I am a fan of Bob Ellis’s writings. I have enjoyed most of his political books though have been embarrassed for him over his attempts to write about economics. Following his stuff on Unleashed over the past few months, I feared he was losing his touch. But today he is back in form.
I still disagree with much of what Ellis writes, but he writes it so well that he has to be admired. And this piece is not too far wrong in his explanations of much of the dopiness that the government is displaying and in his advice to Gillard. I am not sure she has to get married, though, and expelling Kamahl as a Tamil overstayer is not the best idea Ellis has ever had.
Still, Ellis in entertaining and, for one on the left, quite insightful.
Newspoll found 52 per cent for Gillard a week ago, most likely, and, exercising its inalienable right to statistically err by 3 per cent, printed the result as 55 per cent.
Um, really? Does he actually believe that, or is it a bit of tongue-in-cheek waggery? Given your endorsement of him as a wit, I presume (and hope) the latter.
daddy dave
27 Jul 10 at 4:47 pm
dd – you don’t read Ellis for facts. As a very good creative writer he uses facts creatively.
And I think he is almost always very serious about what he writes.
If you must read someone with whom you disagree on most major issues (and you should) Ellis should be on your list.
As I sad, so long as he stays away from economics, I’ll continue to read and enjoy him.
Ken Nielsen
28 Jul 10 at 9:13 am
I’m sorry, that piece was almost unreadable. I have had Ellis recommended to me multiple times, now, and every time I read his drivel I think ‘that’s [x] minutes of my life I’ll never get back’. No more. That’s it.
skepticlawyer
29 Jul 10 at 9:53 am