EYE-BALL’s – “On the Hustings” – The Campaign Trail – Day 4

Title: – EYE-BALL’s “On the Hustings” – – The Campaign Trail – Day 4 – | Author: No-Way José |8th Aug 2013 |

Policy Issue Debate: [Information on Policy issues you won’t hear during the current Election Campaign.]Previous Policy Issues: [Use links provided to read story in a new window and see relative polling data …] Day 2 Policy Issue: Corruption in Politics – Day 3 Policy Issue: Judicial Appointments – Day 4 Policy Issue: Government Limit on Borrowings – i.e. Debt to GDP ratio …[EYE-BALL Guru] … [click on Debt/GDP chart image to enlarge in a new window.] The debate on ‘better Economic Management’ during the campaign will rage on and it will be about ‘they said, he said’. it will be about the economic record under Howard, and the economic record under Rudd/Gillard Governments. If any one did research on economic management from the Government’s perspective it is all after the fact. The Australian Constitution has this to say on how a Government is allowed to manage its finances:  See PDF version … see Word Version … On Taxation: [Revenues] Chapter I The Parliament – Part V Powers of the Parliament – Section 53 – Powers of the Houses in respect of legislation: Proposed laws appropriating revenue or moneys, or imposing taxation, shall not originate in the Senate. But a proposed law shall not be taken to appropriate revenue or moneys, or to impose taxation, by reason only of its containing provisions for the imposition or appropriation of fines or other pecuniary penalties, or for the demand or payment or appropriation of fees for licences, or fees for services under the proposed law. The Senate may not amend proposed laws imposing taxation, or proposed laws appropriating revenue or moneys for the ordinary annual services of the Government. The Senate may not amend any proposed law so as to increase any proposed charge or burden on the people. The Senate may at any stage return to the House of Representatives any proposed law which the Senate may not amend, equesting, by message, the omission or amendment of any items or provisions therein. And the House of Representatives may, if it thinks fit, make any of such omissions or amendments, with or without modifications. Except as provided in this section, the Senate shall have equal power with the House of Representatives in respect of all proposed laws. Section 55 – Tax Bill: Laws imposing taxation shall deal only with the imposition of taxation, and any provision therein dealing with any other matter shall be of no effect. Laws imposing taxation, except laws imposing duties of customs or of excise, shall deal with one subject of taxation only; but laws imposing duties of customs shall deal with duties of customs only, and laws imposing duties of excise shall deal with duties of excise only. On Expenditires: [Spending] Chapter IV – Finance and Trade – 81 – Consolidated Revenue Fund All revenues or moneys raised or received by the Executive Government of the Commonwealth shall form one Consolidated Revenue Fund, to be appropriated for the purposes of the Commonwealth in the manner and subject to the charges and liabilities imposed by this Constitution. 82 – Expenditure charged thereon The costs, charges, and expenses incident to the collection, management, and receipt of the Consolidated Revenue Fund shall form the first charge thereon; and the revenue of the Commonwealth shall in the first instance be applied to the payment of the expenditure of the Commonwealth. 83 – Money to be appropriated by law No money shall be drawn from the Treasury of the Commonwealth except under appropriation made by law. But until the expiration of one month after the first meeting of the Parliament the Governor-General in Council may draw from the Treasury and expend such moneys as may be necessary for the maintenance of any department transferred to the Commonwealth and for the holding of the first elections for the Parliament. The Constitution places all expenditure and revenue to be provided for under legislative process – meaning that all current and new expenditure is subject to existing and new laws under the Government of the day. In other words if the Government can pass legislation through the HOR and the Senate, then there is no restrictiveness on any Government spending initiatives, nor taxation revenue collect at its own will. The policy debate wanted is whether these rules should still apply given they were written at a time where Politicians had to get themselves elected, were deemed to be ‘of the people’ and ‘for the people’,  and acted frugally when it came to the public purse.   Since then society had changed in many ways, the advent of television and the ease in which the politician can reach the masses, and the modern method of the ‘candy store’ giveaways during election campaigns to get elected.. Since the GFC, all we know is that the world is in a debt spiral where new debt is doubling the old debt every four – five years.   Obama inherited a 2008 Bush debt of US$7 trillion – five years later the debt is above US$16 trillion.  Rudd inherited zero debt, and now we have almost $300 billion of debt, and under Bowen’s new forecasts, likely to be $4-500 billion in the near future. Europe is a basket case where many Nations have worse debt proportions than others and the P.I.I.G.S. have GDP/Debt rations from which they cannot recover if they remain in the EuroZone.   Debt is the evil curse the Government’s have embraced to prop up ailing economies.  In fact it has been irresponsible economic management and placed future generations in the position none of us want tem to be. Surely the prudent thing to do would be to place restrictions on the Government of the day’s borrowing capacity – force the Government to act responsibly and cut spending via Constitutional change linked to say – the Debt to GDP ratio. What we do know and as it stands now is this: Our Government of the day has no limitation to the amount of borrowing it can enter into, Our Government of the day can spend public monies without limitation relative to: Debt/GDP ratios, Without any limitation to percentage (%) increases during its term, Without any limitation to sector funding, i.e. Education, Health, Defence, Welfare … etc Without any limitation to Party policy advertising, Without any limitation to MP and Senator remuneration increases, Without any limitation to Foreign Aid donations, Our Government of the day can also cut spending at its discretion on any matter including Defence, Health, Education, Welfare and the like. In a world where the struggle of life is ever increasing through debt explosion, and the Bank’s providing limitless lending to people already in financial trouble, the obvious answer to the question: ‘where will it all end’ … is relatively obvious – ‘badly’. Should not Government’s impose limitations on themselves and run budgets according to economic conditions? The problem is that ‘economic conditions’ is a subjective argument not often agreed to by opposing political party’s. Elections are won and lost on the basis of policies promised and the balancing of the costings for those policies left to balance once in Government.   Surely we must know that this is ridiculous and makes us all look pretty stupid in accepting the ‘candy’ handouts with our vote. In a perfect world the onus of responsible ‘economic management’ would come from the Government – but when re-election is on the agenda, or a new Government wants to take control,  responsible ‘economic management’ becomes about ‘tagging’ the other guy whilst not getting ‘tagged’ yourself on economic management. In that scenario who do we believe, the $70 billion hole in the Coalition policies promoted by the Government, or the confessed $50 billion hole by the Government? In either case the taxpayers and the electorate are bound to get screwed either way as they have done across the globe for the last 40 odd years. Should the people have a say in how much the Government can borrow during at term of office? How would an economic stimulus package as Rudd instigated in the face of the GFC work if there were limits on borrowings in place? Should a change of strategy against election policies render a Government out-of-order, and be forced to go back to the people to get approval and seek a mandate? One thing is true – Governments have to be made accountable for the mistakes they make in relation to managing the finances of the Nation. The referee who makes the decision of whether the Government has overstepped their boundaries has to be the GG under our current Constitution.   Therefore when a GG is selected, are they canvassed on the matter as to whether they would be prepared to out the Government over poor economic Management, and who would they receive advice from if such a decision had to be made? It’s all too hard one might say. But easily fixed if it was legislated that all Government borrowings were restricted as a ratio of GDP.    Meaning that if GDP growth stalled, then no new borrowings can be assumed.  If GDP growth fell, borrowings would need to be reduced.   If GDP growth grew, then the Government has opportunity to enact new expenditure policy. The goal being that the Government is responsible for economic growth and it has to find ways to stimulate that growth away from new Government debt spending. For far too long Government spending has underpinned GDP growth and as a result the World has become a toxic debt explosion waiting to happen – the GFC was a tremor compared to what is still to come. This has been coming for many decades and it is a global problem.  Debt got us into the GFC problem, and the only solution Western Governments have been able to come up with in the last five years it to increase their debt exponentially. All with a consequence of future taxpayers being responsible for the repayment of that debt, and the resulting reduced living standards that will ensure. Please take a minute to register your opinion in the Poll below:   [EYE-BALL Guru] … Harry Growl’s Water Cooler Gossip: … [Harry Growl] … Story doing the rounds about Mr Abbott and Mr Rudd and many other male politicians concerns the new prostate test – all are taking the test to establish whether a rigid or ‘soft-cock’ awakening is an accurate measure for prostate problems … Many have used the above scenario to have morning sex – politicians tweeting about this are set to rise … Peter Beattie’s Federal nomination in the seat of ‘Forde’ boosts ALP chances in winning some marginal seats in QLD.   Beattie’s appearance as ‘gaunt’ and significant weight loss raised questions to his vim and vigor to a robust election campaign … perhaps he should use the test above to rule out  possible medical reasons … Abbott was in Tasmania talking about State issues, and Rudd along side Beattie was in QLD talking about State issues under Newman … a new angle on Federal campaigns …  Conroy, Swan, Emerson, Gillard, and other lesser members – i.e. Garrett, Clare and Lundy, and all a part of the Gillard tiger force are still absent from the campaign.   These names are obviously toxic for ALP … why has Abbott not used this to his advantage …  the NBN, Economic Management, and Trade, all portfolios under these previous Gillard Ministers and now serving as feather dusters awaiting their parliamentary pension for the rest of their lives … Rudd must have counted the number of votes lost in recent days due to his ‘hair-tick’ because in front of the camera’s with Beattie, he never once touched his hair … The journo’s travelling with both Leaders, Rudd and Abbott are having little games with themselves … whispers have emerged that News Fairfax Journo’s have made a pact to not sleep with anyone on the opposing team … the pool for the first journo to break ranks is growing each day … of course the incentive to break ranks for the pool is offset by a dare that is too much to publish hereto without obtaining reputable confirmations … more on this as advice comes to hand … oh .. by the way the pool is open to print and vision journo’s, all tech staff are excluded. … [Harry Growl] … General Links to Election data and Information: AEC’s Enrollment Drive: Linked here. Today is Day 1 of the 34 day campaign and the immediate focus of the ALP and the Greens is to get as many un-enrolled electors enrolled … the deadline is seven (7) days and the AEC link to find more information about whether you are enrolled can be found here.  [EYE-BALL.] ABC’s Vote Compass:  Linked here. A brilliant on-line survey presented by the ABC’s Anthony Green will prove to be an election barometer never seen before.  His 30 question survey has gone ballistic this morning with 170,000 people logging on to give their responses.  His questions will decide the election issues seen as most important and the major party’s will be keenly seeking Green’s data to help them plan their election strategies. [EYE-BALL] Anthony Green’s Election Blog: Linked here. Party Policy links: Liberal Party Policies The Nationals Policies ALP Policies The Greens Policies Bob ‘Katter’s Australian Party’ Policies Clive ‘Palmer United Party’ Policies Campaign Speeches: Link to Tony Abbott’s media releases Link to Warren Truss’s media releases Link to Kevin Rudd’s media releases Link to Christine Milne’s media release – no link available at time of posting. Link to Clive Palmer’s media releases Link to Bob Katter’s media releases Link to the ABC’s 2013 Election coverage: Link to ABC’s Election 2013 coverage Final Comments from EYE-BALL: This new election commentary page is provided as a service to subscribers and readers during the 2013 election campaign. All and any abusive comments will be deleted without notice. Satire and witty comments are appreciated … and in all seriousness, this Nation is a bee’s dick away from disaster, and if anyone thinks that Rudd or Abbott have the goods to be our PM and lead this Nation away from that disaster, please express your thoughts and reasons in the comments section below.  You never know, your comment might just make a difference.

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