Wayne Swan Is A Hypocrite.

Acting Prime Minister Wayne Swan is turning to Bruce Springsteen for inspiration as he steps up his attack on Australia's mining magnates.
Mr Swan penned an essay in The Monthly magazine earlier this year criticising Gina Rinehart, Clive Palmer and Andrew Forrest for using their wealth to influence public debate for their own vested interest.
The Treasurer will , during which he will say that his only regret about his earlier comments is that he did not go in hard enough.
He cites lyrics from the 1970s Springsteen song Badlands: "rich man wanna be king and a king ain't satisfied till he rules everything".
A long-time Springsteen fan, Mr Swan claims 'The Boss' as a champion of ordinary people and a prophet of social change.
"It's often the case that great artists - people like Bruce Springsteen - tend to pick up the subterranean rumblings of profound social change long before the economic statisticians notice them. Changes start long before they become statistics," he will say.
"If you listen to the albums that came out after Born to Run - albums like Darkness on the Edge of Town, The River, Born in the USA and Nebraska - you can hear Springsteen singing about the shifting foundations of the US economy which the economists took much longer to detect, and which of course everyone is talking about now.
"Springsteen saw that for ordinary people life wasn't getting any better; other people were grabbing all of the gains.
"As he put it, the sense of daily struggle in each of his songs kept growing. And he responded with an abiding question: when are ordinary people - the people who get up in the morning, work hard and look after their families - going to get a fair go?
"Nothing has fuelled my own public life more than this question."
And he warns against allowing Australia to become like the US 'rust belt' states from which Springsteen takes his inspiration.
"If I could distil the relevance of Bruce Springsteen's music to Australia it would be this: don't let what has happened to the American economy happen here.
"Don't let Australia become a down-under version of New Jersey, where the people and the communities whose skills are no longer in demand get thrown on the scrap heap of life.
"Don't let this be a place where ordinary people's views are drowned out and only those with the most expensive megaphones get a say. Don't let it be a place where Gina Rinehart can buy The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Financial Review with her pocket change and try to trample its fierce and proud independence unchallenged."

Mr Swan says nominating Springsteen does not dismiss Australian music and also cites Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil and the Hilltop Hoods.
'Poor taste'
But Mr Palmer says he prefers Australian folk group Red Gum to The Boss.
"Unlike the Treasurer, I don't go to the United States for inspiration," he said.
"I have inspiration in the Australian bush and our culture and our history and he should remember who the Australians represent, not the US Secretary of the Treasury."
He says Mr Swan is trying to start a class war.
"It's an indictment on the Treasurer that he has to go to a memorial lecture to deliver something in such poor taste today," he said.

Opposition Treasury spokesman Joe Hockey has a different take.
He says the address is aimed at drawing attention to Mr Swan as a potential leadership replacement to Julia Gillard.
"This is a 'look at me' speech. Now that Julia Gillard's away on holidays and there is significant speculation about the leadership in the Labor Party, this is Wayne Swan saying 'look at me, I'm a contender, I'm there for Labor values'," he said.
"But the values of division are not the values of traditional Labor Party, and that's his fundamental problem.
"He's more interested in turning Australians against Australians than in uniting the nation."
Mr Hockey says Mr Swan's attack on the billionaires is hypocritical.
"The union bosses who put Julia Gillard into the prime ministership use their power and influence to change the destiny of the Government, and he was party to that," he said.
"So if you're talking about sectoral interests having a profound and significant influence on the destiny of the nation then Wayne Swan, together with the union bosses and the faceless men, was the architect of that change."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/latest.../swan-enlists-springsteen-to-bash-the-bosses/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wayne Swan is a clown, and a hypocrite. This intelectual featherweight surely must see that he is making a fool of himself. To come out with hilariously outrageous blather like this particular load, takes a certain kind of mentality, or something.

 

Hang on - al the guff about music aside are you seriously trying to tell me that you are OK with mulit-billionare magnates influencing public policy??

 

More to the point, are you OK with the bullying, big brother tactics of this "Govt"?

 

I see far more bullying from the likes of Palmer......

 

Now there's a contradiction if i've ever read one.

Not ok for "mulit-billionare magnates influencing public policy"

Yet its ok for bankers and their corporations to influence the global warming religion.

 

Wayne Swan is an imbecile.
Can you imagine the politicians of yesteryear referring to people like Bob Dylan, Jimmy Barnes, Jimmy Hendrix and so forth...
Politicians like Gough Whitlam, Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, John Howard.....
The other point I find odd is that Swan (being the best Treasurer in the world, presiding over the economy that every other
country in the world is envious of) makes reference to...quote "Don't let Australia become a down-under version of New Jersey, where the people and the communities whose skills are no longer in demand get thrown on the scrap heap of life"

This a weird quote for a politician who is the Treasurer of "the lucky country"....are we to become a "rust belt" Mr Swan.....
As another idiot once said "Please explain"?......

 

I think Palmer raised a brilliant point regarding the idiot Swan, when he said he didn't need to get inspirational about Australia from an American singer singing about American issues. Seems there's nothing in Australia or any Australian that inspires Mr. swan. maybe he has his head too far up American arse to even notice whats happening right here in Australia. Swan is a typical scum-bag politician!!

 

What do you call this? Here we have a "government" using it`s power against it`s own people for it`s own political purposes, if this isn`t the lowest example of self serving political bullying in Australia`s history, I`d like to see what is.
Furthermore, it`s been noted by the Australian public, that the Union/ALP power block, have zero regard for democratic process, or electoral integrity in any form, crapping on about Bruce Springstein won`t fool anyone.

For Wayne Swan to sook about private citizens like blimp boy Palmer, not having to bow down to his dream of absolute power is pathetically hypocrytical. This just exemplifies the weakness of the typical bully.

===========================================================================================

http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/14045699/warning-issued-over-anti-carbon-tax-posters/
Labor is warning small businesses against displaying the Coalition's anti-carbon tax posters, saying they risk million-dollar fines if the information is found to be misleading.

The Coalition has sent the fliers to bakeries, butchers, dry cleaners and fruit shops just days before the carbon tax is due to take effect.

Labor is warning businesses to be "very, very careful" about being part of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's campaign by displaying the posters in their shop fronts.

"Don't allow him to drag you into his cynical scare campaign because the consequences of that are very serious," Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury told Parliament.

"If you do mislead your customers, then you could face fines of up to $1.1 million."

But the Coalition has rejected suggestions their small business posters are misleading.

"The fliers do nothing more than explain the Government own modelling and policy," Opposition small business spokesman Bruce Billson said.

"This is just another example of the Gillard Government trying to intimidate small business to not pass on or talk about the impact of the carbon tax."

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has set up a hotline for members of the public to make complaints about misleading carbon tax claims.

The tactic is a further sign that both sides of politics are preparing to ramp up their campaigning efforts surrounding the tax.

On Tuesday Mr Abbott told a meeting of Coalition MPs that he and other senior party figures would be campaigning "across the country", warning people the tax would push up the cost of living and threaten jobs.

Labor is also preparing a coordinated campaign this weekend to reassure the community about the effects of the tax.

Special Minister of State Gary Gray plans to visit the South Australian city of Whyalla on Sunday - a community Mr Abbott said would be "wiped off the map" because of the carbon pricing scheme.

Mr Abbott visited an RSPCA compound in Canberra on Tuesday to point out that "thousands" of charities would be worse off under the tax despite Government reassurances.

The head of the RSPCA in the ACT, Michael Linke, estimates the cost of the carbon tax will be somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000 per year for the local organisation.

"At this stage we're not expecting job losses here in Canberra," Mr Linke told reporters at Mr Abbott's media conference.

"There is absolutely no way that I'm going to compromise animal welfare, so we are going to have to shave costs in other areas."

The Government says more than $300 million is available to councils, community groups and charities to help offset the costs of the carbon tax.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard used Question Time to ridicule Mr Abbott's visit to the animal welfare charity.

"I can assure the Leader of the Opposition (that) on July 1, cats will still purr, dogs will still bark and the Australian economy will continue to get stronger," Ms Gillard told Parliament.

"Presumably tomorrow he will be out trying to scare Skippy the bush kangaroo, and the day after he'll be out trying to scare Puff the Magic Dragon, and so it will go on."

 

"I can assure the Leader of the Opposition (that) on July 1, cats will still purr, dogs will still bark and the Australian economy will continue to get stronger," Ms Gillard told Parliament.

"Presumably tomorrow he will be out trying to scare Skippy the bush kangaroo, and the day after he'll be out trying to scare Puff the Magic Dragon, and so it will go on."

Gillard is a very poor politician, a very poor intimidator of Paul Keatings attempted humour, and a very poor leader of this country.....

 

The worst PM and the worst political party this country has ever been Governed by. Its staggering to think about the immature childish mistakes these clowns have made, and the waste of tens of billions of tax payers dollars funding “bogus” projects managed by incompetents.

One day soon, Australians will realise these current batch of politicians are sanctimonious self-serving grubs, and hopefully the people will try to find a better way to be represented and Governed.

Until the people (sheep) wake up, then nothing much can be done.

How can the people keep blaming politicians, when the people keep voting the same idiots into Govern them.

The “buck” has to stop with the people.

 

people should stop acting like sheep x people

 

"The last four Costello budgets were the four biggest surpluses in Australian history, the first four Swan budgets have been ... the four biggest deficits in Australia's history. That's the record he should be trying to address." Mr Abbott commenting on Swan's gibberish.

 

The thread name should have been:" conservative rhetoric, come join the party", or maybe: "parrott party".

 

Why don`t you start a counter thread? Suggest a title along the lines of, "hiding from the reality of ALP hypocracy".

 

ALP and do-gooder fanatics always burying their heads in the sand getting a sunburnt bum - what’s new about this?

What’s that old adage: divide and conquer!

Politicians know exactly how the play Aussies for the fools that they are. This is what happens when the people are trapped in a corrupt two party system.

 

How about: Labor the party with forsight-the party that keeps the greedy honest!

 

LOL... yeah right.

 

After reading the stuff in this thread, apart from a few notable exceptions, I might get onto Wayne and suggest some other music.

 

Violins

 

ROFL Always with the rhetoric not so much with the facts huh Aussie? Do you liberal fanatics have anything to contribute to society other than your pathetic little digs and insults? Do you have an opinion that isn't personal or a statement that isn't belittling? Do you think you impress anyone with your not very clever and quite immature jibes and name calling. I can think of quite a few names to describe you and a few others on here but i prefer to argue the facts not your pathetic personality faults.
For instance, Mr Newman announced this morning scrapping the breast cancer screening program in QLD. I notice he doesn't consider dropping his backing of the high court challenge against the mining tax. Wouldn't that save a few of these essential programs he is scrapping to balance the budget? We know where the liberals stand! Same place they always did, with their rich backers, looking to protect and grow their own "pie" at the expense of all our dinners. The only bullying and big brother tactics I see in politics come from the liberal side time after time. I couldn't think of a more arrogant group of stand over merchants than Abbott, Hockey and that "mini-Abbott" Newman. Bullies and stand over merchants that have no place in our society. Relics that no longer function in a society that values hard work and principles over bullying and intimidation. Keep up the good work though Aussie, you demonstrate daily the waning influence of the rotting dinosaur carcass that is the Australian Liberal party.

 

I guess if Mr Costello told you that you believe it. Shame the rest of the world knows different! Costello is an international joke! If you choose to ignore the facts the liberal rhetoric does sound good! Shame rhetoric doesn't buy hospital beds or educate a child.
Apparently it can get a liberal ministers kid a career, a liberal brother in law a contract, or a liberal pollie a free ride.

As for the rest of us, we don't care for your twisted words and sad tales of the myths of the great Howard or Costello. Truly legends in their own minds. Many other dictators of the past made proclamations of their great deeds to the people. The intelligent saw it for the sad ego it was. The truly thick (that's you Aussie) believed it mana from the gods, wisdom from the wise. We know what happened to them huh?

You have the nerve to accuse labor of hypocrisy and religious fanaticism! Take the blinkers off mate and read something other than the Tribune and the Australian and you might actually learn a fact or two.

 

Well said gobsmacked. At what point will people, who aren't in the club of the high flyers realise the ultimate goal of a conservative government. I wish for the countries sake that people would stand back, and separate rhetoric from reality. Everyone wants to feel important by expressing their views but from what I can see, unfortunatley many rely on mainstream media to find their standpoint. It is utterly wrong and totally stupid and dangerous to do so. All I've heard are people who are parrotting the liberal government and what is played out within mainstream media who have one goal! It is easy and lazy to do so, but it is much harder to find the real facts due to anti labor persusions, unless blissfully ignorant.

 

The ALP/Greens/Independent bastard Government who forced a tax on the Australian people without their consent and treated them like common slaves without a voice and democratic rights. Yes. Here we have a true Government of the people…not.

The ALP Government; plagued by total incompetence and pathological liars. Ask them if the sun is shining. Well, you would have to open the blind to see for yourself.

 

Well then, open the blinds and come into the light!

 

Federal Labor's best bets are the Vic, NSW and Qld govts. Ted is wandering around without a clue, Barry is pandering to his mates and vested interests and Campbell is...well...just going crazy over there with the Second Coming of Joh. All Fed Lab has to do is keep its nerve and allow the rest of the nation (no offence Sandgropers but you're another country) to see what will happen with a Coalition federal government.

On Costello and Howard. Easy to bank money when there's a boom on but what did they do with it? Nation-building? Nation-building my arse. They put money away to meet public service pension obligations (which is a fair thing) and then did stupid things like the Baby Bonus and handed out money when it came to election time in a manner that would make a PNG pollie blush. But what did they actually do for the country, for the nation? Sweet Fanny Adams is what they did. Look at Abbott and his socialist agrarian driven attack on foreign investment, the Barnaby corner won that one and Abbott did as he was told and in so doing upset the Chinese who are bankrolling our mining boom. Barnaby and the populist sector of the Country Party, sorry Nationals, whipped up a moral panic about sod-all and Abbott went weak at the knees.