NOT much doubt about the big political story of last week — it was Barack Obama’s historic victory in the US presidential race.

It was a triumph of a country willing to embrace new ideas, rewrite conventional wisdom about race in politics and close the door on eight years of government that descended to almost cartoon levels of chicanery and short-sightedness.

Don’t think it has any impact on Jersey? Think again.

Why has Jersey’s biggest mortgage len-der packed up and moved on? Why have some Islanders found their bank accounts turn into Monopoly money? Because US banks gave mortgages to people who can’t afford them, that’s why.

Why are young Jerseymen fighting wars around the world? Because the USA invaded Iraq and Afghan-istan, that’s why.

The policies of the US government affect just about everyone, though I’ll grant you that they may affect Iraqis and Afghans a bit more than us.

And let the record state that the Obama backlash started here in Jersey, with a handful of senior finance industry figures concerned about a bill that the new president co-sponsored while still a Senator that threatened to crack down on ‘offshore secrecy jurisdictions’.

The line out of the ministers, the finance industry, the regulators and everyone else is that we’re not an offshore secrecy jurisdiction — we’re an independent state with a responsible and properly regulated financial services industry.

So why the worry? Let them close down the crooks. Surely that just means more business for us?

Congratulations are in order for the four Deputies elected without opposition last week. Note: It’s not the same as not being elected. It means that no one in the parish thought that (a) they could do a better job, and (b) a majority of voters would agree with them on that.

And it’s a little unfair to blame the four Deputies for the fact that no one stood against them.
Strange, though, that two of them would have actually faced a fight if candidates from their home parishes hadn’t decided to up sticks and stand in town instead.

It seems a bit strange to me. Why knock back a two- or three-horse race in Trinity or St Ouen as three candidates have to run in St Helier and St Saviour? If you see them, would you ask them for me?

IT’S odd seeing old friends. Some spread a smile across your face and brighten up your day, some you see with a touch of resignation about the five-minute mandatory small talk, and some you just duck shamelessly.

There are none, none at all, that are more welcome, heart-warming and gratifying than the return of the States Members parking story.

Few stories sum up what’s wrong with States Members better: the misplaced sense of entitlement and importance, the casual disregard for how it all looks to the public, and the strange ‘them and us’ rules that govern seniority. Has it really been three years since we last saw it? Since it knocked on our door wearing a huge grin? Dammit, man, I’ve missed you.

The story had a new look. It was about non-elected States Members, not the rank and file. But the headline ‘Taxpayers foot bill for parking of Law Officers’ brought back a host of happy, happy memories of former Senator Ted Vibert at his glorious best, railing against political perks, and a hysterical States debate.

So, to Attorney General William Bailhache and Solicitor General Tim Le Cocq: thanks a million. You have brought back a host of happy memories.

FACT: Deputy districts are not easy to keep a track of. But you would expect Deputies themselves to have a fairly good idea of where their districts start and end. Or I would, anyway. That’s why I was surprised to see posters for Deputies Geoff Southern and Kevin Lewis on the same lamp-post at the foot of Langley Avenue this weekend. The twist: Deputy Southern represents voters in St Helier No 2, Deputy Lewis represents St Saviour No 2. Somebody’s political compass is a little skewed.

WE’RE almost a week into the Deputy campaign, and still not a sniff of a St Helier No 3 candidate chez Quérée. Good thing or bad thing? I really don’t know. But having heard so much over the last nine years about candidates pounding the streets and taking the time to meet their constituents face to face, and having heard one epic fibber telling the States that he’d gone to every door in the district, I’m feeling left out. You see, it’s never happened to me. Not once.

It happened to my dad once while I was still at school — a young bloke came to the door asking him to back his father for Constable. The old man said sure, no problem, but added that he would rather vote for the son, even though he didn’t know him, because he was younger. The young bloke is now the Economic Development Minister. True story.