Bush ally Howard booted out by the voters of Australia.
WOOHOO!
From Reuters/MSNBC:
SYDNEY, Australia - Australia’s Labor Party swept into power at national elections on Saturday, propelling 50-year-old former diplomat Kevin Rudd into office on a wave of support for generational change.The surge to Labor left conservative Prime Minister John Howard struggling to hold on to even his own parliamentary seat, which he has held since 1974, putting him in danger of becoming the first prime minister since 1929 to lose his constituency.
Wow. Wonder what the issues were? [egr bold]
Rudd presented himself as a new generation leader compared with Howard, 68, promising to pull Australian combat troops out of Iraq and sign the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, further isolating Washington on both issues.[snip]
The election was fought mainly on domestic issues, with Labor cashing in on anger at workplace laws and rising interest rates which put home owners under financial pressure at a time when Australia’s economy is booming.
To our Aussie pups, got your Snoopy Dance right here. And your Dancing In The Streets!
Better foreign policy, responsive domestic policy...taking notes, fellow Americans? This is how it's done.
Australian fireworks graphic from Flickr Creative Commons artist woowoowoo, a pretty darn good name for this celebration
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woohoo!!!
Mornin’ eg. Zed?
Not this time, retirin’. :)
Is this a new thread, or am I really still asleep?
I bet persi is celebrating.
In other news, Congressional Democrats fly emergency response team to Australia to examine the results! Says Rahm Emmanuel, “we must learn the right lessons from this, lest we too fall into the terrible trap of becoming more electable by distancing ourselves from Bush with policies that reflect the domestic and foreign policy will of the electorate!”
A toast to the Aussies!! Can we be next please?
Congrats, Lindy. And congrats to the Aussies.
Aussie,Aussie,Aussie - oy,oy,oy!!!
egregious @ 7
I’ll drink to that.
retirin’ in five @ 8
Thanks retirin’ and yes! Congratulations to the aussies!
The vote–the best term limits.
Good morning everyone. Good news to waks up to.
Persiflage, a few minutes ago:
I gotta go make coffee. Who wants bagels and fig preserves with that?
Coffee…good idea. Then I can look around and see what’s in the news :)
egregious @ 15
Good post, I’m glad that you highlighted this important news. I imagine the president must be taking antacids this mornings.
While we’re trying to get Persi up here from EPU land, here’s the word:
Promise?
“Hello, John? This is George. I’m just callin’ to congratulate ya on yer - you WHAT!?!”
egregious @ 17
I promise.
WOW egregious, that is SOME news to wake up with
THANX FOR THE EARLY POST!
what can the republicans in this country POSSIBLY be doing when they continue to support the most hated, most inept, most corrupt and most failed president in the history of this country
I have been saying from the time we first won the majority;
we can deal with the republicans, we can get them to impeach the morons running this country
it’s the only way they can stay in power they will not be reelected unless they take a stand against the despots in our government
it’s the only way they can save their party…and the sooner we get someone in office that has a brain this country will go further and further into the night making it more and more impossible to recover what has been destroyed
thanx again for the early post egregious
Wow - still early double digits just before dawn.
NPR (whose spin has been suspect since the Clinton era) described Rudd less a s progressive than ‘not a friggin nutter’.
Sort of what I would expect from Hil.
I wouldn’t want anyone to think that Australia will now be a progressive paradise. Kevin Rudd, our new Prime Minister, isn’t an inspirational visionary. What I think he is an efficient manager, the type of person you’d feel comfortable completing your taxes. He’s a bit bland and boring, a devout Catholic, devoted family man. There will be no Vitter-type scandals here.
And the “Coalition of the
WillingCoerced” shrinks by one…Next!!
Spain, Italy, England, and now Australia have all lost their pro Iraq war leaders…maybe freedom is on the march:) SNOOPY DANCE TIME!
Does yearly Kos have a band play at the bar, assuming they have a bar if I go I’ll dance to the Snoopy Dance song even if I’m the only one!
We are doing good people! Our friends are just doing better!
jayt @ 23
poland left yesterday or the day before
what I would REALLY like to see is these heads of state renounce the occupation for what it was, an asset grab, stealing of treasure for private industry at the expense of the lives of patriots
Sorry I forgot Poland!
persiflage @ 22
The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.
Things Come Undone @ 26
seems like your handle suits today oh might things come undone
perris @ 25
So what’s the deal with Sarkozy? Who would ever want to tie his fortunes to W’s at this stage of the game. I can’t imagine what he’s thinking.
Poland left? Good on them.
I kinda hate having to delete “Don’t forget Poland” from my repertoire though.
Australia now has it’s first woman deputy prime minister. And this guy (the singer) is now the Minister for the Environment. I hope he wears that shirt and hat to the swearing-in ceremony.
Shouldn’t that be Vegimite?
This great news!
Then there’s hope for us yet.
.
Can’t wait to rid ourselves of these cockroaches, like the ones responsible for this travesty:
20,000 vets’ brain injuries not listed in Pentagon tally
Things Come Undone @ 26
707!
eCAHNomics @ 29
say eCAHNomics…some economic info that is not on the radar screen yet though it should be
I have friends that are salesmen for bmw
they cannot get industry, bmw isn’t giving them cars due to the value of the dollar
the dealership I am familiar with usually has a couple of hundred cars in inventory they are down to about 50
the collapse has begun…no media yet…I don’t blame the media though, we will have panic if things like this get public broadcast
jayt @ 30
you can change it to
“Don’t forget Poland………..oh wait…”
DrJohn @ 32
Not even in honor of this great victory would it be vegimite. I’ve had it. Not my choice. I’ll sing a few bars of Waltzing Matilda, though…make you wish you’d taken the fig preserves *grin*
Elliott @ 33
how about their bizzare “bookeeping” methods to decide what is a combat wound, what is a political attack and what is social
I don’t have the link but they’ve found a way to make all the figures look like they are unrelated to this president’s attack on their country
Perris,
Of all the things I worry about—and it’s quite a list—shrinking BMW lot inventory is not high on the list. This is a sensible move by the dealers to react to the tanking dollar, but I don’t believe this alone to be alarming. Maybe to the dealers.
You want to talk about pancaking credit tiers, I’m yours.
In honor of Australia and Poland - the Walls came down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kX8lqXAONg
egregious @ 39
I’m not worried about bmw dealers egregious, and of course it’s sensible
not on the dealers part, it’s sensible on bmw’s part
the point I’m making is that the collapse has begun, import cars mean nothing to me, the fact that we can’t buy anything
that’s the important part
Perris
I saw your BMW comment yesterday.
Autos is the most sensitive sector to economic fluctuations afer housing, so BMW is probably suffering from both high euro was well as bad times in U.S.
Set against that, I expect a steady stream of Fed easings ahead. Not sure how it will balance out, but after 9/11, they managed to keep the downturn shallow which was a remarkable achievement, considering that the aftereffects of the tech bubble burst were still in the mix.
Anyone have a link to Jane’s WJ appearance? Latest WJ I can find on C-SPAN’s website is 11/21.
eCAHNomics @ 42
the only thing the fed can do to ease in this case is try to raise the value of the dollar
that would bring a buy off of assets and inflation would insue anyway
the problem is as follows;
the us has printed paper, more paper then imagineable, china and saudi arabia has been buying this paper or “taking our debt”
they haven’t begun to spend those dollars yet, when they do they will overpay for everything just to get assets in exchange, if a building or bussiness is worth a billion they will pay a billion five, they will unload paper
the won’t give us assets for dollars either, that’s why we can’t buy imports, they want assets for dollars, they don’t want to sell assets for dollars
I don’t know what the fed can do about this
stop printing papger maybe
an adendum to my above post;
the m3 index is what was once used to indicate how hard our printing presses were running, it told us how much paper is being printed
the president removed the index from being reported
they did this because the amount of money being made was dangerously obscene
eCAHNomics @ 43
One of the firepups put together the videos.
Here’s Jane on Washington Journal:
Newtonusr’s vids
Now that I’ve gotten myself in the mood for The Call - Let the Day Begin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXywSZ-Zdmg
(my neighbors *so* love my ass every Saturday and Sunday morning)
perris @ 28
Snark! LOL Everything falls apart Perris admitting your mistakes is the first step in correcting them. I supported the war against Al Quieda yes I was a war monger.
I never understood the war against Iraq after we couldn’t find any WMD or Iraqi ties to Al Quieda so now I’m here still trying to correct my first mistake!
persiflage @ 22
Sounds a bit like UK’s Gordon Brown. Whatever it takes to hem in BushCo and render it impotent (politically speaking, of course).
perris,
The falling value of the $$ helps U.S. exports. Important domestic ‘constituents’ for strong currency, like Wal-Mart, are not much influenced as their goods come from countries where the currency hasn’t changed much.
Fed easing will exascerbate $ weakness against euro & yen, not help it. Forex value of the $ not on policy radar screen now, as long as it doesn’t start to look ‘disorderly.’
You can bet there’s lots of back room converstaions among central bankers going on about it, though.
This news was the first thing I saw after waking up. Snoopy dance, indeed. About a year ago when talking healthcare, an Aussie piped in to say that Australia’s prescription drugs used to be quite inexpensive but had skyrocketed in price the last few years due to some trade pact that was signed, Can’t remember the details but it sounded like good old American healthcare gouging.
eCAHNomics @ 50
I knew you would have insight I have not considered
I know a weak dollar helps exports, and I don’t much care about imports
what I am worried about is asset buying if they decide to unload the dollar
perris @ 28
oh might things come undone? Or was it oh mighty things come undone the Snark works better that way! :)
Things Come Undone @ 53
twas a typo and I couldn’t go back and edit
you are indeed the mighty
here some more smiley news
MSNBC Hedges on Tucker’s Future
Not to minimize the danger, but it is not in the self-interest of oil producers or China or India to dump $$ assets, as their protfolios of them are gigantic and would drop in value. U.S. in this context is the “too-big-to-fail” character (like Donald Trump of Citicorp to name a couple of other examples of the principle).
The problem is that these things aren’t always controllable, back room chats notwithstanding. And if the $$ rout starts to get out of control, there’s no good policy options to salvage it.
Focus will continue to be on domestic economy.
Thanks for the early posting of this good news, egregious. BBC news online comments are a treat to read @ times like this. From Anne in Brisbane:
“It is now 10.40pm Brisbane time. I have been watching the election results unfold since 5pm, and all I can say is - oh,what a night! After too many years I can finally hold my head up and be proud to call myself Australian again. Mr Howard achieved some good things in his time, it’s true - however, in that same time he changed the Australia that I grew up with into a divided, narrow-minded, self-serving “me-first” nation. But tonight’s result has restored my faith in my fellow Australians. YES!”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asi.....109692.stm
eCAHNomics @ 56
thanx for the lesson, as I said, I knew you would have insight I haven’t considered
we have gone too far off of agregious’s thread and it’s my fault
so back on topic
wooHOO
Will celebrate here with a 4xxxx or Fosters but wish it could be a Tooheys Old. Big Oz fans in this house. Especially miss the Barrier Reef and Heron Island.
Good on ya mates!
Off topic cheerfully welcomed, in exchange for starting my name with an e. Deal?
Elliott @ 55
Smiley news indeed - there may be another Snoopy dance in the near future?
egregious @ 59
E it is then since I do go off topic so often, tiz the very least of requests for the priviledge
bluejeansntshirt @ 59
Hey bluejeansntshirt!
I remember you said you missed hearing Jane’s answer when you called in to Washington Journal.
Here are the vids:
Newtonusr’s videos
I’ve decided to nickname the leaders that have gone down due to association with bush:
jayt @ 61
I’ve noticed he looks a little more sober & less triumphalist of late. Too little too late. Hopeflly it’ll be good riddance to bad rubbish.
Good morning all.
Good morning Millineryman, happy news yes?
egregious @ 67
Indeed it is!
Millineryman @ 66
Hi MM, what’s good at the bakery this morning?
eCAHNomics @ 65
I’d like to see it go to Willie Geist (sp?). He’s hosted Morning Joe a few times and he makes it fun. And I like David Shuster right where he is; out there actually *getting* the news and then reporting the truth back to the other hosts.
jmo. ymmv.
perris @ 54
Nothing new can happen until the mistakes of the past are acknowledged by both sides. I deserve an a@@kicking for my earlier mistake about John Edwards on the last thread.
I can’t in good conscious hold Bush to a higher standard than I hold myself, unless I admit when i’m wrong and accept punishment.
Admit your mistakes and try if you can to make them better is the first step in trying to learn!
Again I am sorry about accusing Edwards!
Elliott @ 69
Hey Elliot, I don’t know, I’m still working on the Thanksgiving pie leftovers. Since I’m almost sans love handles I’m limiting myself to one kind of sweet indulgence at a time.
GREAT NEWS…ya’think our spineless Dem leadership will take note?
TheraP @ 64
How do we get this as a Wikipedia entry?
Franco @ 73
“John *who*”?.
Spineless, yes. But ya gotta give ‘em proper credit for not being very bright either.
Frederick of Hollywood to NYC:
New York Is Atypical City.
You know, the West Village.
And all those foreigners who don’t even pay lobbying fees.
Franco @ 73
We might need to bring it to their attention.
Come and Pull Up A Chair
Current banner headline for the Sydney Morning Herald online edition:
For All Australians
And since the header may change later, here’s the Page 1 lead article:
Howard Concedes Defeat
pull up a chair
takes a bow
Good going, perris!
Typed Sidney instead of Sydney in #79. Aussies, please forgive. It’s only 5:30 a.m. in L.A. More coffee needed…
Things Come Undone @ 74
I have no idea. But it’s an Open Source phrase. I’m giving it away free!
Marie Roget @ 79
Fantasy ‘08 headline:
Republicans Concede Defeat of Historic Proportions
Gotta dream big!
egregious @ 63
Thanks so much. Still cringing here. Now I understand the check remark. Jane doesn’t owe me, but I’ll be sending her one today.
bluejeansntshirt @ 85
No need to cringe, it was good!
You’ve got guts to call in on a national television show. Way to go!
egregious @ 84
Ohhhh, let it be so.
it smells really good upstairs
Sorry… the editor stole my phrase when @83 printed.
It’s:
Thanks for fixing my “typing in haste” typo up there :)
TheraP @ 83
Just so long as you get the credit.
Well, the ’sheriff of the Pacific’, a.k.a. ‘man of steel’ has fallen on his sword, more or less.
I almost felt sorry for him >
Things Come Undone @ 71
Things,
If you never make any mistakes, it means you’re not trying enough new stuff. I think it’s called welcome to the human race.
Blair, gone. Howard, gone. Next up: Harper in Canada. Poland changed too. Then it is over to you guys.
The rest of the world (France excepted) will have pretty much taken out anyone who might have supported any incoming Republican on anything.
Thanks Egregious! Still if you make a mistake you should both admit it and accept punishment.
Perris is just being SNARKY.
Things Come Undone @ 91
I’m not looking for credit. I’m looking for an end to the nightmare.
Use it as you wish.
Robert Paehlke @ 94
So what’s the word on Harper?
We all deserve credit for trying TheraP when you have a good idea accept the praise! Because tomorrow as I am learning today you might have to accept the blame!
To everything a season. The quote escapes me now.
Isn’t Harper a conservative?
Things Come Undone @ 98
Thank you for these words of wisdom. Ok, I’ll take the credit today… and the blame when it’s due.
Things Come Undone:
From the Old Testament. Book of Wisdom, I believe.
Excellent thing to keep in mind.
Peace.
TheraP @ 101
Ecclesiastes 3
Linky “A time to love, a time to hate, a time of war, a time of peace”
Byrds:
Youtube, Turn Turn Turn “A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late”
Change in Poland too.
jo6pac
Things Come Undone @ 24
Don’t forget Poland!!! ;-)
perris @ 35
Airbus is also sinking. Boeing is now priced at almost 40% less than the equivalent Airbus model. So in some respects there is great jubilation at what is happening. Those in the military-industrial complex, agri-business, and other large industries that export abroad (including oil, which gets a DOUBLE benefit).
Hi all and a belated happy thanksgiving - my excuse - been too busy to get the bastards out here - got there and we’re out of Iraq and should be out of Afghanistan bc the only way we can ever be there is to kill, kill, kill, kill people like you and me and your children and my daughters and just humans.
I am not ecstatic - I don’t trust Rudd - I got no problem with his xtian religiosity but I don’t appreciate it being shoved in my civic face. I appreciate that was a political stratagem, nevertheless, it was alienating.
I have always been a diehard supporter of organised labour but am so disappointed to hear nothing about rescinding draconian refugee/immigration edicts from the the incoming Labour/Rudd government. I want to be proud to be an Aussie rather than feeling ashamed at continuing the tradition of racism.
Perhaps he would apologise as a Prime Minister to the indigenous peoples for all the dreadfully unforgivable wrongs done in past times as a true believer. I can only hope ….
Persiflage, where are you? I am in Melbourne now after 25 years in the bush capital but many years out of the country.
I have posted the first couple of paragraphs in the next thread - I am getting drunk bc I’ve waited so long to see that bigot out but I’m not too confident but I dig the deputy.
Congrats, sona.
Hope we’re next.
Good for Australia!!!
Not as dumb, incompetent or dangerous as George, Howard was nevertheless a fascist loser in his own right.
persiflage @ 22
Fine by me. Get the country to trust that Labour’s not a bunch of nutters that will wreck things straight out of the gate, and then we can work on the big stuff.
If nothing else, he’s good on Kyoto and Iraq, and those are the two biggies right now.
Good morning Phoenix Woman!
perris @ 45
Sorry, I’m not going down Conspiracy Theory Street with you on this one. I find the Fed’s stated reason for discontinuing the reporting of M3 data to be completely plausible. Why do you see it differently? Put another way, what did the M3 data tell us that M1 and M2 data don’t?
Hey burns,
You’re up mighty early today. Can you explain more about the M3 please?
egregious @ 107
We’re probably not next. Hopefully Stephane Dion (the leader of the Liberal party in Canada)is paying attention.