Yes, you are spot on, mate, Rudd is doing a Hawke. A good tactic, but wish he did nothave to do it, because economic rationalism is not really natural for Labour. Yet probably Bob Hawke new this too, it was just that he new how to work in with his mates in Big Biz.

Hope, honestly if Rudd gets in, he gradually does an up-to-date Keynesian, putting Big Biz down where it should be.

Also feel that he should cut well into Costello's super super Fund. The money is needed so much not only to put us back as a manufacturer, but to be seen as something better than just simply a 19th century style colonial producer, even though the profit from precious underground pitstocks does happen to be our own.

In terms of true progress in a land such as ours, however, it could be said our economic joy might be only finite or temporary.

I could just give a huge, big, fat, wet kiss to PM John Howard (who himself is a great dill), for keeping Peter Costello well away from the reins of power.

John, unfortunately is bad enough. Peter Costello as PM would have most of us leaving the country (perhaps to live in Swaziland in Africa which Peter told us years ago was misguided enough to avoid the GST tax). Oh, happy days before the wretched GST tax!

The immense damage done to Australia by the Howard government is unforgivable. Luckily, we'll never know what Peter Costello (perhaps together with his ever-forgetful head-punching mate Tony Abbott) had planned for us poor b*ggers.

Peter, you're being consigned to history as a faint-hearted failed Treasurer who favoured the top end of town; the corporate millionaires; the worship of the dollar and all the nasty flavours of the last decade.

Go and get a real job. Just hope I'm not doing your future performance management reviews!

I wonder if Kevin Rudd could manage the Australian economy as well as Iemma's Labor has managed the NSW economy?

I mean it takes a lot of talent to destroy the largest, most powerful state in times of unpresidented economic prosperity and then have the audacity to blame the Federal Govt for their incompetence.

Gough Whitlam also reigned in a time of a resources boom and also had a special talent for destrying our economy.

Australia did not suffer the crash of the Asian Tiger economies nor the recession that Europe.

The Hawke/Keating era saw the recession we had to have and 17% interest rates.

Can Labor deny it's track record and con us yet again just like the Iemma Govt in NSW?Are we really that stupid?

Somehow me thinks it is high time we talked about economic reality as I think the Rudd Team and those who understand the ALP - Think Tank are the REAL ONES this time.

The problem always in Australia is the issue of 'liberal' .

The ALP is always left to clean up the mess. It is the ALP who gave us the NEIS program, who is always redesigning and implementing new service structures, new innovation and trade programs and capital works .

We blame Keating for this and we blame Keating for that no matter how many lies there are as we get so bold.

The fact is that the economic understanding that is required is pressing as an issue for ALL of us.

No matter where we work, we need to be accountable. Accountablity is an issue for all Australians as civilians, be it at work, in the community or within the family.

I know many in the public service who borrow this and that from work and do not give it back.

I know many in the public service who fail to understand that they work for the government.

I know many who say to their friends "it's okey, let the government pay" or worse still "let the tax-payer pay".

Kevin Rudds vision is extremely important. If we say that Keating PM gave us an open pathway to the Asia Pacific - than I say a Rudd Government has the capacity to take us out into the REAL WORLD.

A world that needs our engagement on issues that are of strategic moral importance. A world where we as Australian's once lead on many fronts, in our expertise, our fairness and our respectfulness - and solid Aussie integrity.

Australia's inaction over Climate Change, our spin over what is Safe when it come to 'collective securities' is out of balance with what I see necessary NOW.

I deeply respect John Howard PM, but seriouslt feel he as a Liberal, is not learning fast enough. If only we could learn together instead of two-upperting our valuable national knowledge.

http://www.miacat.com/
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Peter Costello is smart enough to recognise that the battlers will nor vote liberals and hence came up with the battlers budget (which in many ways looks similar to an ALP agenda) and rattling Kevin Rudd's comfort zone.

Costello is a card carrying member of the HR Nichols Society. He never does anything for the battlers. Rudd rattled? You wish.