Tell us if this tale sounds familiar:
A charismatic leftist gets elected in an overwhelming rout that decimates his country’s conservative party. As soon as he takes office, he begins pounding money down a rat hole with one crazy spending scheme after another, proposes a complete overhaul of the country’s healthcare system, institutes immigration policies that allow unparalleled numbers of illegal aliens to flood the nation, and proposes a hugely unpopular “excess” profits tax. After a euphoric period of initial popularity, his poll numbers drop precipitously.
Despite what you may have thought, this is actually the sad story of Kevin Rudd, Australia’s leftist Obama-wannabe Prime Minister for the last 944 days.
Wednesday, in what we can only hope is a preview of coming attractions here in the United States, Rudd was booted out of office by his own party.
The Sydney Morning Herald has details that the Obama administration should pay attention to:
Julia Gillard has become Australia’s first woman prime minister after Kevin Rudd stood down from the position during a Labor Party leadership spill.
Ms Gillard has been elected unopposed to the position and Wayne Swan will become deputy prime minister.
The spill came after a newspaper report claiming Mr Rudd had instructed his chief of staff Alister Jordan to ring around the caucus to see whether MPs were still behind him.
944 days. Just about two-and-one-half years. It’s days like this we wish we had a parliamentary system in the United States.
NOTE TO OUR AUSTRALIAN READERS: We apologize for the misuse of the word “charismatic” in regard to Kevin Rudd. Consider it poetic license.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
