Background noise

Just like I don’t listen to what the Pope has to say about safe sex and what rednecks have to say about evolution, I have found myself shutting out some noise that should belong to the background. 

It started two years ago when I stopped listening to analytical departments and economists that worked for banks or political parties. It then spread to blogs of politicians and now to media like amx.is (just like I don’t listen to what Sean Hannity or Ann Coulter have to say about the world). 

Increasingly I find myself more uninterested in anything related to David Oddson. He might still be in the Central Bank Building and sure he can still wreck some damage, but his voice and opinions have lost all clout it once might have had. 

According to polls, only 10% of the nation is still willing to listen to him. That’s fantastically unremarkable.

In praise of Ogmundur Jonasson and then not

The new Health Minister Ogmundur Jonasson should be thanked for taking a sensible step towards cuts in the health-care industry by instructing doctors to ascribe cheaper medicines and generic drugs to save money except in cases where it would be unwise to do so. 

This is something no politician in the laissez-faire crazed times we’ve lived in has dared suggesting. So now instead of shutting down hospitals to save, the Health Minister is shutting down the golden pipeline drug-manufacturers have enjoyed from their relationships with medical-doctors.

But Ogmundur should also be asked the question what experience his new assistant has in the medical field or health industry? Halla Gunnarsdottir, who I incedentally know personally as being a hard-working woman, is a journalist (and a fine one at that) who just lost her job at Morgunbladid. And incidentally she has been active in the youth arm of Ogmundur’s Left Green Party. 

What relative insight does Halla have to offer to her minister? Are Ogmundur and his party really offering us something new in the way of doing things in politics, or just when it suits him?

Geir Haarde’s email to the IMF

The Independent party has just released the email communication between Geir Haarde and Paul Thomsen at the IMF from last week. 

If the shoe was on the other foot…?

Frá: Thomsen, Poul Mathias [PThomsen@imf.org]
Sent: 12. febrúar 2009 14:00
Viðtakandi: Geir H. Haarde
Efni: RE: Suggested changes to the law governing the CBI

Dear Geir,

Let me begin by saying that I was very sorry to hear about you illness and that I hope that you are doing better and will soon fully recover.

As to the central bank legislation, we have indeed provided some preliminary comments to the government and expect to finalize them very soon. In line with our standard procedures, the comments are provided to the government, and it is the government’s decision whether to distribute them more widely. I hope that you understand this.

I called you yesterday when I was briefly visiting Iceland (for half a day), but there was no answer and no message service. Looking forward to meeting you when I visit Iceland next time.

With best wishes

Poul

________________________________
From: Geir H. Haarde [mailto:geir@althingi.is]
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 11:26 AM
To: Thomsen, Poul Mathias
Subject: Suggested changes to the law governing the CBI

Dear Poul.

I am writing to you in my new capacity as leader of the opposition in the Icelandic Parliament and former PM.

The purpose of this e-mail is to inquire whether you or others on the IMF staff have sent the Icelandic government any comments on the proposed bill  to amend the current law on the Icelandic Central Bank.    If so, I would respectfully ask to be sent a copy of those comments.

I look forward to seeing you and your colleagues, if possible, during your next visit to Iceland for a detailed discussion of the economic outlook, the progress of our IMF program and any other issues we might want to discuss.

Best regards,

Geir H. Haarde