I’m an Australian living in the UK and I’m honestly shocked at the bad feeling towards John Howard that is coming out of my country. People don’t take the time to read about party core policies and tend to be sucked in by sensationalism during the campaign and all too soon they forget what the labour party has done in their previous reigns of power.

Change for the sake of change rarely bodes well and I hope the Australia that I return to is not lessened by this choice.

ymar,
Don’t forget the problems caused by multiple parties, which necessitate strange coalitions in which single-issue or utopian parties can push through legislation not supported by the majority. The German Greens, who are now out of power and back in cloud cuckoo land, had a party conference this weekend. The voted for a minimum income standard and a new party logo. Guess which will be realized? Oh well, the graphic artists have to make a living.

No, I just think the people of Australia have no other choice given the fact that they are prevented from protecting themselves by the government. They can only look towards government benefits and protection now, Book. They have been trained, so to speak. And given Howard’s revitalization of the economy, folks believe that the government can afford to protect and care for the citizens at large.

A strong culture of individualism and independency would put paid to Leftism and socialism. However, that is very hard to do when the citizens of Australia are no longer allowed to protect themselves from thugs and criminals. If a criminal comes at you with his bare hands, and you beat him unconscious with a bat, you are the one that is going to get into legal trouble.

It is that principle of “disproportionate force”, Book.

This is prefered by people, you see.

It is just too crude to have individuals decide who the best leader is based upon the merits of an actual leader, as opposed to a party’s platform of policies. They might actually vote non-Left if given a choice of strong authoritarian discipline along with social welfare benefits.

So, even if people wanted to keep good old Howard because of the economy, it just wouldn’t work. Not when the natural impulse on the part of people is to vote themselves more benefits in an age of economic boom. And even if it isn’t, the Labour party will vote in more benefits for the people whether the people want them or not.

As the drug dealer always says, first taste is free.