Arjay
Howard is shrewd enough to know that, back then, he lacked the 'stature' to appear arrogant and that an 'appearance' of humbleness would work well then.

Howard was and is our most 'professional' politician.

Keating was and remains our most visionary.

I miss his cutting wit, explicit honesty and statesmanlike style.

Can see where you're coming from Arjay, In 1992 Johnny had no reason to be anything other than humble. Yes, I do think Paul Keating was arrogant, and most politicians are, as much as artists are temperamental? Keating at one stage, when the global economy was ticking along nicely, was voted world's best treasurer, then made some mistakes as PM in a vastly rapidly changing and different economy. I'm not saying he was perfect, but dammit! he was out there and had vision in a lot of other things beside the economy. Which is what a good government should be about. Malcolm Fraser has become a bit more of an interesting person these days, he's almost more left than Labor, and is finally starting to sound like a human being. It's all in the hindsight, but yes, I do miss PK's rapier like wit. Even though he was arrogant, he was tempered it with humanity and had a great grasp of the big picture. Very easy to quote him out of context, but the changes he induced, both fiscally in the global arena and socially in Australia make us where we are today, rather than this stagnant govt, where I feel, we are rapidly going backwards in our social responsibilities, et al. It is and should be more than "the economy stupid".

This picture sez it all,
http://members.optushome.com.au/hark/johnsreward.htm

Thanks Rainier I really needed a good laugh. For those with Rainier's SOH take a look at the 'wisdom' of the man we are stuck with at:

http://johnhoward.blogspot.com/

Come back Paul - Australia needs you.

Trinity and Rainer,you can no more reduce John Howard to simplistic populist images of a racist lying opportunist than I can describe Paul Keating as the "Placebo Domdingo" of Aust. politics and be accurate.
The difference reguardless of spin and rhetoric is that John Howard and his Govt has both substance and ability when it comes to economic ability,and that is rub, that sticks in your collective gullets.The labor Party in terms of economic ability can't bat or bowl.Just look at Gough,Carmen Lawence in Victoria and Keating's recession we had to have.Historically Labor Govts cannot manage economies or the excesses of their own spending.This is the reality.

We need to pay politicians in power much more to get both more ability and motivation from them.For Peter Costello to be on a meagre $250,000.oo and the new boss of Telstra gets $15 million plus bonuses is an absolute joke.On average you get what you pay for ,and we are quibbling over the payment of and extra few million when they can stuff our entire economy?Gough didn't have a clue and nor did Keating!!We have paid the price of billions lost and more!!
Pay them a lot more,but if they stuff up,have a penality of reduced salary.We have to get away from this Public Service mentality of rewarding mediocrity.

Arjay

You have it around the wrong way - $250,000 is hardly meagre. It is the is the $15 million plus that is inappropriate payment. If people were paid according to value to society then parents, carers and other social type workers would be at the top of the pyramid.

About the howard links - a laugh is priceless.

Feel welcome to post keating links - I'm democratic when it comes to a good joke.