It's The Duct Tape Of Statecraft

Ho hum - Anthony Giddens claims central planning is the only answer to the enormously huge threat of the Earth turning into a ball of fire. I'd point out that this would sound a lot better if folks like him didn't advocate central planning for every other social ill too, but as the Rotty Pup points out, he's gone and done that himself too. Truly a Tourettes moment.

Lifestyle change and how to achieve it, it could be argued, are now the name of the game in key areas of politics. The range of issues involved is very wide. Climate change is the big daddy of them all, but others include the obesity epidemic, lifestyle related diseases - including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and cancer - excessive drinking, drug dependence, antisocial behaviour and other areas besides. In many respects it is a new agenda, at least in terms of policy thinking.

Personally, I'm still waiting for the threat that liberals think doesn't require central planning. Hey, even if you buy into Gorebull Worming, isn't it possible to argue that only an innovative and vibrant society can come up with the right answers ? But no, liberalism's new policy thinking always turns out to be the same as the old one: central planning.

This is a fundamental difference between left and right. All the innovations are on one side of the spectrum. Say what you like about school vouchers, but they really are a new idea. Meanwhile, the left's busily trying to find new ways to rebrand the same old garbage. No wonder leftists are so obsessed with 'hate speech' and the like - it's not like their policy ideas can stand up to competition.