Word: howard
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...implication is that Howard, a striver par excellence, is there by merit. But it's also by cunning, luck and perseverance. And the wonders of incumbency, the best political steroid ever. Howard rules (much better than) O.K.! Among many good ones, the P.M. is the Liberal party's best strategist. More important, he is the government's most effective communicator in today's supercharged news cycle. Usually with minimal success, Parliament House's hired political hands try to craft lines that will reach ordinary people about the government's actions and inactions; Howard has the advantage of an open invitation...
...Apart from its discipline and efficiency, Howard's office is known for its micromanagement; it's the hub of Canberra's conservative politics and bureaucratic power. So is the P.M. a one-man band? Howard rejects any notion that he's all-knowing or ever-present. First, he says, it's impossible these days to keep track of all the information flooding into his office. Second, he's restored the preeminent role of Cabinet, which has collectively taken all the major decisions. "Obviously I have views, and I'm not suggesting for a moment that those views aren't listened...
...Although today's tight focus on political leaders puts charisma near the top of a candidate's "must-have" list, Howard's surface deficiencies have not hurt him. While there's no cult of personality around the P.M., the dramatic moments of a decade set him apart from the other contenders for his job: a brave decision on gun laws, freedom for East Timor, an uncompromising approach to border protection, standing shoulder to shoulder with President George W. Bush after 9/11, providing comfort to the bereaved in Bali. That Howard's forte would become international affairs and national security...
...Where Howard's dominance is not in dispute is in Parliament - and control of the Senate has given his authority a new dimension. Unsurprisingly, Howard has nudged the institution to the center of public life; some accuse him of sidelining other players and interest groups in the democratic process. Howard passionately professes the "virtue of politics." Of course, it has been his life's work. When last month's conscience vote on the abortion drug RU486 reduced the power of the Health Minister (the P.M. was on the losing side), Howard felt his colleagues had shirked their responsibility. "I actually...
...having a dynamic effect. For politicians, the modern condition means an electorate that is demanding, less tribal and more materialistic. In general, Australians are older, wealthier, deeper in debt, unsettled by events beyond the country's shores, and lead their private lives in anything but conventional ways. What has Howard contributed - and what has he taken away...