Thursday, April 19, 2012

Hockey and the Coalition's welfare manipulation

There is nothing so grand as the way that the Coalition manipulates the welfare system to their own ends.

The Blowfly is never surprised by anything Joe Hockey says. His thought bubbles abound.

But his latest foray telling Australians that they are too well looked after with welfare is part of a softening up process that has been used by the Liberals before.

The strategy is this.

By announcing that welfare cheats abound and that Australians are too well looked after appeals to a particular section of the voters.

It also makes the Coalition look like tough economic managers.

And then when you have reeled in the spending and bashed the crap out of the welfare cheats you leave it alone for awhile.

Because you then have it up your sleeve for later on. Just as John Howard did!

And when you need the votes from the middle class and the swinging voters you then start extending the welfare again.

You free up the guidelines. You extend the thresh-holds. You hand out a little here. You hand out a little there.

You do it strategically.

Apart from that , of course, the Coalition has a major issue getting their budget into surplus.

They will have to slash and burn to save face.

At least with the ALP you know that they are blatant about welfare.

That's what they stand for!

Moving wealth from the rich to the poor.

But the Coalition is duplicitous about welfare. They use it to attract votes when they need to and to improve their reputation when they need to.

Hockey's latest thought bubble is one of many that will emanate from his head in the lead up to the next election.

And that will create an intriguing dynamic between him and his leader!

Abbott being restrained. Not wanting to be a target. Not wanting to lead with his chin.

And Hockey wanting to be controversial. Getting headlines. Attracting interest.

The Coalition hasn't won the next election yet.

There is still plenty of room for them to self-destruct.

It is compelling viewing.

No comments:

Post a Comment