Breaking: Australian PM John Howard Goes Down In Flames - Labor Party Wins!
AP Via Yahoo:
Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd swept to power in Australian elections Saturday, ending an 11-year conservative era and promising major changes to policies on global warming and his country's role in the Iraq war.
"Today Australia has looked to the future," Rudd said in a nationally televised victory speech, to wild cheers from supporters. "Today the Australian people have decided that we as a nation will move forward ... to embrace the future, together to write a new page in our nation's history."
The win marked a humiliating end to the career of outgoing Prime Minister John Howard, who became Australia's second-longest serving leader — and who had appeared almost unassailable as little as a year ago. Read on...
President Bush just lost another lap dog. Rudd said he'd take Australian troops out of Iraq and sign the Kyoto treaty if elected, so here's his chance.
While I don't pretend to know much about Australian politics, I do know former PM Howard was in lock step with the Bush Regime. So a mighty GOODDAY! to AUSTRALIA!
Peace.
woah.. first?
The Aussie's took out the trash good for them! It's our turn next.
fullmettlealchemist @ 2:
uh, No
Ooops.
Oh, yeah.. Cheney, then BUsh should be kicked out soon. Your turn, America...
But... But... Sarkozy!!!
Question:
How many lap dogs does Bush have left at this point?
Tony Blair, then John Howard? This is great news!
Yes, please, can America be next? Crap...America should have been first to sweep the right wing from power but not enough people felt comfortable with voting for Kerry so Bush was able to sneak in and steal the '04 election. We need to show up in force next time and make it clear...NO MORE REPUBLICAN CRIMINALS! Then hopefully we will hold War Crimes hearings for the whole lot of them!
Way cool!
Sweet Chunks @ 6:
France isn't even in Iraq, is it?
Have no concern for Murdoch...like most greedy people he will continue with attending to HIS "bottom line"...which is make more money and get more power...however that works for him. I'm certain any political principles he has are very "soft" and movable. Sadly our entire world is becoming more about the accruing of money and material items than it is about ideals/morals/principles...my mother-in-law would feel justified...that was always her BUMPER STICKER..."Make lots of Money"!!!!
Kudos to Rudd for kicking that old Reaganomicist bastard to the curb
Wonder what their immigration policy is...
Yeaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Down with fascism, up with communism!!!
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Everyone rejoice!
You talk like signing the Kyoto treaty is a good thing.
Sweet Chunks @ 6:
Good thing he was elected, now France wont leave Iraq until Bush tells them.....wait....someone's telling me France isn't part of the "Coalition of the Willing" LOL.
Howard ran the economy well. He was not a terrible leader, but he did have a hubris about him. Once the people well and truly moved on the Iraq occupation and Global Warming he was out of step and had to play catch up. It was this type of rhetoric that didn't help, though it was not majorly reported:
http://newsbusters.org/node/7543
According to AFP (emphasis mine), “Howard retorted that he did not take policy advice from films and said he would not meet Gore.”
Howard wasn’t the only Australian government official to diss Gore (emphasis mine):
“There are three places I do not go for advice on climate change," fumed Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane, dismissing the film in which Gore singles out Australia as trailing the rest of the world on climate change.
"One of them is to unsuccessful candidates for the US presidency who cannot even convince their own people that they are right. The second place is the movie," he said, adding that the third was the Australian opposition.
That's gotta smart! Obviously, there is little worse in life than a transcontinental dissing!
Rudd is more progressive than Howard. Which isn't saying much, as he's still against same-sex marriage, for internet censorship etc.
Another proto-fascist bites the dust. murd
eroch must be pissed. I'm sure his papers did their best to prop up that bastard FOB.We need all the focus her to be on the voting machines. the smarmy msm bastards are waiting to announce guiliani or billary as our next prez.
Does this land of ours have even a touch of luck, the sanity that just now struck the Aussies is contagious and will spread to our shores ASAP!
Well deserved humiliation, I would say.
This is good news for the United States. This is will further limit the allies of the neocons. As for Rupert Murdoch, he actually supported Rudd over Howard.
Conservatism has been universally debunked as a political philosophy. The silence of the thugs.
Bush still has sarkozy, Brown and merkel in his pocket.
Greg @ 15:
France has been in Afghanistan since day one.
Gary @ 14:
You write like an imbecile.
Let's hope that this is a sign that the people of the world are getting sick of imperialistic, nation building neocons. Poland got the word, Canada could use a wake-up call.
Looks like Ruppert Murdock couldn't swift-boat Rudd. Maybe the truth is that Ruppert Murdock couldn't make a go of it in Australia so he came to the US. Murdock's conservatism is part of a dying breed.
Having spent 2 months travelling around Austrailia this year I saw the general mood of everyone there. "GOOD ON YA" Austrailia for giving "little Johnny" the boot to the curb with the rest of the rubbish
Another one bites the dust! Yeah!
Little by little, the world is coming to it's senses.....with the notable exception of US!
And Sarkosy, one of the remaining turds in the punch bowl.
You know, in Poland, the favorite ethnic jokes are about the stupid Americans. It didn't used to be that way.
Drak Pope @ 10:
Ah, but that didn't stop the onslaught of the right trying to paint his win as trend towards conservatism.
what will Rupert Murdoch do?
Faux Noise is showing a Jazz Quartet singing a hip version of 'Santa Clause is Conning to Town'.
Yeah, what's with Canada and France, anyway? They'll wake up after they lose their national health insurance.
As for Murdoch, he isn't leaving his empire to any individual offspring. His children will be fighting like cats and dogs over his wealth and power after he ceases to breath. That should be interesting. It's probably the only way his empire will dissolve.
Added: Saturday, 24 November, 2007, 13:41 GMT 13:41 UK
First Blair, now Howard. One more left to go and the world will finally be rid of the Axis of Fools...
Stefan, Strasbourg
Rud touched hearts of all Australians with a huge debate on climate change, educational revolution, working families and indeed The style of leadership with fresh ideas.
All the best,
Chuol Dojiok,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Chuol Dojiok
An example of what people around the world (especially Austrailia) are saying. A bit more insight than sarcasim. Find it on the BBC.co.uk news forums and then make your comments.
Me in a fantasy conversation with Rush Limbaugh:
Me: Hello Rush. You know how you said about 7 to 9 years back the the world was shaking off liberal =ism and truning conservative?
. . . .
You say you never said that?
. . .
Well yes you did. I used to listen to you everyday, and I full remember you saying that. Celebrating that fact actually.
. . .
I'm lying? I never listened to you?! Rush, I called into your show twice. But I wanted to ask you if you still feel that same way given everything the conservatives have pushed for are now being widely rejected. Do you think that the left is finally being able to answer the right effectively?
. . .
The left lies? The right hasn't been able to reach everyone because of the left wing media?
Rush, you righties have the majority of talk radio, you have Fox News, you have newspapers, and you righties once had a lock on AFRN. . . how are you not getting your message across?
. . .
Do you think that maybe your ideas, conservative, neo-conservative ideas/pruproses now that they are seen for what they are, selfish, damaging to the majority of people who live on the earth and down right fatal for the bottom teir, are being rejected outright?
Now that we know how the McCaw(sp) Center has operated in giving ready made free market policy papers to the world to help the "conservative" world take over, or the benefits of the shock doctorine to push in policies you know wouldn't make it any other way, or denying the vote to eligible citizens, or that many people before would have dimissed the power and purpose of dominionists or the eugenics crowd (that wants to reduce the world population from an est 6,602,224,175 by 84% to around 800,000,000 - which is about the combined population of the US and the EU) as paranoid fantasy. They would have dismissed them, but what they've seen throughout the world, in NOLA, etc. now allows them to take seriously or at the very least not out right dimiss it but to investgate.
. . .
We need to all be put in a looney bin or stop smoking whatever it is we are smoking? This from a guy who accused Hillary of killing Vince Foster, who championed all the fruitless White Water investigations and did not spend anytime in jail for his drug abuse as he demanded that others do?
Hello? Hello?
Good for Australia for showing a progressive streak. Now, how about this lumbering dinosaur we call the United States?
Hi folks,
Most of you haven't suffered Murdoch as long as we in Australia and Britain have. He supports whoever will work best for him. In America, that's obviously the Republican party. But political leaders who have benefitted from Murdoch's patronage can get too big for their boots. So he will change them every so often. There isn't a politician alive who doesn't want a good relationship with Murdoch. There's no ideology to what he does - it's all about his own personal interests. When it no longer benefits him to cheerlead for the Republicans, just watch for the turnaround at Fox.
I know that sounds far fetched now but like I say, we've been living with him for a lot longer than you have. This is how he operates - see if I'm wrong.
Why won't George Bush just hurry up and die?
ba-bye
the wheels on the bus go round and round...............congrats Australia
Does that mean we're going to invade Australia now?
RW @ 38:
He has free health care.
Um, guys, Rupert Murdoch publicly endorsed Kevin Rudd for PM...
I suspect that throwing an innocent man in jail based on faulty intelligence, and then remaining unapologetic about it has some consequences after all.
Coffins draped in flags @ 33:
Hate to disapoint you but losing healthcare won't happen. The goverment has tried things like that in the past here, the people rose up(seniors pensions) and went after the goverment. And what do you know they actually backed down
Did someone mention CANADA?
"How George Bush became the new Saddam. Its strategies shattered, a desperate Washington is reaching out to the late dictator's henchmen." And the picture on the cover is of Bush with a mustache dressed in Saddam Hussein's uniform. From a terrorist publication? Hardly, It's the Cover Story of the Mainstream and Most Popular News Magazine in Canada, Maclean's. Maybe Cheney is Going to Develop Plans to Bomb Ottawa Now.
Just running out of friends, the boosh fella.
BTW, France is only in it for the money. They want some of what goes to Haliburton. SarKKKozy just about drooled about it in his meetings with the shrub.
Preacher Boob @ 30:
Coffins draped in flags @ 33:
let's just hope it's not like the walton family.
adam @ 43:
which means rupert was hedging his bets, like he's doing with billary in the US of A.
CoIntelPro @ 49:
Exactly! And it's no accident that he picked the Democrat most sympathetic and malleable to his cause.
So suddenly, al the media is saying Hillary is the frontrunner. Coincidence? Yeah, right!
But anyway, this is Kevin07's day. Let him have it.
CoIntelPro @ 49:
Which explains why he paid for a Hillary fundraiser
Conservatism is synonymous with many things: authoritarianism, fascism, corruption, criminality, cronyism, religious zealotry, jingoism, and incompetence, to name just a few. But the one aspect of Conservatism that truly stands out is that its adherents are generally dishonest. They like to posture as intellectual/moral authorities, but as soon as their policies are adopted, their utter lack of intellect and honesty become apparent. "No one can out perform the American worker." Bullshit. "The dollar is the world's reserve currency." Bullshit. "We are locked in a battle of cultures." Bullshit. "The market runs things more efficiently." Bullshit. "We don't torture." Bullshit. I could keep going (obviously).
They have had their way in the world for the better part of the past 20 years, and have botched the job, but good. From economic policy, to international relations, to lawful governance, they have proven themselves to be feckless boobs, at best. Now we have to listen to them whine like little girls who have had their tea party interrupted while we try to clean up their mess.
Mark my words: When the coming economic collapse kicks America hard in the ass, it's the conservatives who will squeal the loudest. If it leads to wider war, they won't serve. If there are bread lines, they'll be the first in them. If they are wealthy enough t abandon their country for another, they will be the first to cast America aside (maybe go to Paraguay).
Conservatism is false.
Conservatism is UnAmerican.
"Just Say No" to Bush lapdogs.
adam @ 43:
rupert backs a winner...incase you hadnt noticed...rudd has been ahead in the polls for a year, rupert backs whats good for rupert, which is a winner.. howard was asked by his own party to step down only a few months back, but his arrogance wouldnt allow that.. he got spanked yesterday....even lost his own seat.....doesnt get much better really...
The Chasers also had a a special episode on the election as well (actually, 2 episodes, but the second isn't out yet, apparently)
Howard: "Gee *SOBS* All I did was glue my lips to Bush's rear. But how could I possibly lose?"
Ask Tony Blair you asshat. Way to go Australia!
PS: I love The Chasers :-D
Gotta live on them until Jon and Stephen come back.
This is a portent of things to come for the U.S. in the 2008 elections.
The Republicans are going to be swept out of office in every level of government, especially the federal level.
We are going to have a Democratic President and both houses of Congress will overwhelmingly Democratic as well.
Mark my words, the reign of the Republicunts is over & done. The vast majority of people in this country are feed up with their wars, their lies, their economic policies, and all the rest of their inane bullshit.
Australia comes to their senses; our turn.
Congratulations to the Australians. Now if we can elect regime change here.
Dear NeoCONS (intentional emphasis in caps):
Consider your syncophantic "friend" John's defeat a prelude to what you will experience less than a year from now.
Get ready you war lovers and paranoid control freaks. Water has been thrown on your evil wicked witch party and your world is melting away.
Good Riddens Howard. Now take Bush, Cheney, Sarkozy, Merkel, Blair, and Brown with you!
As an Aussie, I say...
Waaaahooooooooooooooooo!!!! Yeah!!! happy, Happy... HAPPPPYYYYY>... Do the Happy dance with me!!
About bloody time sanity returned to Aus! We are sick to death with the insane Americanization of our Country! Howard was a fool and a tool! He sold us out, literally. And he got his ass totally REAMED tonight! That's gotta HURT baby! LMAO
And this is a big reason why Howard the Duck lost (apart from the fact that he was a lying SOB!)
Times Online
For anyone interested... Good coverage here:
ABC Election 2007
I am sooooo happy!!! :D :D :D
Hell! I'd even kiss an American! LMAO
Cheers!
Kryten42 @ 62:
Beauty mate! Enjoy!
It's getting awful lonely for stooge-boy down in the sewer.
It's about time those who have been hanging on to Bush's coat tails are having to learn to swim in sh*t.
It's the "Labour" party. It is a proper name. Spell it correctly.
On the other hand, the fact that there is one less supporter of our Iraq debacle is good news.
Nothing will change in the USA relations with Australia.When USA starts bombing Iran,the same pack of wolves will be attacking the weak. Australia has always been used by USA in all it's East invasions. They gave us Rupert Murdick and we owe them something in return--ongoing military bases down under Astralia's skirt !
Does Baby Caligula have any "allies" left. The Poles and the Aussies are leaving, soon to followed by the Brits. Even Karl Rove and Richard Perle have bailed out. What's a poor, depraved, degenerate chimp to do?
The entire world...including virtually all of the US...will have come to their senses about bush/co and the State of Georgia will still be praying for Republican victories. We're so full of dumb-ass peckerwoods we'd even vote for a 'damn-Yankee' like the former mayor of New York City.
HulksHeroes @ 64:
Scary too. Might have to hide in Paraguay after all following the next elections, since there are no friends left that will put him up.
Ken Mitchell @ 66:
actually ken, in this case, its the labor party. that is the correct spelling..
Marcus Aurelius @ 25:
I am glad that a Bush backer has failed, that is always good news.
However I agree with Gary, Kyoto is a bad treaty. Calling someone names won't change that fact. Anyone who thinks Kyoto will do ANYTHING about global warming is mis-informed.
Before he leaves office John Howard will need some time to get his nose out of Bush's bum.
Good going Aussies! Now it's our turn.
Hopefully the tide is turning, Howard was a catastrophe to progressive ideology.
jarjar @ 21:
ckerst @ 3:
Rupert would support Karl Marx if he thought he was going to win. The old soul-less bastard is always looking for a way to have access to the powers that be. Murdoch's support extends only as far as his own greedy interests are concerned!
The winger blogs are beside themselves with this news. Captain Steno at Captain's Quarters has this to bemoan,
"It's impossible not to regret the retirement of a man who stood tall and firm against the murderous onslaught and told the world exactly what was at stake in the conflict."
I wonder if Eddie's just been out to sea so long he's forgotten that we attacked a country that had nothing to do with 9/11?
Well, well Michelle. She whines,
"It won’t stop the Bush Derangement crowd from crowing that the loss is a proxy referendum on America and the war. But they see everything as a referendum on America and the war."
Uhm, yeah Micaela, project much?
And then there's Jules "All War All The Time" Crittenden,
"Another one of the original three who stood up, Bush, Blair and Howard, is gone. Australia votes Labor. Good luck with that."
It's not like they're clueless that Bush supporters are dropping like flies. It's more like their mind numbing ideological idiocy knows no bounds.
I have a feeling lots of Fosters is being consumed in mass quantities down under.
some dude named steevo @ 71:
Kyoto is a first step where by signing it, a nation declares that global warming is a problem and contributing to global warming in some ways is against the law. Of course Kyoto isn't the most kickass anti-carbon emissions treaty ever, but all laws are built on previous laws and rulings, and without a first step like Kyoto is, there will have to be some future first step, and waiting for some future first step succeeds only in wasting more time. Kyoto is a good treaty, and the world's first step, and the remaining 2 nations that haven't signed it should do so immediately.
The clock is ticking and whining and complaining prolongs inaction, which is the biggest ally every attempt to limit carbon emissions has.
Everyone who thinks Kyoto will do ANYTHING about global warming is informed.
Now if we could just get rid of that fat @!@$%*&! Harper.
Well I'll miss the Chasers constant harassment of John Howard on his daily walks. Funny how a despised politician in Australia doesn't need nearly as much security, and can talk with the public compared to Bush when he actually had decent approval ratings.
#75 their just ignoring reality...hoping it won't come.If they say it enough times...they believe it.But that doesn't mean that their right.....I sometimes go to a repug site...it's amazing to see what they post for comments.They're so into bullshitting their participants....out right lies....and the sheeple believe it....but I have noticed their numbers have gotten considerably smaller...Last week my fave was....Republicans on a roll...We have them on the run!.....LOL!
Tony Blair's out, Howard's now out, the only ones in the Bush club left in power are Canada's Harper and France's Sarkozy. Here's to the French people realizing their Bush loving president is only going to cause damage to their country than do any good. I hear Canada is already on the right track and Harper is most likely to be shown the door in the next elections.
The fewer fascist leaders, the better off we all are. America, here's looking at you, kid.
Kyoto is a step towards stopping global warming.. just like the U.N originally was a step towards preventing wars.
What a fantastic job they've done so far.
Eat shit Murdoch.
God bless Australia!
Gary @ 82:
So ......we're not supposed to even try?Gotta walk before you can run...no?
Well, I guess this means Bill O'Reilly will now call for a boycott of all things Australian. And if Australian beer sales in the US dip by just one bottle, he'll proclaim victory. Lots of laughs ahead on Fox this month!!
konchster @ 26:
Canadians, it seems, have fallen into a near fatal slumber, with a weak, confused opposition party and a governing party that loves to kiss bushbutt.
I'm so ashamed. We once had a reputation for being as nice as pie but now we're nothing but greedy blue eyed sheiks and international drug pushers.
Another Bush Goose Stepper gone!
www.pafundi.com
====================================
Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom casualties as confirmed by U.S. Central Command: 4323
From an ecstatic Aussie, highlights of John Howard in office:
Australia becomes only Western government to be accused of racism by UN for treatment of Aboriginals:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/690213.stm
Howard lies about Iraq:
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2003/541/30129
Howard sends Australian soldiers sent to Iraq, fortunately few are killed:
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Mother_of_first_Australian_soldier_killed_in...
Howard alarms region by threatening to invade South-East Asia, Pacific
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3675012.stm
Howard refuses to sign Kyoto Protocol on CO2 emissions:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/26/1085461819091.html
Howard in racist falsehood - claims refugees throw their babies in the sea:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_overboard_affair
Howard deploys navy against refugees, Australia's treatment of refugees cruellest of any developed country:
http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/auspac/12/09/aust.refugees/in...
Howard encourages racism:
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=1945
Racist morons go on rampage against Lebanese in Sydney, even Howard embarrassed:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Cronulla_riots
Howard blocks human rights investigators entering the country:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/901157.stm
Howard denies global warming, Australia dries up in massive drought:
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21585348-5001021,00....
Howard smacks down working class voters that once supported him:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workchoices
Howard's friends produce fake leaflet by Islamist group praising Labor, get caught out:
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/australasia/article3187096.ece
Any I left out?
Preacher Boob @ 30:
Here's a name you forgot to mention. Stephen Harper. He's the guy who leads one of the countries with an ENORMOUS amount of oil that Bushco wants and needs and he would do just whatever he could to further the evangelical march to rapture.
You think America's fucked. That oil well north of you is just as willing to stink up the planet for as long as it takes to render us all extinct.
RW @ 38:
No please!! Not until he has been tried and convicted for war crimes! Then real, real soon after works for me. The world needs the message that his kind will NOT be tolerated!
Full congrats to the Australian people.
Now it's time to rid Canada of its right wing christianista PM. Harper is fully capable of doing as much damage to the country up north as bush and his criminal government has done here - they both believe that god is directing them in their leadership.
Coffins draped in flags @ 33:
Canada is making billions and billions on oil. It pays for the national health insurance. If Canadians aren't "waking up" it's because they're quite happy to doze off in their warm OIL heated igloos toking some prime B.C. bud and not worrying about poking into other country's business.
Chris @ 41:
Probably...... With passports and the few dollars you have left, in hand.
ROT in hell you Fascist Motherf**ker!!!
Clay Peck @ 85:
The Billo O'Lielly Comedy Hour..... I was thinking the same thing.......
Let's see how much longer it takes for the French to realize that their right wing asshole president Sarkozy will do nothing but lead their country over a cliff if he continues his unabated ass-kissing to our very own useless waste of a president that we have here.
Congratulations to the Australian people for showing this right wing partisan asshole conservative Howard the door in the most humiliating fashion possible.
Fuck him.
And fuck his Australian buddy Rhumpert Murdoch too (who bought his American citizenship by bribing corrupt republicans like Gingrich).
Well done Aussies! We here in the San Francisco Bay Area love you!
Well, they kinda tried before the campaign started with the revelation that one night in New York Kevin Rudd got drunk and wound up in a strip club. However, that little grenade really didn't seem to have an effect. And during the campaign proper the Liberal Party did its usual scare campaign (i.e. the Labor Party is run by union cronies and that Labor will send the economy down the toilet. Oh, and Labor will also send interest rates through the roof).
Thank God for Australia for dumping their nightmare.
Will Americans be as smart? NO!
Americans will again elect a Republican President, Senate, House, and within the first term seat a extreme right wing Republican on the Supreme Court.
America won't notice. How could they? Who could look up from watching Paris Hilton's toenails being clipped?
Doggedly @ 86:
yes it was nice to live with that illushion, we sure fooled the world for a long long time!!!!
Oh, and Murdoch is still making a go of it here in Australia (unfortunately). News Corp. still owns 21 newspapers in Australia (which includes most of the major dailies).
Ex-Canuck @ 90:
Couldn't agree more there EX
I'm curious to know which country is graced with your presence now and why you left.
"Stairway to Kevin"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dXwv4i6I_c
Well, good. Lets see Bush and Cheney out ASAP!
tyree @ 98:
I was going to disagree that we fooled the world for a long time and was furiously typing a response until I realized that it was not only an illusion but a delusion. The only real hero I could come up with was Sam Steele and I fear you've got something on him that ain't too nice. Am I right?
"Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder,
you better run,
you better take cover....eeeaaahhhh"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNT7uZf7lew
Well done down under! Humans progress....it's what we do.
Doggedly @ 100:
While I'm only somewhat familiar with Canadian politics, what evidence is there that Harper thinks he's being guided by God? The odd speech where he says, "God bless Canada" isn't sufficient. From what I've seen, besides his deplorable non action on climate change, he's been quite moderate.
Goodbye, lapdog Johnny!
Will you take Commander Bunnypants with you?
John Howard got what was coming to him.
Politicians everywhere are now learning a fact of modern politics: you support or side with George W. Bush on Iraq or almost anything, you are doomed to failure.
George W. Bush: worst president ever. Even though technically he was never really elected.
Doggedly @ 103:
i think you misinterpraterd my comment , it was nice we fooled the world into believeing we were nice as pie,when we never were what the world thought we were , everything we did as a nation was for greed , and weve been ruled by the greedy corrupt since the begining , thiers been more thats been wrong with america thens ever been right ,
Use the following words in a sentence:
Schadenfreude.
Karma.
Comeuppance.
Yeeeeeeehaaaaaaaa!!!!
Bye bye Johnny. Don't slam the door on the way out, you little bastard. That's OUR property you're handling.
See you at the Hague, you lying rodent!!!
Ozguy @ 113:
HOORAY FOR THE AUSSIES. You insult the rodent.They have far more sense than Mr. Howard
I see the people and the politicians changing, the corporates on the fence with whatever pays the best or offers stability, but the conservatives and religious nuts still hold sway over the media, the military, the sheriffs, the police, and the judges, and that's what counts when things get ugly.
In my town, we will have goon squads to crush ideas for a long time to come, despite what the rest of the world thinks. The good-old-boys, with their fearful, insecure emotional state have had the long history of paranoia to make sure they align all the key money interests, defenses and offenses, while the rest of more-balanced, good-natured folks went on with their lives assuming the ideals of the constitution would prevail.
I guess we will see what happens this time around, if numbers trump guns and wealth.
Despite all pundits predictions that the next US elections will be another close one. I have no doubt in my mind that it will be the exact opposite, it will be wipeout, decimating the Republicans. This trend started right after Katrina, and continue on.
Another one bites the dust; the wanker.
One more war criminal, corporatist, neo-conservative asshat, tossed out. Now all eyes are on the "central comittee"; the US lying den of thieves.
ckerst @ 3:
*nod*
I've met several Aussies online in the last year; and none of them were enamored of Mr. Howard; so I wasn't surprised by this; but its still a damn fine thing!
Now then; Mr. Bush, you're next.
wild idea @ 116:
Agreed.
No matter what they try to tell us, just look at the candidates...
The right has almost no one worth picking from - even the far-right nutjobs are mostly scratching their heads. Most of America is pretty pissed at them anyway.
On the other hand, we have several quite good candidates to choose from as Democrats. I mean - I could go with any candidate running right now and be "OK" - there are obviously some (Kucinich, Edwards, Obama to an extent) I prefer more than others (Clinton, Biden); but still - we have actual honest to goodness choices; while the Repugs are scraping the bottom of the barrel for someone who might possibly be electable.
Unless they steal the election, I'm predicting a 55%+ majority for us in the electoral college. I also expect our Senate and House holdings to improve significantly, hopefully kicking out a few Bush Dogs in the process.
To all wingnutz. Make a call to one of the conservative in Australia. Ask them how they feel. Then realize that is how you will feel on Nov. 4, 2008!
Remember the theme to Mash? "Suicide is painless..."
tyree @ 112:
I have long said (as a student of history) if you want to understand anything about the USA, before you begin the discusion, put a dollAr bill on the table, and keep looking back at it throughout the conversation. Therein are ALL THE ANSWERS.
I think Canada has not always been much better, but, as a Canadian, I would hope a wee bit better (less imperialistic). But perhaps not shining, or even assuredly not shining. (I don't think any rich country is shining: not when there are billions of poor on the planet.)
Drak Pope @ 10:
NOT YET.
canardtahiti @ 25:
Sarkozy is a conservative hawk. During the riots in France he called the (largely Muslim) immigrants "scum". CANADA has been in Afghanistan since day 1 (we just didn't go into Iraq). .
konchster @ 27:
Harper is a Bilderberger and therefore a treasonous warmonger. He could be arrested and put on trial for trying to subvert the government of Canada to a foriegn power.
tyree @ 102:
Note - Voting is compulsory in Australia - voting is done on a Saturday so all can vote easily - all paper ballots - hand counted - result by late evening (within hours of last poll closing) - campaigns last 6 weeks - all publicly funded - it's an actual democracy.
Why do we in the US feel we have to reinvent the wheel ... our system is broken - isn't the Aussie model a good one to replicate?
chlorocardium @ 106:
What did
Ido?AA @ 126:
In ancient Athens, those who did not participate in the electoral process were called "idiotès".
Some would whine that forced voting is a form of communism or socialism or whatever label they think makes them sound cool that day. But, the fact remains, when 40% or less of Americans vote on election day, exactly what kind of democracy do we have here?
Voting should be sold to the public as a patriotic duty, then you'll see people voting in droves.
Marcus Aurelius @ 53:
"Conservatism" is quite a misleading term. We should call these people what they are - "Regressives".
Has anyone noticed that Bush has the "Medusa Touch"....everything that he touches or comes in contact with turns to stone. All business dealings, career in the national guard, his war in Iraq, his war in Afghanistan, his war against terror, the Republican Party, his Presidency, the United States and its image around the world, lap dog leaders in Italy, Spain, England and now Australia. He is the most hated leader in the entire world. Impeach then Indict Bush and his entire administration....they are a cancer we must remove.
14All @ 13:
The same as the coalition.....
In another humilation for Howard personally, he is likely to lose in the electorate of Bennelong (another rich vein of ironry given the history of coalition politics - named after an Aborginal who the First Fleet "befriended") after 33 years, making him only the second incumbent PM to lose since Stanley Bruce in 1929. The nearest comparsion I can make is when George HW Bush lost in 1992.
There will be changes - yes, but I wonder how much?
I laugh when I hear wingers proclaim that history will redeem GWB. History will show that King George was actually a walking, talking disaster who unwittingly or not, took his own supporters down with him. Being a Bushie is a bit of a career killer these days, to say the least. How could this not be any more obvious?
So now the line at the winger blogs is, "Howard was in office a long time, Australian voters wanted change..." ZOINK!?!? I'm almost positive the 33%ers are not going to take this position when reality smacks them next election year here in the USA.
Way to go, mates! Australia!
...
Another loyal bushie bites the dust. Bush was in Australia just 2 months ago stumping for howard, gives the kiss of death again to another war cronie...everying bush touches turns to sh!t. - LOL
Down Under Surrender Monkeys trounce war mongering neocons.
Bush Ally John Howard Loses Big In Australia
by DemFromCT
Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 04:52:21 AM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/24/74144/189
Republicans beware, your next Novemeber 2008!!!
"Rudd said he’d take Australian troops out of Iraq"
Not in any advert or TV interview during the campaign he didn't.
Iraq was an issue in the last Australian election, when Howard was re-elected, not in this one.
Weren't howard's approval numbers higher than either bush or the republiCONS in the congress?
Ouch, that's gonna leave a mark.
Howard said afterwards,,,, DAMN my butt hurts.
Oh and what do they have ? Compulsory voting ...... and a growing conscious.
mudshark @ 79:
Probably Victoria Bitters. Every Australian I knew in the US thought Foster's was disgusting and it is most definitely not #1 there.
fullmettlealchemist @ 5:
It won't matter if we don't send collaborators like Pelosi and Clinton with them.
Dahgrostab'ph-r-i @ 8:
They stole 2000 and 2004, without any backlash from the Democrats. What makes you think 2008 will be different. Get ready for President Guliani.
Me! I'm getting a passport and moving to Autralia.
I can't wait to hear Perino explain that even though the 'coalition' only has one member, since that member is a paranoid schizophrenic, it still qualifies as a 'coalition'.
Congratulations Australia - you are an inspiration to us.
Good luck on immediate and necessary political endeavors.
Please keep us in your thoughts as we likewise work to help ourselves here in America.
*
Hope the trend spreads worldwide and finally ends up here!
I am really, really relieved. Last election I couldn't believe that so many people had fallen for his lies and disregard for fellow people.
As an Aussie I have been getting more and more ashamed of what we'd become under Howard. Now, finally, the people have woken up, and told him what we really think of him.
I really hope he loses his seat, as it looks like he might.
What AA@26 and cheney @ 128 said: Voting is a patriotic duty, and we're glad to do it. Then the people truly speak, not just special interest groups bribed by the party machine and their pork-barrellers. When far fewer than half of you could be bothered to vote, you're sort of asking for the government that you get.
(and nobody drinks Fosters here, it's p*ss).
Coffins draped in flags @ 34:
Sad but true. (I am a Canuck, by and by.)
There was always only three in Bushs' coalition of the willing and they have all been thrown out of office now, Blair in Britian, Asnar? in Spain and now Howard in Australia. And yet, we still have Bush and Cheney. God, we must look so stupid and pathetic to the rest of the world.
7 countries considering abandoning the us dollar
These are seven of the countries currently considering a move from the dollar, and how they’ll have an effect on its value and the US economy. ...
www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18680.htm
____________________
Note the Dumping the Dollar article was written by a noted Reagonite in 2002. Contrast that with the 7 countries article written a few days ago...
It's happening! We need allies on the demand side of the economic equasion. Let's hope Rudd will bolster and sustain democracy for the good of the people and thus restore us our faith to depose treasonous, offensive, lying republicans like those in the Bush regime today!
________________
The World Can Halt Bush’s Crimes By Dumping the Dollar
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17035.htm
By Paul Craig Roberts
What would be the consequences of a US or Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear energy sites?
0212/07 "ICH" -- -- At the 2006 Perdana Global Peace Forum, Australian medical scientist Dr. Helen Caldicott provided an authoritative analysis: [VIDEO] of the devastating impact on human life that would result from the radiation release from such an attack.
Dr. Caldicott described the catastrophic deaths that would result from a conventional attack on nuclear facilities and the long-term increase in cancer deaths from the radiation release.
Should the attack be made with nuclear weapons--as some of Bush’s criminally insane neoconservative advisers advocate--the populations of many countries would suffer for generations from radioactive particles in air, water, and food chains. Deaths would number in the many millions.
Such an attack justified in the name of “American security” and “American hegemony” would constitute the rawest form of evil the world has ever seen, far surpassing in evil the atrocities of the Nazi and Communist regimes.
Dr. Caldicott detailed the horrible long-term consequences for the Iraqi population from the US military’s current use of depleted uranium in explosive ammunition used in Iraq. Caldicott explained that “depleted” does not mean depleted of radiation. She explained that each time such ammunition is used, radioactive particles are released in the air and are absorbed into people’s lungs. We are yet to see the horrific civilian casualty rate of the American invasion--or the true casualty rate among US troops.
Dr. Caldicott expressed bewilderment why the rest of the world does not stand up to the US and force a halt to its crimes against humanity.
One man heard her--Vladimir Putin, President of Russia.
On February 10 at the 43rd Munich Security Conference, President Putin told the world’s assembled political leaders that the US was trying to establish a “uni-polar world,” which he defined as “one single center of power, one single center of force and one single master.”
This goal, Putin said, was a “formula for disaster.”
“The United States,” Putin said, truthfully, “has overstepped its borders in all spheres” and “has imposed itself on other states.”
The Russian leader declared: “We see no kind of restraint--a hyper-inflated use of force.”
To avoid catastrophe, Putin said a reconsideration of the entire existing architecture of global security was necessary.
Putin’s words of truth fell on many deaf ears. US Senator John McCain, America’s most idiotic and dangerous “leader” after Bush and Cheney, equated Putin’s legitimate criticism of the US with “confrontation.”
America’s new puppets--the states of central and Eastern Europe and the secretary general of NATO, no longer a treaty for the defense of Europe but a military force enlisted in America’s quest for empire--lined up with McCain’s argument that Russia was in fundamental conflict “with the core values of Euro-Atlantic democracies.”
Even the BBC’s defense and security correspondent, Rob Watson, jumped on the American propaganda bandwagon, tagging Putin’s speech a revival of the cold war.
No delegate at the security conference stood up to state the obvious fact that it is not Russia that is invading countries under pretexts as false as Hitler’s and setting up weapons systems on foreign soil in order to achieve military hegemony.
The reception given to Putin’s words made it clear to Russia, China, and every country not bribed, threatened or purchased into participation in America’s drive for world hegemony that the US has no interest whatsoever in peace. Intelligent people realize that American claims to be a moral and democratic force are mere pretense behind which hides a policy of military aggression.
The US, Putin said, has gone “from one conflict to another without achieving a fully-fledged solution to any of them.”
Putin has repeatedly stressed Russia’s peaceful intentions and desire to focus on its economy and to avoid a new arms race. In his speech on the 60th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, Putin said: “I am convinced that there is no alternative to our friendship and our fraternity. With our closest neighbors and all countries of the world, Russia is prepared to build a kind of relationship which is not only based on lessons of the past but is also directed into a shared future.”
In his 2006 state of the nation speech, Putin noted that America’s military budget is 25 times larger than Russia’s. He compared the Bush Regime to a wolf who eats whom he wants without listening. Putin is being demonized by US propagandists, because he insists upon Russia being a politically and economically independent state.
The Bush Regime has taken the US outside the boundaries of international law and is acting unilaterally, falsely declaring American military aggression to be “defensive” and in the interests of peace. Much of the world realizes the hypocrisy and danger in the Bush Regime’s justification of the unbridled use of US military power, but no countries except other nuclear powers can challenge American aggression, and then only at the risk of all life on earth.
The solution is nonmilitary challenge.
The Bush Regime’s ability to wage war is dependent upon foreign financing. The Regime’s wars are financed with red ink, which means the hundreds of billions of dollars must be borrowed. As American consumers are spending more than they earn on consumption, the money cannot be borrowed from Americans.
The US is totally dependent upon foreigners to finance its budget and trade deficits. By financing these deficits, foreign governments are complicit in the Bush Regime’s military aggressions and war crimes. The Bush Regime’s two largest lenders are China and Japan. It is ironic that Japan, the only nation to experience nuclear attack by the US, is banker to the Bush Regime as it prepares a possible nuclear attack on Iran.
If the rest of the world would simply stop purchasing US Treasuries, and instead dump their surplus dollars into the foreign exchange market, the Bush Regime would be overwhelmed with economic crisis and unable to wage war. The arrogant hubris associated with the “sole superpower” myth would burst like the bubble it is.
The collapse of the dollar would also end the US government’s ability to subvert other countries by purchasing their leaders to do America’s will.
The demise of the US dollar is only a question of time. It would save the world from war and devastation if the dollar is brought to its demise before the Bush Regime launches its planned attack on Iran.
Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration. He was Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal editorial page and Contributing Editor of National Review. He is coauthor of The Tyranny of Good Intentions.
Easy to see coalition numbers well below private contractor numbers
_________________
Military Ops in Iraq
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_orbat_coalition.htm
Italy 0 Withdrew troops: End of Nov. 2006
United Kingdom ~8,500
Poland 900
Romania 865
Australia ~1,400
Canada? Not listed
Iraq Coalition Troops
Non-US Forces in Iraq - February 2007= ~14,200 ~17,000
Far below the numbers listed for private personnel on the US government payroll that outnumber official US troops.
Scahill: "…instead the administration is building a coalition of corporations. Right now in Iraq, private personnel on the US government payroll outnumber official US troops. There are about 186,000 so-called private contractors operating alongside 165,000 troops. The US military is the junior partner in this coalition.—-This is a shadow war."
From another source:
Major Non-US Coalition Troops In Iraq
Country Troop Level Date, Source
(1) Britain 5,500 7 September 2007
5,000 by November
(2) South Korea 1,200 7 September 2007
(3) Poland 900 22 February 2007
(4) Georgia 800 26 July 2007
another 1,200 announced
NATO membership pending
(5) Romania 600 22 February 2007
(6) Australia 515 19 August 2007
Total: 9,515
Minor Non-US Coalition Troops In Iraq
< 1,300
List Origin: 23 August 2006
Numbers: February 2007
Albania (126)
Armenia (46)
Azerbaijan (150)
Bosnia-Herzegovina (37)
Bulgaria (150)
Czech Republic (100)
El Salvador (380)
Estonia (34)
Kazakhstan (29)
Latvia
Lithuania (50)
Macedonia (33)
Moldova (11)
Mongolia (100)
All Troops Withdrawn
Denmark, 530
Dominican Republic, 302
Honduras, 370
Hungary, 300
Italy, 3000
Japan, 600
Moldova, 12
The Netherlands, 1,400
New Zealand, 60
Nicaragua, 115
Norway, 150
The Philippines, 51
Portugal, 127
Spain, 1,300
Thailand, 423
Tonga, 44
Ukraine, 1,650
_________________
http://uspolitics.about.com/od/wariniraq/l/bl_coalition_troops_iraq.htm
Guys, as an Aussie, I'd like to put my 2 cents in.
There are lots of parallels with Aussie politics and American politics. Fortunately, ours aren't quite as extreme.
Howard rode on the coattails of a previous Labor (left) government that made massive economic reforms. Some caused a great deal of pain at the time, but it lead to the economy we now have. Howard was nothing but a 'steward' of it. You could say the same of Bush, except he has squandered things much more.
We don't have a subprime disaster like the U.S. but housing affordability has placed cities like Sydney & Melbourne right up in the top 10 most expensive cities in the world in pretty much only the last decade. Recently, the concept of 'mortgage stress' has been apparently. This is a situation where families are seeing as much as 50% of their gross income going to repayments. Now, we're also seeing interest rate rises on top of that. Whilst impossible, Howard actually made a core election promise in 2004 that there would be no interest rate rises.
Another parallel is that whilst Kevin Rudd is labor, he is pretty right wing for a lefty. I suppose I'd like to see it as the first step to arresting the right-wing shift before the pendulum really starts moving back to the left. I can see pretty much the same state in all of the leading Democrat candidates.
Whilst I worked on the 'Your Rights At Work' campaign which may leave me a little biased, I think the Australian Workplace Agreements (AWA), which seriously attempted to dismantle employee rights was the tipping point. These were so severe in change that the balance of negotiating power between employer & employee that in some areas, they broke base international labor laws. One of the most insideous aspects of the AWAs was that the idea of workplace reform wasn't even mentioned during the previous election campaign and AWAs were introduced after Howard was re-elected.
There are other factors involved which are very local, such as the 'Children Overboard' affair, the AWB scandal where Aussie wheat was sold to Saddam with kickbacks, Aboriginal rights and plenty more. Australians had had enough of the moral bankruptcy.
To give a picture of how large a change this is, Australia now has a situation where EVERY state has a labor govt, the Senate is controlled by Labor and the federal govt. is Labor. The conservative party, ironically called the Liberals which Howard led, is out in the wilderness ENTIRELY. The only other party to make major inroads are the Greens.
AA @ 126:
Not only is voting compulsory, the entire system is standardised across the country and *highly* scrutinised.
mudshark @ 79:
*sigh* This has to be repeated every time. Absolutely no Australian drinks this rubbish.
Cheers
BC
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