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

Otb, if you recall, there were no 'progressives' in the US or Australia in government when we went into Iraq, or earlier into Afghanistan, as part of the 'Coalition of the Willing'. You do know that Bush is a Republican and Howard a Liberal? The silly slogan 'Coalition of the Willing' should have given you a clue. You know, like 'Team Australia', 'Operation bring them home', 'Be alert, not alarmed'.

Thinking of which, when are we going to get our fridge magnets? And I think a jersey is in order as well. Oh I forgot, we've got a budget crisis, can only afford raising money for medical slush funds and expensive paid parental leave.

And it's lovely how American 'conservatives' are rewriting history and claiming the civil rights movement with Martin Luther King as their own. They were screaming blue murder at the time. There are still lots of 'conservatives' very upset with all these uppity blacks not knowing their place. But as a Heston admirer you'll be pleased to know that finally there are some African-Americans taking the whole open carry seriously as freedom loving Americans and finally assimilating: http://www.guns.com/2014/08/21/huey-p-newton-gun-club-stages-open-carry-rally-through-dallas-video/

yvonne,

Nonsense, air-headed Gough Whitlam was already seduced by the Fabians aka 'Progressives' aka International Socialists back in the early Sixties when the Fabian push were interfering in Victorian Labor and succeeding.

As for your spiteful remarks regarding Charlton Heston, it is honour to be invited to address a year of graduating Harvard law students. -Heston did have something very topical and significant to say, he criticised the growing cultural war.

Recently, others such as Peter Hitchens have noted that the cultural war has now been waged, lost and the leftist 'Progressives' won. The political 'Progressives' are not so keen to admit their own mistakes though and are casting around for diversions and others to blame.

Beach, there you go again banging on about those, Fabians aka 'Progressives' aka International Socialists aka aka aka. You have never produced a shred of evidence that what you claim is true. Other than a Youtube bit featuring a dotty old woman, who you see as some kind of Miss Marple persona!
As for claiming Gough Whitlam was some air head seduced by the Fabians is nonsense, evidence please. Compared to his predecessor Billy Mcmahon and his successor Malcolm Fraser, Gough was a visionary and a statesman.

Well said yvonne.

<<And it's lovely how American 'conservatives' are rewriting history and claiming the civil rights movement yada yada yada >>

Sorry to disappoint, Yvonne

[and Paul 1405 please block your eyes so your little Green fairy stories are not undermined}

But Abraham Lincoln was a Republican and many of civil rights initiatives were championed by Republicans

Paul1405,

LOL You didn't even know of the existence of 'Progressives' until I explained it to you on this site. Before that you and others were adamant they didn't even exist! That was despite Labor leaders using the term for years, and some very often.

News alert, Paul1405 disagrees that Whitlam was a Fabian. Biographers take note!

History is also an big fail for the NSW 'Watermelon' Greens, apparently.

...In neither case was it necessary or legal but we did not have to slavishly follow the US into the Abyss as willing participants.

Robert, you're no doubt aware of just how close we come to being a japaneese occupied nation and, if not for the assistance from the US we would have done just that. Boy, the entitlement brigade would have had something to complain about had the US not come to our aid.

Besides, if we do get invaded, by anyone other than perhaps NZ, without the aid of the US we would be likened to going to battle with water pistols.

Heck, we can't even get many of our own off their backsides to strike a blow, let alone defend ourselves.

Frankly, if you think we don't need the likes of the US, you are dreaming.

As for our involvement in that war against terror, which I opposed by the way, the war didn't cause the multitude of dismal failures that the labor party resided over, as they were caused through arrogance and sheer incompitance from within the ranks of the labor party.

Rechtub,

".... no doubt aware of just how close we come to being a japaneese occupied nation and, if not for the assistance from the US we would have done just that. Boy, the entitlement brigade would have had something to complain about had the US not come to our aid".

That's an old furphy, Japan never intended to occupy Australia; there would have been absolutely no point in it, with Hitler triumphant in Europe and Japan masters of Asia and America neutralized we would have done what we were told.

AWM,

"....Even at the peak of their successes, the Japanese did not have the capacity for an invasion of Australia, and did not undertake serious planning for such an operation...."
http://ajrp.awm.gov.au/ajrp/remember.nsf/Web-Printer/597517651CB0681ACA256D3C0021BBE6?OpenDocument

Perhaps the Japanese realised 70 years ago that Australia is much easier bought than fought.

SPQR, your knowledge of American history is clearly woeful.

May I suggest that you do a simple thing: open up a tab on the time-line of the Civil Rights Movement: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/civilrightstimeline1.html

and next to that a list of the presidents and which one did what: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_United_States_by_political_affiliation

As to racism. That can unfortunately afflict all sorts of people with all sorts of political and philosophical leanings. Left and Right and even Christians. The whole notion of slavery was justified by thumping on the bible.

Beach, still engrossed in your crazy world of make believe. You have never had to explain anything to me, as your explanations on most subjects are delusional fantasies. Can you post that 'Youtube' with that crackpot old sheila prattling on about Fabians again, I enjoy a good belly laugh, and that silly old gal of yours, if nothing else, is good for a laugh. Sorry, I should not call her an old sheila, she might be Mrs Beach for all I know.

Beach, I must add <<You (Paul1405) didn't even know of the existence of 'Progressives' until I explained it to you on this site. Before that you and others were adamant they didn't even exist!>> Oh really Beach, is that why I joined The Greens, a well known "progressive" political party long before you joined this forum. You are definitely delusional. Just because someone does not acknowledge your nonsense, does not mean they do not know what your are on about. You had every Tom, Dick and Harriet down as Fabian Society member. How long have you been a disciple of Jim Saleam, a question you never did answer. You didn't know your fearless leader had a criminal record until I pointed it out.

why I joined The Greens, a well known "progressive" political party
Paul1405,
It is very rarely that I ask a poster to do me a favour & explain something. Well, this is one such occasion. Could you please tell me what is so progressive about being parasitic, disruptive & have no vision other that ideaology ? How many progressives are actually productive revenue makers ?

Yvonne,

All your links do is provide a list of events --here is a better account: http://russp.us/racism.htm

Could you please tell me what is so progressive about being parasitic, disruptive & have no vision other that ideaology? Don't know Indi, you'll have to ask Tony Abbott that one.
How many progressives are actually productive revenue makers? At last count 47,396,247 or was that 48. I give your questions the contempt they deserve. Given you posts there is absolutely no possible danger of you ever being labeled a "Progressive". A few other labels could apply, but progressive is not one of them.