Didn’t New Zealand just go right of center in the last election?
Australia is a great country. The government is a little left now but Australians in general are very hard-working, freedom loving, honest, diligent and frugal. Also, their government has a budget surplus and it is a commodities-based economy for the most part. It will prosper again as Asia recovers.
The tax policy there is pretty fair, and they have a good legal system- the loser pays the winner’s legal fees. The recent stimulus package in Australia went for things like insulating peoples homes and businesses to conserve energy down the road- fairly pragmatic compared to our mess.
They also love freedom. They were very eager and loyal (and non-compensated) partners with the US in the Battle of the South China Sea. That battle is still an example of two great nations coming together in wartime and together accomplishing a massive success because of shared values of freedom, sacrifice and honor.
Something else is interesting to me over there- if an Australian starts promoting themselves in sports, music or politics, their fellow citizens are quick to cut them down to size. They don’t put up with a lot of ego over there.
The only negative I have found is that the Greenies over there make our envirowhackos look like Jesse Helms. Most people do care for the environment in a good way over there- not too extreme- so overall it is a good thing.
It is probably the closest thing to Galt’s Gulch out there now. If Kevin Rudd gets too crazy left, they will toss him out of office. If things keep going the way they are over here with the destruction of our republic and the decimation of our economy, I am sure many Americans will be lining up at the Australian embassy. In fact, I was told that a lot already have been doing so- and that it picked up in the Fall and even more after the election...probably getting much busier lately...
What kind of gun laws does Australia have?