Election 2004 - the sad truth

[The Amazer]

for my local area I voted for David Boon.

For the federal I voted for Harrison Ford.

If you try and attack me saying I'm silly: I really believe they'd be the best candidates for each area... and our local area was won by a National member easily so my vote didn't matter any way.

John Howard is a giant testicle.

Harrison Ford should've won.

 

[Mark]

If ONLY the media had given Ford the same coverage!

 

[spawn]

Winny, did you threaten to leave the country when your team got beaten in footy?

 

[Goreripper]

Well Winmar, we'll see how well it is for their hip-pocket when all the off-shore lenders want their money back. All they have to do is start selling Aussie dollars like they're nobody's business until they've devalued the fuck out of it, inflation bottoms out and interest rates will sky rocket. And Howard and Costello won't be able to do shit about it.

 

[Winmar]

I know, I'm waiting for something like that to happen. I was thinking about it earlier while I was washing the car. When the economy goes to shit it'll be due to "international factors", and nothing to do with Howard and Costello, of course. If Labor wins in 2007 and the economy goes down in 2008, it'll be due to Labor's mismanagement. And the public will believe it too. Dumb fucks.

Foreign debt is the highest it's ever been, much higher than it was in 96 when little Johnny was driving around with his debt truck.

The median house price is something like 9 years' salary now, where previously it was 5 or 7 or thereabouts. Great for those with houses already (but then if they move, they've still got to pay inflated prices), but terrible for those who weren't lucky enough to get in before the property boom. The worst thing about the property boom is it wasn't a result of people buying houses to live in, but of speculative investment. In other words, people investing in housing to get rich have pushed the prices out of reach of so many people.

 

[JonBonJovi]

We handed out how to vote forms as well Winmar. However this area being a highly dominant Liberal area for years, once again Kerry Bartlet got in. Brian wouldn't hand him a labour form the wimp!
Where we were there was a couple of rude Liberals who were making fun of the other parties volunteers amongst themselves.
Oh and Connie people like your self who vote for a minor party are the reson John got in this time.Anytime people really want to have a change in government they need to vote for a major party otherwise your vote goes to waste.

 

[Winmar]

It doesn't surprise me, Xena - that's the kind of people a lot of them are. The ones I saw handing out forms in North Melbourne and Carlton were typical bloody Liberal party supporters as well. I suppose it's not surprising though.

 

[spawn]

Winmar, people voted for Labor because most people are mortgaged to the hilt because of the housing prices we have, and if the interest rates go up they will be fucked and lose everything. I dont care what anyone says, what the government does DOES matter with interest rates, there are other factors of course, but government is one of them and people are too scared not to vote for the Liberals because they will lose everything if the interest rates go up by a couple of percent.

 

[spawn]

Voted for Labor? YOU IDIOT STIMPY! You know what I mean

 

[Winmar]

As far as a number of economists are concerned, whoever won the election would make little difference to interest rates. The reason they have such big mortgages in the first place is the result of Peter Costello's policies, which is something he always fails to mention.

Again, too many people in this country vote out of self-interest, and couldn't give a rat's arse about anyone else. This is turning into a sad, sad place.

 

[spawn]

The reason they have such big mortgages is because interest rates went so low they could borrow a ton more and get a house, so they did. I voted for Labor, but just because you dont like the Liberals immigration policies you shouldnt stick your head in the sand about their economic credentials, because by and large they did well with it. (Of course Health and all the rest of it is a different story, but im just talking economics).

Of course people vote out of self interest Winmar, thats the way the world works, it would be nice to live in a Utopia where people helped each other out, but we both know that will never, ever happen, people only look as far as their front fence pretty much, and I cant really blame them, its human nature

 

[Winmar]

It's still fucked though! Most of the coalition's policies don't affect me directly (with the notable exception of the 25% HECS increase, but I didn't base my vote on that), but I can still see the many many despicable things they do to others, which causes me to hate them and vote for anyone else available. I despise far more about them than just their immigration policies (though they are certainly reasons to despise them in their own right). The government is rotten to the core, and full of an amazing number of despicable people. I'm also sick of hearing how I've never had it so good - what shit.

House prices went up because of the inducements investors were given to buy or develop property. Low interest rates and the first homebuyers' grant contributed to it, but they weren't the primary factors for the massive surge in prices.

I'm not saying the economy isn't good at the moment, but there's much more to it than just interest rates, inflation, growth and unemployment. You wouldn't think so though - the only people in the media I've heard mention anything else are Tim Colebatch and Kenneth Davidson from The Age. That's why the Howard govt gets such an easy ride.

Glad to see you voted Labor anyway.

 

[spawn]

Hehe, it was more out of habit, to be honest, I dont think it will really matter for me who is in for the next three years. Though I do know that when Costello takes over in a year or so, the Liberals wont win the next election

 

[Shannow]

PArt of the reason that housing prices are so high is negative gearing. You can't claim the interest on the house that you live in, but can claim it on every house thereafter. (There's a guy at work on $80k per year, who has 10 rental properties).

The property speculators keep the serfs in their place. The serfs pay rent. The speculators drive prices up.

In the U.S. you can claim the interest on your primary residence. It's an effort to encourage home ownership, and let people retire with an actual asset under their belt.

Shit, the sniff of an aluminium smelter in this town gave me 100% increase in the value of my house.

That's just plain wrong.

 

[Shannow]

The reason they have such big mortgages is because interest rates went so low they could borrow a ton more and get a house, so they did.

That's also driven prices up.

When I took out a $50k mortgage, all that the banks would say was "with your income, you could have a $250k mortage, how about you look in
suchandsuch an area ?"

With that sort of attitude, locals started looking in those areas, and getting in debt up to the hilt.

Prices went up as a result.

 

[spawn]

Thats my point And now that they went looking,a nd probably bought in those areas, as soon as interest rates go up by a couple of percent, there will be a housing market crash because none of those people can afford the loans they took out! Silly billies.

 

[Shannow]

Anytime people really want to have a change in government they need to vote for a major party otherwise your vote goes to waste.

I respectfuly disagree with that statement.

Anyone who votes on party lines should be tried for conspiracy IMHO.

Parties are what created the fuck-up that we are in.

It would be great for the bloke that represents my electrate to represent my electorate, and the bloke who represents the electorate in Kalgoorlie to represent them.

 

[Shannow]

Thats my point And now that they went looking,a nd probably bought in those areas, as soon as interest rates go up by a couple of percent, there will be a housing market crash because none of those people can afford the loans they took out! Silly billies.

shhhhh !!!

That's the point at which us sensible people who decided to live within our means (a conservative Mantra I beleive) clean up as prices dive.

 

[BlindGuardianKill]

get the wheel chair out for when johnny tracksuit howard bails....enter abbott and costello for their come back comedy routine..stick on moustaches all round!

 

[Southy]

Well, I am truely worried for the state of healthcare now, I have a young children to look after what happens when Libs take even more away from Medicare, what happens when one of my kids is really ill, and I gotta takew em to the GP's but can't afford to poay for it...cunts