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HEED THE BEANS

Lefties are planning Rudd celebrations, although “there remains an undertow of concern that they might be denied victory tonight.” With good reason, for the beans have spoken at a chain of Perth coffee houses:

Customers have picked every election winner since 1996 with a 100% strike rate. This year, 16 “polling booths” have been set up in various stores, where coffee lovers can drop a bean in the beaker representing their preferred party.

Over three weeks, more than 33,000 voters have cast their bean, and the voting has percolated down to a Liberal lead of 42% to Labor’s 36%.

Mark Steyn is with the beans: “On Saturday (Australia Time, which is more or less practically right now Eastern Daylight Central Standard Mountain Time), [John Howard] faces the toughest election of his life. He deserves to win.”

Posted by Tim B. on 11/23/2007 at 12:13 PM
  1. I’m with the beans on this one.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 11 23 at 12:17 PM • permalink

  2. Are you subject to exit polls like we are in the US? They aren’t very accurate but are beloved by the MSM as it is something to talk about until the real numbers start coming in.

    On the few occasions I’ve been mugged by those twits at after voting, I’ve always lied, just to make the nosy parkers even more useless.

    Posted by Retread on 2007 11 23 at 12:22 PM • permalink

  3. Espresso doesn’t lie.

    Posted by paco on 2007 11 23 at 12:28 PM • permalink

  4. I predict that if the ALP loses the election, the lefties will pull a Margo Kingston and blame interest rates or something else, anything other than the fact that the Australian people don’t trust the left to lead the nation.

    Posted by wronwright on 2007 11 23 at 12:39 PM • permalink

  5. I’m pulling for Mr. Howard.  He’s been a steady friend to us.

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2007 11 23 at 12:41 PM • permalink

  6. Say no to a leftist puke-topia!

    Posted by Hucbald on 2007 11 23 at 12:47 PM • permalink

  7. Very happy, John. Hope you have an opportunity to keep up the great work.

    Posted by paco on 2007 11 23 at 12:48 PM • permalink

  8. Beanz meanz Ruddz ‘hind ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 11 23 at 12:48 PM • permalink

  9. Eat a soyburger in support.

    Posted by rhhardin on 2007 11 23 at 12:51 PM • permalink

  10. That would be about 13,860 trips for Infidel Tiger and SwinishCapitalist out there in WA.

    Way to man-up guys!

    Posted by yojimbo on 2007 11 23 at 01:09 PM • permalink

  11. Beans aside, starting to get a good feeling about this for the first time since the campaign started.

    Posted by murph on 2007 11 23 at 01:12 PM • permalink

  12. The ABC’s Election Calculator right now says:

    “Predicted Outcome: Coalition wins election”

    89 seats vs 59 with 2 other.

    How accurate do you think this is?

    Posted by gajim on 2007 11 23 at 01:22 PM • permalink

  13. gajim

    “Predicted Outcome: Coalition wins election”

    89 seats vs 59 with 2 other.

    If correct within a few thousand percentage points…This is good, because Labor is bad, right?

    Posted by El Cid on 2007 11 23 at 01:29 PM • permalink

  14. OZ

    The plane with 27,943 votes* for Howard, has been on the ground, in Sydney for five hours don’t forget….The Plane, The Plane.

    *these are 100% legitimate votes, straight from Chicago.

    Posted by El Cid on 2007 11 23 at 01:33 PM • permalink

  15. #14 El Cid: G.K. Chesterton once referred to “the democracy of the dead”; maybe Chicago’s what he had in mind.

    Wronwright should have those Ohio voting machines in place, and Detective Paco’s bookie, Tiny Weiss, still says it’s in the bag for John, so chins up, all (that way you don’t dribble the eel juice down your shirt).

    Posted by paco on 2007 11 23 at 01:47 PM • permalink

  16. There are at least two coffee shops I know of doing the same thing both had liberal very slightly ahead yesterday.  Maybe a photo finish?

    Posted by surfmaster on 2007 11 23 at 03:20 PM • permalink

  17. I don’t know much, but I just know that there’s no way that coffee could be wrong…

    Posted by kae on 2007 11 23 at 04:07 PM • permalink

  18. Maybe tea-drinkers are socialists.

    As much as I hope Howard gets back in, I think the smug, prissy, teacher’s pet will win.  It’s almost impossible to believe we’d throw out a spectacularly economically successful government for the greatest tool chest since Whitlam’s bunch, but it sure looks like we will.

    And I’ll stay in Australia no matter who wins.  My capital, on the other hand…

    Posted by Craig Mc on 2007 11 23 at 05:05 PM • permalink

  19. #12 gajim: Only Their ABC could devise a swing calculator where, if you move the slider to the right, it indicates a swing to the left.

    Posted by Skeeter on 2007 11 23 at 05:07 PM • permalink

  20. There’s one at a coffee shop near me. Coalition’s way in front. Made me feel chirpy all day.

    And we all thought the lefties were the latte lovers (I order flat whites myself, probably a racist thing).

    Posted by Dminor on 2007 11 23 at 06:35 PM • permalink

  21. There’s been a poll running on PerthNow for about a week. It’s had JWH ahead by at least 10 percentage point consistently. It seems genuine because there have been no wild swings either way. Just a point or two in either direction before settling on 48-38 for the last four days, with the Greens, Other and “I’ll decide on Saturday” gaining or losing a point over the entire week. Today, Greens and “I’ll decide on Saturday” are on 5 each with Other on 1.

    I’ve been noticing polls that pose a question like “Should boat people be turned back?” and similar questions that relate to people’s attitudes towards what really amounts to government policy, but posed without political context. In that particular poll, the answer was 4-1 for yes. In other words, majority support for Liberal Party policy on that issue. Similar questions on other issues have produced a similar result. Again, any indication of hackers and I lose interest. If there’s a clean majority response when questions on various issues are posed devoid of political context, and that response supports Liberal Party policy, then the election should bring a much bigger win for the Libs than anyone suspects.

    Or should I go back to bed and dream on?

    Posted by SandiM on 2007 11 23 at 07:39 PM • permalink

  22. It was Liberal how-to-vote papers as far as the eye could see at my local polling booths this morning. Big early turnout and quite a friendly, upbeat mood. Mind you, they were dumping retirement villagers off by the busload, so I’m under no illusions this isn’t Liberal heartland. Still, put it this way: didn’t look like there was a swing towards Labor. Fingers crossed.

    Posted by Dminor on 2007 11 23 at 08:22 PM • permalink

  23. The lefties are probably stealing the beans rather than voting with them.

    Posted by Dan Lewis on 2007 11 23 at 08:25 PM • permalink

  24. #22 Dminor: I just got back from voting. 20 minutes in the queue, so plenty of time to check things out. Looked like more Liberal how-to-vote cards in hand than any other, but it’s early, eh? This is a 1% marginal seat, so here’s hoping.

    Posted by SandiM on 2007 11 23 at 08:37 PM • permalink

  25. Lefties are planning Rudd celebrations, although “there remains an undertow of concern that they might be denied victory tonight.”

    Or as ‘our’ ABC so elegantly put it,
    “Dracula might yet re-emerge from his coffin”.

    That’s what I just love about ‘our’ ABC. They’re just so damned impartial and even-handed!


    Not!

    Posted by Bonmot on 2007 11 23 at 10:30 PM • permalink

  26. I cast my vote today for Peter Costello.  Turnout was huge, with the large majority holding Liberal how to vote cards.  Not surprising in a blue ribbon seat but at least I now know that, if all goes to pot under Labor, I live in a safe Liberal enclave.  We’ll just a build a wall to keep the rabbits out.

    Posted by Heminator on 2007 11 23 at 10:44 PM • permalink

  27. I feel like going out and giving my beans an extra dose of Thrive, my favourite vegies.
    I believe the coffee shop’s bean count has never been wrong. There is hope yet.

    Posted by waussie on 2007 11 24 at 12:13 AM • permalink

  28. #18 Craig Mc
    I think John Howards manner (direct talker, decisive, not distracted by interest groups) made it look easy. He never elaborated on difficulties but took it in his stride, so it looked like all you have to do is stride.

    We are going to pay royal if the priss gets in, and moreso when his own party gets him out of their way.

    Posted by Toiling Mass on 2007 11 24 at 01:27 AM • permalink

  29. That’s what I just love about ‘our’ ABC. They’re just so damned impartial and even-handed!

    But it’s true Bon Mot!  For every item criticising the coalition, their impartiality demands that they have another praising the ALP.  That way both parties get equal time.

    Posted by Craig Mc on 2007 11 24 at 07:19 AM • permalink

  30. I voted for Phil Baressi, who looks like losing Deakin.  It was a marginal seat, and he’d been there for the life of the government.

    The coalition was on the nose in early 2001 over the BAS statements, and I fired off a particularly angry email to him on the matter.  He replied within ten minutes addressing each of my points and vowing to take them to cabinet, which he did.  All my problems were solved and I’ve had nothing but respect for the guy ever since.  I doubt my new member will be as good.

    My electorate are the same morons who returned that worthless, back-stabbibng bint Kirsty Marshall at the last state election.  Forest Hill may be a middle suburb, but it has its share of Cletus types.

    Excuse me, I have to go fix my interest rates now.

    Posted by Craig Mc on 2007 11 24 at 07:33 AM • permalink

  31. Since 1996? So, what? The beans just always predict liberal? Good on ya, beans.

    Posted by Jefferson Skates on 2007 11 24 at 12:55 PM • permalink

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