Watching various talking heads on the Drum explaining how it was all down to the Labor party that the economy was so bad or it was down to Hawk and keating how they saved the economy, it does not go to the start of all of our problems.
The problems we are having now, all stem from Bush and his uncalled for invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq.
In neither case was it necessary or legal but we did not have to slavishly follow the US into the Abyss as willing participants.
Having done so has cost Australia in more ways than one.
We are looked at as a lackey of the US and are now on the target list of a lot of countries harbouring terrorists of all ilk's.
It has cost us and is still costing us an amazing amount of lives, money and credibility.

Symptomatic of the poor quality of our politico's and a direct result of the con-game called the Two Party System.

Uhmm. Don't know about anybody else, but as somebody who has oodles of rellies in both Europe and the USA and therefore reads news from both continents Australia has a pretty good economy. It's a weird negative narrative that's taken hold of Australia.

In the last decade or so, since the Tampa incident really, our politicians, of all persuasions, have become addicted to watching polls, 3 minute sound bites and an obedient fearful citizenry. Abbott and co are only raising it to a new level. But then Abbott was only ever the pugilist and general sh-t-kicker. Unfortunately Howard weeded out anybody who might make a prime-minister. Within Labor the back-stabbing was just open for all and sundry to enjoy.

Norway is ahead of us in leaps and bounds, but that's because they do capitalism a bit differently than here. Same in the Netherlands, where after sort of stagnating there's now some growth.

Australia did have to go to Afghanistan. And did so as did many European countries. Iraq was illegal. And that is what has cost credibility. History will not paint a very good picture of Bush, Howard and Blair.

Why did Australia (and other countries ) have to go to Afghanistan when none of the 9/11 hijackers came from there but other middle east countries.
The Taliban offered Bin Laden to the US at one stage and were turned down.

<<The Taliban offered Bin Laden to the US at one stage and were turned down>>

Isn't it funny how things get twisted and simplified in the retelling,eh!

There were some very big conditions attached to that "offer" Mr LePage --but dont let that spoil a good story.

Where we went wrong?
When we took the progressives at their word and allow them to push through scams like anti-discrimination and mulitculturalism

Robert LePage, "The problems we are having now.."

As Peter Hitchens observed on Q&A, the 'Progressives' have already fought and won the cultural war. Do the political 'Progressives' want to escape responsibility for the negative consequences of their social re-jigging?

Hitchens on Q&A and his 'Progressive' opponents
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/qa_shows_the_triumph_of_the_ignoble_savage/

This honest, intelligent man who "marched for civil rights with Dr. King in 1963" saw it coming years before,

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/charltonhestonculturalwar.htm