Right Pulse

I’ve previously covered the number of people that have died trying to come to Australia to take advantage of Rudd’s soft new illegal immigration laws. The death toll has recently gone up to 58:

Senior navy sources said they had been told several refugee boats had set sail for Australia last year from the northeast of Sri Lanka, but had not been heard from since.

One vessel sank off the Cocos and Keeling Islands west of Christmas Island in November, with the loss of 11 lives.

“There is no possibility of rescue in the middle of the Indian Ocean,” a navy source said.

It’s ALP style compassion.

UPDATE

58 people have been lured to their deaths thanks to Rudd. So one might expect some remorse from the PM. But oh no, go ramp up the spin machine instead:

KEVIN Rudd has accused Tony Abbott of presiding over a policy dead zone when it comes to border security, saying the Opposition Leader is “100 per cent headline and zero per cent policy”.

Every single election promise Rudd made about border security has been broken. I am sure Abbott will have a full policy outlined by the next election that he will actually keep if elected.

MORE

That’s 63 as of May 2010.

FIVE suspected asylum seekers are feared drowned after they decided to swim from their troubled vessel using tubes and lifejackets.

Hypothetical speaking, would a jurisdiction be called a functional democracy when a political party first, attracted the biggest popular vote, second, won based on a first past the post system and third, won based on a two party preferred system – yet still not be the elected government? What if this happened 4 times in recent memory? Also, what if government political staff tried to impersonate another political party as part of a conspiracy to trick people into voting for the status quo? Further, what if there was evidence of vote rigging and double counting? Would you still call this jurisdiction a functional democracy?

Zimbabwe, China, Latin America, the Middle East? No, right here in South Australia. Consider the irony. The very place that invented the secret ballot – the method most people in the world use to cast their vote – can’t even claim to be a functional democracy. From the ABC’s Antony Green on the recent 2010 election:

The Rann government suffered a 2-party preferred swing of 8.4% and recorded only 48.4% of the 2-party preferred vote compared to 51.6% for the Liberal Party, yet has been returned with 26 of the 47 seats in the House of Assembly, a majority over all other parties of five seats….

Labor’s victory is remarkable given that under the state’s redistribution laws, the boundaries had been drawn after the 2006 election to try and ensure that if the Liberal Party won a majority of the state wide 2-party preferred vote, it would also win a majority of seats. In the end the Liberal Party didn’t even get close despite generating a state wide swing large enough to theoretically win government.

So the South Australian Electoral Commission tried to ensure the party that won the election would actually win the election. What a novel idea – more like a sham. It obviously didn’t work, again. One must wonder if there is a conspiracy between the SAEC and the ALP to essentially disenfranchise the majority of South Australian voters. That is exactly what has happened. At least it is clear that the ALP has manipulated the idiosyncrasies of the South Australian electoral system, to the detriment of the majority of South Australian voters – who didn’t vote ALP – and to South Australian democracy.

There also seems to be a distinct absence of media scrutiny of the results. Imagine if this result had occurred in the USA. There would be wall to wall coverage by Fox News and associated affiliates. It seems the Australian media have gone back into their group-think mode, led by none other than ‘your’ ABC. One entry by the ABC’s election blogger in an obscure part of the ABC’s website does not constitute adequate media coverage of the issue.

How can the South Australian Governor call on Mike Rann to form a new government when there has been such an obvious violation of the will of the people and the spirit of democracy? Clearly the legislative arm of the state is broken due to the manipulation of electoral boundaries for political gain and an inadequate system of voting, when the people that win don’t really win. I don’t exactly know what can be done now. Some type of legal action to call the election result null and void would seem the next step, if that’s possible.

During the recent health debate between Abbott and Rudd, the PM claimed a list of medical organisations that supported his ‘policy’ to fix public health. Well apart from the fact that the PM does not have a policy, at the time I smelled a rat at the level of support the PM was claiming:

…rudd talks about a consensus that probably does not exist – climate change style. rudd claims everyone agrees with him – complete nonsense.

Well guess what? An article in the Australian confirms my suspicion:

During last week’s debate with Tony Abbott, the Prime Minister said the “profession right across the country is getting in behind what we are saying”, and the government “was backed” by nine groups.

But five of the groups….there are still too many holes for them to sign up to it at this stage.

Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton attacked Mr Rudd’s comments as “misleading”.

“It’s outrageous that the Prime Minister would verbal all these organisations, claiming their support when clearly he does not have it,” he said.

For Rudd, it is a case of whatever it takes.

When the ABC is doing the coverage:

Despite being declared the unofficial winner of the New South Wales leaders debate, Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell still has a long way to go to win over the majority of voters.

Well, are there any official winners in these type of debates? Only when the main stream media manfuacture a victory for the ALP via the use of  ’worm’ technology, care of an ‘impartial’ audience of ALP and union hacks and university students looking for a quick $50.

Australia issues false passports, so why can’t Israel, especially when they are in the process of killing a bad guy:

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop told The Weekend Australian: “It would be naive in the extreme to believe a foreign power never used a forged passport. The Australian government would have to be very careful to ensure that Australian agencies never used forged passports.”

She said expelling an Israeli diplomat would be an “extreme step” and that she would “not want to see Kevin Rudd politicise this case in an election year”.

The strong grain of anti-semitism will raise its ugly head in the labour movement once more. Australia should be working more closely with Israel to take out Hamas and other like leaders, no matter where they hide.

Answer: the threat of a debt implosion across all levels of government in the USA. I’ve covered this issue time and time again. I suppose someone in Australia will eventually wake up to this threat. A sub-prime style meltdown in government debt and confidence. From NRO:

Warren Buffett’s firm isn’t the only one. Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, and Lowe’s have been borrowing money at cheaper rates than Uncle Sam.

Barron’s also reported, and I blogged, on the following nightmare:

And state governments are already facing a huge problem called pensions. The Pew Charitable Trusts estimates that state-government pensions are underfunded by $450 billion. My American Enterprise Institute colleague Andrew Biggs argues in the Wall Street Journal that the real figure is over $3 trillion.

Household debt levels in Australia are just as bad – thanks to the cost and price of housing. Thankfully our Federal debt is still within manageable levels, though Rudd is doing his very best to destroy those levels with tax and spend policies that do very little for the economy.

With such an international threat to growth and during a time of strong domestic economic growth, shouldn’t prudence dictate that the Federal government should lower taxes and save to insulate the economy and budget against an almost inevitable dagger to the heart of economic confidence from a sovereign debt meltdown? This of course would require the government to roll back its spending programmes which is primarily designed to put tax-payer money into the ALP’s re-election fund through union fees, kickbacks and property developer donations.

The latest count in the South Australian election has the Liberals ahead by 4.1 per cent on primary vote, yet still they look set to lose the election. I have the distinct impression in the very marginal electorates, that some people decided to vote more than once to get the ALP across the line. I don’t have any evidence to support this, just a hunch after the ALP attempted to trick voters into believing they were from Family First, encouraging voters to place the ALP second on the Family First ballot. The ALP also has a habit of trucking in union activists to get the numbers up.

 In the electorate of Bright, the ALP leads by only 2 votes.

UPDATE

With over 83 per cent of the vote counted, the South Australian election has just become even more absurd. The Liberals now lead Labor on primary vote by 4.4 per cent, and yet they will still lose the election. Clearly the voters of S.A. do not want a Rann government – much like the Liberal 2PP victory in Northern Territory back in 2008 – and yet their vote does not seem to count under the preferential system.

Thanks to Julia Gillard:

Julia Gillard says BER saved nation from recession

BER is the Building Education Revolution – a multi-billion dollar Hugo Chavez styled spending programme designed to give multi-million dollar kick backs to construction unions and therefore the ALP re-election fund. The part about building facilities for schools that they actually want, need and to an affordable price was always a minor consideration for Julia. Behold further salvation:

A SMALL primary school in eastern NSW could have been effectively rebuilt for almost $200,000 less than the cost of one prefabricated double demountable classroom under the Rudd government’s schools building program.

Virtually every single day a new horror story about over-priced unwanted school buildings is brought to light by the Australian newspaper and talk-back radio. And Julia seriously expects us to believe that it is all in the national interest.

Here’s why:

1. Rudd was difficult to understand. And I am not just talking about his propensity to use technical jargon that no one understands, like ‘activity based funding’. He spoke too fast and his sentences were too long. By the time he finished a point you’d forgotten what he was originally talking about. Bad presentation all round. By contrast Abbott was short and sharp, to the point.

2. Pulling out old budget papers to score some cheap political point is hardly becoming of the PM, especially since he kept on talking about the need to cooperate over the important issue of health care. It is not exactly going to resonate with voters. It looked desperate and Abbott dealt with it fairly well.

3. Rudd kept on contridicting himself. He claimed he wanted coalition cooperation, but in the same breath launched virulent and dishonest attacks against Abbott. In other words, Rudd’s calls for cooperation were insincere.

4. Rudd failed to demonstrate that he can be trusted to deliver on health care after the many policy debacles he has presided over since coming to power. And when one peels back the onion, it is clear he has no health policy to begin with. Abbott made hay with this. Nothing will happen until after two elections, and even then it is not clear what measurable improvements Rudd will make to the health system.

5. It is clear that Rudd has a disdain for private health coverage. The fact is that 45 per cent of the population have at least private hospital coverage, and are also paying out taxes to fund Medicare and other public health programmes. Abbott made mention of the importanceof private health care, Rudd simply wants to control the entire system. Hardly a solution. By the tone and content of the journalists questions, it is clear the Canberra press gallery thinks more government power and control is the way to go.

6. Rudd relied on what appeared to be a focus group line about mums and dads, and then he talked about his childhood. Like anyone, when it really comes down to it,  really cares. I gained the distinct impression that Rudd had very little to say that he had actually thought up himself.

At last count four out of six online polls gave it to Abbott. In Rudd’s home state, the Courier Mail gave to Abbott with 59 per cent. Also Brisbane Channel Ten’s phone poll gave it to Abbott with 64 per cent. The Channel Nine and Seven ‘worm’ polls both gave it to Rudd, but I think these methods have long been shown to be biased against the coalition. From reports, the worm turned for Rudd at the beginning of the debate before he had a chance to say anything. Vice versa for Abbott. Hardly evidence for an unbiased and undecided audience. Remember that the worm claimed that Latham was the winner when he debated Howard in 2004. With the way Latham performed in the election anything could have been further from the truth.

Brought to you by evil Big Finance…. (NAB)

Kevin Rudd

Rudd looks edgy. Argues something should be done to fix health. Tell us something we don’t know.

Claims he was once poor, tough times, I’m just like you routine.

Claims he is delivering on an election commitment, but what about the GP super clinics?

He says not enough hospital beds, etc…, but again nothing in his plan will increase that…

Ah rolling out ‘working families’ routine – focus groups must have written his speech

Tony Abbott

Way more relaxed, confident.

Good, not just about health…..Rudd’s competence is the issue.

Amazing, Abbott has actually done something in health – Rudd has done nothing!!!

Lists all of Rudd’s broken health promises, and there are many, then his Dr Death record in Qld under Wayne Goss

Private health mentioned – good – not just a re-gig of taxes to Canberra.

Rudd looks nervous – trying to find focus group results, no doubt

Journalist questions

Paul Bongiorno – he is a major left-wing supporter and by the nature of the question just wants everything run in Canberra. typical, no surprises. Abbott dealing with him easily. Rudd claims that the Federal gov’t will take 100 per cent of primary care – GP visits – well i already thought Medicare was funded by him to being with… Rudd said it himself – he wants more power!!!!! Rudd retreats to focus group routine about mums and dads.

AAP – Rudd still shuffling papers. Abbott looks cool cats. Rudd brings out focus group routine – short on detail in other words. We don’t care about your childhood, Rudd!! More general waffle – no detail. ‘integrated health care reform’ what !?! AHHHH Abbott calls out Rudd’s “waffle”. Abbott once again cool cats, jokes, detail, etc… Rudd doodling again. Rudd makes false claim about Howard’s tax level…. Abbott says Rudd is talking ‘out right lies’

Daily Telegraph – some question about dental care – well get dental insurance!!!!!! another great joke about Rudd… Abbott: defend record, detail, attack Rudd’s incompetence, provide a way forward. Rudd says we need more gov’t to look after out teeth – forced teenager dental checks. Rudd is rambling about some obscure dental programme no one has every heard of.  ah rudd can’t work with his own state ALP mates, so what does he expect from Abbott. Rudd is in deep trouble. that was just a king hit from Abbott about Rudd’s poor relations with his own ALP mates. ah Rudd retreats to focus group routine about mums and dads

ABC Radio – angry question about the lack of gov’t power and control over health. Abbott looks confident and is coherent, unlike Rudd. Exposes Rudd’s scam of a plan. Rudd retreats again to focus group routine of mums and dads. no detail no point made.  Rudd talks about his debt-fueled health policy. Rudd called out over his scam of a plan for health by the compere. another great come back by Abbott about Rudd’s health record in Qld.

Seven – good question about why no stimulus spending on health… Rudd is making no sense, no really no sense. he sounds like a graduate doing intern interviews, desperate for a job. Abbott straight to detail – example provided from Lismore about state and federal ALP incompetence.

Financial Review – incoherent question about why the gov’t should not abolish health bureaucracy. Rudd sounds like a used car salesman. i’v Re already turned off – what is he saying????!?!?! long winded answer, long sentences, etc…. fast talking, bad presentation. get ready for focus group routine. there he goes, mums and dads, right on time. Abbott hits back with detail and local example.. short sentences, sharp.. examples from marginal electorates – smart.

Australian – good question about spending priorities. Abbott mentions the f word – - – - Freedom!!! Rudd once again is incoherent, long sentences, fast talking…etc… he’s lost me… mentioning something about a fund no one has ever heard of. Rudd rolls out the incorrect claim that Abbott ‘ripped out $1bn from health’. Abbott: Rudd tells blatant lies. Abbott massive hit back!!! $10bn extra funding.. 17 per cent real increase

Age – oh boy argha, get her off the camera. ‘on the question of private health insurance…” more lies…broken promises. Rudd is killing himself. rudd reading out budget papers – guess what? mums and dads don’t care!!!!! people are not going to connect with Rudd if he keeps on reading out the budget paper from years ago.  okay Abbott avoids reading the budget paper, just. Rudd, no body cares about the ‘indexation factor’…. rudd retreats again to focus group routine – mums and dad.

nine – hospital beds. Rudd: ‘on the question you raise…’ again. ‘ activity based funding’ what the . . . . . Rudd does not understand that people don’t understand what he is talking about. get ready for focus group routine.

SBS – gee people have to pay for their own health. Abbott mentions the medicare safety net he introduced – now mums and dads understand that. there rudd goes on mums and dads. ‘transactional’ election, what?!?

WA – ‘activity based funding’ journo asks what is that?!?!? failed in Victoria. people don’t care about this issue. Abbott talks about an issue people will u/s – Canberra bureaucrats running the show.

Rudd closing

focus group routine right off the back…. rudd talks about a consensus that probably does not exist – climate change style. rudd claims everyone agrees with him – complete nonsense.

Abbott closing

no notes – rudd can’t manage anything. he has no policy, just a focus group routine. of course abbott wants more debates – more chances to whack rudd!!!