A down-under blunder there mate.
Sounds like China is about to receive a lot of new sensitive technology as they did with the Clintons. Sandy Berger was also a lawyer and "China specialist".
It is a sad day for Australia. Is there any chance the exit polls could be wrong? It is a most undeserved defeat but I suppose people need a few years of empty promises, fairy tale politics, and high taxes to remind them of why liberals should never be trusted with the reigns of government of any nation.
In five years, when the economy is in the flusher, Rudd will be fed to the Dingos.
There is an upside. If you’re planning a trip to Australia, your dollar will likely go much further in a few years than it does now.
The infestation of leftist nannyism continues.
From the Fox News article on this, “Rudd has pledged to govern as an “economic conservative,” while pouring money into schools and universities. He will curtail sweeping industrial reforms laws that were perceived to hand bosses too much power, turning many working voters against Howard.”
We all know that “pouring money into schools and universities” means advancing leftist ideals with the young even more. When they find it isn’t working, they just dump more money in while taking a bigger bite out of paychecks.
No matter how you package it, leftist socialism doesn’t work. I guess the world will just have to find out the hard way.
g’day, mates.
Thank you John Howard. God speed to you from your American friends.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1294164,00.html
“Voters warmed to his promise to pull Australian troops out of Iraq and sign the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, further isolating the US, which had received strong backing from Mr Howard.”
Ok, so the idiots get more of a wedge into us...Yeah, its all about us (geesh), opposing us has become an international political trend...
What a shame, yet, I am not surprised by this...
Australia also needs term limits for their politicians at every level! Term limits could possibly have prevented their present political situation because Howard would probably have been replaced earlier by somebody else from Howard’s political party. I’m not saying that it’s definite, just possible.
Don't worry, Labor will take care that in short order.
btt
We’ll never have better allies than the Aussies. They will be missed... mightily.
“Only once before since the beginning of the Australian federation in 1901 has a sitting Prime Minister been thrown out of his seat at a general election. Prime Minister Stanley Bruce lost his seat in the 1929 election after becoming deeply unpopular for attempting to erode the rights of workers.”
I think it should be noted that John Howard held his seat of Bennelong for 22 years (not 33 years - he had a political career for 33 years). Before the recent election he didn’t really campaign much at Bennelong, focusing more on helping others in his party and campaigning more on their behalf. Also note, his seat at Bennelong was won by former ABC (Australia) journalist “Maxine McKew” who is married to a Labor Politician.
“Members of Mr Howard’s own Government conceded last night that 68-year-old Howard’s controversial Work Choices laws, which also curtailed workers’ rights, were a major...”
I don’t think it had much to do with “Work Choices” laws or supporting Iraq war.
I think it had much more to do with the fact that Howard’s government had been in power for 11 and half years. People mostly wanted a change, the writing was pretty much on the wall a couple of months before the election. I very much doubt that people would’ve gone for the “Liberal/national coalition” had Peter Costello taken over the leadership before the election either. People wanted a change.
On the upside, Rudd is not a leftist per se. His indication of policies and vision, so far, have been centre-right. I doubt there will be much change in policies toward the U.S. - Australia (Labor or Liberal) has always supported the U.S. - Bob Hawke (a Labor PM back in the 1980’s who was more of a trade unionist than Rudd is a good example). Anyway, we’ll know in about 12 months as to whether Rudd can deliver on his promises. If not, he will be kicked out!
Anyway, John Howard was one great Australian PM in recent decades with many contributions, especially economically, to Australia. He will be remembered as such too. All good things must come to an end one day and I think it was the voters telling him that the Coalition (liberal/nationals) needs new blood after nearly 12 years in office. Actually, one factor that helped Rudd win was that at the end of the day, Rudd’s Labor party pretty much echoed Howard’s policies with minor variations. So, the voters didn’t have much to differentiate by between Labor and Coalition.
Anyway, the Australian Coalition will regroup and hopefully with Peter Costello’s leadership will make a comeback next election. A sound democracy will need both a strong government and a strong opposition for the good of the people.
They surrender to evil, just like the Brits.
Soon we will be the only ones left, the weak nations have left us.
At least we will be able to do as we please and not have to waste time with feckless “allies”