38 posts tagged “bush”
I see young Alexander has seen fit to criticize the awarding of the Nobel Peace prize to the current US President Barack Obama.
Obviously he feels he qualified on matters related to peace after his promotion of war and the attempted destruction of the Geneva convention during his chance to do something positive in easing tension around the world. Something he failed at dismally.
I'm not surprised Downer has failed to see the lifting of the tension caused by the shortsightedness by George W Bush. He was so locked into caveman politics he was never aware of the massive damage caused by Bush not understanding the international community.
His solution to more terror attacks? Get bigger guns and kill more people in the vain hope that you can kill more terrorists than you create. Policy FAIL.
Alexander did his bit to promote terrorist organisations too. He tried to credit the loss of an election by the Spanish Government to a train terror attack when in actual fact the Voters thought the incumbent Government were untrustworthy. Not even the Yanks fell for that one.
Another feather in Downer's hat is his support for water boarding. Yep. Alexander and his crew of moral pollies signed right up for the "water boarding is not torture" rubbish. Folk much smarter than he and especially those old enough to remember WW2 must have been horrified to see the weakening of one of the few protections available for POWs.
I was more than amused to see Lech Walesa complaining about the prize win too. When he scored the "Peace" prize I wondered what the reasoning was. If it was called the Democracy prize it would have made sense but at that time his efforts to destabilise the Polish Government were hardly promoting peace.
I'm sure the Obama detractors will moan long and hard over the awarding of the Peace prize but the World is already a safer place with the departure of Bush. The fact that Obama was lucky enough to be measured against his predecessor was his (and the worlds) good fortune. The fact that someone as shallow as Alexander Downer does not approve is just the icing on the cake.
Nationalising business has always sent waves of fear through Western democracies seeming a bit too close to the Communist ideal even for Liberals to contemplate. In her day, Maggie Thatcher used the fear of it to destroy the population’s confidence in the high profile, hard Left Labour figures in the UK. Especially targeted was Michael Foot who led the Labour party in Opposition and served as Deputy Leader in Government. His early years spent trying to get an alliance between Labour and parties to their Left made him an easy target for hinting at Communist sympathies. Michael Foot
The US has seemed even more frightened of the Nationalism bogie than the Brits but due to the efforts of George W they now find themselves facing the decision of their Government either buying in to businesses or letting the poor go hungry.
In Australia it’s an easy call. We feel there is much value in helping folk stay or get a leg up back into the workforce as evidenced by the recent handout before Xmas and the new wave of “Voter driven” handouts due over the next few weeks. An ongoing financial injection into the consumer market decided by the Voters themselves should see jobs maintained a good while longer and maybe past the ongoing flood of bad economic news. I know some pundits claim it is making no difference but watching the flood of shoppers locally, it seems the scribes may not be in touch with the real world after all. Australian Treasurer’s Stimulus package
I’m impressed that Dubya has turned out to be a leading figure in Nationalising US businesses. If he had stood for office on that promise he would never have scored a second term but I guess that’s the sort of thing that happens when you vote in someone who isn’t up to the job. The Government loses control and greed becomes self consuming but Nationalising is not without precedence in the US. History of US Nationalisation
Luckily a new President is now in the top job and he knows what it is like at the bottom end of the US system. Some of the anti-Obama Senators are showing their true colors now. Their attitude of “Devil take the hindmost” (an attitude that if you can’t keep up you are worthless to society)shows they have never dealt with deprivation themselves and are as likely to have gone hungry as Dubya is of turning up on Mastermind. 1 in 50 US kids homeless CNN reports But fortunately there are some realists within the Conservative ranks. Financial Times - Bank nationalisation gains ground with Republicans
I can’t help but marvel at the cyclical nature of politics. We now have the bookends of Reagan killing Communism and Dubya killing Capitalism. Both are shallow claims but it does have neatness about it. There are rare times in history when intelligent governance is required and this is one of them. In both Australia and the US unusual leaders have emerged just when they are most needed and I can’t help feeling we are extremely lucky to have found both of them in time.
Here is a Tee shirt to give Dubya his due.
The President Elect had requested use of the house prior to inauguration to allow his children to start settling in for the start of the school year, but the obviously cash strapped (Yeah, right) Howard seems to be sticking to his plans.
Obviously his infatuation with US Presidents doesn't extend to Democrats and his usual excuse of having to suck up to the US President is not longer valid.
It's a distinct change of direction for a man who couldn't abide political asylum seekers to now be seeking refuge in the arms of one of his few remaining supporters.
And the quality of the accommodation is somewhat removed from the internment camps he was so fond of putting children into during his term.
A fitting bookend to a man who expects the silver spoon treatment. I can just imagine George and John sitting around congratulating themselves on the awards they have granted themselves.
The story link from the AM program is here.
Listening to AM (ABC Radio) this
morning, I was treated to yet another tirade of an American Senator who wants
to bankrupt the major US motor companies along with 3 million workers. Like the
Senators who stood against any bail outs before him, he is hell bent on revenge
no matter the cost to American workers.
I guess this is pretty much the same attitude displayed with applying US military forces under the Bush reasoning. Vengeance is the key rather than a considered approach that weighs up a wider view of the issues and considers the impact on others.
Thankfully the incoming President takes a wider view. It’s not a roll over though, he wants the top CEOs outta there as part of the deal. It sounds like a good idea to me. Blaming the US auto industry for building what Americans wanted seems like a cop out. And allowing the “collateral damage” of 3 million American jobs just to glorify in revenge seems small minded and counterproductive to the US economy.
This item took a bit of finding but the Washington Post web site has it covered.
In a glimmer of sanity, a number of retired military officers is seeking to undo the Bush damage by rolling back the US policy that allows torture. They are seeking to return the US to the moral high ground and draw some unneeded heat out of the Middle East.
I hope the President Elect is listening. A few less folk seeking to kill Americans must be a good thing. I still can't fathom why Bush couldn't work it out but at least Obama appears to be a thinker. With any luck intelligence will out.
Check it out here
Brothers in arms or kindred spirits? Take your pick.
To remind folk where McCain hails from and who he respects, I think this one is appropriate.
Ain't love wonderful.
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