Archive for November 26th, 2007
A bloodless coup by ballot
November 26, 2007A government was overthrown here Saturday.
You probably read or saw reports about it: Kevin Rudd and the liberal Labor Party snatched control of the country from John Howard and the conservative Liberal Party. It was a transfer of power by ballot and it was a joy to watch.
Having already become avidly partisan even though we cannot vote because we are not citizens here, Kristi and I were thrilled to see Rudd end Howard’s reign of more than 11 years. A leader of dubious veracity and limited vision has been replaced by a younger man who is middle-of-the-road on many issues but seems to grasp the gravity of global warming, the importance of openness in government, and need to preserve the Aussie tradition of “a fair go” for all citizens.
There was a lot at stake, and although Howard had on his stoic, strong face during his concession speech, Read the rest of this entry »