What are working families? It’s a good question.
Mr right,
From my observations there are two kinds of working class families. One which has to have two incomes because it needs two incomes.
The other is one which doesn't need a second income but has it anyway because it wants to live the lifestyle of the western consumer.

If you tell someone that they are awesome enough times they will believe it even if they are not. If you tell someone they are stupid enough times they will believe that too, even if they are not. Labor have taken this into account in their last election campaign with the 'working families' slogan and it worked.

But the trick with staying in political power is to take away benefits early on in the budget and give it back close to the election. I'll bet my bottom dollar that the disability and old age pensions will be revised right before the next election. Mr Rudd and Mr Swan are playing games with whole groups of disadvantaged Australians lives for political gain, it's highly see through, calculated and miserable.

Cazza,

' "Working Families" is that they are trying to portray an inclusive message, compared to the divisive messages promulgated through the Howard years'

Tosh! I'm sure people who aren't considered 'working families' wouldn't agree. Since the budget, anyone earning over $100k got the message loud and clear the government doesn't consider them hard working. It's divisive class warfare. They should call them what they really are. The working classes.

' make us believe he is on our side '
Only if you're a double income family with kids, and see yourself as working class, and see 'the rich' as anyone earning over $100k.

BTW: The Rodent is gone now, so Howard Hating is like so last year!

wobbles,

'Union Bosses' was a great one. I think Joe Hockey still says it in his sleep!

Does anyone else think Labour still thinks it's in opposition?

It's been said many times that the Rudd Government is All-style, No-substance, and this is no better demonstrated than in their relentless repetition of the phrase "working families". Sounds great as a marketing term (and obviously worked well on a dumbed-down electorate last year) but when scrutinised, it actually stands for nothing. "Working families" is a bit of puff designed to distract from the lack of substance in the remainder of each sentence in which is squats. I'm sure many out there hear "blah blah blah working families blah blah Rudd government blah blah blah working families!" and it's enough to convince them this govt is actually interested in their issues.

Where the Rudd govt has succeeded best is in their marketing. They have done so well that Rudd's skyrocketing popularity seems to make Australian journalists cower away from asking hard questions, or asking follow-up questions, or even daring to scratch the surface on facades such as "working families" to see if there's any substance underneath. Bravo to Cassidy for bringing this issue to light.

I can only hope the backlash from the majority of Aussies not covered by Rudd's "working families" will see the phrase binned - because it's current use and abuse is an insult to the Australian electorate, and it's high time the mask came off our new Federal Government so we can all start scrutinising the hollow ideas vaccuum underneath.