Delusional Liberals rage at Howard .... but he was not alone.

It is fun to watch the Liberal Party trying to tear itself apart. And even funnier to see them all blaming John Howard. But I have a word for them (and the Labor Party). The last Government surrounded itself with "Yes Men", Toadies and sycophants. Nobody was providing the "Frank and Fearless Advice" which was the hallmark of the traditional Public Service.

Everybody was desperate to read the mind of the person above them, and to tell that person what they wanted to hear. And I speak of this pattern right down into the middle and lower ranks of the Public Service. This is the true meaning of the Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tale - of the "Emperor's New Clothes" - where all the courtiers were too weak, too beholden to the Emperor, to tell him what was as plain as the nose on his face, (or elsewhere, in that case).

"Children Overboard" is my supreme case in point, but just one of many examples. Right through to the David Hicks Case, the AWB Scandal, and the Dr Haneef case. People who knew the truth were rewarded for hiding the facts. The AWB scandal is possibly the largest ticking bomb, still buried within the Fairyland World of the Dept. of Foreign Affairs. Lets hope someone finds the moral fibre to stand up and tell the truth - at last.

From Day One (today) the Labor Party must ensure that they go back to that old principle of good governance - that Politicians and Public Service all provide "Frank and Fearless Advice". Otherwise, they will be destined to repeat the recent history of the Liberal Party Government.

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But let us look at the Liberals for just another moment - for it is such fun.

Michelle Grattan, writing in "The Age" this morning has some wonderful quotes:

• "And, as anger mounted in the party towards John Howard, Peter Costello's father-in-law, Peter Coleman, declared "Howard's egomania" had blocked Mr Costello's "great promise". Mr Coleman, a former Liberal MP who writes a column for the ABC website, said Mr Howard had "a fatal flaw which brought him low and devastated his party. It is his colossal egotism."

And on Tony Abbott's withdrawal from the race for Liberal Party Leadership...

• "Mr Abbott described it as the "last supper at the Lodge for quite some time".

DJW writes: Typical Tony, Catholic mythology confused with myopia. No Tony, it is not "the Last Supper at the Lodge" - just the last one YOU are likely to be invited to. But that is a measure of nothing, when it comes to history, Tony. As they say: "Why is it all about you, Tony?".

• And Tony Abbott again: "I was a member of John Howard's praetorian guard, you might say. I always regarded myself as the honorary life president of the John Howard fan club."

DJW writes: Nice quote Tony. Thanks for that. We shall file that one away, if you don't mind.

Bloody Idiot.

He displays a lack of judgment, right to the bitter end.

Its as good as his "People Skills" quote from a couple of days before.

Dreams of Kevin 07

Miss Eagle sent me a link to this article by Catherine Deveny, in "The Age" this morning.

It is funny, seeing someone just so enthusiastic, so rapturous, over a political event. (I confess I was, back in 1972.) Perhaps Catherine was born after the Whitlam election in 1972, or if she is a mere child, after the Hawke Government's victory in 1983. In that case the euphoric experience might be genetically inherited.

I went to Wikipedia for a quick check on those dates, and browsed their article on Bob Hawke, and my eyes hit on these words:

• Hawke benefitted greatly from the disarray into which the Liberal opposition fell after the resignation of Fraser. The Liberals were divided between supporters of the dour, economically and socially conservative John Howard and the urbane Andrew Peacock. The arch-conservative Premier of Queensland, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, also helped Hawke with his "Joh for Canberra" campaign in 1987, which proved highly damaging for the conservatives. Exploiting these divisions, Hawke led the Labor Party to comfortable election victories in 1984 and 1987.

There is surely a lesson to be learnt from history here, for the Liberal Party. Malcolm Turnbull might join Peacock as the best leader the Liberal Party had, who never got elected as Prime Minister.

Now there's something for the bloggers to contemplate.

The Body Politic is in the Recovery Room

After a dramatic piece of surgery, Doctor Kevin has given the Body Politic a Heart and Brain Transplant. Obviously after such drastic surgery, the patient will be in the Recovery Room for some time.This blog promises to monitor the progress of the Patient. I shall report progress with great interest.

However, in view of the optimistic early signs of a quick recovery by the Patient, the former title of the "Body Politic is Ill" has been amended, and the new title is "The Body Politic is in the Recovery Room".

For technical reasons, the link (url) remains unaltered, so all previously installed "pointers" will continue to function.

*****

Zoe sent a "Get Well Soon" message, (in the comments). But she also sent this graphic - a symbolic "thumbs up" image.
Miss Eagle sent a message too. She said: "You mightn't be euphoric but I am. Free at last, free at last. A Howard free political world."

The Sunrise of Kevin 07

Well, you waited for it - and here it is.

After 11 and a half years of darkness, with barely a glimmer of the "Light on the Hill", here is the Sunrise of Kevin 07.It might not be quite what you longed for all those years. It is smaller, smarter, certainly has a more radiant smile than the previous false dawns you envisaged (the Beazley, Crean, Beazley, Latham models). And this one comes with a Chinese sound-track, as a bonus tape.

Just wait ands see if those clouds burn off, or turn into a self-destructive thunderstorm. Lets hope not.

*****

POST-SCRIPT: My friend Auriel sent me this photo. I am sure she won't mind me posting it. Dedicated Canberran "True Believers" obviously celebrating the Rudd Labor Victory on Saturday evening.

Well done to them and all of the other "Warriors for Democracy" whose dedication helped remove the "Government of Shame" on 24 November 2007.

The Day after D Day

Well, the news of the demise of the Howard "Government of Shame" is well and truly published. My Canadian mate, Leo has sent me this email critique (already).

Hi Denis,

Apparently you lot follow the great Can-eh-djun tradition of voting against, rather than for. Or do you only have 2 parties? Anyways, I hope your new b*stard works out better for you than our new b*stard has for us. ie keeps to the principles which he has espoused over the long term (not necessarily the same ones as he may have campaigned on!) More to the point, hope your new one has principles (and continues to have) ...

Its a timely comment (prescient, 0ne could say).
Miss Eagle and I have already have a similar discussion via her blog.

The really interesting thing is what is starting to happen in the Liberal Party, after Howard stubbornly led them to a crippling defeat.

Fireworks within the Liberal Party,
AFTER THEIR ELECTORAL DEFEAT

Alex Downer admitted on the ABC Insiders program this morning that he has expected the defeat. That admission begs the question as to why the Party power brokers were too pathetic to challenge Howard.

Peter Costello (Treasurer and Deputy-Leader of the Liberal Party) has today announced that he will not seek the position of "Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition".
What a wimp! It confirms the impression of how weak he always was (refusing to challenge Howard, when he had the chance).
But are we surprised? Hardly.

Costello enjoyed the power of office too much, and when looking at his "former Young Liberals" and Victorian Branch "power-broker" pal Michael Kroger, Costello must see it as being just too easy and too attractive to enter business, and make a killing.

• "I want to spend more time with my family ... They have paid a heavy price."
• Mr Costello inferred that he would enter business once he left politics, but said initially he would continue to serve voters in his Melbourne seat of Higgins and mentor new MPs.

Hmm, The prospect of Peter spending more time with them might be an even heavier price to pay...

I am predicting Joe Hockey might get the job, over Turnbull, and Abbott, Nelson (surely not even the Libs could be so stupid!) At least Joe looks cuddly, and won't scare the kiddies!

Sunset of a Career? D Day today.

Today is Decision Day. If you have read any of my recent posts, you will know from whence I come.

• NOTE: It's not just my view, by the way. Miss Eagle has a similar view, and a link to the Age, with a brilliantly written comment by Tracee Hutchinson - check it out here. For her part, Miss Eagle has been working on the theme of Howard's "Chooks coming home to roost" (she is a country girl at heart). Today is the day, Folks.

I recommend voting to get rid of the little lying "weasel-word" specialist.

Defend the spirit of justice in Australia. Remember the injustices we have written about - from Iraq to the Northern Territory, and to Guantanamo Bay. Don't let him continue to lie about Clean Coal, or deny Global Warming. Its too late for that.

Did I say, vote with vengeance? That's what I feel like doing. Enjoy giving little Johnnie something to take away with him - a sense of humiliation which he thoroughly deserves.

Don't take my word for it. Here is part of the Sydney Morning Herald editorial from 23 November 2007.

• "We have waited for the vision of the next era of conservative government, but it never came. Instead, we have seen only attempts to rally or panic sections of the community with pork-barrelling and scare campaigns. We have said in the past that Mr Howard was entitled to choose the time of his going. But we also said that in doing so Mr Howard should bear in mind the need for a smooth transition. He has done the former, but neglected the latter. He is now asking Australians, in effect, to vote a lame duck into office - and then wait 18 months or more to find out what that really means. It is too much to ask. It is a matter of the greatest regret that the Prime Minister has mishandled his chance to choose a time to step down."

Lastly, let me say that for every small businessman I know, for whom John Howard pretends to govern, there are very few who have survived the voracious hunger of Big Business. Just ask any shopkeeper, trying to pay the rents which Westfield, etc, charge them. The rich are getting richer. The small are getting poorer, by being forced out of business.

Enough from me. You know what I think.

Is this the Sunset of John Howard's Career?
He deserves to go - now!

Sunset of a Career? D Day minus 2

Tomorrow, Saturday 24 November 2007 is Decision Day for Australia. Are we about to see the sunset of John Howard's career?If the Polls and tomorrow's headlines are any guide, it seems highly likely.

I would have to say there are good reasons.

• Iraq
• The "NT invasion" of Aboriginal communities - with fanfare, but little or no positive effect, in terms of positive outcomes for the children. Remember the children who were at risk? Invading Australian troops were supposed to bring about a change in their safety. Strangely, we have heard nothing about that since the election started. It always was a ruse. It had little or nothing to do with the safety of the children.
• The AWB Scandal - where some $30 million was sent to the Saddam Hussein regime, as kickbacks. A regime which was supposedly so awful that we needed to go to war against it - leaving Australian troops facing military forces paid for, in part, by Australian bribes. Do you remember that?
• Weapons of Mass Destruction?
• Climate Change - John Howard denied that it was real - for 10 of the last 11 years, then said it might be a real event, but we dare not risk the economy to do anything about it.
• Refusal to sign the Kyoto Agreement.
• "Clean Coal". Clean Coal is a myth. It is an oxymoron. It just gives the Government an excuse to continue allowing the Multinational Mining Companies in Australia to continue with business as usual.
• GST - remember that one? The tax we would not have.
• Rising Home Loan interest rates.
• David Hicks. Remember him? Poor bastard nearly rotted in Guantanamo until Howard eventually realised how embarrassing it was. Offenses against Human Rights, committed by the greatest "Democracy" in the world, in the name of "Freedom". And the little Toady went along with it until even he could ignore the embarrassment no longer.
  
• "Work Choices" - that fraudulently named program which gave all the choices and the power to the Employers, and bugger all, except an AWA Ultimatum, to the workers.
  
• Etc, etc, etc.

• The fraudulent Lindsay Election leaflets are just a symptom of the problem of a corrupt Government.