Change just for the sake of change?

Question

Do people really believe as an obvious non thinking voter told me this week.."The liberals have done ok but i think maybe a change would be nice"???
Change just for the sake of change? The 'devil you don't know instead of the devil you do'?
Are there really many voters out therewho are simply bored with sound economic management, low inflation, jobs for those who really want to work etc etc? Bored enough to risk a return to the socialist "Comrade Gough" era & the chaos it ensued?
If so i agree with the old adage 'people only get the government they deserve'.
How many are prepared to risk another flirtation with socialism?

Answer 1

Well done. You just answered another's not-well-thought-out platitude with a few of your own not-well-thought-out platitudes
LOL :)

Fast forward 30 years or so... This is the 21st century in a global economy and Wayne Swan, ALP treasurer, is a qualified economist. It was actually the previous Labor government which planned for and implemented all the reforms so that we could benefit from the economic growth we have experienced in the last 10 years or so. Howard's government have simply enjoyed the windfalls of those reforms, a booming global economy (which they didn't create) and have created surpluses by selling off public assets and by distributing the minimum of our tax revenue into public services.

If I took and took and gave nothing back I'd have a surplus too. It doesn't take a genius to work that out and a real economist can assure you that Howard's government have misled us just a tad into believing that they are our economic saviours. A responsible government knows the limitations and objectives of fiscal policy and this government is not very responsible.

This country desperately needs some return to socialist values if it means some much needed revenue injections into education, health, environmentally sustainable technologies and caring for our land, infrastructure and agriculture so we can sustain productivity and provide for the next generation. We're not just an economy - we're also a society.

Answer 2

Nope, not change for the sake of change.

Rudd like Whitlam? Give me a BREAK.

Lets see Whitlam forwarded Australian womens rights into the 20th century, gave us Medicare, improved working conditions for Australian families in ways that still endure despite the Howard government trying to erode them even now. Signed up to more UN conventions on Human Rights issues than most any other Australian Prime minister, and continued to act as an advocate for them ever since.

So no, Rudd is nothing like Whitlam, and if you are a woman, you should be thanking Whitlam for the fact you live in a more egalitarian Australia, or would you rather go back to the 1950s ideals of being barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen...which is where the Howard crew want you?

Change for the sake of getting Australia back to being a Fair Go country with good workers rights, a respect for human dignity and an internationalist agenda that means more than being a second rate vassal on Bush's coat tails. Thank you very much.

Answer 3

Do you really know what socialism is? Have you any idea about Whitlam and what that whole mess was about. The Liberals have a "born to rule" mentality and they will and have done anything to get in and stay in. They don't care two hoots for this country or the people who live in it. Before you start making ridiculous statements you might be better served if you found a little out of what you're talking about. You obviously haven't got a clue.

As for the moron you were talking to (which I somehow doubt), any one who votes for a "change" because it would be "nice" IS an idiot.

Anyone who votes for change because they want this country to get back into the modern world and out of the 1950's and want a fair day's pay for a fair day's work again in Australia is a hero. Anyone who wants to have Australia's industry and foreign policy back in Australian hands is a hero. Anyone who wants an economic policy that doesn't just consider cold hard figures but realises that there are actual living human beings in this country that are getting shafted and votes for a change is a bloody hero.

Anyone who will be scared into voting for this stinking Government that has dragged Australia's international reputation into the mud, destroyed the very fabric of our once proud society, lied to and cheated the people of this country in every way you can think of is a MORON!!

If you want to vote for the "devil you know"..........go ahead. But don't think for one minute that the rest of us are that gutless. There is this thing called democracy - perhaps you have heard of it? It allows the people to change the government when that government is doing the WRONG thing by the people who put it there in the first place. And please don't insult the Australian people by thinking that they can be scared into voting for these pack of disgraceful bunch of liars and cheats and don't insult our intellignece by asserting that the ONLY reason the Liberals are going to get kicked out is because we all think "a change would be nice". Surely you don't think that we are all that stupid.

Howard and his bunch of soulless sycophants are dead men walking.

Answer 4

Rachael as you feel there is a job for everyone that wants one, may be you would like to come to my place for tea one Friday evening and you can tell me all about it in person. Peter McGauran is National party i know but he is one of yours and and he is the local member and even he admits the unemployment is double the national average so at best makes it 9%.
Now what caused this roughly 10 years ago Jeff Kennett also one of yours privatised the power industry sinking 15000 jobs in the process and your mate John has done nothing to help the region and why hasn't he done done anything because its easier to think nothing is wrong than to tell the rest of the country that one your premiers destroyed 15000 jobs out of a region with a population of 75000
In Victoria we have had these work contract things for years thanks again to Kennett our region is so financialy stuffed that the only job i could get was delivering papers in my own car for the local newsagent to keep my job I had to advance my boss 10 days worth of petrol money before i got 7 days worth back in my pay.
after totally destroying 4 cars in 4years when my car broke down i was shown the door with no hesitation
That is why I want to get rid of Howard and his elitest little mates
by the way the invite to see the mess the liberals have done to the LaTrobe valley is open take it up if you have the guts

Answer 5

I'm not old enough to remember Whitlam but I do recall the Hawke/Keating governments. They inherited (from the Libs with Howard as treasurer) 22% interest rates and a basketcase economy.

The radical economic changes implemented by Hawke & Keating, during difficult times worldwide, futureproofed our economy. They slowly transformed us from the resource-exporting "banana republic" into a booming services-based economy. They made vast improvements to workplace productivity by working with the unions, not against them. We got compuslory superannuation in 1992 and by 1994 we were back in the top 10 prosperous countries.

Howard has done nothing to the economy except add the GST. WorkChoices was an attempt to improve productivity by working against the unions and against workers. He is taking us back to the "banana republic" by reling on a temporary boom in carbon-based industries - that makes our environment and our economy vunerable. He is taking money out of education and health to increase fees and make privately-owned "competition" viable. He opposed the superannuation changes until the 1996 election campaign and private debt has skyrocketed under his watch, which kinda makes super useless.

Make no mistake, this is not change for change's sake.

Answer 6

How is our housing market doing right now?
How much is oil per barrel today?
Is a median family income of $25,000 sufficient?

How do these things impact our economy?
How does a 9 trillion dollar debt impact our economy?

I realize that not all change is good and I completely agree with you there. I also agree with the adage "if it ain't broke don't fix it." I am not convince that "it" ain't broke. Now if a thing is broke then fixing it makes allot more sense. That does not mean we all grab a bottle of vodka and swear to become communist. It means we look for solutions because obviously the ones we are trying are not working.

Added: My abject apologies. I am referring to the United States economy. No where in the question on my browser does it say that this question is about another country and I foolishly assumed the poster was talking about the US. I have no in-depth knowledge of European or British economies and have no business answering about them. If I did it was accidental and I apologize.

Answer 7

It's not change just for the sake of it, it's change because we need it. There are any number of reasons why you should not vote for the Coalition and many people have already outlined them here. This is not like deciding where to go on holiday and it is utterly ridiculous for you to suggest that people would vote for Labor just for the sake of change. I agree with John Howard on one point alone - we need the right leadership - the right leadership being the Labor party.

Answer 8

The devil that you do know looks much worse that the devil that you don't know. I do agree that elections have been much more about voting against someone that voting for someone else. The ads that are rampant during elections work based upon that exact idea. That is why I am so strongly for placing the option "None of the above" on every office's ballot. We would improve the attitude "Hold your nose and vote for me".

Answer 9

Your head is in the sand open your eyes and your tiny tiny mind. Do you know what socialism is? There is only one devil in your statement and his name is HOWARD People are not stupid they Know he lied about Iraq, they know he lied about " no G.S.T never ever",they no he lied about the children overboard, they no he lied about Not knowing about the A.W.B giving Saddam's' Government cash. They know he would rather burn fossil fuels then seek cleaner alternatives, They know He has slashed funding to Hospitals, Education, infrastructure and sold Government Assets to stay in surplus. Its not change for changes sake. ITS GIVE US A CHANGE FOR GOD-SAKE.

Answer 10

I think you are exaggerating a bit! I would vote just for change... sound national management is more than low inflation (thanks to high interest rates) and increased employment (causing inflation and high interest rates). What about the health system? what about our education? I am so desperate for the health system to have SOME sort of change... I'd vote Rudd just to stimulate SOMETHING. My mother needs medical help, and they have put her on a 5 year waiting list.... these are national problems that hit the core of millions of people... problems just as important as good employment and low inflation. Something needs to change... and I'm so desperate that I'm willing to take a risk for better or worse.