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| Who can remember, we've got to remember | |
Lying is something all politicians do. The ignorance of the average voter is
simply too high to get elected without telling a few porkies. Try saying that
people will always die in road accidents, or that future wars are inevitable in
an election speech, and you'll get ridden out of town on a government
subsidized rail. But most politicians take a few weeks to find their feet before making up
stories about themselves - especially those who's popularity stems from a
idealist basis. Peter (short-memory-must-have-a ..) Garrett didn't
even wait for his signature to dry on his ALP application form before
stretching credibility with his story about his voting history. Peter (forgotten years) Garrett wasn't enrolled to vote, but insisted he voted,
or at least thought that he voted, but then wasn't actually sure where he was
(how smart is this man?). Faced with apparent inconsistencies in his story
about having thought that he voted, but not really, he just started brushing
aside the issue with 'I think we've dealt with that'. No Peter, if you were
really committed to Australian politics you would know where you were when the
elections were held, and who you voted for. And it's not even clear what the uncompromiser turned yes-man actually
stands for. He is popular with many idealists - his concerts were full of
kids who give money to people richer than themselves to protest about there
being people richer than themselves. But now he is happy to march to the
pragmatic beat of the ALP. 'I don't think Pine Gap should be closed,
I am quite happy to accept ALP policy on that issue'. It seems that
giving US forces the nod may be a setback for his country, but not his
political ambitions. But no, the hard-hitting political lyrics are not reflective of the real Peter
('trapped like a dog in a cage') Garrett. He insists that 'they were
lyrics, not policies.' Songs for the White House gangsters, apparently
don't apply to the next generation of Bushes. Few of the sins of the fathers
are visited upon the sons. Perhaps then the voting public don't actually know him that well. Perhaps he is
just an opportunist with a good turn of phrase? No ambition ever hopeless? A
valuable contribution to the ALP perhaps, but could the real Peter Garrett
please stand up?
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