A quick round of the ABC shows this morning continues to reveal the hacks from the 'club' just don't get why Australia wants to throw Howard out. For years they have been in thrall to Howard. They have treated the electorate like fools, failing to examine forensically the toxic effects of the Howard experiment.
We have been subject to a radical reactionary agenda that has taken Australia away from the political middle ground. The bully boys and girls have been chucking everything but the kitchen sink at Labor during the campaign. 'Union devils', 'neo-communists', 'centralists' (oh not that one!) and 'just who is Kevin Rudd?'.
What the hacks don't understand is that a large percentage of Australians have finally seen through Howard, despite their (ie the hacks) lazy work on the subject, and they don't like what they see. Howard hides his real self with consummate ease, but just a casual survey of changes wrought on his watch reveals a determination to 'americanize' our society and economy. The 'Thatcherites' were much the same. Its the economy stupid and nothing else matters.
I believe profoundly that much else besides the relative utility of human beings as units of production matters if you want to strengthen community and the social underpinnings of the body politic. I'm afraid the 'insider' hacks spend too much time around the political makers & shakers who have lost sight of what matters. This would explain why human rights considerations dropped off the radar of politicians and their pamphleteers caught in the 'Howard zone'.
We need to restore a sense of hope and optimism to this scorched land.
1 comment:
hear hear! Like you Mark, I am hoping that we will restore some of our lost optimism. Its time to put our social and environmental well-being in the same footing as the economy.
I look forward to reading your thoughts post-election!
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