We cannot only be against a bunch of losers

Sweden’s new government has had a terrible start; indeed the worst in history (see the charts, the left block is well ahead in the polls). Maybe it is because they got a bad start in general and then lost the debate against the trade unions whether it is good to change a lot of important labor market policies. Maybe it is because the tax cuts has not kicked in yet. Maybe it is because the government has quite a few internal problems (Minister Leijonborg writes in DN that he wants to abolish the subsidies aiming at plurality in the media market, Minister Adelsohn Liljeroth writes in Journalisten that she wants to keep and develop the system. And two Conservative Ministers are fighting in public as well…).

Anyway, I just hope that we Social Democrats remember that the next election is more than three and a half years away, and in order to win we need renewal and a positive agenda. We cannot only be against the new disastrous government; we need new proposals of our own.

* * *

Another loser, George W. Bush, will deliver another SOTU tonight. I was ”asked” to leave comments regarding the Democratic response, but I am sure Jim Webb will be fine without my help. American Progress and their bloggers are ready for tonight’s events.

* * *

Went to the movies yesterday (again) and saw “Days of glory” (orginal title ”Indigènes”). One of the best and politically most important movies I have seen in a long while, review in Aktuellt i Politiken on Monday. See it, and then you realize why it has been nominated.

* * *

A new book about Olof Palme was released today, I went to a “release seminar” where Widar Andersson and author Claes Arvidsson discussed the book. When Widar got the usual question/statement about Olof Palme being a psychopath he just leaned back and said that all people in such important/leading positions become a little psychic. If not, the person will resign pretty soon... Enjoyed talking to star-blogger Gudmondson as well. I got a copy of the book and will try to read it over the weekend; reviews are collected here.