Howard's re-election and Bush

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Why was he re-elected and by whom How much did the Iraq adventure figure in his campaign? If Bush and the Neocons remember that there is a world down under could they try and use this election to their advantage?

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 15 October 2004 03:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Bush campaign to American electorate: "But Howard was reelected and he supports Bush!"

Most of American electorate: "Who's Howard and why should we care? Does he talk like Crocodile Dundee?"

Fin.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 15 October 2004 03:41 (twenty-one years ago)

OTM

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Friday, 15 October 2004 03:42 (twenty-one years ago)

as it happens, national security didn't play a massive role in the australian campaign. personally i think it was won on the back of (unsupported) scaremongering about interest rates and the economy. however i have had to spend this week reading the coalition election policies and there is a massive focus on national security in them - it almost reads as if they have been cut and pasted from american election policies!! it wasn't a big issue in the media, but americans wouldn't know that, i guess bush could point to these election policies and mislead people to believe that it was a bit part of the campaign.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 03:43 (twenty-one years ago)

of course ned is right, you should listen to him

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 03:43 (twenty-one years ago)

for laughs or an example though you could go to the liberal party homepage and read their commitment to upgrading the security of the postal service. it is scaremongering of the most pathetic order. well if you ask me.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 03:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Ned, did the Iraq invasion figure in the campaign? English-speaking peoples etc.... This probably won't figure in our election but it could affect the perrception amongst some that ther are people abroad that support 'our president'.

x-post

Thanks, gem.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 15 October 2004 03:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Ned, did the Iraq invasion figure in the campaign?

Er, I'm not Australian, I couldn't say!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 15 October 2004 03:50 (twenty-one years ago)

You're not!!!! *Crush evaporates*

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 15 October 2004 03:52 (twenty-one years ago)

it did figure in the campaign michael, just less extensively than expected i think. one reason that it did figure is that ALP (the alternative government) had made noises about bringing Australian troops home sooner than the coalition. the ALP actually raised the topic of national security also - but with a greater focus on our regional neigbours in indonesia and south east asia.

http://www.liberal.org.au

if you go to this site and click on the election policies frame, you will see how many specific policies related to national security. however, there wasn't a big media focus on these during the campaign. it really was played on economic issues.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 03:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd forgotten, gem, about the Bali nightclub bombing...typical American nombrilism. I was just thinking that Bushco could bring up the Aussie vote to counter Kerry's argument that they don't have real internation support argument.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 15 October 2004 03:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Well realistically i guess he could - given the lack of American knowledge of Australia and Australian governance, I don't see who would disagree or that such a disagreement would have any great weight. But surely Ned is right - Australia is such a bit player in foreign policy (contrary to what our prime monster would have us believe) I don't really see how it could have a great influence over voters there.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:03 (twenty-one years ago)

But because you speak English (approximately ;)) and because of your 'loyalty' during WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, not to mention Alice Springs, it could have more resonance then Poland or Bulgaria surely.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I guess so. I don't know anything about American politics so you could well be right. Although Australia fought as a part of the British Empire in the World Wars, not specifically as an ally of the US so that's a little misleading.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:11 (twenty-one years ago)

That's true about the WWs but too subtle for the average Republican voter, INMHO, who, no doubt, thinks well of you.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:14 (twenty-one years ago)

sadly, it is probably the republicans and not the democrats who think best of us what with our current conservative governance :( but it has been a sad week for *some* australians after the election result

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:17 (twenty-one years ago)

My condolences.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I live in Western Australia (admittedly known to be a conservative voting state, but still), where every single seat took a swing to the right, some very marked. Which is a little scary, as we have a State election coming up within the next three months. Previously I thought a re-election of the current Labor State Govt was a sure thing, now it seems a little more 'iffy'. Also, if the State coalition is elected my own job will probably disappear, so i am a bit sad and worried on both a community and individual level.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:23 (twenty-one years ago)

What are the parties? Labor vs. Conservative, right?

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:26 (twenty-one years ago)

We have a "two party preferred" system here. Labor is left of centre (although not much these days), traditionally the blue-collar/union friendly party and the oddly-named Liberal Party is the conservative party, who currently govern in a coalition with the National Party which was formerly the "Country Party", although really their platform has been disappearing for quite a while, I really don't know why they don't merge with the Liberal Party. There are minor parties too - the Greens (who generally preference Labor) and the Democrats, and a scary new religious (although they claim not to be) party called "Families First". Candidates also run as independents.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Liberal in 19th century speak originally meant somewhat libertarian.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:39 (twenty-one years ago)

yes and i guess in that sense they do push for individual liberty still, or at least for individualism. it does seem incongruous though.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Keep your chin up, gem. Thanks for the info. I'm headed to bed.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:45 (twenty-one years ago)

you're welcome! sleep well.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd be interested to know the extent to which the Rupert Murdoch-controlled press influenced this election result. Murdoch is a common factor in Australian, US and UK politics. His basic effect is to swing these countries to the right. His goal is to get the wide democratic base (people who would normally vote according to their own material interests) to vote, instead, for political arrangements that benefit only a few rich people like himself. He does this by forming an unholy alliance with terrorism, using it to frighten people into thinking they need 'strong leaders' -- the same people, co-incidentally, who allow Rupert Murdoch to have more power, pay less tax, etc. He really is the cuckoo in the nest of democracy.

― Momus (Momus), Friday, 15 October 2004 05:24 (twenty-one years ago)

and because of your 'loyalty' during WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, not to mention Alice Springs

Whaa!? What happened in Alice Springs? Or did you mean the Darwin attack in WWII? Or am I seeing a joke fly over my head as per.

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 15 October 2004 05:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Momus: I fear the press was a BIG right-biased influence this time round, it felt more so than usual. People made attackes on the govt broadcaster being left-biased, and such. The fact this worked and the liberal govt now have a senate majority means they will probably now succeed in pushing through their cross ownership media law thing. This is a worry.

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 15 October 2004 05:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree with Trayce. Not just the Murdoch press conglomerates either - Packer came out in support of the coalition too.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 05:57 (twenty-one years ago)

He would wouldnt he? Now he can buy up TV stations and papers and things. Argh, and I want to get into freelance! I am insane. I should stay in IT.

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 15 October 2004 05:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I recommended to my friends who wanted to be active to join the media rather than the political parties. More power. Better pay. Just as many demented fucksticks.

― Queen Green to be mean, Friday, 15 October 2004 08:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Whaa!? What happened in Alice Springs? Or did you mean the Darwin attack in WWII? Or am I seeing a joke fly over my head as per

Alice Springs has had an NSA listening post since the 50's I think.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 15 October 2004 21:48 (twenty-one years ago)

pine gap. but don't tell...
ah fuck it, they're scanning this anyway...
Whitlam was gonna tell, and look what happened to him... now he's only good on the cabaret circuit... no, that's the whitlams...

― Queen Gap of her own thank, you very much, Saturday, 16 October 2004 09:41 (twenty-one years ago)

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