As Mark Steyn puts it, the "conservative" parties in Europe and elsewhere have largely been reduced to making the argument that they will make better technical managers of the Left's massive state bureaucracy.
That's why social medicine is such a linchpin for them. It forever moves the political equilibrium to the Left. When is the last time you heard a Republican make the case that not only is Social Security something that cannot be "saved", it is something that was mathematically impossible from the very beginning and should never have even been created. I don't think I ever have. Even the so-called stalwarts of the Right only ever talk about a need to shore up Social Security and Medicare. They've been reduced to arguing that they're better stewards of the Left's creations.
But as for Australia, I don't really know much about their domestic political situation. I take the same position as Alan on that, let's believe it when Aussies can once again legally exercise their natural rights.
