Political Propoganda

We are currently in the midst of yet another political election. This time, it's not Kevin Rudd vs. John Howard, but rather Alan Carpenter vs. Colin Barnett.

And I've decided that political propoganda in Australia is weak and without direction.
Honestly, when you launch a campaign, you should be telling the people what you want to do, how your policies are just that much better than the other person's. A bit if a put down here and there is fine. But honestly, I would so much rather hear what a politician has to offer, than what he/she has to say about the other side.

In Australia, politicians do not tell us what they have to offer. In fact, they use all their money on propoganda, telling us about how bad the other side is.

Back in 2007:
K. Rudd: Well, I'm so much better because...John Howard will do this, and he'll do that, and I mean, i'm doing these things, but those work choices that John Howard has will kill our jobs!!
J. Howard: Don't vote for Kevin Rudd and his odd bunch of Labors...they'll stuff our economy!!

And the list actually does go on. I saw some really odd propoganda videos on TV in 2007, but they're not showing them anymore.

Now, in 2008:
A. Carpenter: I'm a much better choice because...the Liberal party have already had FIVE LEADERS SINCE THE LAST ELECTION!!
C. Barnett: No! Wait! The A.C. is trying to trick you! I mean, he's holding elections just after the Olympics when no one is going to pay attention!!

Not in so many words, and certainly not in that language, but that really is the gist of it.
There was a political debate going on between those two, but I didn't watch. English Lit was just that much more important than they were, unfortunately.
I think Aussie politicians need to step up their game. Barack Obama and John McCain are putting them both to shame.
If it came down to Alan Carpenter, Colin Barnett of John McCain [should John ever become an Australian], I would vote McCain. Just because his campaign is that much better.

But since McCain will never become Australian, and because Australian politics is lame:
I <3 Barack Obama.

Mishy <3

Kevin Rudd's Meeting with Abdullah Badawi

This is actually pretty surreal. For me at any rate. I had no idea that Kevin Rudd was going to be in Malaysia, even if it was for a one day visit, but wow. It happened.
And I was there to catch it on the news.
Before I continue my analysis on the report that I saw- let me just say that reading all the reports of K. Rudd's visit to Malaysia has opened my eyes to...let's say a pretty different world.
And I'm gonna have to say this: For goodness's sake, even AUSTRALIA thinks we're messed up.

I know there are a lot of blogs that criticise the state that the Malaysian government is in, and you know, it happens in EVERY country. Every country [except Communist and Fascist ones] is going to be unsatisfied with some part of their government throughout the government's entire existance. But when Australia actually starts taking a break from its criticsm of its own government and starts concentrating on Malaysia, you KNOW it's bad.
Also, I had no idea that there were any tensions between the Malaysian and Australian government. Huh. Well, this is where reading the news actually gets you then.

But basically, the gist of it is that Kevin Rudd has said that Malaysia's 'democracy is flourishing', but he seemed to avoid the issue of discussing 'human rights' in Malaysia.
Trust me, I was a little confused at that one.
But I continued to read the many articles that I found when I googled it, and ALL of them had the same thing. Malaysia's democracy is great, but will not discuss human rights issues.

Should I be worried?

If anyone is left in any doubt, these are the links that I went to check out.
www.theage.com.au/national/malaysian-democracy-flourishing-says-rudd-20080710-3d6m.html
www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24001908-5013871,00.html

There were more, I can't seem to find them at this point in time. =/ A little upsetting at that.
And as far as I can tell, it is Anwar Ibrahim, the Opposition Leader of the DAP who seems to be the root of all this. Not because he's tried to do anything funny to K. Rudd, but because of the sodomy charges that he was accused of ten years ago, and that John Howard somehow got caught up in. [Apparently Mahathir Mohammad told Howard not to come to Malaysia because of the sodomy charges?] And Anwar Ibrahim apparently wanted to 'discuss his plight' with Kevin rudd, but Kevin Rudd would then be in the centre of political controversy and upset PM Badawi and his UMNO cronies, and therefore had to avoid meeting him.

Rest assured, Kevin Rudd has not met with Anwar Ibrahim. Although I am beginning to find these petty tensions rather annoying. If Malaysia is the democracy that Kevin Rudd perceives it to be, then we should not be having any troubles and 'oohs-and-aahs' with his meeting any Opposition leaders, whether there be ten or one, or whether they all have rape and sodomy charges or are as pure as the driven snow. I mean hey, he met up with Deputy PM Najib, who is supposed to be on trial for an affair with some Mongolian beauty queen. Contrasting ideals?

Another issue I decided to pick upon was found in the news report.
At the moment, I cannot actually find the report that I saw on TV, but look at this photo:


Look closely and tell me...what do you think is missing in the photo?
Just think about the make-up of the Malaysian society [especially if you're in Malaysia]. It's not too hard.

I can see Malays. I can see Indians.
I can even see one lonesome white guy at the back [no doubt K. Rudd's bodyguard]
But the Chinese?
If you ask me, I think we're being butted out on purpose.
Whenever something gets shown on TV or in a photo like this one, there's usually a lot more planning that goes into it than most people would imagine. Especially when you're broadcasting something to the world. What gets depicted is what the minds behind it want you to see. I sound incredibly cynical, but I study all this enough to know what happens in the planning stages of the videos and pictures that I see.

But on to slightly more light-hearted topics, I canNOT stop grinning at the look on Kevin Rudd's face. I wonder if that was what he looked like when he got up on Christmas morning and found this massive firetruck toy under the Christmas tree. :P

*sigh* Such innocent times in a pre-political era.

Mishy <3