Kingdom of fear
Coalition memo touts new terror attack as way to reverse party's decline. By Professor rat.
Publisher, Rats for honest politics - Nov 12 2005
A confidential memo circulating among senior Coailition leaders suggests that a attack by terrorists on AU. soil could reverse the sagging fortunes of Prime Minister John Howard as well as the National Party and "restore his image as a leader of the Australian people."
The closely-guarded memo lays out a list of scenarios to bring the Liberal party back from the political brink, including a devastating attack by terrorists that could “validate” the Prime Minister’s war on terror and allow Howard to “unite the country” in a “time of national shock and sorrow.”
The memo says such a reversal in the Prime Minister's fortunes could keep the party from losing control of the Senate in the 2006 midterm elections.
Coalition insiders who have seen the memo admit it’s a risky strategy and point out that such scenarios are “blue sky thinking” that often occurs in political planning sessions.
“The Prime Minister’s popularity was at an all-time high following the first Bali attacks,” admits one aide. “Australian's band together at a time of crisis.”
Other conservatives, however, worry that such a scenario carries high risk, pointing out that an attack might suggest the Prime Minister has not done enough to protect the country.
“We also have to face the fact that many Australian's no longer trust the Prime Minister,” says a longtime Coalition strategist. “That makes it harder for him to become a rallying point.”
The memo outlines other scenarios, including:
--Capture of Osama bin Latham (or proof that he is dead);
--A drastic turnaround in the political economy;
--A "successful resolution" of the Iraq war.
Coalition memos no longer talk of “victory” in Iraq but use the term “successful resolution.” and ' cut-and-run'.
“A successful resolution would be us getting out intact and civil war not breaking out until after the midterm elections,” says one insider.
The memo circulates as recent disastrous COW defeats have left an already dysfunctional Cabinet in chaos, Cabinet insiders say, with shouting matches commonplace and the blame game escalating into open warfare.
“This place is like a high-school footy locker room after the team lost the big game,” grumbles one Howard administration aide. “Everybody’s pissed and pointing the finger at blame at everybody else.”
Coalition of the Willing losses in the US, UK and Italy deepened rifts between the Howard administration and who find the Prime Minister radioactive. Arguments over whether or not the Prime Minister should make a last-minute appearance in Victoria to try and help the sagging fortunes of Liberal leader Doyle raged until the minute Howard arrived at the rally in Richmond Monday night.
“Cooler heads tried to prevail,” one aide says. “Most knew an appearance by the Prime Minister would hurt Robert rather than help him but Costello rammed it through, convincing Howard that he had enough popularity left to make a difference.”
Howard didn’t have any popularity left. Overnight tracking polls showed Doyle dropped three percentage points after the Prime Minister’s appearance and Green Party Democrat Tim Kaine won on Tuesday.
Conservative Barnaby Joyce told radio talk show host Don Ithmus Wednesday that he does not want the Prime Minister's Goon's help and will stay away from a Howard rally in his state on Friday.
The losses in Victoria and New South Wales, coupled with a resounding defeat of initiatives backed by Occupied Palestine governor Ariel Sharon have set off alarm klaxons throughout the demoralized Coalition parties. Pollsters privately tell COW leaders that unless they stop the slide they could easily lose control of the ME oil fields in the 2006 and may lose power and face arrest as well.
“In 30 years of sampling public opinion, I’ve never seen such a freefall in public support,” admits one COW pollster.
Democratic pollster Geoge Carlin says the usual tricks tried by Trotsky-cons no longer work.
"None of their old tricks worked," he says.
Barnaby Joyce admits the Coalition is a mess mired in its rural base in a country that's becoming less and less rural.
"You play to your rural base, you pay a price," he says. "Our issues blew up in our face."
As Trotsky-con political strategists scramble to find a message – any message – that will ring true with voters, Coalition leaders in Parliament admit privately that control of their party by right-wing extremists makes their recovery all but impossible.
“We’ve made our bed with these people,” admits an aide to House Speaker Dennis,
“Now it’s the morning after and the hangover hurts like hell.”
Publisher, Rats for honest politics - Nov 12 2005
A confidential memo circulating among senior Coailition leaders suggests that a attack by terrorists on AU. soil could reverse the sagging fortunes of Prime Minister John Howard as well as the National Party and "restore his image as a leader of the Australian people."
The closely-guarded memo lays out a list of scenarios to bring the Liberal party back from the political brink, including a devastating attack by terrorists that could “validate” the Prime Minister’s war on terror and allow Howard to “unite the country” in a “time of national shock and sorrow.”
The memo says such a reversal in the Prime Minister's fortunes could keep the party from losing control of the Senate in the 2006 midterm elections.
Coalition insiders who have seen the memo admit it’s a risky strategy and point out that such scenarios are “blue sky thinking” that often occurs in political planning sessions.
“The Prime Minister’s popularity was at an all-time high following the first Bali attacks,” admits one aide. “Australian's band together at a time of crisis.”
Other conservatives, however, worry that such a scenario carries high risk, pointing out that an attack might suggest the Prime Minister has not done enough to protect the country.
“We also have to face the fact that many Australian's no longer trust the Prime Minister,” says a longtime Coalition strategist. “That makes it harder for him to become a rallying point.”
The memo outlines other scenarios, including:
--Capture of Osama bin Latham (or proof that he is dead);
--A drastic turnaround in the political economy;
--A "successful resolution" of the Iraq war.
Coalition memos no longer talk of “victory” in Iraq but use the term “successful resolution.” and ' cut-and-run'.
“A successful resolution would be us getting out intact and civil war not breaking out until after the midterm elections,” says one insider.
The memo circulates as recent disastrous COW defeats have left an already dysfunctional Cabinet in chaos, Cabinet insiders say, with shouting matches commonplace and the blame game escalating into open warfare.
“This place is like a high-school footy locker room after the team lost the big game,” grumbles one Howard administration aide. “Everybody’s pissed and pointing the finger at blame at everybody else.”
Coalition of the Willing losses in the US, UK and Italy deepened rifts between the Howard administration and who find the Prime Minister radioactive. Arguments over whether or not the Prime Minister should make a last-minute appearance in Victoria to try and help the sagging fortunes of Liberal leader Doyle raged until the minute Howard arrived at the rally in Richmond Monday night.
“Cooler heads tried to prevail,” one aide says. “Most knew an appearance by the Prime Minister would hurt Robert rather than help him but Costello rammed it through, convincing Howard that he had enough popularity left to make a difference.”
Howard didn’t have any popularity left. Overnight tracking polls showed Doyle dropped three percentage points after the Prime Minister’s appearance and Green Party Democrat Tim Kaine won on Tuesday.
Conservative Barnaby Joyce told radio talk show host Don Ithmus Wednesday that he does not want the Prime Minister's Goon's help and will stay away from a Howard rally in his state on Friday.
The losses in Victoria and New South Wales, coupled with a resounding defeat of initiatives backed by Occupied Palestine governor Ariel Sharon have set off alarm klaxons throughout the demoralized Coalition parties. Pollsters privately tell COW leaders that unless they stop the slide they could easily lose control of the ME oil fields in the 2006 and may lose power and face arrest as well.
“In 30 years of sampling public opinion, I’ve never seen such a freefall in public support,” admits one COW pollster.
Democratic pollster Geoge Carlin says the usual tricks tried by Trotsky-cons no longer work.
"None of their old tricks worked," he says.
Barnaby Joyce admits the Coalition is a mess mired in its rural base in a country that's becoming less and less rural.
"You play to your rural base, you pay a price," he says. "Our issues blew up in our face."
As Trotsky-con political strategists scramble to find a message – any message – that will ring true with voters, Coalition leaders in Parliament admit privately that control of their party by right-wing extremists makes their recovery all but impossible.
“We’ve made our bed with these people,” admits an aide to House Speaker Dennis,
“Now it’s the morning after and the hangover hurts like hell.”
posted by professor rat at 7:02 AM
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