (a definite non-starter in Hollywood) although he has to take his story to Scotland to do it.
This political irony begins to falter when he requires his characters to burn books to keep warm in the Day After. Despite discussions about the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and the Bible as a primary text of Western civilisation, Emmerich leaves no doubt that the best of all possible futures lies with Uncle Sam. Independence Day carried the same message and the Day After merges the presidency of the United States with the iconography of the Statue of Liberty. As in Independence Day — if humankind or Western civilisation has a future, against meteorology or aliens who would destroy it — then our (Nietzschen) best hope resides with leadership only the United States can provide.
If you are a touch anxious about placing all your hopes on the White House, I suggest you get cracking on an alternative course. But do it quickly as you will only have until the day after tomorrow to do it.
Dave Riley
Brisbane
Garrett
Peter Garrett, the ALP's wunderkind, in a dramatic volte face supports the biggest CIA base in the world at Pine Gap because "the international situation has changed and that it's terrorism now; not nuclear disarmament" (Sydney Morning Herald, June 11). Like the ALP and the Coalition, his comment reveals profound ignorance about the transformation in US global military objectives.
The US has declared a policy of "full spectrum Dominance" based on pre-emptive nuclear strike even against non-nuclear nations and total control of space from which it will conduct 24/7 reconnaissance of the planet.
The USAF Space Command will respond to the use of space by nations deemed unfriendly to the US by the five D's: destroy, disrupt, delay, degrade and deny. In 1996 Space Command's General Joseph Ashy said: "It's politically sensitive, and it isn't in vogue, but, absolutely, we're going to fight in space. We're going to fight from space, and we're going to fight into space."
Thanks to turncoats like Peter Garrett this Armageddon vision is increasingly becoming vogue and Australia is at the heart of it.
Gareth Smith
Byron Bay, NSW
'Values flagged'
The prime minister insists that schools fly the Australian flag to commit to values-based educational programs. Which, and whose values could John Howard be prescribing for our children? Will we see a curriculum that promotes respect for, and compliance with human rights treaties, the Geneva Convention, domestic social justice policies and equal opportunities? Perhaps the agenda will provide advice on standards of honesty and integrity expected of governments, public servants, and intelligence agencies. Are students to receive ethical and moral guidance to equip them for a career in politics, the clergy, legal system, law enforcement, or the corporate sector?
Considering its record, and current performance, the Howard government's morally derelict standards have no place in the education system. Unless of course the wider community endorses lies, deceit, rorts and corruption, as a set of desirable values to be instilled in young minds, at taxpayers' expense.
Howard's cynical rhetoric appears to be driven by a need to divert attention from the exposure of ever diminishing standards by his government in the lead up to the forthcoming federal election. Hypocrisy often comes wrapped in a flag.
Appeals to nationalism, intervention into the education system, propaganda and manipulation of the media are shown to be precursors to totalitarian regimes. Stand up Australians whilst we can still exercise our right to determine the future of this great country.
Ron Baker From Green Left Weekly, July 7, 2004.
Eight Mile Plains, Qld
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