Saturday, May 03, 2008

Controlling power

There are many stories, as I write, about how governments strive to control power. Some of course know they are done, others believe they can hang in and win. Three I refer to here are in various stages of ruin, and I leave the US to their own dynamic.

So let’s look at:

  • Zimbabwe and the leader who has brutalized that country for decades – Mugabe
  • My own home state of New South Wales and the pathetic administration of Morris Iemma
  • Britain’s Blair/Brown regime reaching an end

These stories are all about doing what it takes to control, and the inevitable end of the process. So a step at a time:

Zimbabwe

I was only a young teen when Nkomo’s and Mugabe’s mob threw out the Ian Smith, white government of Rhodesia. It was a dramatic move back then, but understandable.

As things moved on it became clearly a poor move, as the remedy proved far worse than the disease. Zimbabwe/Rhodesia is a basket case and Mugabe has legitimately lost power. But we will wait and see.

NSW

Well we were created and exist in a state of corruption, but our latest Premier is taking that to new heights. The labor Party leader is so intent on taking corruption to its extremes he is willing to put his job on the line for his post parliamentary career.

The aptly named ‘Morris’ Iemma works on a full 850cc, four cylinders, but he still wants a full V8 result. Morris is determined to privitise power that is the states utilities, but particularly electricity. Ok, some countries might not care that they are required to buy back their own investments. We have traditionally owned our utilities.

Britain

Well what do you use to replace a traditional socialist party who out conservatives the conservatives? According to Britain’s in the latest equivalent to the US mid terms (local elections in Old Blighty) the answer seems to be the conservatives.

I was sorry to see Red Ken Livingstone be dumped as London Mayor, but mainly because that particular campaign was managed by John Howard version of Rove.

Can’t say life excites me at times. I just wish these cycles were a little faster. Life just ain’t long enough.

8 comments:

TomCat said...

Morris is determined to privitise power that is the states utilities, but particularly electricity. Ok, some countries might not care that they are required to buy back their own investments. We have traditionally owned our utilities.

I think you're better off with public utilities. My city has two electric companies, but each has a monopoly in their own areas. The Pacific NW has abundant hydro-power, but the companies sell it to California, reap big profits, and raise our rates due to the shortage here.

TomCat said...

PS - You'll find today's top story at PP interesting. :-)

Cartledge said...

We have already seen the result, here, of utilities sell offs. Reduced investment in growth and maintenance seem to be key factors for commercial operators.
The bottom line does not seem to include provision for peak demand, or for trouble free operations.

D.K. Raed said...

"some of course know they are done" ... as much as I see the eventual handwriting on the enventual wall, I don't think we are done yet. The roman empire took 400-yrs to decline ... in fact some might say we are still today living in the decline of the roman empire.

I don't know why, but I expected more out of Britain's Brown. He's looking like another Blair, enabling our war fever.

ps, oh go on, you CAN say it, life DOES excite you at times ... maybe just a wee bit?!!!

Cartledge said...

DK, fortunately i can say anything I bloody like. But then so can my wonderful detractors.
I never really expected much from Gordon. He spent too many years in the wings. Just another one of the boys trying to grab the top spot.

On the power grab here in my home state, the party conference voted 700 to 100 hundred against privatising the power.
This glorious Premier says he has to balance 700 voices in his own party against 7 million people in the state. If he listened he would find his conference was representative.
What pisses me off is that he is going ahead anyway, even if he gets turfed out of the party. Obviously he has a well paid job to go to for his trouble.

D.K. Raed said...

I never knew much about Brown -- just figured since he supplanted Blair, he might be less inclined to be a U.S. poodle.

Like Tomcat, I don't like privitizing utilities. We have seen it here many times, every time an industry is "deregulated" (reagan's sellable-to-the-gullable word), the consumer gets shafted w/worse service at higher prices. I would expect the same w/private power. Isn't there some method of putting a check on the Premier who won't listen to the People?

ps, of course you can say anything! I was just thinking you had misworded your remark that you CAN'T say life excites you, that's all.

Cartledge said...

"I was just thinking you had misworded your remark that you CAN'T say life excites you" Yes ma'am

TomCat said...

The bottom line does not seem to include provision for peak demand, or for trouble free operations.

The same is true here.

OOPS! I directed you to the wrong article. It was yesterday's 2nd I wanted you to see.