Dale HughesWelcome Back Mr. Howard
March 10th 2008 12:31
Category: No Category
Unlike his former colleagues John Howard has stayed true to what he stands for. His speech in America to his fellow conservative idealogues confirms he is a man of conviction even in the wake of defeat.
Love Howard or hate him, he is a true believer in what he stood for. He stands by his industrial relations reforms even after they were the key reason why he is no longer in office. He steadfastly believes in Australia's military committments in Iraq and continues to declare the nationalist sentiment that made him so popular for many years to patriotic Australians.
Howard is in stark contrast to the political platforms of his party. Right now it appears they don't know where they stand on whatever issue confronts them. They are lost in the political wilderness, devoid of strong leadership and ideas. Policies they defended for so long have been jettisoned in the wake of post election panic.
Yet Howard remains the same figure he always was while in office. Even now he polarises the people like he always had. His opinions on the new Rudd government have sparked much discussion in the broadsheets since last week, and it is a fair bet that the former PM will become a poster boy for the continual flow of conservative ideas in the culture wars.
So he should be. Whatever your political convictions are, whether right or left, we should always allow for the free flow of opinion and ideas from both sides. It is sad many left commentators have foolishly declared conservatism to be irrelevant thought in Australia after Rudd's election victory. Who, ironically, won the election selling himself as a conservative leader!
One thing Howard did mention during his speech was how a country should always hold true to their national values and not abandon what they believe and hold true in the wake of new minorities emerging. It was this affirmation that we should hope to god is not lost under a new government. No matter who is in power one can only hope that Australia will never sell off what it has been built upon over the past 200 years.
Howard is right to declare that terrorism and islamic fundamentalism are problems that aren't going to go away in this country. He is right to be proud of what this country holds dear and he is justified in his concern that many of our values and traditions are under threat in this ever changing world.
As for standing by his industrial relations policies, only time will tell whether he is right. The task is now up to Rudd to prove himself as a strong leader who can push Australia through tough terrain ahead. Rudd seems to enjoy looking into things and performing inquiries, such is his pending 20/20 summit.
The voters are no longer going to accept Labor blaming the former government for this countries economic and societal problems. The buck stops with you now Mr. Rudd. And your old foe will be watching closely.
Love Howard or hate him, he is a true believer in what he stood for. He stands by his industrial relations reforms even after they were the key reason why he is no longer in office. He steadfastly believes in Australia's military committments in Iraq and continues to declare the nationalist sentiment that made him so popular for many years to patriotic Australians.
Howard is in stark contrast to the political platforms of his party. Right now it appears they don't know where they stand on whatever issue confronts them. They are lost in the political wilderness, devoid of strong leadership and ideas. Policies they defended for so long have been jettisoned in the wake of post election panic.
Yet Howard remains the same figure he always was while in office. Even now he polarises the people like he always had. His opinions on the new Rudd government have sparked much discussion in the broadsheets since last week, and it is a fair bet that the former PM will become a poster boy for the continual flow of conservative ideas in the culture wars.
So he should be. Whatever your political convictions are, whether right or left, we should always allow for the free flow of opinion and ideas from both sides. It is sad many left commentators have foolishly declared conservatism to be irrelevant thought in Australia after Rudd's election victory. Who, ironically, won the election selling himself as a conservative leader!
One thing Howard did mention during his speech was how a country should always hold true to their national values and not abandon what they believe and hold true in the wake of new minorities emerging. It was this affirmation that we should hope to god is not lost under a new government. No matter who is in power one can only hope that Australia will never sell off what it has been built upon over the past 200 years.
Howard is right to declare that terrorism and islamic fundamentalism are problems that aren't going to go away in this country. He is right to be proud of what this country holds dear and he is justified in his concern that many of our values and traditions are under threat in this ever changing world.
As for standing by his industrial relations policies, only time will tell whether he is right. The task is now up to Rudd to prove himself as a strong leader who can push Australia through tough terrain ahead. Rudd seems to enjoy looking into things and performing inquiries, such is his pending 20/20 summit.
The voters are no longer going to accept Labor blaming the former government for this countries economic and societal problems. The buck stops with you now Mr. Rudd. And your old foe will be watching closely.
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