Apparently the Liberals are going to stand in the way of every Australian man, woman, child and koala getting $1000 come April. Apparently students and even those of us unblessed by the 50 IQ points and encylopaedic knowledge that comes with having a child will be getting some scratch. They're also getting in the way of billions of dollars in school funding and other stuff, but let's not pretend anyone's interested in that, least of all Malcolm, whose kids all attended Silvertail High.
I'm just struggling to see how the Liberal party can spin one of Australia's richest men saying that Shane the Tradie (I'm trying a Palinesque everyman, work with me) can't have $1000 because times are tight. Who exactly is he selling this to? The people who desperately want the money? The business community that desperately wants them to spend it? Hare Krishnas? Jesuit Monks? How are they going to sell it?
"I'm Malcolm Turnbull, no one knows more than I do about the horrors of having more money. I'm here to tell you why you don't really want thousands of dollars."
I'm not sure they've thought this through. He seems to be making the kind of finely nuanced explanation that totally appeals to people when you're trying to convince them that they really don't want that pile of money. It goes:
1. The stimulus package is a bad, irresponsible idea.
2. The stimulus package should be half the size it is now. Then it will be half as bad and irresponsible and we can support it.
3. The previous stimulus package didn't work because it only did most of what it was meant to.
4. The govt. should bring the permanent tax cuts (the ones we can't afford now) forward and by 2010 you will be $1700 better off if your family earns $80,000. This way we will be in deficit for the same amount through a drop in tax revenue, but will see none of the effects of one off cash payments. [delete this]I will then win the next election, cake for everyone! (except Peter Costello)[delete this]
Also I saw Family First senator Steve Fielding telling the media that if they pass this budget, we might not have any money left. Apparently an Australian senator thinks that there is a big jar of coins behind Kevin Rudd's chair and if we spend it all, there won't be any left. I know you don't have to be smart to be a senator, but don't you need to at least have some vague idea of how the economy you're going to be senating works?
Xenomorph on the other hand looked like a rabbit in the headlights and is no doubt working frantically to get himself out of the way of the voters while maximising media exposure. Maybe a joint statement/proposal with the Greens?
2 comments:
I get what Turnbull's trying to do but I think it'll backfire. He's waiting for the stimulus package to pass and then fail so he can say I told you so. I'm just pissed he's delaying my $950.
I also find it hysterical that people are so against going into deficit. Anyone with a mortgage has willingly gone into deficit...it's only a problem if you can't make the repayments.
i don't think the stimulus package will fail, well depending on your definition of fail. we can't fix this recession, the only job of the govt. is to hang on until everyone else does.
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