... one for the regulation of the financial sector. Long term, it seems that if we nationalize that leads the aristocracy of financial wealth to devote decades to supporting whatever scalawags will promise to privatize, and if we firmly regulate, that leads the aristocracy of financial wealth to devote decades to supporting whatever scoundrels will promise to deregulate.

I just don't know the answer to that one, except that fighting to get it under control when its possible to win that fight politically is better than never having it under control. Here in the US, there is no comparison on the regulate or nationalize choice ... given the massive difference in political opposition to the two, most people who are serious will be fighting for a restoration of serious regulation, which makes the fight for restoration of serious regulation the natural component of a change coalition platform.

But for the "old" Energy versus the "new" Energy economy, there really is a permanent win if we use the current situation to make a serious Green Stimulus push, because once the "new" Energy Economy becomes a significant macroeconomic growth driver, it will not only have more clout to face down the influence of the forced of the "old" Energy Economy, but will in fact see a shift in support, from those whose only concern with "green" is with greenbacks.


I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.