Friday, November 30, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Election hangover
One thing that struck me re-reading my drunken election watch ramble from yesterday is just how angry the words are. I don’t think there’s anyway around the fact that I feel very deeply about the responsibilities of Government and their role in our society. John Howard stood for everything I stand against and it is within this one, petty selfish man I have channeled my rage about the world for quite some time. Last night was a catharsis eleven years in the making and I didn’t feel that satisfied or happy. I’m just glad it’s done with.
Why John Howard? Why not any other politician? I mean, there are very few politicians I like let alone trust in this day and age but there was something about John Howard that is special. I guess it comes down to this: John Howard the man was identical to John Howard the policy maker. I think that is ultimately that led to his demise but also why he riled me so much. Howard wanted to create an individualistic nation, one where you only care as much as it concerns you or your hip pocket; that its not your problem or your fault when things go wrong and worst of all, there is always someone to blame for everything apart from yourself. I see these attitudes in my work life sometimes and this conceited arrogance burns brightly. John Howard created this but like his ideology, he would only accept responsibility for the stuff that didn’t make him look bad.
Want examples? The Cronulla riots were a boil over of the racist ideology of the Liberal Government, those terror policies of “us against them” turned real. Howard said he did not contribute to them and the rampant nationalism on display (on a par with the National Front) was not racist, just a misguided display of patriotism. Any pragmatic witness to these riots would beg to differ I believe. I hated the way he exploited 9/11 and Bali as a means to bring about hatred against Muslims in our community and as a justification for some of the most Draconian terror laws in the world. He used fear to sell himself and when the threat never came to fruition, it was like he was almost wishing for a terrorist attack to take place in Australia to justify himself.
There is so much that riles me from Tampa to Work Choices but always behind these developments that undermine our society, it was Howard’s guiding hand whether he acknowledged or denied. My politics are simple because they’re based on basic principles of humanism. If people are sick, there should be medical aid available to them no matter how much money they have. If people want an education, they should be able to get it. If people fall behind there should be some form of welfare support to help them and so on… This seems simple and realistic to me, what Government’s should do and not pander to big business or rogue states like the US. Why we’re in Iraq when we have the majority of an indigenous population living in third world conditions still perplexes me to this day. But all of this comes from Howard. He didn’t want to retire from his job so he sets an agenda called the “myth of early retirement” where he basically made it impossible for people to retire when they turned sixty. I guess this is fine if you’ve been behind your desk all your life and like to big note yourself on the world stage but for tradespeople who have undertaken forty years hard labour, don’t they have the right to retire? No says Howard because that’s the agenda that suits his selfish ethos.
And as I said, it is this arrogance that ultimately destroyed him and his party. If he had retired a year ago, Peter Costello would have become Prime Minister and I believe had a shot of winning against Rudd (as much as I would have hated the idea). But Howard, always self interested and arrogant, like the community he created, held on to it because he couldn’t see beyond his own narcissism and undying belief that he was right. Even when faced with polls saying he would lose and that he was out of touch with the general population, he ploughed on relentlessly. His line: “If you like the way the country is going, then vote for us.” It was almost like he couldn’t believe that anyone would think that, that his grand vision for the country could not be questioned. It was almost with disbelief last night that he conceded but the actions of this selfish man linger on. Peter Costello has decided against standing for the leadership of the Liberal Party, something he has coveted for years. Why? Because Howard’s selfishness made it a poison chalice and even Costello knows that he will never become Prime Minister because of Howard’s actions, he will merely be a pariah. You can see the pain on Costello’s face as he announced this decision and everyone knows that this is Howard’s doing. Not only did Howard doom himself but he also doomed his most loyal lieutenant. And this is why I’m glad he’s gone because there was never anything sacred to him that couldn’t be exploited for his own selfish ends. We’re all selfish in our ways but John Howard became the patron state of self interest, lying and disinterest in any sense of community or humanity. I think the Australian public got tired of this but not soon enough for my liking.
Will Rudd fair any better? All politicians speak in half truths and its unlikely that the promises of the election will be delivered so we’ll have to wait and see I guess. There are only two politicians (in the major parties) I can think of who speak their minds honestly: Tony Abbott and Bob Katter and both of them are bonkers. But I don’t think we’ll see the presumptuousness and arrogance of Howard for some time… The air seems a little fresher today, its almost like a weight has been lifted and that is a good thing for me. See I can be selfish too.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Election day live blog
A blow by blow as it happens account of my election night.
(Author's note: I was drunk when I wrote most of this so there's lot's of coarse language... so Mum, don't read it)
6.05 Watching the ABC! Kerry O'Brien is interviewing Julia Gillard who if Labor wins tonight will not only be the first female deputy prime minister but will be the female deputy prime minister who...
...looks like this but...
...talks like this. So if she wins it'll be a bit different, a bit special...
Everyone's cautious at this point but they expect to know something, anything at 6:30pm once some of the counts start coming in. Tony "Legend" Jones is interviewing some Labor hack. They all sound the same to me. Believe me, I'll be happy if Labor gets in not because its Labor but because its not John Howard and the Liberals. If there is a revolution tonight it will be a shift from the far right to the centre right but at least its a move to the left. My dream that everyone woke up this morning and decided to vote for the Greens seems slightly unrealistic.
6.22pm Labor are winning Eden Monaro!!! Well, after fifteen votes have been counted in some small town. Its a landslide!
6:39 Julia concedes that they lost the Greens preferences in Tasmania because of their support of the Gunns Pulp Mill. You fucked that up ya bastards. You'd be a shoe in if you'd opposed it!
6.49 Liberal member for Corangamite, Dracula! His opponent's last name is Cheeseman! First name Darren! Seriously!
7.10 Member for Cowper: Liberal Luke Hartsuyker (pronounced heart-sucker). Who knew the Liberals recruited their members from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
If John Howard wins, I'll be booking my flight out of the country for 10am tomorrow. Fact!
7:20pm They just showed a photo of Jackie Kelly where she looks kind of like she's posing for a mugshot of someone arrested for public drunkeness. Maybe it was taken around the time she said her racist leaflet campaign was a "Chaser-like" prank.
7:30pm At this point, it looks like Howard will lose his seat. Can we dare to dream?
7:41pm The Cheeseman beats Dracula to win Corangamite! Bennelong is sitting at a 6.6% swing against Howard. Kerry says this is an ALP gain. This news would be somewhere above spectacular and just below orgasmic!
7.57 They keep interviewing these fuckin' Liberal drones who are obviously going to lose. They keep saying "its not what I saw at the booths today, its not over yet..." WHEN! IT! IS! SO! OVER! Accept the reality you right wing automatons!
8:09 The liberals are blaming the Lyndsey leaflets for their crap showing in NSW. Yeah, it is that but also because we hate you! HATE YOU! And when I say we, I mean I, as in I hate you!
8:17 Kevin "People from Africa don't belong here" Andrews who if you didn't know is a racist prick retained his seat. BOO!!! Howard is making up ground. DOUBLE BOO!!! First glass of wine is being drunk...
8:32 Phone call comes through that Channel 9 have called it to Labor. Just turned it over and they have a banner that says Kevin Rudd Wins Election! Slightly presumptuous in that a) did Kevin Rudd or did Labor win Government and b) I trust the ABC who are being slightly more conservative and trustworthy than the swine at 9.
8:37 ABC calls Bennelong for McKew. I am officially ecstatic. Its gone past orgasmic and heading to the post-sex cigarette! Still reliant on postal votes though.
8.42 Kerry slips up when talking about Bennelong and says "with a swing to the ABC... I mean ALP." Bless!
8:48 What's with the photos of retiring mps? Trish Draper looks drunk too!
8:59
9:01 Channel 7 "It's a Ruddslide." Nice pun! Not really! I think "Howard's end" would have been better or "Death to the right wing oppressors!"
9:04 News.com.au says "LABOR WIN: The Labor Party has claimed victory in the federal election, with the race now becoming a matter of whether this will be a narrow win or a landslide triumph for Kevin Rudd and his team." Geez...
9:05 ABC says there is no doubt that the ALP are in Government! Fuck yeah!
9:08 Text messages are going crazy. Euphoria grabs the nation. Australia says John Howard! Fuck You! Its been a long campaign, about eleven years too long and I can finally sleep well at night. Now I just need to see Howard definitively lose and the Greens get some Senate seats and I'll be very happy.
9:13 The Official Election Night Winning Photo
9.19 Tony Jones "Amid all this cheering, we're going to talk to Fran Bailey"
Fran Bailey "They're cheering for me I think"
Tony Jones "They're not cheering for you."
Tony Jones = Legend!
9:23 Eden Monaro, the bell weather seat, goes to Labor...
9:24 Maxine McKew is in a media scrum. Winner! Can she make John Howard be the second sitting prime minister to lose his seat in history? Here's hoping! BTW Kerry loves Maxine...
9:27 My favourite named politician in Australia, Arch Bevis, retains his seat.
9:28 Maxine speaks! She's in shock! She hasn't claimed it though she seems kind of drunk and is saying all this hokey shit but bless her cotton socks. I mean really, no one expected her to do so well.
9:37 Malcolm Turnball and Bronwyn Bishop are back. The dead will rise apparently... Malcolm just said something about him and his Dad being in the showers down by the beach... er, I'm not sure that came out right.
9.43 Bob Brown is on.
I love Bobby. Yep, even though we haven't done that well we kicked righteous arse against you scumbag rightwing bastards! Quite rightly he points out that the ALP won on Green preferences! Go you little greenies! But as he says the senate result won't be know for a while...
9:55 Mal Brough says goodbye. Shouldn't go invading the Northern Territory is the lesson here I think. Just waiting for the concession speech. C'mon Johnny, you sniveling little bastard, concede defeat...
9:56 Peter Lyndsey, the arsehole Liberal from Townsville might lose to the guy who owns all the Townsville McDonalds. Burgers all round... Ahh good times...
10:00
10:09 Howard has called Rudd and conceded defeat. Champagne has arrived...
10:11 He's on his way to the Wentworth Hotel to make his speech... JOY!
10:18 ABC ticker thingy at the bottom says Maxine has beat Howard but nobody is going to make that call. Can't wait for the concession speech and see how much John Howard claims that the loss is not his fault. He's going to be bitter... Ding dong the witch is dead...
10:20 7.2% swing against Downer but not enough to get rid of him... bummer!
10:25 Peter Costello is crapping on. You lost it Petey, if only you'd had the balls to challenge Howard you might have had a sniff but I guess now you know you'll be the leader of the Liberal Party tomorrow. They'll keep you for a year and then dump you for Brendan Nelson... You read it here FIRST! Costello thanks the people who wasted their time working for him... fools!
10:27 he's got a shit eating grin even though they've lost. Finally, he will be leader... OF THE LOSING SIDE!!!
10:30 SMH Website says
Bwahahahahahahahahahahar!!!
10:32 News.com.au
I hate that pun...
10:33 Peter Costello says "blah de blah de blah." And is then cut off by Howard's arrival at Wentworth Hotel...
10:34 Here come the concession speech. I've waited eleven years for this. He looks visibly older tonight. Eat humble pie you bastard! He wishes Kevin well... nicely done because you fucked it mate. "Oh yeah, we bequeath Rudd a nation that is stronger and prouder and more prosperous..." and more racist and individualistic and hard than ever before. "Thanks to the Australian people..." I say no thanks for work choices, tampa, Iraq, the Northern territory, the destruction of higher education, the police state, this whole fucking mess... Whatever... bastards. The crowd yells "we love you John" but he's not feeling it... He grieves for his party and his favourite ministers including Mel Brough... Whatever. Johnny, its time to go. Pack ya bags...
10:41 The heckler is getting the better of him. God, he's losing on every front. OH HE ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LIBERAL DEFEAT! COLOUR ME SHOCKED. But he can't even say the words he wants Peter Costello to take over... HAHAHAHAHA! After all that united front stuff... Now he's banging on about how much he loves the Liberal party in a somewhat perverted manner. Scary!
10:45 He's starting to look relieved now that he's done it. I guess he'll join his local bowls club now and fade into obscurity. He now thanks Jeanette which is a fair call because he had to put up with this idiot for forever... Jeanette is straining to keep her smile... Its painful...
10:47 He thanks the people of Bennelong... who gave him the fuckin' boot... Yay!
10:48 Howard believes Australia's best years are ahead of him... well of course they are now that you're gone!
10:50 Bennelong has a 5.1 swing to Maxine. It'll come down to postal votes... Some Liberal guy is crapping on now... Oh its Nick Minchin... Whatever...
10:54 Minchin still banging on... Come on Kevin, make the speech, I got alcohol to drink...
11:00
11:03 Here comes Kevie to some funky music. He's so young and hip... he uses facebook!
11:06 Kevin bangs on about what a good job John Howard has he done... What is this shit? Have we been living in the same country? He's destroyed it! Ok that PC bullshit is over with and we're talking about the future... blah de blah... he's still better than Howard... He thanks everyone who voted labor which wasn't me, I always vote Green. I guess its only a matter of time before we start to dislike him but I can't imagine disliking him as much as I hate Howard - that's just a personal thing for me... "A Prime Minister for Indigenous Australians" Now THAT'S what I want to hear! Well alright!
11:10 Bloody hell, get on with it... its a ruddslide... bah what... I'm tired and drunked!
11:11 "Tomorrow the work begins..." but Kev, what about my impending hangover?
11:14 Still going... education, check... health, check... climate change... check...workplace reform, check... economy blah de blah!
11:16 He thanks Brisbane... has he been there? Geez...
11:19 Rudd thanks and pays tribute to Bernie Banton... fair call. Poor Bernie. James Hardie are bastards...
11:20 He thanks Julia and she laps it up...
11:21 Howard says:
11:22 Just thank your wife already so we can get on with partying...
11:23 Finally thanks his life partner and gets a hug. Its sweet and must mean the end soon... I'm happy and all but come on mate...
11:26000000 Still going...
11:27 Outta here. Ding dong the witch is dead, see Johnny, I won't miss you at all...
What a satisfying election that turned out to be. YAY!!! Howard is gone... its been a good day!
(Author's note: I was drunk when I wrote most of this so there's lot's of coarse language... so Mum, don't read it)
6.05 Watching the ABC! Kerry O'Brien is interviewing Julia Gillard who if Labor wins tonight will not only be the first female deputy prime minister but will be the female deputy prime minister who...
...looks like this but...
...talks like this. So if she wins it'll be a bit different, a bit special...
Everyone's cautious at this point but they expect to know something, anything at 6:30pm once some of the counts start coming in. Tony "Legend" Jones is interviewing some Labor hack. They all sound the same to me. Believe me, I'll be happy if Labor gets in not because its Labor but because its not John Howard and the Liberals. If there is a revolution tonight it will be a shift from the far right to the centre right but at least its a move to the left. My dream that everyone woke up this morning and decided to vote for the Greens seems slightly unrealistic.
6.22pm Labor are winning Eden Monaro!!! Well, after fifteen votes have been counted in some small town. Its a landslide!
6:39 Julia concedes that they lost the Greens preferences in Tasmania because of their support of the Gunns Pulp Mill. You fucked that up ya bastards. You'd be a shoe in if you'd opposed it!
6.49 Liberal member for Corangamite, Dracula! His opponent's last name is Cheeseman! First name Darren! Seriously!
7.10 Member for Cowper: Liberal Luke Hartsuyker (pronounced heart-sucker). Who knew the Liberals recruited their members from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
If John Howard wins, I'll be booking my flight out of the country for 10am tomorrow. Fact!
7:20pm They just showed a photo of Jackie Kelly where she looks kind of like she's posing for a mugshot of someone arrested for public drunkeness. Maybe it was taken around the time she said her racist leaflet campaign was a "Chaser-like" prank.
7:30pm At this point, it looks like Howard will lose his seat. Can we dare to dream?
7:41pm The Cheeseman beats Dracula to win Corangamite! Bennelong is sitting at a 6.6% swing against Howard. Kerry says this is an ALP gain. This news would be somewhere above spectacular and just below orgasmic!
7.57 They keep interviewing these fuckin' Liberal drones who are obviously going to lose. They keep saying "its not what I saw at the booths today, its not over yet..." WHEN! IT! IS! SO! OVER! Accept the reality you right wing automatons!
8:09 The liberals are blaming the Lyndsey leaflets for their crap showing in NSW. Yeah, it is that but also because we hate you! HATE YOU! And when I say we, I mean I, as in I hate you!
8:17 Kevin "People from Africa don't belong here" Andrews who if you didn't know is a racist prick retained his seat. BOO!!! Howard is making up ground. DOUBLE BOO!!! First glass of wine is being drunk...
8:32 Phone call comes through that Channel 9 have called it to Labor. Just turned it over and they have a banner that says Kevin Rudd Wins Election! Slightly presumptuous in that a) did Kevin Rudd or did Labor win Government and b) I trust the ABC who are being slightly more conservative and trustworthy than the swine at 9.
8:37 ABC calls Bennelong for McKew. I am officially ecstatic. Its gone past orgasmic and heading to the post-sex cigarette! Still reliant on postal votes though.
8.42 Kerry slips up when talking about Bennelong and says "with a swing to the ABC... I mean ALP." Bless!
8:48 What's with the photos of retiring mps? Trish Draper looks drunk too!
8:59
9:01 Channel 7 "It's a Ruddslide." Nice pun! Not really! I think "Howard's end" would have been better or "Death to the right wing oppressors!"
9:04 News.com.au says "LABOR WIN: The Labor Party has claimed victory in the federal election, with the race now becoming a matter of whether this will be a narrow win or a landslide triumph for Kevin Rudd and his team." Geez...
9:05 ABC says there is no doubt that the ALP are in Government! Fuck yeah!
9:08 Text messages are going crazy. Euphoria grabs the nation. Australia says John Howard! Fuck You! Its been a long campaign, about eleven years too long and I can finally sleep well at night. Now I just need to see Howard definitively lose and the Greens get some Senate seats and I'll be very happy.
9:13 The Official Election Night Winning Photo
9.19 Tony Jones "Amid all this cheering, we're going to talk to Fran Bailey"
Fran Bailey "They're cheering for me I think"
Tony Jones "They're not cheering for you."
Tony Jones = Legend!
9:23 Eden Monaro, the bell weather seat, goes to Labor...
9:24 Maxine McKew is in a media scrum. Winner! Can she make John Howard be the second sitting prime minister to lose his seat in history? Here's hoping! BTW Kerry loves Maxine...
9:27 My favourite named politician in Australia, Arch Bevis, retains his seat.
9:28 Maxine speaks! She's in shock! She hasn't claimed it though she seems kind of drunk and is saying all this hokey shit but bless her cotton socks. I mean really, no one expected her to do so well.
9:37 Malcolm Turnball and Bronwyn Bishop are back. The dead will rise apparently... Malcolm just said something about him and his Dad being in the showers down by the beach... er, I'm not sure that came out right.
9.43 Bob Brown is on.
I love Bobby. Yep, even though we haven't done that well we kicked righteous arse against you scumbag rightwing bastards! Quite rightly he points out that the ALP won on Green preferences! Go you little greenies! But as he says the senate result won't be know for a while...
9:55 Mal Brough says goodbye. Shouldn't go invading the Northern Territory is the lesson here I think. Just waiting for the concession speech. C'mon Johnny, you sniveling little bastard, concede defeat...
9:56 Peter Lyndsey, the arsehole Liberal from Townsville might lose to the guy who owns all the Townsville McDonalds. Burgers all round... Ahh good times...
10:00
10:09 Howard has called Rudd and conceded defeat. Champagne has arrived...
10:11 He's on his way to the Wentworth Hotel to make his speech... JOY!
10:18 ABC ticker thingy at the bottom says Maxine has beat Howard but nobody is going to make that call. Can't wait for the concession speech and see how much John Howard claims that the loss is not his fault. He's going to be bitter... Ding dong the witch is dead...
10:20 7.2% swing against Downer but not enough to get rid of him... bummer!
10:25 Peter Costello is crapping on. You lost it Petey, if only you'd had the balls to challenge Howard you might have had a sniff but I guess now you know you'll be the leader of the Liberal Party tomorrow. They'll keep you for a year and then dump you for Brendan Nelson... You read it here FIRST! Costello thanks the people who wasted their time working for him... fools!
10:27 he's got a shit eating grin even though they've lost. Finally, he will be leader... OF THE LOSING SIDE!!!
10:30 SMH Website says
Bwahahahahahahahahahahar!!!
10:32 News.com.au
I hate that pun...
10:33 Peter Costello says "blah de blah de blah." And is then cut off by Howard's arrival at Wentworth Hotel...
10:34 Here come the concession speech. I've waited eleven years for this. He looks visibly older tonight. Eat humble pie you bastard! He wishes Kevin well... nicely done because you fucked it mate. "Oh yeah, we bequeath Rudd a nation that is stronger and prouder and more prosperous..." and more racist and individualistic and hard than ever before. "Thanks to the Australian people..." I say no thanks for work choices, tampa, Iraq, the Northern territory, the destruction of higher education, the police state, this whole fucking mess... Whatever... bastards. The crowd yells "we love you John" but he's not feeling it... He grieves for his party and his favourite ministers including Mel Brough... Whatever. Johnny, its time to go. Pack ya bags...
10:41 The heckler is getting the better of him. God, he's losing on every front. OH HE ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LIBERAL DEFEAT! COLOUR ME SHOCKED. But he can't even say the words he wants Peter Costello to take over... HAHAHAHAHA! After all that united front stuff... Now he's banging on about how much he loves the Liberal party in a somewhat perverted manner. Scary!
10:45 He's starting to look relieved now that he's done it. I guess he'll join his local bowls club now and fade into obscurity. He now thanks Jeanette which is a fair call because he had to put up with this idiot for forever... Jeanette is straining to keep her smile... Its painful...
10:47 He thanks the people of Bennelong... who gave him the fuckin' boot... Yay!
10:48 Howard believes Australia's best years are ahead of him... well of course they are now that you're gone!
10:50 Bennelong has a 5.1 swing to Maxine. It'll come down to postal votes... Some Liberal guy is crapping on now... Oh its Nick Minchin... Whatever...
10:54 Minchin still banging on... Come on Kevin, make the speech, I got alcohol to drink...
11:00
11:03 Here comes Kevie to some funky music. He's so young and hip... he uses facebook!
11:06 Kevin bangs on about what a good job John Howard has he done... What is this shit? Have we been living in the same country? He's destroyed it! Ok that PC bullshit is over with and we're talking about the future... blah de blah... he's still better than Howard... He thanks everyone who voted labor which wasn't me, I always vote Green. I guess its only a matter of time before we start to dislike him but I can't imagine disliking him as much as I hate Howard - that's just a personal thing for me... "A Prime Minister for Indigenous Australians" Now THAT'S what I want to hear! Well alright!
11:10 Bloody hell, get on with it... its a ruddslide... bah what... I'm tired and drunked!
11:11 "Tomorrow the work begins..." but Kev, what about my impending hangover?
11:14 Still going... education, check... health, check... climate change... check...workplace reform, check... economy blah de blah!
11:16 He thanks Brisbane... has he been there? Geez...
11:19 Rudd thanks and pays tribute to Bernie Banton... fair call. Poor Bernie. James Hardie are bastards...
11:20 He thanks Julia and she laps it up...
11:21 Howard says:
11:22 Just thank your wife already so we can get on with partying...
11:23 Finally thanks his life partner and gets a hug. Its sweet and must mean the end soon... I'm happy and all but come on mate...
11:26000000 Still going...
11:27 Outta here. Ding dong the witch is dead, see Johnny, I won't miss you at all...
What a satisfying election that turned out to be. YAY!!! Howard is gone... its been a good day!
Friday, November 23, 2007
Headline of the day
First line: "John Howard faces annihilation in tomorrow's election..." Ahh good times but best not to count my chickens. If he gets back in, I'm done, I'm leaving the country but I am quietly hopeful that he will be CRUSHED...
And if you're wondering what I'll be doing tomorrow, here's who I'm voting for...
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
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