Australian Federal Tresurer, Wayne Sawn, has supposedly given 500k to the US Democrats.
13 replies, posted
[quote]TREASURER Wayne Swan, who today said US Republicans are economic "crazies", has been linked to a Government gift of $550,000 to a foundation run by former US President, Democrat Bill Clinton.
The taxpayers' money four days ago went to the former president's Clinton Foundation to pay for carbon accounting in Kenya.
Liberal environment spokesman Greg Hunt today said the Treasurer was "playing in partisan politics" by attacking the Republicans and helping a leading Democrat figure during the US election campaign.
"It's completely inappropriate for the Treasurer to be playing in partisan US politics and that is not in Australia's interests," Mr Hunt told news.com.au.
"Against that background, it seems even odder that they are giving money to one of the world's richest foundations."
The Government approved $550,000 for the design of a "National Carbon Accounting System in Kenya", according to a tender document from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.
The Government is expected to be asked why it was sending the design work to Boston when it boasts of creating so-called green jobs here in Australia.
The revelation of the donation to the foundation came hours after Treasurer Swan made a heavy-handed intervention in the US election campaign by branding Republican economic policy managers as 'cranks and crazies'.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said Mr Swan should do his own job better and stop blaming others.
And shadow treasurer Joe Hockey also told Mr Swan to stop blaming others for what the senior Liberal called his own economic mismanagement.
"Wayne Swan loves hating people," Mr Hockey told news.com.au.
"He hates Tony Abbott, he hates Gina Rinehart, he hates Twiggy Forrest, and he hates the Republicans."
Mr Swan this morning told a Sydney Financial Services Council event that the biggest dangers to the global and Australian economies were declines in Europe and America, the world's largest economy.
"Let's be blunt and acknowledge the biggest threat to the world's biggest economy are the cranks and crazies that have taken over the Republican Party," said Mr Swan.
Pointing to a stalemate over the US Budget earlier this year Mr Swan said, "Despite President Obama's goodwill and strong efforts, the national interest was held hostage by the rise of the extreme right Tea Party wing of the Republican Party.
"The consequences were grave.
"There can be few things more alarming in public policy than a political movement which was genuinely prepared to see the US government default on its obligations in order to score a political point ... fast forward to today, against the backdrop of a very close presidential campaign, and global investors are once again keenly focused on political gridlock in the US."
Mr Swan today stood by his comments and said an example of "inflammatory" would be the United States in default.
"That would have very serious implications for the global economy. It's the last thing the global economy needs" the Treasurer told reporters.
And he likened the Opposition's economic policy to that of the American Tea Party, the far right wing of the Republicans.
"I know there are people who will go out there like Tony Abbott and talk our economy down and behave in a Tea Party fashion. The fact is the fundamentals in the Australian economy are strong.''
Australian politicians have previously injected their own partisan observations into US political contests.
In February, 2007, Prime Minister John Howard said a victory to Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, would be a boost for the terrorists. Mr Obama went on to become the President who ordered the killing of terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.
In February 2003, the Labor Opposition Leader Mark Latham declared that US president George W. Bush was "the most incompetent and dangerous president in living memory" and called Liberal fans of Mr Bush's Iraq invasion a "conga line of suckholes".[/quote]
[url]http://www.news.com.au/national/swans-attack-on-us-republican-party-labelled-hateful/story-fndo4eg9-1226478700065[/url]
While using public funds to do so might be wrong, it's hard to argue with him that the Republicans are nuts
A note about Australian politics - The "Liberal" Party is actually conservative
Democrats are just as crooked as Republicans, the only difference is they're better at hiding it.
[QUOTE=EliteGuy;37743400]Democrats are just as crooked as Republicans, the only difference is they're better at hiding it.[/QUOTE]
Do you know what the definition of the phrase 'just as' is?
Regardless of who is corrupt and who isn't, I'm not going to vote for a party that sets its campaign on gaining votes by exploiting religious and racial views against vulnerable individuals. For this reason I am glad for the donation.
[QUOTE=download;37743321][url]http://www.news.com.au/national/swans-attack-on-us-republican-party-labelled-hateful/story-fndo4eg9-1226478700065[/url]
While using public funds to do so might be wrong, it's hard to argue with him that the Republicans are nuts
A note about Australian politics - The "Liberal" Party is actually conservative[/QUOTE]
All our parties are conservative, except the greens who are dead center
[QUOTE=McGii;37743467]All our parties are conservative, except the greens who are dead center[/QUOTE]
No, the greens are left, not entirely left, but still left. The Liberal party is more Conservative then the Labour
[QUOTE]"He hates Tony Abbott, he hates Gina Rinehart, he hates Twiggy Forrest, and he hates the Republicans."[/QUOTE]
Because Joe Hockey totally doesn't hate Gillard, Rudd, Swannie and anyone left of neoliberal conservatism.
[editline]21st September 2012[/editline]
Also I don't see why it's such a problem that Swan would back the Democrats. Labor sure isn't going to get any support for CTS from Romney.
Lol corruption.
People in foreign countries should be able to vote for our congress and president. It affects them just as much as us.
[QUOTE=prooboo;37743998]People in foreign countries should be able to vote for our congress and president. It affects them just as much as us.[/QUOTE]
Terrible idea.
It'd kill Romney's chances though.
[QUOTE=Tigster;37744062]Terrible idea.
It'd kill Romney's chances though.[/QUOTE]
Wouldn't be practical, but US foreign policy tends to have no restrictions, and the difference between romney and obama could mean the difference between war or not.
[QUOTE=prooboo;37743998]People in foreign countries should be able to vote for our congress and president. It affects them just as much as us.[/QUOTE]
There's a lot we could do to improve our voting practices. That sure as hell isn't one of them.
[QUOTE=prooboo;37744075]Wouldn't be practical, but US foreign policy tends to have no restrictions, and the difference between romney and obama could mean the difference between war or not.[/QUOTE]
And you don't think there will be any issues with countries trying to turn the elections to their own favour? We'd be hitting a whole new level of corruption and exploitation.
You know, it would be interesting if the whole world had an effect, if not miniscule, on each election of whatever is the head of a country, as it does affect us. It'd probably help circulate nice things like gay rights.
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