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The Forum > Article Comments > Rudd's victory for the true believers > Comments

Rudd's victory for the true believers : Comments

By Carol Johnson, published 27/11/2007

The Liberals’ campaign was woeful compared with ones in previous years and Howard was clearly past his prime as a politician.

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All of us probably have our pet ideas as to why the Coalition lost. My own is that the loss was entirely down to John Howard who, excellent PM that he was over the past decade (yes, decade, not the full 11.5 years), just couldn’t give up the top job when it was quite obvious that he should have. The fact that he lost his own seat shows how totally out of touch with reality he had become.

There was no good reason, apart from the stupidity and arrogance of John Howard, to change government. But, the government lost – oppositions do not win. The author, seemingly a Labor Party hack, tells us that “Rudd convinced voters he was a safe pair of hands who could manage the economy”; but how could a person who has been in politics only 9 years, with no economic credentials and burdened by Labor’s historic economic ineptitude, possibly convince intelligent Australians of that when the economy, under Costello, has been the best ever?

The author, along with all the ‘ethnic’ stuff she mentions, seems to have abandoned her science for emotionalism and ideology. She certainly doesn’t seem to understand the average voter.
Posted by Leigh, Tuesday, 27 November 2007 11:25:05 AM
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Not just Howard: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/dump-work-choices/2007/11/26/1196036812217.html

As for how the voting public were convinced that the economy would be safe with Rudd: a) we knew that the China boom was a significant driver of our own economic good times and b) the interest rate rise during the campaign demonstrated that the government really doesn't have all that much control over the economy anyway.

Regarding Labor's "historic economic ineptitude", I'm curious what you're referring to, seeing as Hawke & Keating's efforts are almost universally praised by economists these days, and Howard's efforts in the years previous to that were little short of woeful, as Costello attested to.
Posted by wizofaus, Tuesday, 27 November 2007 12:28:39 PM
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If only the cafe latte set, the intelligensia and the Australian film industry knew how much Keating loathed them.

A first flush article with an interesting these. I agree that Howard didn't realise that it was time to go. Hawke had the same problem but went just the same.

The Howard campaign was poor. They couldn't cut through. The poor polls said it all, although I think another story is why Morgan and Newspoll got it so wrong.

Personally I was worried about Rudd's victory speech. It lacked passion. It lacked 'Ooopmh'. It was certainly not Whitlam-like. It was one of the worst victory speeches I've heard in Federal politics.
Posted by Cheryl, Tuesday, 27 November 2007 12:34:17 PM
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Morgan and Newspoll got it so wrong? How so? Morgan was by far the most accurate, and Newspoll's final result, like Galaxy's was well within the margin of error. It was AC Nielsen that had the outlier.
Posted by wizofaus, Tuesday, 27 November 2007 12:46:01 PM
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The Rudd win is warning about the so-called rising corporate culture which has been simply a return to the colonial graball days of the 18th-19th centuries, which Adam Smith warned about, even though it was Smith who fathered the economic reasoning of Laizey-faire, but warned that though Western goverments had to make hay out of the natural greed that was the driver of capitalism, a government in a more philosophical way had to be conscious also of the needs of the worker.

Of course what came out of Smith's sensible reasoning, were the plans that followed the idealism for our Judiciaries, part of which was the Arbitration Court, mainly constructed to maintain a fair deal for the battlers.

And it is indeed a shock that the Arbitration Court, said to part of our democratic idealisms was practically dismembered by the Howard Government.

A Court designed on the principle of The Separation of Powers. A Court designed to keep out the Big Biz political greed that the old philosophers warned about.

As Sir Charles Court spoke forth during Nookenbah - you do not need protective laws when you've had promises from leaders with whom you know you can rely on to support your faith.

Maybe it has been a dumb public, myself included who must share the blame?
Posted by bushbred, Tuesday, 27 November 2007 4:41:32 PM
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Open Post-Election Letter to Mr John Howard, former Liberal Prime Minister of Australia, and Mr Mal Brough.

PART_ONE

I empathize with your loss of this 2007 Election. For this reason, I will explain why I voted for ALP.

As we watch the ACT Liberal-Nationals choose a Leader? I say in all Truth; There is not one among them except for Mr Barnaby Joyce, worth a speck of salt. Barnaby Joyce is honest and worth the opportunity and support to LEAD … NOW. The only other person worth the endorsement is the one your Liberals lost. Mr Mal Brough is (green) but the only man who had a complete honest face among the Frontline Liberals.

All is Not as it Seems. I encourage Mr Mal Brough to Get-UP. What has occurred is in grasp as your greatest learning. If, you can understand the problem posed. Scrutinize your own party while there is opportunity. Learn , Listen and Hear. It is a chance of a Life-Time. Mr Mal Brough, you would make a true Prime Minister, if ever the opportunity arose. And I say this to you, with my deepest respect.

a) "We are all village farmers" when the power of ALL is about Equity, considered or shared appropriately.

As I first wrote “openly” to you Mr Howard, on this National On Line Forum I stated, ‘we need a strong opposition on all sides of government’. Also see comments; (15.9.07) and (12.9.07) in my reply to “The symbolism isn't bad, but the hypocrisy and cruelty are”;

b) “Become a COUNTERFEIT-DIVA... do more to make sure that those working for administrations "everywhere" actually engage - develop - plan and create... some-THING that deserves a celebration and our ongoing respectful response”.

As a citizen, I deeply believe, strength and trustworthiness is the integrity of pluralism through democracy (no matter who is elected).

Mr Howard, I do not believe you had worn yourself out. Nor that you out stayed your leadership. Sure, you might have offered a better transition much earlier, yes. However, this is not the point.
Posted by miacat, Tuesday, 27 November 2007 5:00:57 PM
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