This psuedo-campagn is an absolute farce. John Howard is spending millions of dollars of taxpayers' money on his campaign, with the excuse he is advertising medicare, when the ads are clearly pro-governmantally biased. Mark Latham has made it a key issue in his platform to charge the lberal for all ads after July the 27th (the day he anounced te policy) that were deemed to be too political.
Latham is running onn soft politics, and his key issues are early childhood reading, politicians' superannuation and obese kids. He hasn't even announced the opposition tax plan yet, even though the budget was handed down over a month ago.
Latham is a knob, Howard is an arrogant fool and Australia i going to the Sh*thouse whoever wins.
God I am so POed at them.
Me too!
Howard: Good economist, usually runs with a surplus. Effective politician, at his most dangerous when behind in the polls. Good contributor to the international arena. Not afraid of a hard decision and with enough bottle to see it through if he thinks that he's right. (...even if he isn't) Incredible manipulator of public opinion and able to make a fear-induced campaign seem positive. (examples are the Republican question in '99 when he managed to split the republicans and keep his queen; and the boat people election when he managed to buffalo Beasley into actually supporting him.....you'd admire it if it wasn't so blatantly cynical.) Older man without a popular successor.
Latham: Most popular ALP federal leader in a decade. Has thus far failed to capitalise on his popularity and seems to be in danger of being captured by the grey men of his party. Demonstrates amazing ineptness in the international arena, which has worried many folks. "It's the economy stupid"!!!! Where is his tax policy? Our tax system is a mix of concessions to interest groups and the Senate. (...Paul Keating's "Unrepresentative Swill". I really miss Paul...) Where has the Wild Man from Green Valley gone? The one who used to thunder at the government in the parliament. That was the authentic Mark. He is a socialist all right, but the grey men of the party (Senator Faulkner for example) have convinced him that he can't sell it. Pity, it is at least honest which was his best feature.
My call on the election:
After the FTA vote in the Senate but before the US election on 2 Nov. Therefore we should go to the polls on the second or third Saturday in October. The outcome: Howard by a nose.
I hope that I'm wrong. I join you in being PO'd. Bring back Paul.
