"POLITICS"

[2020hindsight]

You're right nioka, I saw some of this on TV and it is surprising how they get away with it sometimes.

mmm - "you're right?" or "yeah right" lol
sorry gents, I remain , err sceptical to say the least

PS not that it doesn't have a message / moral / element of truth at least etc .
Bit like reading a job application resume... "garbologist" "disposal engineer" etc

Hillary Clinton's Great, Great, Uncle Hanged!

 

[2020hindsight]

Such a magnificent example of mmm.....
Orwell's "Animal Farm" is the only thing that comes to mind

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/23/2197032.htm?section=justin

I'll die before I relinquish power: Mugabe
Posted 1 hour 6 minutes ago

President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has declared that the opposition will never take power as long as he is alive.

He has accused the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) of a "treasonous" alliance with Britain, the former colonial power in Zimbabwe.
. etc

 

[reece55]

Apparently Hilary wasn't lying - see here

Bloody hilarious....

Cheers

 

[tigerboi]

Been wondering what odds on mugabe taking his bat & ball & going home
(not handover power..) gee the protests from tutu & his crowd when white farmers were being murdered was deafening!

Shows you the IQ of the mugabe lot,they go 'take' the farms back & burn the places down,none of the blacks have a clue about modern agricultral farming,now they got 'farms' but cant grow food! starving numbskulls.

South africa should have sent the army in years ago,idi amin all over again.

Show me one self rule african country not a basket case,they certainly make a good case for colonialism...

1/5 mugabe says get lost to tvsangarai...tb

 

[2020hindsight]

well tiger, I've got a cautious $5 on that Mugabe's days are over ..
just that there was a great interview on PM tonight with a Zimbabwean politician saying "he cannot fault the (new) Electoral Commission so far" - whereas in the past these elections were administered by departments closer to Mugabe's Govt, and seriously rigged.

And he says Thabo Mbeki of Sth Africa takes a lot of the credit of getting a better electoral system this time round.
Time will tell I guess - but it was great to hear that interview.

 

[2020hindsight]

There are the two elections of course - Parliamentary and President.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/31/2204089.htm?section=justin

Parties neck-and-neck in Zimbabwe poll
Posted 9 hours 19 minutes ago
Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change and President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF are neck-and-neck as the first results trickled in today from a weekend general election.

With 24 of the 210 parliamentary seats so far declared, the MDC and ZANU-PF had both won 12 constituencies, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announced to reporters at its Harare headquarters.

In its report on the election, a team from the 14-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) noted a number of concerns but ultimately declared the vote was a "peaceful and credible expression of the will of the people."

Let's see the result first

 

[2020hindsight]

just that there was a great interview on PM tonight with a Zimbabwean politician saying "he cannot fault the (new) Electoral Commission so far" .

This Eddie Cross is a white politician btw. (sure sounds white anyway - maybe I'm wrong / wong there)

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2204006.htm

MARK COLVIN: Eddie Cross is the Member of Parliament for Bulawayo South for the opposition, Movement for Democratic Change.

EDDIE CROSS: We're on our way to a majority. I've got no doubt that we'll have a majority in Parliament, a clear majority.

MARK COLVIN: Have you got any doubt that the electoral commission will actually rubber stamp that majority; that it will be officially announced?

EDDIE CROSS: Well, the electoral commission has behaved impeccably in the last 48 hours. We really have no complaints at all.

We were very happy with the way the count was conducted at the polling stations and the fact that they posted the results at every polling station. We've had free access to that so we've actually been declaring victory since midnight last night on the basis of polling station results.

I mean, for example, in my own case, I knew I had won a majority by 3am on the night after the elections.

MARK COLVIN: What do you think then happened to the electoral commission presumably in previous elections? You've been accusing it of going along with Mugabe in terms of vote rigging.

EDDIE CROSS: In fact in previous elections were run entirely by the Registrar General's Office in the Ministry of Home Affairs and were conducted very much by a man called Mudede, who was the past master at rigging.

And in the negotiations facilitated by South Africa, by President Mbeki, it was agreed that under the new Electoral Act, responsibility for the elections would move to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, which although it's been in existence for the past 20 years, in fact was five Commissioners and one member of staff, it had no real power or authority.

MARK COLVIN: And suddenly it has.

EDDIE CROSS: Yeah. And they didn't even announce the results in the 2005 elections and that was done by the Joint Operations Command, which is a military organisation.
...
EDDIE CROSS: .... President Mbeki has played a crucial role in the lead up to this election. Some of the reforms that were agreed under his tutelage have been vital.

In fact, I think this was the thing that really swung it; it was the shift from the civil service to the electoral commission, was much more dynamic than they had expected.

Although the electoral commission appointed by Zanu PF, and the Chairman is a Zanu PF supporter, he is a lawyer of some 40 years standing; he's a judge and I think that his professional background simply took over. And he flatly refused to do some of the illegal things that he was being asked to do.

So, as a consequence, we've had an election which for the first time has been run according to the regulations.

MARK COLVIN: So the $64,000 question is, if it is announced as a major victory for you, what will Mugabe do? Will he accept it? Will he stand down? Will he leave the country or what?

EDDIE CROSS: Well up to midday yesterday the indications were that they had definitely planned something. They had deployed the army throughout the country; we had tanks on the streets, we had armoured cars, we had armed soldiers and policeman all over the place.

Then in the evening there was an emergency Politburo meeting, followed by a meeting of the joint heads of the armed forces at Mugabe's home.

And we understand from some reports that they said to him there's absolutely no way we can do anything at this juncture.

The results are overwhelming and the advice to him was that the armed forces were not in a position to enforce anything other than the actual results, which were then well known to the authorities.

MARK COLVIN: Of course they saw what happened in Kenya presumably, they would have had an eye to that.

EDDIE CROSS: That's right. And in fact after that the armed forces were withdrawn from the streets of our cities and are back in barracks. So, it really does look as if, and the feeling in the country is that this transition is going to take place.

So, I really do think that this long nightmare is over.

Hope he's right ! as for the the future ...

MARK COLVIN: Can I ask you one last question then; you've got an economic catastrophe on your hands, will a new party, if you're right and Mugabe does go, if you are the new government, will you be able to do much in the short term for the people who are in some cases, starving?
EDDIE CROSS: Well, I think managing expectations is going to be our biggest problem. People really do expect, suddenly there to be food and fuel and all the things which we don't have at the moment. And clearly that's our top priority.

But look we're very prepared for that.

We have an excellent body of policies that have been agreed by the party and we're well prepared for this.

We're prepared for the transition.

We've identified potential key players in the new administration and as soon as President Tsvangirai is sworn into office, we'll swing into action.

And I'm sure that by the end of this week major reforms will be underway and I hope we'll be able to do something for the general population as quickly as possible thereafter.

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=eddie+cross&meta=

 

[Aussiejeff]

And we think Zimbabwean politics is bizzare?......

Costello 'urged' to challenge

Article from: AAP April 05, 2008 01:47am

INFLUENTIAL Liberal MPs are urging former federal treasurer Peter Costello to stay in politics and challenge for the leadership.

Mr Costello retired to the backbenches after Labor's victory in November, saying he would be looking to build a career outside politics.

Fairfax newspapers say MPs who want him to stay include former cabinet minister Tony Abbott and newcomers Stuart Robert from Queensland and former state director of the NSW Liberal Party Scott Morrison.

Mr Robert told Fairfax: "Peter Costello's contribution in the past is undeniable and he certainly has something very significant to offer the nation - either through continuing in parliament or in private industry."

Mr Costello refused to comment but is expected to make his intentions clear in the second half of the year.


They have got to be kidding. A belated April Fool's joke perhaps?

LOL

 

[Sean K]

And we think Zimbabwean politics is bizzare?......

Costello 'urged' to challenge

Article from: AAP April 05, 2008 01:47am

INFLUENTIAL Liberal MPs are urging former federal treasurer Peter Costello to stay in politics and challenge for the leadership.

Mr Costello retired to the backbenches after Labor's victory in November, saying he would be looking to build a career outside politics.

Fairfax newspapers say MPs who want him to stay include former cabinet minister Tony Abbott and newcomers Stuart Robert from Queensland and former state director of the NSW Liberal Party Scott Morrison.

Mr Robert told Fairfax: "Peter Costello's contribution in the past is undeniable and he certainly has something very significant to offer the nation - either through continuing in parliament or in private industry."

Mr Costello refused to comment but is expected to make his intentions clear in the second half of the year.


They have got to be kidding. A belated April Fool's joke perhaps?

LOL

No joke, there's some believe he's the best bet now that the people haven't warmed to the doctor, which I am not surprised about. Great speaker, and a big brain, but maybe not in touch with the middle ground. Out of the rest, I can not see anyone striking a note. I would support the gaziilionaire, but I'm way right wing...


Bring back NSD Demos!!!! Would love to see the PM in Ralph!!

 

[Aussiejeff]

No joke, there's some believe he's the best bet now that the people haven't warmed to the doctor, which I am not surprised about. Great speaker, and a big brain, but maybe not in touch with the middle ground. Out of the rest, I can not see anyone striking a note. I would support the gaziilionaire, but I'm way right wing...


Bring back NSD Demos!!!! Would love to see the PM in Ralph!!

Theres the problem with trying to fly with ONLY ONE WING. One tends to proceed in a tight circle without achieving lift off....

Me, my two lil' stubby wings can sometimes get me off the ground enough to sit on the picket fence - but usually only for a couple of seconds before crash landing back to earth on me ample underbelly... LOL

 

[Sean K]

Theres the problem with trying to fly with ONLY ONE WING. One tends to proceed in a tight circle without achieving lift off....

Me, my two lil' stubby wings can sometimes get me off the ground enough to sit on the picket fence - but usually only for a couple of seconds before crash landing back to earth on me ample underbelly... LOL

You can fly with one wing, if it's strong enough.

But, I agree, the other wing needs to flap about a bit for survival.

Thus, the fight for survival is somewhere near the middle ground, to keep airborne!!!

 

[wayneL]

Kevo is getting himself noticed over here.

For your interest: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/peter_riddell/article3695057.ece

 

[2020hindsight]

Kevo is getting himself noticed over here.

For your interest: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/peter_riddell/article3695057.ece

thanks Wayne.
And that was before the Beijing uni speech.
KD Lang is in Aus at the moment . She announces herself as a Buddhist monk these days. Yesterday she was waxing seriously lyrical about Kev's virtues... "I truly admire him - telling it straight, yet gracefully - etc"

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23519022-1702,00.html

Kd Lang proud of 'fearless' Rudd
April 10, 2008 07:54pm
PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has received a rave review from singer/songwriter KD Lang for his stance on Tibet.

The Canadian pop star, currently touring Australia, today described Mr Rudd as amazing and fearless for expressing concerns about the crackdown in Tibet while visiting China.

The Prime Minister told Beijing University students there were significant human rights problems in Tibet and he brought up the issue in talks today with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

"Your most amazing prime minister has been very fearless in his answers and very, very graceful,'' Lang told ABC Radio.

"I'm very very proud of Kevin Rudd for being so focused and clear on his answers and his approach.

"I'm very moved by him.''

Even she concludes that the Olympics should go ahead btw...

However, Lang said the Olympics should go ahead in Beijing partly because it brought attention to the Tibet issue.

"What Beijing brings to us is a ripping off a bandaid and there's a totally exposed wound there that has never healed.''

 

[2020hindsight]

Headlines .. "Boy grows up amid pineapples in Nambour and addresses Beijing University students in Mandarin on Tibet"

 

[Sean K]

No joke, there's some believe he's the best bet now that the people haven't warmed to the doctor, which I am not surprised about. Great speaker, and a big brain, but maybe not in touch with the middle ground. Out of the rest, I can not see anyone striking a note. I would support the gaziilionaire, but I'm way right wing...

Looks like the gazillionaire is going to take the helm. However, too rich to become PM. If he donated it all to Oxfam, or me, then he might be half a chance.

Liberals prepare to oust Nelson

KEY Liberal powerbrokers who backed Brendan Nelson as Opposition Leader have switched their allegiance to Malcolm Turnbull.

The shift, combined with a general sense of despair at Dr Nelson's recent performance, means a leadership spill is likely within months.

 

[2020hindsight]

Looks like the gazillionaire is going to take the helm. However, too rich to become PM. If he donated it all to Oxfam, or me, then he might be half a chance.

kennas, Speaking of politicians prepared to prove they aren't just in it for the money ..
Maybe bring back Ted Mack? (except that he's 75 this year lol)
(the only politician to prove his honourable political motives by "giving back" his entitlements to parliamentary pensions, both State and Federal.
(He reminds me a bit of Ron Paul)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Mack_(politician)

STATE: In 1981, Mack decided to shift into state politics, and ran as an independent for the recently created New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of North Shore.[1] He was successful in what would normally have been a safe Liberal seat, and served as a state MP until 1988, when he retired two days before he was due to qualify for his parliamentary pension entitlements, as a statement against the excesses of public political office

FEDERAL: After two years of being out of politics, Mack achieved even broader fame by winning the federal seat of North Sydney in 1990, defeating incumbent Liberal MP John Spender. During his time in federal politics, Mack opposed the unilateral removal of tariffs, privatisation, Australian involvement in the Gulf War[2] and the appointment of an Indonesian general as ambassador to Australia. Mack retired at the 1996 election for the same reasons he had quit state politics eight years previously.

 

[nioka]

kennas, Speaking of politicians prepared to prove they aren't just in it for the money ..
Maybe bring back Ted Mack? (except that he's 75 this year lol)

What is wrong with being 75. Think of it as a positive. He has 75 years experience. He'd get my vote.

 

[2020hindsight]

nioka, I guess Reagan was 78 when he left office, conceded, and he was passable - nodded at all the right moments - delegated well.

and (on the other hand) Mugabe is 84 - he'll either be taken out in an election or in a coffin - but one things for sure, he's gonna go eventually

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reagan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mugabe

 

[skint]

Looks like the gazillionaire is going to take the helm. However, too rich to become PM. If he donated it all to Oxfam, or me, then he might be half a chance.

Hi Kennas, It seems wealth isn't too much of an obstacle. Therese may be the one with the cash, but I'm sure she gives Kev decent pocket money. Funny how Kev has been able to minimise the 'loaded' label and Turnbull is always portrayed as Richie Rich. Turnbull is indeed their only hope, but I think it would suit him better to have the dirty nappy a bit later.

 

[2020hindsight]

... more cartoons from the Australian (one by Bill Leak, one by Peter Nicholson). - more than a week old now
gee but how clever are these cartoonists