On Tuesday I published a blog in which I mentioned the phrase ‘non-core promise’. For the sake of anyone from overseas who reads this blog I offer the following text to explain what this phrase means and where it comes from. The text below comes from http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=non-core+promise
Non-core promise:
A commitment to deliver (a service, funding, an item) that is subsequently set aside. The broken promise is then explained with the glib expression "oh, but that promise was non-core". Now generalised to non-political situations, too. Origin: Australian federal elections at the turn of the 20th/21st centuries. The conservative party (known as the Liberal/National coalition) made a number of election promises which were broken soon after the election. The prime minister, John Howard, attempted to explain this behaviour by claiming that some promises are "core" and some are "non-core" and thus, don't count.
Not only did "No tax increases, no new taxes" turn out to be a non-core promise, but in the campaign, Howard had also given a solemn undertaking that "I'm not going to break any promises". That one was certainly non-core. Laurie Oakes (Australian political reporter/writer) Excerpt from National Nine News (network TV) 12 May 2005 as quoted at news.ninemsn.com.au
ART SUNDAY - ROUALT
1 hour ago
6 comments:
Grrrrrr, don't get me started on that topic!
It boils down to: "Liars, Damn Liars and Politicians!"
Good choice, bad word!
Have you read the book Death Sentence by Don Watson? I recommend it.
A term from America: cop out.
Non-core seems like a @@$@#@ cop out to me.
And in that vein I guess we could include Gov. Sanford's marriage vows as non-core. And Rep.Wilson's excuse for yelling "You Lie" as the heat of the moment as a cop out.
How do you know when a politician is lying: His lips move.
oh I love Don Watson's books; and Howard will always be a mental apparition whenever I see the word 'core'.
what a bloody cop-out.
school-yard mentality -
"oh no that wasn't a proper go" etc
and yes to J.B-B:
too many people these days regard marriage vows as non-core, ie. "till death do us part" means 'till I weary of it and wander of with somebody new'.
This is only acceptable when we did it at the election where Howard's government wasn't returned.
Yes, it is school yard mentality and such an obvious cop out. that's what makes it so insulting in a way - the assumption that we will just take so obviously being lied to or fobbed off so glibly. And let's face it - lots of us do.
Ann - has Watson written other books? I must track them down because I really enjoyed this one.
I just found out that a website inspired by Watson's book Death Sentence has been set up: www.weaselwords.com
Check it out!
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