Get educated! Now even the politicians themselves throw this piece of advice back at journalists. This past week I was busy making interviews for a project at the Danish parliament. The quest is to find out how political sources view journalists and the interview situation. Among others I interviewed former leader of The Social Democrats (A), Mogens Lykketoft, and Anne Baastrup from The Socialist People's Party (F). Both were longing for more educated and better prepared journalists - so they wouldn't have to explain every political issue beginning with Adam and Eve. And more general knowledge in the political science department.
And apart from the tax commission's press conference, I attended an open consultation with the current Minister of Finance, Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Karen Jespersen, Minister of Welfare (of course we have such a minister), both from The Liberals (V), and requested by opposition members from The Social Democrats (A) and The Red-Green Alliance (Ø). About economy and cutbacks in the municipalities. With the ministers overruling every punch line, referring to local rule in the municipalities. This song was much the same as heard many times before over the past years. And no less true.
It must be a great job to be Minister of Finance. Just set the economic frame, with all 98 municipalities to fight over the fixed amount of means, because they are liable in solidarity not to excede the overall budget. Much like department managers in any modern private company fight each other for budgets. With, say, the research department criticizing the marketing department for being a redundant cost centre - and vice versa. Paradoxically the 'open' consultation was more like a dead end consultation.
For a more elaborate overview of the political scene in Denmark, please see:
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2008/10/cliff-notes-to-danish-politics
And apart from the tax commission's press conference, I attended an open consultation with the current Minister of Finance, Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Karen Jespersen, Minister of Welfare (of course we have such a minister), both from The Liberals (V), and requested by opposition members from The Social Democrats (A) and The Red-Green Alliance (Ø). About economy and cutbacks in the municipalities. With the ministers overruling every punch line, referring to local rule in the municipalities. This song was much the same as heard many times before over the past years. And no less true.
It must be a great job to be Minister of Finance. Just set the economic frame, with all 98 municipalities to fight over the fixed amount of means, because they are liable in solidarity not to excede the overall budget. Much like department managers in any modern private company fight each other for budgets. With, say, the research department criticizing the marketing department for being a redundant cost centre - and vice versa. Paradoxically the 'open' consultation was more like a dead end consultation.
For a more elaborate overview of the political scene in Denmark, please see:
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2008/10/cliff-notes-to-danish-politics