John Howard to stay on! (2 Viewers)

[Not-That-Bright]

I think australia had too big of a penis anyway. But yea, I conceed that now's a good time to cash in by buying some shares in swedish made cock pumps.

 

[Iron]

Im inclined to blame commercialism which pushes people to have the latest rahrahrah - and society is conditioned to believe (quite rightly) that if they dont have the latest pump, then they're cast to the fringes of society.
Though, you unimaginable bastards can just blame the people if you wish. I think that credit is the most solid institution since slavery.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

I blame both, truly.

 

[Optophobia]

theyve had 3 leaders in 10 years. what are you talking about.

Beazely
Crean
Latham
Beazely

How many have the liberals had in 10 years?

It shows turbulence.

 

[Iron]

Beazely
Crean
Latham
Beazely

How many have the liberals had in 10 years?

It shows turbulence.

Bullshit. Same for Libs in 80s. These things happen.

 

[frog12986]

Yes, they sure did. And it also indicated turbulence in the leadership department..

 

[wheredanton]

What you have said there is very true, and indeed this may be the issue that does cost the coalition the election. However, has Labor committed itself to either reducing the GST or excise on petrol?

Will they be able to fund elaborate election promises as a result of doing so?

And ultimately, will petrol prices rise further to their current level following the reduction of taxes etc, which will of course increase the overall demand?

Questions which may not enter the heads of voters if they feel betrayed. Especially if the ALP is able to present somekind of semblance of unity and ability.

Part of the problem with the petrol price and interest rate issue is that people have become too comfortable, too 'consumerist' and made a habit of going far beyond their means. Young families have made it standard to buy the top furnishings and retail products, buy the expensive mcmansions and emphasise the need to look comfortable. I see people buying takeaway food on their credit card for goodness sake.

It's an environment created by the Liberal government. Howard is questioned about it all the time. He seems to indicate that he believes that having the credit to spend is better than not having the credit to spend.

I havnt really seen a Liberal supporter have a go at comsumerist middle Australia mcmansion crazy buy buy buy culture. It' usually lefties.

Regardless of which government is in office, people need to take greater responsbility for their expenditure choices/patterns and show some restraint in relation to these choices. No longer do people work to save for these luxury items, as was the case previously, they work to pay them off, and in any case the latter is more irresponsible and potentially problematic..

Governments telling individuals what to do with their money has never really gone down well.

 

[transcendent]

This upcoming reccession is because of you, the voters. Don't blame me for your huge expenditures and large personal debt. lol. - John Howard.

 

[P_Dilemma]

persuasion is better that force... that's what interest rates are for.

Howard will win because:
-immigration/terrorism thing
-10 year record
-"personality" *cough*
-superannuation tax cuts (takes credit from Costello)

Howard will lose because:
-New IR laws
-Interest rate rises (the liar...)
-Petrol and bananas (sure, it's not his fault, but that's not how voters think)
-Iraq, Israel/lebanon, maybe afghanistan...
-VSU laws (maybe some students unhappy)
-"personality"...

Ok, it's a biased list. But they're the main points...

lessee, about 4 ppl have taken my $50 bet...

-P_D

 

[Not-That-Bright]

lessee, about 4 ppl have taken my $50 bet...

You won't pay it up.

 

[P_Dilemma]

You won't pay it up.

sheesh, wan't that obvious from the start?

Probably won't have to anyway, tho...

 

[Iron]

Yes, they sure did. And it also indicated turbulence in the leadership department..

It indicated the view of the party room. Big deal. Latham had the highest approval ratings of any opposition leader, and he was in the job for barely one year.
People are fickle.

 

[Rafy]

-Interest rate rises (the liar...)

He hasnt lied on Interest rates. He was very careful in choosing his words last election.

-Petrol and bananas (sure, it's not his fault, but that's not how voters think)

Petrol maybe, but bananas will be back to their normal price come election time.

Just on petrol, i feel a perfectly timed cut in the fuel excise in early 2007 will kick start coalition's election campaign, and create momentum going into the election. Something similar was done in early 2001 and the coalition standing in the opinion polls significantly recovered from its all time low.

-Iraq, Israel/lebanon, maybe afghanistan...

Anybody who cares about those things would have never voted liberal regardless. As we have seen in previous elections, they are really non-issues.

-VSU laws (maybe some students unhappy)

Not too many students will be unhappy with an extra couple of hundred dollars in their pockets.

 

[Iron]

Howard's already said that he'd prefer tax cuts to cutting the fuel excise again.
And I think you forgot the I.R. laws?

 

[frog12986]

Howard's already said that he'd prefer tax cuts to cutting the fuel excise again.
And I think you forgot the I.R. laws?

People these days are extremely 'individualist' and as such, will vote in accordance with the impact that it has upon them personally.

I have yet to meet or have anyone I know impacted by the new reforms. Moreover, I work casually in an industry where they are highly applicable and have also yet to see any form of implementation that is having a negative impact upon the individuals concerned..

Labor/Union hacks will argue till the death, Liberal supporters will remain impartial, and the rest of 'Middle Australia' will judge the laws according the relative impact they have upon their own lives.. its the same individualistic approach that drives consumerism..

 

[wheredanton]

-Interest rate rises (the liar...)

He hasnt lied on Interest rates. He was very careful in choosing his words last election.

I think the Australian population has shown that they do not care for pedantics. As noted on the 730 Report Howard went very close to promising that interest rates would not rise. What he did promise was that under t a Liberal government interest rates would be lower than under the ALP, however such a promise is a bit hollow. The Liberal government could never claim to be doing good things for the Australian people if the interest rates went to 10% in the next 18 months. Are they going to come out and keep feeding to the Australian people that 10% is lower than any ALP government? Also noted somewhere the proportion of income spent on servicing the mortgage is more than it was in 1988. Something like 28% versus 26% of income.

Different numbers, same impact.

 

[Optophobia]

Howard on low interest rates: "It's because of our wonderful economic management".
Howard on high interest rates: "well, we have no control over these things".

Howard will win because:
-immigration/terrorism thing - he hasn't really done much.
-10 year record - correct.
-"personality" *cough* - in contrast to Beazely, yes.

Howard will lose because:
-New IR laws - people are angry, but not angry enough to take an unstable gamble on a leader who they have no idea about (Beazely (OR Costello for that matter)).
-Interest rate rises (the liar...) - yes, omitting the part about the 'liar'.. people don't care when people call him a liar.. they know its not that black and white.
-Petrol and bananas (sure, it's not his fault, but that's not how voters think) - Yes, Petrol is pissing people off. Especially as he isn't doing anything because he's bed buddies with the owners of the oil companies.
-Iraq, Israel/lebanon, maybe afghanistan... - nah.
-VSU laws (maybe some students unhappy) - nah.
-"personality"... - lol.

Bullshit. Same for Libs in 80s. These things happen.

Yes, and that's one of the reasons why labor stayed in for so long. The instability of the liberals, and gerrymandering. Once the liberals got their act together, not even gerrymandering could save Labor.

 

[wheredanton]

Howard on low interest rates: "It's because of our wonderful economic management".
Howard on high interest rates: "well, we have no control over these things".



Yes, and that's one of the reasons why labor stayed in for so long. The instability of the liberals, and gerrymeandering. Once the liberals got their act together, not every gerrymeandering could save Labor.

Um...I don't think the ALP has a monopoly on Gerrymandering. If anything it allowed a certain recently deceased former premier of QLD to stay in so long.

 

[Optophobia]

What? ALP was the federal government in the 80's.. and peterson was a state lib?

 

[wheredanton]

What? ALP was the federal government in the 80's.. and peterson was a state lib?

You are not a very sharp boy.