“I wasn’t told” Howard
I feel an incredible sense of frustration and anger. It may be that I am a type eight on the enneagram and I just can’t stand injustice. But, I just can’t put it aside the way Howard continues to be held with such high popularity in Australia while his comrades-in-arms Bush and Blair are struggling under the attacks on their less than strict use of the truth.
Why do Australians not care that our leader has misled us time and time again? The polling data clearly shows that the majority of Australians believe that Howard misled us over the Iraq war (albeit some felt he did so unknowingly). But it is not just the Iraq war. The Howard Governement have a track record of misleading the Australian people and it seems we don’t care. Is it because we already knew that our politicians mislead us all the time and we have decided there is nothing we can do about it. In a democracy like Australia is, this is a dangerous message to send to our politicians of any party.
This article in the Age asks “So why are Bush and Blair in such trouble, while Howard seems so relaxed and comfortable? There are at least three answers.” Each of these answers is well worth consideration and I will just go to my type eight mumblings in my sleep.
September 30th, 2003 at 2:21 pm
Nice rant Phil.
There are a couple of confounding variables here.
1. there is no credible opposition, who wants a pit bull as a PM
2. the opposition that we have supported Howard to the hilt on border protection and only put up some lame opposition to Iraq.
What is the point of caring when there is no alternative.
September 30th, 2003 at 2:26 pm
very true Chris. I am angry at the state of the opposition too
September 30th, 2003 at 4:15 pm
To labor the point (pun intended) the reason that Blair and Bush are feeling the heat is that their respective oppositions are holding blow-torchs and pointing them in their direction.
If the labor party here are attempting the same thing they are failing abismally. I can’t see any evidence of them seriously trying. They are so caught up in what appalling approval Crean has that nothing else is getting any attention.
September 30th, 2003 at 4:27 pm
While it is true to say that the opposition are not succeeding in putting this issue ‘front and centre’, I don’t think it is true to say they are not seriously trying. Have a listen to Rudd for instance, he is making lots of sense but doesn’t have the profile for anyone to listen. Mark Latham is fun to listen to though!
September 30th, 2003 at 11:01 pm
yeah, Mark Latham is a joy to listen to. I loved the “arse licker” comment.
October 2nd, 2003 at 1:20 pm
Dogfightatbankstown agrees.