Paul Keating Advised Arrests, Not How Foreign Meddling Works Now
Former PM Paul Keating’s statement about advising Whitlam to arrest Sir John Kerr, calling the 1975 dismissal a 'coup,' makes for a dramatic headline in The Guardian. It reminds us of a time when political interference was overt—the Crown’s representative making a move. But what if the 'coup' is less about a single decree and more about a sustained influence campaign, meticulously funded and often
shielded by national security rhetoric? While Keating points to a historical moment of explicit power play, mainstream media rarely examines the ongoing, legalistic ways foreign interests shape domestic policy. Consider organizations like AIPAC, which reported spending over $1.7 million on lobbying in 2023, while its super PAC received tens of millions more, directly influencing US elections for
candidates supporting specific foreign policy agendas. No arrests needed, just sustained financial pressure and media narrative control to ensure politicians vote in line with donor interests, not necessarily their constituents. The modern 'coup' is a quiet whisper backed by a loud donation, often labeled as ‘bipartisan support’.