Come on, Merv. I'm almost 70, and to me, the 'best' years you refer to were only so because we knew no better. We didn't buy on credit as much; there weren't as many luxury goods to waste money on, and the only money most of us owed was on mortgages. On which, by the way, the interest rates in 1968 were higher than the ones they are moaning about now.

I worked in the '60s and '70s and my wife stayed home with 2 kids. It was a struggle. For me, the best the economy has ever been for the battler - and everyone else - was during the Howard tenure. As soon as your Mr. Rudd got in, bang went the surplus, and they are now borrowing $100 million a day, thanks in no small part to their largesse to people who didn't need it, the BER fiasco, and general Keynesian spending-out-of-a recession which never occurred in Austalia as it did in other countries. We are, even with Rudd's gross economic mis-management, not "teetering on the edge of the recession.."

You seem to have forgotten your experiences in the Great Depression if you believe that we are in a recession now. Your confusion is further compounded by the claim Rudd did "something that noone else was doing" when you should know that what Rudd did was exactly what America did post-WW11, and that didn't work either; and Japan did the same thing recently, and that did no good either. The UK tried it, and they are now broke. All under left of centre government.

With due respect, Merv, your opinons of Rudd seem to based on idealogy rather than on facts.

PS Merv,

The article was about the constituonality of the Rudd/Gillard shuffle of leadership, not who is good and who is bad.

You were well off the subject, as was I for responding to you.

Yes... but right now we have an immediate choice to bare.

This discussion will be one immediately after 21st August.

Else we slay our own policies... nearest to those we need.

In the end it is about immediate election polices.

Frankly it is as a child between a family clinging so not to be apart.

We must decide now what is to be done.... One step at a time.

Submit this article again, we need it and its content needs to be further discussed.

For me it is overload just now Nilay Patel and, life is like that eh?

Unfortunately.

When I look at Mr Abbott, I know I sure don't want his team as my PM, that is all I know. I find I have to start from there else, I have lost it too!

http://www.miacat.com/

Irrespective of what I have said, I only want good government, something that has been missing for a very long time. Like anyone else, I can pick out faults with all of the parties that have been in power, and that is of little use. The form you have to sign to join any party "To Promise to agree with the decision of the majority", implies that the person signing, would be admitting that he hasn't got any integrity and not the required amount of intelligence we need for government, and yet that is what we get, irrespective of the fanatical obsession some people have for a particular party, we do not get good government. Obviously some people are held up as almost gods, but they have very clay feet haven't they. It would be good to know the true mix between Kevin and Julia, what both really want, and is it any good for the country and the people? Tony too for that matter.

don't want his team as my PM.
miacat,
This election has gone beyond Liberal, Labor or Greens. It has become a matter of logic vs stupidity vs idealism. It's up to the electorate to show the whole world how much vision or rather the lack of it Australians have. We rave on about successful multiculturalism etc etc yet we are just a malfunctioning family with mum & dad heading for divorce & the kids heading for the streets.

Top Points "individual". The only part of comfort is that many of us have aired our thoughts, disappointment and avid complaints.

However;

We as a nation have also taught ourselves a lesson one hopes. We have spoilt brats on all sides including among the non-franchised.

As Australian's we need to be among those who can push and stand for change.

We have a voice and a vote.

We have numbers and thankfully some within the fabric some brave who burn-alive those who fail with honest expression, frankness. Some real people in this country with worth and solid candor.

Each, above this battle, we have responsibility.

At least their is opportunity to still try given that apathy has it's own pathos, as bad as any other sloth, listless mindless bequeather of indifference.

May we make our own choice... a choice luckier then most others throughout this world. For Real.

http://www.miacat.com/
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