It is to be hoped that Kevin Rudd displays true fiscal responsibility in Labor's federal election campaign launch today.
The Coalition has endorsed Howard's rash billions bag of election promises in the hope that Labor can be forced into a similar election promise overspend. That way the Coalition in Opposition will have a ready-made stick with which to beat Labor if Rudd gains government on 24 November.
Past experience has shown that Howard & Co. will be extremely bitter if they lose.
The last time they were so bitter Liberals, Nationals and certain private sector individuals held an emergency meeting the day after the election which brought the Whitlam Government to power.
A day after that particular meeting Coalition MPs were boasting in the Australian Club in Sydney that big business was going to help them get rid of Whitlam within twelve months.
It of course took the Coalition longer than that to destabilise the national economy and drive Australia into a panic. However they were eventually successful.
Senior officers in the Army with a nod and a wink from at least one general went so far as to formulate a plan to take over essential services if civil unrest broke out, and the Navy consulted constitutional lawyers about its oath and decided to lay its ships one mile off the coast and only take orders from Buckingham Palace if law and order broke down.
A month out from The Dismissal a very senior Coalition member was again boasting in the same gentlemen's club that they had found a 'legal' way to get rid of Whitlam.
John Howard was a Coalition MP during this entire period. If he loses government it is likely that he will encourage both the Libs and Nats to revisit these tactics. With Howard it will always be b*gger the country, I want it all my own way.
1 comment:
Nothing like him making everyone else look bad so his legacy looks better than it really is... I wouldn't put it past him at all.
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