mantra wrote on Feb 7
th, 2008 at 6:08am:
Put simply - Rudd's in because we couldn't stand Howard anymore. The guy communicated on one level only - make as much money as quickly as you can and stuff the consequences. He was a bulldozer ramming through legislation almost daily.
Of course money is important, but what's the point of being wealthy if you can't get your sick child in to see a qualified doctor in emergency because of the shortage of doctors and nurses. What's the point of having a booming mining industry if their waste products pollute the environment, harm people and leak toxins into our underground water basins and why sign international human rights treaties if you're not going to abide by them?
In fact Howard emanated Keating to a certain extent, but was more extreme. But he just didn't have the charisma and as soon as he opened his mouth - few of us, apart from the die hard liberals, believed anything he said. There was always a double meaning and more often or not, his generosity extended only to those who were wealthy.
I expect you had both hands over your ears then.
Today the lowest income earners pay very little income tax, they have targetted welfare which boosts their incomes and they get a raft of benefits never before seen in Australia, like the baby bonus, first home owners grant, family benefits, medicare safety net etc.
At no other point in Australia's history have the most disadvantaged been catered for.
But it has been difficult to get the benefit to them at times due to the rapacity of State Liebor Governments who care nothing for people. A good example is when John Howard increased the old age pension to cover a rise in costs which may have been experienced by the introduction of the GST. So what did the NSW Liebor Government do to help those on fixed incomes? Increased its rents of public housing to get more money from the newly enriched poor people.
Now the money for rents is paid as a subsidy to avoid Liebor State Governments digging deep into the pockets of the disadvantaged.
John Howard did what Keating didn't want to do - he helped ordinary people. Keating made Skase, Bond, Holmes a Court, Murdoch, Packer et al very very rich. And he crushed the spirits of Australia with his artificial 'recession we had to have'. The only person that suited was him.
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