Tel-Chai Nation

Dr. Aaron Lerner writes about the differences between the Likud's Benjamin Netanyahu and the Labor party's chairman Amir Peretz from a mostly economic perspective:

Will Peretz succeed in making economics the dominant issue of the campaign?

One can certainly argue with Peretz's socialist economic views -- a clear preference to re-divide rather than enlarge the economic pie -- but one cannot ignore that he enters the arena with the advantage of having a very clear economic philosophy and the ability to communicate it to the voters.

Binyamin Netanyahu's certainly has a clear economic philosophy, and he has demonstrated as treasury minister that it works in practice . But there is a large population of voters who may not have the patience to wait for the benefits of the expanding economic pie Netanyahu promises to benefit them and would prefer Peretz's promise to give them a bigger slice of the existing pie today.

On the other hand, if the issue remains "guns" rather than "butter", Peretz is at a considerable disadvantage in light of his lack of any background in either defense or foreign affairs as well as his leftist views.

Netanyahu's identification with an economic policy that is the polar opposite to Peretz may put him at a disadvantage over alternative Likud candidates since others can more credibly adopt some of Peretz's demands (for example increasing the minimum wage to a livable wage, increasing transfer payments to the poor elderly, etc.) to knock much of the wind out of his sails so that the "guns" remain the decisive issues in the campaign.

Well, I think it's possible to say that, as of now, Netanyahu has proven himself the winner in the economic perspective for one, and also in discussing security issues as well. While as for Peretz, just a day or two ago, the daily Yediot Ahronot reported that the stock market sank, thanks to his not very positive approach to economics. And Peretz also tried to initiate many illegal workers union strikes to achieve funds for his own self-concerned goals, even going so far as to delay and stop plane flights, which blocked exports, thereby, in cases of food and flowers, causing immense losses as the products spoiled. This very approach of his is now waning in popularity more than ever.

Netanyahu's economic talents also make him the better candidate in that perspective than Ariel Sharon, as well as Ehud Olmert, who haven't proven themselves in that respect either. Speaking of which, Sharon has been saying at times that he wants to "develop the Negev". Trouble is, that's a canard that the Labor party used often in past years to try and divert public attention from Judea, Samaria and Gaza. But nothing's been done all that time regarding the Negev, and it doesn't look like anything's going to happen in that part of the country even now.

So Lerner's got some good points, that Netanyahu is the ideal candidate when it comes to business and finance.

Also available at Cao's Blog, Choose Life, Don Surber, Euphoric Reality, The Florida Masochist, NIF, The Political Teen.

Labels: Israel, Knesset