Well, the Prime Minister has put some of us out of some of our misery - maybe, possibly, but I doubt it.Confused? Well, so am I.
John Howard has announced that he will stay on to fight the next election. This is entirely predictable, because it is the one thing which John Howard really likes doing - beating Kim Beazley.
"Flubber" has completely managed to rub off even the "rusted on" traditional supporters of the Labor Party. First there was the shameful failure to stand on principle, regarding the Tampa refugees. And then, last week there was the double-backflip, when he decided to endorse Uranium mining. And so, he has destroyed the basic constituency of his support. How could Howard resist?
Besides, it is apparent that Howard has little concept of how to stabilise the economy, or the "mood of the nation" regarding Industrial Relations. And as for Foreign Affairs .......with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and who knows, Lebanon tomorrow, not to mention East Timor, and other places which I cannot now recall - our Defence and Foreign Policy is a complete basket case. Even the politics of water is now out of control.However, if Howard now goes into Election Mode, then he can legitimately ignore all those issues, and just concentrate on criticising the Labor Party. How easy is that.
The fact that will create a giant distraction from the real issues of the state of rot of the country, will only be more attractive to Howard than having to do anything about those issues.
God Help us.
7 comments:
I'm not surprised but I'm saddened that the man is going to continue in charge.
He has led by example the agenda to the worst lowering of standards in a short period that I can remember.
Under his leadership lies from our politicians have become accepted, ministerial standards lowered to meet what they're doing rather than what they should be doing, racism has reared its ugly head, xenophobia is encouraged, no responsibility taken for anything is now standard procedure.
Yet another term and all this will be so ingrained that we'll never repair the damage.
Yes, Colin. Lack of moral principles is the basic problem, I feel. Without a sense of morality, political expedience takes over. That was why he failed to stand up to Pauline Hansen, when she crept out of the political primordial slime.
And it has been a downhill slide since then.
Miss Eagle is thrilled that Howard is staying on. Miss Eagle has posted at The Eagle's Nest http://eaglesplace.blogspot.com on various occasions that she doesn't want Howard to go - not until all the chickens come home to roost; not until the Australian electorate see him for what he is. But Miss Eagle is sardonically amused. It bears out her thesis that very few know when to quit and how to quit while they are ahead. Have a think. In Aussie politics how often that has happened. The most recent occurrence is Bob Carr but it has been a long time between drinks. Then take it to the world stage and it's the same story. One magnificent exception is Dr. Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia who went without being pushed and his political colleagues were so shocked when he announced his resignation they pleaded with him to stay on another 12 months. So there has been much pleading, it would appear,from within the Liberal Party for Howard to stay - so, if Miss Eagle's idea of natural justice applies, when Howard goes they will go too. Miss Eagle waits patiently and with interest.
Yes, Miss Eagle. I understand the desire for retribution (not a very Christian sentiment, I'm afraid).
But its a hell of a gamble you would put us through, just to see the little bugger shed a few tears (a la Malcolm Fraser - when beaten by Hawkie).
What if he wins the next election, and then what? 3 to 5 more years of unprincipled Government, lax codes of ethics, more wars, David Hicks imprisoned without trial forever, Phillip Ruddock hunting down the "cosmetically non-Australian" amongst us, more capitulation to Indonesia on human rights in West Papua, etc, etc.
I know you don't want any of this - any more than I do, (nor Colin, by the sounds of it). But there is the problem of an electable opposition to be solved first, before we rejoice at Howard's decision to stay on.
Anyone who puts people like Ruddock and Vanstone into Ministerial positions isn't worthy of being PM in my opinion.
Let me add that I'm basically conservative. It isn't the party, it's the unprincipled people I object to.
You are so right Colin!
Sadly there appear to be very few 'principled people' on either side of the politics (federal and state). Australia is not alone in this trend.
Mostly cardboard cutouts with movable limbs and lips being manipulated by others.
Sad also that the 'masses' appear to approve the politicians who are dishonest and full of empty platitudes, rejecting the few who are open and honest and not afraid to clearly state their beliefs.
Sorry. I did not mean to be 'anonymous"!
Georges
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