Well fuck you too, Prime Minister

The BBQ Pit
1

In case you hadn’t noticed Mr Howard - and I’m sure that you did notice because CNN beamed us live footage of you being taken by the US Secret Service to a safe location on September 11 - there are actually a few things going on in this world right now that need your attention.

You will recall parliament if in your opinion it is needed between now and the election? You are the fucking leader of our nation - today the US is threatening to cut off diplomatic relations with Indonesia - and you’re sitting there telling everyone to have a good summer holiday?

You will reconvene parliament if it’s necessary?

I’ve never voted for you, sir, but over the last couple of weeks you earned my grudging respect. You hugged the American ambassador on 11 Sept, and for once, you stopped being a politician and became a human being - that’s precisely why you went from being a total loser in the polls to a winner.

I know that you are now riding high on the crest of the wave, the totally unwinnable election - the one at which you were certain to be defeated - is now within your grasp.

I would so hate to think, Prime Minister, that you would let trifling things like our trade agreements and our defence treaties get in the way of you publicily supporting the teams of your choice at this weekend’s football grand finals.

Oh shit, parliament has finished sitting for the year, so no more legislation can be passed until after the election. What a crock of shit. You promised support to the US which has yet to be ratified by parliament - now your excuse is that parliament has finished sitting? If your government is returned, are you going to claim a mandate, yet again?

I have no problem whatsoever with my country supporting the US in the “war against terrorism” - I have a huge problem with you refusing to convene a special sitting of parliament in order that our support of the US can be made legal.

Call me a cynic, Prime Minister, but I think that if you really cared about this country, the US, or freedom as a general principle worth fighting for, then you would not be going on holidays right now.

But hell, don’t let the future of our nation get in the way of you being the number one supporter at both of the footy grand finals this weekend.

I hope your football team loses tomorrow, Prime Minister, because you shouldn’t be even at the football; you should be leading the nation which you hope will re-elect you in a few short week’s time.

When the shit hits the fan with Indonesia, Sir, as it most surely will, I’ll just tell my children that our Prime Minister was too busy attending the football to give a damn.

M’kay?

2

I do need to point out that the above rant is not aimed at the US or any other nation, it is aimed solely at one gutless politician who happens to be the Prime Minister of my country.

3

Okay. Australia, right?

See, now, if ya’ll had Jeffersonian Democracy, a “Republic”, then ya’ll wouldn’t have this “Parliament optional” problem…

:smiley:

Although I will admit that switching over to Jeffersonian Democracy probably wouldn’t do much to reduce your “asshole politician factor”. We may even have a higher APF than ya’ll, since once they’re in, they’re in for the duration, and they can say what they like, whereas APFs in Oz know that the PM can shut them down any time he feels like going to the football game instead, so they have to mind their Ps and Qs.

4

I’m no friend of that dog-whistle blowing slime, but parliament has run its full term. And the opposition at the moment are about as useful as a one-legged man at an arse-kicking party - I mean they guillotined the migration stuff through. It’s a depressing time in Australian politics.

5

I’m well aware, hawthorne that parliament has technically run its full term - but John Howard has been asked for an election date all year and refused to give it. It’s just a very convenient time to be making promises on the international scene which have not been ratified by parliament and now cannot be until after the election.

There is nothing whatsoever which prevents parliament from sitting until the writs for the election have been issued - they haven’t yet been issued. I’m pretty sure that there is even provision within our constitution for the sitting parliament to act as “caretakers” during the 28 day dissolution period - god knows it didn’t seem to be a problem in 1975.

I actually don’t want to vote for either of them - 4 weeks ago I would have voted for Kim : right now they both disgust me so much that I’m seriously considering voting informal for the first time ever.

6

Our illustrious Prime Minister, Jean Poutine, went to visit Washington and sit down with Bush to discuss Canada’s role in the upcoming…actions. That’s all well and good (except for the part where our PM speaks such poor English that it’s embarrassing to listen to him), except he couldn’t be bothered to visit New York City. It’s practically on his way home to Ottawa, and he just couldn’t make it. He has shown disregard for most Canadians throughout his terms, but his continuing disregard for diplomacy with other countries (he had to go skiing instead of going to the King of Jordan’s funeral as well) is just embarrassing for decent Canadians.

As for calling parliament - we’re just lucky that parliament was due to resume anyway, or we’d probably be posting the same rant as you, reprise.

And have I mentioned; I’m so embarrassed by the Prime Minister of my country :(.

7

Whether it did or didn’t come back, what can / should / should have Parliament do / have done?

8

Hey, labradorian. I’m not exactly sure what you’re asking. Are you asking what I think the Canadian parliament/PM should have done in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks (as in military commitments, that kind of thing)?

9

Basically, yes. What can Parliament do, or could it have done, after September 11th?

10

I know next to nothing about Aussie politics, so forgive me if this is a stupid question–does the PM have broader powers when Parliament isn’t sitting? In other words, could the PM really be trying to circumvent interference for the moment with whatever he intends to do?

I ask because I recall that Lincoln refused to call a special session of Congress when the US Civil War broke out–this allowed him to operate as he saw fit, and present Congress with something of a done deal. I wonder if Mr. Howard might be doing something similar.

11

This has certainly made me question my opposition to fixed terms of government. I voted against fixed terms in the New South Wales referendum on the matter a few years ago -if it were to become a federal referendum issue now, I’d not be so sure.

12

Are you sure about this? There have been CNN articles about a U.S. State Department travel advisory on Indonesia and anti-American street demonstrations in Jakarta; the U.S. is evacuating non-essential diplomatic personnel because of the fear of violence, but the Megawati government has issued statemeents in support of the U.S. campaign against terrorism.

13

I would think, and this is just me talking out of my ass until one of our Australian brothers and sisters gets here, that without Parliament in session from now until the elections, the PM is pretty much free to make any wild-ass promises he wants without having to worry about Parliament not passing it and hurting his party’s chances at the polls. If they refuse to make good on his pre-emptive promises when they’re finally back in session, it’s not as damaging because the elections will already have been held.

Again, this is speculation on my part.

14

Lux Fiat, yeah that’s the guts of it. Little Johnny Howard can promise all sorts of things without having to actually have them passed by Parliament.

I’m sitting here in Qld thrilled to pieces that Tony Blair finally decided he wasn’t coming to CHOGM next week. I wasn’t all that keen on being in the same city as 54 world leaders given the current global situation. Once Blair and Chretien pulled out, that was it for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting :). Given the quality of the security arrangements, this is a relief. not that I cared if Lizzie Windsor got blown up but I was concerned for my own hide.

Of course seeing as how it was obvious as dog’s balls that CHOGM was likely to be cancelled, it would have been nice if they had ceased spending taxpayers dollars and had cancelled it two weeks ago.

15

Hey Reprise, don’t forget in two years you’ve got 150 Afghanis armed with NZ passports winging their way to your fair shores, mumbling something about finally making it to their destination (plus their newly arrived families as part of UN Refugee provisions)

PS, can we ship our PM and Cabinet over now to fill in while your dudes are ontheir hols

16

bender, abso-bloody-lutely not. Even if they are on holidays, we’ve still got all the nutbags in parliament we can handle.

And, btw, just now I’m more worried about that loon living near Ballarat, and the suspicion that there may be more just like him than I am any of those boat people.

MysterEcks said

He’s got free time know to make promises, do behind-the-scenes deals to get support etc. I’m pretty sure Honest (HA!) John can’t do anything like, oh, declare war without recalling parliament. But he can make a bunch of promises, doesn’t need parliament for that.

At least I hope he can’t…

The problem with Little Johnnie’s promises is, he never tells you which ones are “core promises” and which are “non-core”. I know all politicians backflip occasionally, but this guy should be representing Australia in the gymnastics team.

DDG, we tried for a republic. It didn’t take. Maybe next time, when the waters haven’t been quite so muddied.

Am I the only one who thinks John Howard looks like an Ewok? One that’s been almost partially shaved so all that’s left is the eyebrows?[sub]I wish I knew who said that first. If I did, I’d give them credit right here.[/sub]

I’ve never supported the Libs in my life. I’ve usually regarded Liberal[sup]1[/sup] leaders as being somewhat related to reptiles and slime. But, for a while there, I was starting to think that J. Howard Esq. was responding to things in a close-to-human manner.

Nup. I should have known better.

[sup]1[/sup]Note for furriners: although they are called the “Liberal Party”, the Libs are in fact the conservative party.

17

(I know, I promised it wasn’t a Canadian hijack - please kick us out of here if we get too carried away, okay?)
Labradorian, I think Chretien should have gotten his ass down to New York within days of the attack (and sent his Deputy PM within hours). I think he should have mobilized our army, if not actually sending them to help in New York or Washington. I think that if terrorists ever attack any Canadian places, we are going to expect Americans to cover our butts instantly, and we should do no less for them.

18

While I can’t comment on the quality of your leadership, I do want to say, Canada did cover our backs. Again. You have been covering our backs so well and so often that we take you for granted. You took in the hundreds of planes and tens of thousands of travelers that couldn’t get here without even needing to be asked. You didn’t send troops, but we didn’t need them. We needed your support and your caring and that you were more than generous in supplying.

Thanks.

19

I wouldn’t have sent our army unasked, and I doubt very much our friends to the south would ever have much need to ask.

As for going to New York, it’s a lovely photo op, and it certainly brought the events home for the five party leaders who visited “Ground Zero” on the weekend, but it’s otherwise of little substance, and no practical purpose. We as Canadians paid respects to the American, Canadian, and all the victims in numerous ceremonies and commemorations across the country; I don’t think the site should be a tourist attraction, not even for PMs or MPs or Senators or Congresscritters, unless Manhattan is in their jurisdiction. The NYPD has better things to do than security for VIPs.

20

Hey. Remember when St. John’s burned down in 1892? Or Saint John in 1877? Hull in 1902? Quebec City in, well, many times? Miramichi in 1825? Or when Halifax blew up in 1917?

Well, after those disasters, relief poured in not only from across the province, and across the country, but from the US as well. If you can’t return a favour, pass it on, they say. We’ve been passing these favours back and forth for a couple of centuries now.