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The Forum > Article Comments > Campaigning on fear > Comments

Campaigning on fear : Comments

By Patrick Baume, published 2/4/2007

Do we have to be treated like idiots by both sides of politics?

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Of course we have to be treated like idiots by the political parties. The reasons are obvious. Some are:

1. The difference in perceptions by politicians and the people. All most politicians want is power, whereas the basic expectation of all politicians by the people is that they be perfect, but like all people they expect a bit more than the basic.

2. In addition, all spouses, friends, children and other current and former associates of politicians are also expected to be perfect.

3. The only policy platform that would be really acceptable by the people would be:
(a) treble government spending;
(b) eliminate all taxation, with any deficiency in government finances being made up from the sale of politicians' assets;
(c) balance the budget;
(d) pay off any inherited government debt;
(e) double all salaries;
(f) halve working hours.

4. The manifest impossibliity of implementing what the people want means that politicians have to humbug us as much as is required to secure their election.

5. It is compulsory to vote, so they won't be embarassed by a low turnout.

I cannot see this changing in any way as the forces behind it are so strong.
Posted by plerdsus, Monday, 2 April 2007 4:20:56 PM
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It is a depressing indictment of the electorate that a fear based federal campaign is likely from all sides of politics. Politicians are constantly searching for a means or topic of engagement with "ordinary" people, but seem to get confused. We are confronted with some juicy issues - climate change; population expansion; economic participation and wealth sharing imbalance; culture and ideology clashes; managing health and education with tomorrow in mind rather than today; how to turn Defence into Co-operation .......... but what do we get ?? Politicians are lazy enough to form groups they call parties ..... and sign up to inoperable agendas generated by the franchisors. So, no-one actually owns anything but the shared vision of winning (at all costs). We are cynical, because that is a natural enough response to what we have in front of us. And to get us to pay attention at all, politicians have to be outrageous which makes them look tricky, ugly and fearsome. But the major issues cannot produce easily discernible differentiating policies - because there is so often only one main common-sense solution to articulate, and only the wrapping paper provides the opportunity to show Red or Blue (or pink ......)as if one offering is different from another. But Fear evokes the fright or flight response, and gives something like an adrenalin rush, even at the end of a long day. What MUST stop is the almost universal failure of governments to deliver once they are elected .....
Posted by DRW, Monday, 2 April 2007 4:40:37 PM
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Am I living in a different country or what?
Isn't the unemployment rate among kids around 18%?

Probably because they couldn't get into a TAFE course?

The Libs have always historically done well on fear campaigns. Why stop now? Maybe labor can learn from them; all politics might as well be in the gutter.

My 89 YO MIL is terrified that terrorists will bomb her.
If I could jam her "Shock Jock" radio station I would.
Posted by michael2, Monday, 2 April 2007 5:21:24 PM
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It seems for some the act of openness in saying you are a member of one party or the other is a sin?
And for others being part of the majority and voting for one of the main party's is a form of madness?
Could it just be being part of a minority is no proof of sainthood?
It is time for a change of government, it would take a miracle for this dysfunctional mob to be elected again.
If the majority think as I do it will happen if not? we live in a democracy.
Posted by Belly, Monday, 2 April 2007 6:59:54 PM
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Thought I might mention the campaign of fear being waged by the Greens.

Fear of climate change(previously global warming until the last few years when temperatures averaged lower than before) promoted by the zealots who promulgate the one sided argument of Gorites. In the seventies we were harangued about the coming Ice Age, that didn't happen so now it is the opposite. Ice on Mars is depleting due to the activity of the sun but no matter, the Bachelor of Arts lefties continue to scream the sky is falling, the sky is falling.

After 40 years of bleating about the destruction of mankind they are able to achieve just over 8% percent of the vote.

Fear is considered a marketable strategy for all sides of politics.
Posted by Cowboy Joe, Monday, 2 April 2007 7:47:45 PM
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Goinalong/Patrick, from my little corner of Australia I can't see that Workchoices or Malcolm Turnbull's environmental vision will produce a good future for the tertiary students in my family.

I want ot repeat Belly and Steve Madden's comments about the unemployment rate. The Australian Bureau of Statistics also publishes an underemployment rate which hovers around 15%. see http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/6265.0Main%20Features2Sep%202006?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=6265.0&issue=Sep%202006&num=&view=

I see that Workchoices will lead to low pay and casualised work encouraging them to work overseas as other Victorian graduates in the twenties are forced to. Under the Liberals we will pump money into coal and nuclear industry while starving innovative sustainable energy and forcing more bright young graduates overseas.

Suggest you continue lotus eating in the twilight zone but if you showed an interest in your neighbours you would find that as the coal mines and BHP closed the older residents have found their employment is casualised and insecure forcing them to depend on the public health system. You will also find that after 5 or so years of lean living they have retrained for jobs that were threatened by Peter Debnam's promise to slash 20,000 state public service jobs.
Posted by billie, Monday, 2 April 2007 7:58:14 PM
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