The Interest Rate Fortnight draws to an unhappy end for Team Howard. All the effort in shaping the narrative in the run up to the announcement, coming out with guns blazing to assert dominance on the economy is suddenly stymied when Howard explains to a shock jock that saying “sorry” is not the same as making an apology in the same way that making an apology is not the same as saying Sorry, or something. By trying to blame it all on Labor playing semantics Howard revealed to all who witnessed it that it is not with irony that he is known as The Rodent.
Unfortunately the economic narrative is no more convincing. We can’t control inflation, but we do take credit for our booming economy, and we can control inflation better than Labor. Work Choices has resulted in workers earning more while it has also lowered wages. You need to earn less under Howard so that you will be able to pay your mortgage. Meanwhile the RBA and Labor are speaking somewhat more coherently about capacity constraints in the economy resulting from systemic neglect of education, health, transport. Bit of a no brainer really.
Guess we’ll have to go back to talking about the future of education, climate change policy, health and transport. Don’t mention the War.
The polls seem to be turning against Team Howard, once again. Not sure what else they can do to maintain the narrowing and control the electoral damage. Man the lifeboats and try to save your seat.
Filed under: Ass Hattery, Federal Election 2007, Politics
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