repetition

i think the most unnerving thing about politics is the repetitive language. the same words popup again and again. of course that's the politician's staple, repetition, because people don't very often like to listen to them. electorate deafness? perhaps closer to electorate hearing impairment, as though only certain frequencies of a given speech are picked up by only certain individuals. like high-pitched dog whistles. no more finer example than howard's string of great swindles, tampa, children over board, gst, awb etc. and of course, we shouldn't forget howard's pre-hanson statements on 'asian immigration': 'I do believe that if it is - in the eyes of some in the community - that it's too great, it would be in our immediate-term interest and supporting of social cohesion if it were slowed down a little, so the capacity of the community to absorb it was greater'. but even more surprising is the frequency with which he employs the word multiculturalism these days, given that he has said, 'To me, multiculturalism suggests that we can't make up our minds who we are or what we believe in'. even better is his statement, 'I abhor the notion of an Aboriginal treaty because it is repugnant to the ideals of One Australia'.