The Politics of Fear #ausvotes
Now, both major parties, and most of the minor parties run on a politics of fear. From BOAT PEOPLE are taking over, WORK CHOICES is coming back, to the even more extreme “Gays are all depressed”.
But this one bugs me… bugs me a lot. (oh and I have a photo of it, so it is easier to do blog post on it)
The Labor’s 100 Million Dollars a Day. Why is this a problem, quite simply because the Liberals have said they will pay of the deficit at more or less the same time. So this means that the Liberals if they get power will have exactly the same level of debt repayments that Labour currently has. So the issue is that if the Libs get power, they will do exactly what Labor are already doing? A large number of (possibly overpaid) financial experts all agree that Australia weathered the GFC (or whatever technical term you wish to apply) incredibly well and that no matter who was in power, the government of the day would have entered into some level of debt.
As has been pointed out, the debt levels that Australia has are 2nd to none in the world. ( and not just because of the last 10 years, but 20 years of economic reform ), yet the Liberals run a policy of fear.
Even on the 7.30 Report Tony Abbott says “ Hundreds of Millions ” in a shrill voice. Trying to relate that amount of money to normal people. Sorry, but this amount of money cannot be treated as we treat money. The scales are just too different. Drive along a new bit of freeway and try and see why it cost $1.5billion. Without an understanding of the scales and trying to use your own pay packet as a bench mark will always result in a lack of understanding.
And like all political adverts, this one contains a disclaimer. What is says, I am sure that only the persons that printed it and hung it would be able to tell you. 5 stories above street level there is no way to read what it says. This needs to change. I am only presuming that this is a Liberal advert. Both Labor and Liberal do this. And it has to stop.
So the numbers are bullshit, the argument is flawed and the subjective nature is exploitative. Why, because it works. The politics of fear has always been the way of politics. Even the Greens use these tactics. As they say, doesn’t matter who you vote for… a politician gets in. With ads like this and people believing them, this will never change.
