The Grumpy Old Party

What is it with Julie Bishop, the she feels she always has to spit her words out? There's a feeling of permanent anger, or barely concealed contempt, of 'Mrs Bitch' in everything she says.

This morning on the radio she was still rabbiting on about the Schools Stimulus. Its success in preventing a haemorrhaging of jobs in the trades during the GFC seems to have mollified her crankiness not at all. Other countries are dealing with high unemployment still, but Julie and her party seem to despise the fact that the Australian workforce has been sustained, in most part at least, as a viable economic unit.

Perhaps the Liberals are annoyed that avoiding unemployment has also avoided a sort of Bosses' Paradise, where employers can freely pick and choose who will work, and pay appropriately lower wages? I wonder what miseries WorkChoices would have brought us in that situation, had it still been around? Thankfully we will never know for sure.

Perhaps Julie and her colleagues are just annoyed that the incompetent, inept (their words) Rudd government had a success, by NOT taking the Liberals' advice to cut spending and go the low road. Bishop (on ABC's AM this morning) was still pounding the desk about how the Rudd government had not built major infrastructure - ports, highways and airports presumably - but had instead constructed jerry-built school halls and fences around playgrounds.

Put aside fact that the $16 billion spent on schools would have built about one airport, or a paltry 100km of dual-lane freeway - in one location, leaving the rest of the country to wallow in recession - or that the plans would likely not even be off the drawing board yet for such major projects (so little real work would have been generated), Julie chose to be angry that thousands of trades people and their families and the businesses that depend on their custom managed, in this country, to struggle through an economic downturn that has brought even the US to its knees economically. Why they are angry about this is hard to tell, unless it's just pique.

Julie Bishop is not the only one. When was the last time anyone heard or read an optimistic word on any subject from Joe Hockey? Even his cherished Republic is now a poor choice for a referendum. Tony Abbott is legendary for his blue language. It seems Tony can get away with expressions like 'toxic bore', or 'shit-eating grin' all day long, while Rudd's words never get a fair shake of the sauce bottle from commentators (they are either too bland or too harsh). Perhaps Abbott is given special leave by the commentators to use marginal language because that is what they expect of him. They, and perhaps the people too expect Tony Abbott and his party to be angry. Maybe that's what is seen as their role in society: anger. If so, I think the portents are bad for the conservatives.

The Liberals have become the Grumpy Old Party of Australian politics. Backed up by grumpy, whingeing shock-jocks and their grumpy, whingeing audiences - today expressing anger at our 'Tourist Prime Minister', or high taxes, tomorrow back on about how easy it is to get a job if you're prepared to work for low wages - they have brought grumpiness back into the political scene.

We all know someone who is permanently grumpy. Nothing is to their satisfaction. Everything is broken, or falls short in some way. Life is unfair to them. Minor annoyances send them up the wall. If only they ruled the world.

Of course, we avoid these people. Sure, a little anger is appropriate on occasion, but the permanently grumpy person is a turn-off. You know you're never going to get a pleasant or positive word passing their lips. There's always the chance they will turn on you if you don't tread carefully. It's all negative, all the time with the Grumpies.

So, how can Abbott, Bishop, Hockey and crew hope to impress voters whose jobs have been saved, who are expressing confidence in the economy in record percentages, by grumpily complaining that we should have all done it tougher, for much longer? Do they think that a sour demeanour in the face of economic sunlight and optimism is a 'good look'? Can the Liberals really believe they are going to capture and hold the imagination of the Australian people with chronic ire? 
 

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Bilko

22/01/2010BB denial is the order of the day coupled with the 30sec sound bite. there are none so blind as those that don't want to see, etc etc. Anyway JB should be on about the aid to Haiti and all that or is she now the economic spokesperson for the libs, in which case they are further in the poo than the Morgan F2F poll out today shows and Possums take on that ranges between 112-120 seats (MOE dependant)to labor which are a beautiful set of numbers in anyone's book.

Michael

22/01/2010Julie Bitchit and Tony Rabid and their grumpy army can still NOT BELIEVE that the Coalition was voted out. Until (and let's face it, they never will) they accept that the will of the people can go against them for perfectly sensible and considered reasons at any given election, they'll just keep whinging. I earnestly pray that I will never see the Coalition elected to Federal government again - not as a matter of preference, just because I cannot begin to conceive what shit-eating grins they'll have on their faces when the electoral cycle eventually tilts their way.

fred

22/01/2010Hmmm. I usually call the Coalition parties the COALition just to hint at their political base. But I do like the idea of calling them the Grumpies. Maybe I'll mix the terms up a bit. Perhaps we could have a competition [the winner gets to meet Tony or Julie for dinner perhaps, BB could organize that I'm sure]] for what would be an appropriate nickname for the Grumpy COALition. Cos lets face it 'liberal' one of them isn't and 'national' doesn't accurately portray the other. They are sorely in need of a more accurate monicker.

Doug

22/01/2010You've put your finger on what has been bugging me about the coalition recently - beyond the substance of the issues - it's the grumpiness, nothing but grumpiness and everybody is doing it. Greg Hunt is barely convincing you can see at times he's really struggling to register on the high end of the grumpiness scale which is where they seem to be targetting. Wilson Tuckey as the mad uncle does it without effort.

Ad astra reply

22/01/2010You’ve put your finger right on it BB. I thought the same when I heard Julie Bishop this morning on [i]AM[/i]. Come to think of it, I can’t remember her being anything other than angry – every utterance seems to be loaded with venom. You’re right Bilko, a pervasive state of denial afflicts the Coalition, and Michael, you’re saying the same thing. As you say fred, the COALition parties need more meaningful names. The current ones are nominal, not descriptive. Like you and Doug, I like BB’s description of the Liberals as the ‘Grumpy Old Party’.

lyn1

22/01/2010Hi Bushfire Bill Another excellent column. I could not agree with you more BB. Joe Hockey has not uttered one positive word for two years and always whingeing & sooky. Julie Bishop even walks cranky. Christopher Pyne is so cranky his face stays permanently red. I wish somebody had a list of the awful nasty words Tony Abbott has called Kevin Rudd, Nazi Analogies when he likened Copenhagen talks to a latter-day environmental Munich agreement, later on lateline saying it was a thowaway line. Peter Dutton has a grudge and a very pouty, cranky face, been thrown out of Question time numerous times for loosing his temper. I see this morning the Liberals in SA Australia are conducting a very nasty personal campaign against Mike Rann. BB the Liberals think they don't need to impress the voters, remember Tony Abbott "the electorate was sleep walking in 2007.

janice

22/01/2010Spot on BB as usual. Michael, 'Julie Bitchit' fits the person to perfection. Fred, I doubt very much anyone will want to win your competition with such a prize - UGH. The GOF (grumpy old farts) Party has a certain ring to it though.

lyn1

22/01/2010Hi Bushfire Bill I haven't seen your work on Crikey before, is today the first time. Well done http://www.crikey.com.au/politics/ Like the party name Janice suggested. Angry Miserables the Liberals

P.F

22/01/2010Oh no... The depths Crikey must have sunk to by enlisting one of pollbludger's deranged leftard posters for commentary... Sad stuff.

janice

23/01/2010I'm completely and utterly gobsmacked to read this morning that the Weekend Australian has given recognition to our PM Kevin Rudd and named him its 'Australian of the Year 2009'. What say everyone else?

lyn1

23/01/2010Hi Janice I am amazed all the nice words. Nice photo of Kevin Rudd too, wonder how come the Oz is being kind. I hope Bushfire Bill and Ad tell us what they think about this. Cameron Stewart and David Uren From: The Australian January 23, 2010 12:00AM :- Rudd's adept handling of the economy during the GFC and its aftermath has delivered the Prime Minister a towering lead over his political rivals. It is also why he has been named The Weekend Australian's Australian of the Year for 2009. WoW!!!! the country owes a deep debt to him for showing courage in the face of fire during the GFC and for displaying astute leadership when Australia needed it http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/leadership-forged-in-the-financial-fire/story-e6frg6nf-1225822707253

janice

23/01/2010Lyn, I'm probably being cynical in thinking that maybe Murdoch is preparing to ensure subscription dollars when he starts charging for viewing the OO contents.

Ad astra reply

23/01/2010Lyn1 Thank you for the [i]Crikey[/i] reference. This is a first for [i]TPS[/i]. All credit to Bushfire Bill. Thank you too for the link to the Stewart/Uren article in [i]The Australian[/i]. The Editorial is even more lavish in its praise of Kevin Rudd: [i]PM proves an Australian winner in a defining year[/i] http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/pm-proves-an-australian-winner-in-a-defining-year/story-e6frg71x-1225822693234 Like you janice, I’m gobsmacked. P.F Welcome to [i]The Political Sword[/i]. Should you return, you will find that you will evoke a positive response if, instead of shooting the messenger, in this case Bushfire Bill, with whom presumably you disagree, you offer some verifiable facts and well argued reasoning to refute his assertions. Visitors to [i]TPS[/i] are amenable to logically presented arguments no matter what viewpoint they offer. To attempt to diminish or dismiss BBs views simply by labelling him [quote]...one of pollbludger's deranged leftard posters[/quote] will not cut the mustard here. It is more likely to label you as a spear-thrower for the Grumpy Old Party.

HillbillySkeleton

23/01/2010Hi! BB, and thanx for this column. I have to agree that my gall rises every time I see a spokesperson for the Coalition trot out in front of the media and deliver their lines. No thoughtful analysis ever appears to issue forth, just one crazy negative accusation against the Rudd government after another. IMHO, I believe that the Coalition is operating on the assumption that if they say something negative often enough, the electorate will change their opinion and agree with them(it certainly seems to be working in the US for the Republicans, and the Coalition have no doubt espied this and decided to behave likewise here). Their criticism of 'Debt and Deficit' appears predicated on a complete denial of the intervention of the GFC into the economy over the last couple of years(an almost farcical, 'Don't Mention the War' posture), and the subsequent actions of the Rudd government, by going into Deficit, to ameliorate the worst effects of it on our country, appear to them to just be a socialist government showing its true colours. Sheesh! I have no doubt in my mind that we, too, as a country would be looking at ~10% unemployment if the decisive action of the Rudd government had not been taken, &/or the Coalition's ideas had been implemented, or if they were the government at the time. As mentioned above, WorkChoices would have got a strenuous workout, especially its most dark and draconian aspects, allowing employers to pay their employees less, in order to get them through the GFC and salvage their businesses. Which would have been followed, once the economy improved generally, with a new low base for wages that it would be very hard for employees to recover a decent standard of living from. As for the Shadow Ministry spokespeople that Tony Abbott is cracking the whip over now, don't they think that people will notice such things as Greg Hunt hypocritically turning on a dime and going against everything he believed in, and wrote his PhD thesis on, wrt Climate Change and an ETS? Or, Julie Bishop(who appears to have sucked on a lemon before she goes out to do an interview these days), saying the exact opposite of whatever it is that the government has proposed, no matter what? Also, if she's supposed to be Tony Abbott's secret weapon to win back the female vote, then all I can say is that he still doesn't understand what he really needs to do and say to win women over. Just having a woman say negative anti-government rhetoric may win over the Uber Bitch vote, but that's only a minority of us at the end of the day. Not to mention Abbott's anti Women's Rights policies, which he is making a point of concealing atm. Sure, an Opposition is meant to oppose the government on matters of faith and ideology. They are also meant to propose constructive criticism and alternative policies to the electorate. Sometimes, they should also agree with the government, and give credit, where credit is due.

Ad astra reply

23/01/2010HillbillySkeleton Your comments are a welcome addition to [i]TPS[/i]. Well-balanced and logical, they add to the richness of the dialogue we enjoy here. Your mention of denial as a predicate upon which so much of the Coalition’s angst is based, is apt. I agree. I hope you will return.

lyn1

23/01/2010Hi HillbillySkeleton Like Ad I too enjoyed your comments thankyou. I hope that you will become a regular visitor to TPS. Ad Astra is a very much admired host by us all on TPS.

fred

23/01/2010At first glance the article in the OO appears to be praising Rudd. But there are several poisonous stings hidden in the bouquet. Check out the following negatives and pejoratives that evoke images that do not reflect well on the PM nor the govt. This is grudging praise, skilfully written so as to appear to praise Brutus but setting up and maintaining memes that are negative so they can go for the chop later. Here are extracts from the article, shorn of context each contains a little barb or even a large one that contrary to the apparent point and theme of the article are actually giving a negative picture of Rudd. Highlighting such alleged negative aspects as 'risk', 'gamble', 'radical', 'obsession', broken promises etc. See for yourself. Skilful propaganda. "Rather than risk waiting for a clearer picture to emerge radical epic gamble. wager Rudd now concedes pondered the wisdom of a radical acute dilemma for a politician elected on a promise to deliver conservative economic management and to protect the surplus ... Whitlamesque proportions, shredding the Howard government's surplus in the process. radical much criticism of the quality of spending, presidential style of leadership, centralising power ...narrow group obsessive ...instilled both fear ... Yet Mr Rudd has struggled.... has faced criticism for being slow to deliver on election promises such as health reform. Despite several unconvincing efforts to sell himself ..." Not so nice as it first seemed is it?

Rx

23/01/2010They've been grumpy ever since ... let me see ... since about a week after the imposition of SerfChoices. For the first week or so after they'd got SerfChoices through the Senate, there were ear-to-ear grins all round. "This is it!" they beamed. "The weapon that will put unions out of business and break the financial back of the Labor Party." They smirked widely as they contemplated the prospect of their laws kneecapping the party that was their main political rival. Dreams of a one-party state entered the fevered heads of more than a couple of excited Howard-devotees. But delight soon turned to a sinking feeling in the pit of the gut. It began to dawn on them that Australians wanted no part of their unfair, fascist laws. The opinion polls turned against them and haven't gone back since. Madly they scrambled to spin their way out of trouble. Hundreds of millions spent on pro-JerkChoices propaganda ... to no avail. Week after week, every pollster, poll after poll, month after month, year after year, right up till the present day. Disaster with every result. And that's why they're grumpy. Painfully aware are they that Howard's obsession has been their destruction. It saw them booted from government, Howard lose his seat, and the Coalition behind in every opinion poll ever since. They have little to smile about, so you don't see them smile much. They do have lots to be fearful of, though, and I reckon if you look into their eyes as they spruik their miserable nonsense on the telly you can see that fear. That haunted look of knowing that things won't be getting better for them for a long time to come...

lyn1

23/01/2010Hi Fred poisonous stings hidden in the bouquet. Your negative aspects excellent This morning after reading http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/editorials, I said to my husband see they have to put some nasty in, most noticable to me was Mr Rudd's popularity remains solid, even if, as Cameron Stewart reports today, he is respected, rather than loved. Cameron Stewart and David Uren article.(most now appear to see Mr Rudd for what he is: an earnest policy wonk. He is respected rather than loved Have you got time to extract from the article the praise words so we can compare. Cheers Fred

fred

23/01/2010For lyn1 [BTW your editorial link didn't work for me??] Some/most of the positive words and concepts praising the Rudd govt [although note the sting contained within some eg 'wager', 'relatively unscathed' in the first example.] "it is beyond dispute that Rudd's historic wager has paid off. Australia stands as the only major Western nation to avoid a recession and emerge relatively unscathed from the largest global downturn since the Great Depression. adept handling of the economy The bans on short selling were crucial in averting the speculative attacks fiscal stimulus package kept retail sales going the speed of its response stopped the downturn from gathering momentum Mr Rudd also merits acknowledgement for his energetic lobbying The Treasurer said yesterday Mr Rudd's recognition was richly deserved..[praise]... But the country owes a deep debt to him for showing courage in the face of fire during the GFC and for displaying astute leadership when Australia needed it most." Its not a complete list, nor is the previous one, but it does show that underneath the apparent praise lurks some memes [obsessive, instill fear, radical, bet/wager, sheding Howard surplus ...] that reinforce paradigms the OO has sought to manufacture in the past and will doubtless continue to construct in the future. Its what my mum and dad would have called a 'backhanded compliment'.

janice

23/01/2010But Fred, the majority of OO readers would read the editorial and the article and not be taking it apart phrase by phrase to find the back-handed compliments, wouldn't they? Words and phrases are open to interpretation which is why they can be so powerful when taken out of context. IMHO, the tone of these pieces of praise for PM Rudd comes across to me as genuine which is why I was left gobsmacked after reading them. Again, I ask myself why the OO would name PM Rudd as its Australian of the Year 2009 if it was genuinely felt that the PM was not deserving of the Award.

lyn1

23/01/2010Hi Fred Sorry link was busted, here it is again http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/pm-proves-an-australian-winner-in-a-defining-year/story-e6frg71x-1225822693234 Thanks for positive aspects from the Oz articles

Ad astra reply

23/01/2010While I agree with you fred that negative words and phrases were identifiable in the Stewart/Uren article and the Editorial, I feel the positive words outweighed them. I’m with janice when she says “...the tone of these pieces of praise for PM Rudd comes across to me as genuine...”. That is why I too was gobsmacked.

mick smetafor

23/01/2010i noticed the mad monk was taking the low road again today blowing howards immigration dog whistle for all its worth,nothing is beneath this god fearing bunch.

HillbillySkeleton

23/01/2010Ad Astra, lyn-1 et al, Thankx for the warm welcome. I came here via Crikey, and I remember Jack the Insider at The Oz mentioning you, Ad Astra, most positively. So, about a year later, here I am! Might I also add to the mix today by saying that, as soon as I heard that Abbott had made a speech about Immigration, a couple of thoughts flashed through my head. 1) Abbott has taken notice of that other popular populist politician, Nicholas Sarkozy, and his latest gambit on attacking the wearing of the Niqab and Burqa by Muslim women in France. His line of attack on them was along the lines of, "They do not accord with French cultural norms". Abbott's focus in his speech was along similar lines, that being that, if he were to become PM(heaven forbid), then he would regulate to abolish multicultural enclaves of difference from Australian society, and force migrants to 'Australianise' themselves. I would have thought that this happened naturally with migrants, and especially by the second generation, tho' I will admit that certain groups in Australia now do encourage the maintenance of a degree of the identity of the society from whence they came. Yet others can't wait to abandon all cultural references to their past life. One thing that disturbs me about Abbott's stance, is that I am unsure what he is proposing by this Cultural White Australia Policy. Will it involve Moslems being made to read the Bible? Will all have to learn how to play Cricket or Aussie Rules, or Netball for the girls? 2) Which suggested one line that Tony Abbott should have said instead of wasting his breath on a whole speech: "We will decide who comes to this country, and the way in which they will behave."

St Louis MO

24/01/2010Bushfire Bill does it again! Great post - i always look forward to your posts when they show up on my RSS feeder! =) peace my brother!

Ad astra reply

24/01/2010HillbillySkeleton Thank you for your kind remarks. Tony Abbott’s take on a number of issues are unusual. Laura Tingle has an informative article about Abbott in the [i]Weekend AFR[/i] titled [i]My promise is this: I will surprise you[/i]. Laura writes well-balanced pieces; this one suggests that Abbott may surprise his own party members as much as anyone else, especially when he talks about taking over state responsibilities, which is anathema to many Liberals. What he has to say about immigration, and how those he decides should be allowed in should behave, will not find much support with the likes of Petro Georgiou, Judi Moylan and Russell Broadbent. As mick smetafor points out, Tony Abbott is dog-whistling. His longstanding mentor and dog-whistler-in-chief, John Howard, would be proud of him. It will be an interesting year. St Louis MO It is good to have a visitor from so far away. You’re right – BB is always great value. It’s great to have him contributing to [i]TPS[/i]. He has lots of fans.

Erica Vincent

24/01/2010HillbillySkeleton - If your going to quote Tony Abbott I think you should use Abbott's quotes, not what you think his quotes mean.

Bushfire Bill

24/01/2010I have been happily away for a few days doing the Great Aussie Summer Camping Holiday thing (alias [i]Mozzies, Flies, Bull-Ants, Moisture-Laden Heat, Sand In Everything, Tantrum-Throwing Grandchildren, Snoring Neighbours In The Next Tent, mixed deliciously in with Beautiful Deserted Beaches with Crystal Clear Water, King Prawns For Breakfast Lunch & Tea (plus Far Too Much Wine) and more Flies[/i] up the NSW Mid-North Coast. We invited some South African friends, who invited some of [i]their[/i] South African friends and the result was bicycles and kids to the horizon, several large 4WDs and much merriment. Our homegrown counter to this [i]voortrekker[/i] invasion was to invite some of [i]our[/i] Aussie friends. Needless to say, the South Africans were superb company, and their wine was even better. Their kids are all little Aussies with no trace of accent or attitude. They and their parents have taken to Australia like seagulls to a leftover bag of hot potato chips. The Aussies were full of fun and several great times were had by all as we explained to each other the shortcomings and strengths of our respective homelands. In response to a South African father's statement the "Rudd should just take over Health and be done with it", my explanation of the complexities of s.51 of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act (and why he couldn't just do it, as the shock-jocks and Tony Abbott seems to suggest he can) was particularly erudite. Several of the campsite comrades left the scene at this point, no doubt to consider my words of wisdom in solitude. They only came back when the [i]poiki[/i] pot was bubbling along strong, they were considering so hard. I am pleased to see Crikey has given TPS just recognition by mentioning the "Grumpy Old Party" on their front page and linking to this post. It has very little to do with me and very much indeed to do with AA's thorough, entertaining and informative posts over the last many months. I am just the Billy Come Lately to this site. Australian people, even newly naturalized South Africans, run quickly away from anger. Summer is a time when we enjoy ourselves and swim our cares away, for at least a few days. To see senior politicians in suits looking sternly into the camera is anathema to the spirit of the holiday season. To hear Julie "Sally Silkworm" Bishop expressing disgust at this or that Rudd government policy is a turn-off. To endure Joe Hockey pontificating about the latest disaster-to-come is unnerving in the midst of so much plenty and Vitamin-D. I sincerely hope the Grumpy Old Party keeps it up, even redoubles its efforts in the months to come. There will be a scant few pissed off voters approaching the How-To-Vote volunteers to sneer at them and Labor's performance, convinced that what Alan Jones and his colleagues say about "groundswells" and "silent majorities" is gospel truth, while the vast majority will wonder what on Earth they could be thinking, claiming that this wonderful country which is doing so well is ruined beyond repair. They will be thinking why in the hell should they change their minds from last time, in 2007, when they went to the polls gaily determined to end Howardism once and for all. Why a carpet-chested, skinny-legged, budgie smuggling Howard Clone (with several genetic anomalies added) should fancy himself (and be fancied) as the saviour of Australia will, I confidently predict, be beyond them. So keep it up, G.O.P. The people of Australia need reminding of why they sacked you last time. Your chronic ire will do the trick nicely, thank you.

lyn1

24/01/2010Hi Bushfire Bill Welcome back, glad to hear you had a nice happy holiday. thankyou for your interesting piece this afternoon. Love this bit Why a carpet-chested, skinny-legged, budgie smuggling Howard Clone (with several genetic anomalies added) should fancy himself. This in the Herald today: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/tony-abbott-opens-up-on-all-things-female/story-e6frf7l6-1225822959795 Abbott and his G.O.P need a miracle to survive this election year.

HillbillySkeleton

25/01/2010Erica Vincent, OK, here it is: In the speech, Mr Abbott evoked John Howard's 2001 re-election mantra, in which the former prime minister said ''we will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come''. ''John Howard's declaration about Australians controlling who comes to this country resonated because it struck most people as self-evidently and robustly true,'' Mr Abbott said in his speech. He also said ''some recent immigrants seem resistant to Australian notions of equality''.

Ad astra reply

25/01/2010For those of you who suspect a News Limited conspiracy in the nomination by [i]The Australian[/i] of Kevin Rudd as its [i]Australian of the Year[/i], if you are able to access [i]The Stump[/i], you’ll find Bernard Keane’s piece [i]Why is Kevin Rudd Australian of the Year?[/i] http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/ interesting reading. fred, you’ll enjoy reading Bernard’s thesis.

lyn1

25/01/2010Hi Ad Thankyou for the link to the Stump, Why is Kevin Rudd Australian of the year. Very interesting piece by Bernard Ad, and Janice would enjoy reading it too. Last paragraph (Regardless, let’s give The Oz the benefit of the doubt and acknowledge that it takes guts to admit you were wrong).

Ad astra reply

25/01/2010Since the response to this piece by Bushfire Bill has evoked such a wide response, even recognition on [i]Crikey[/i], and such perceptive comment, some of which cited denialism as a serious problem for the Coalition, I have penned a complementary piece [i]The Grumpy Old Denialist Party[/i] which I will post in the next half hour.

BH

25/01/2010BB - you've let the cat out of the bag as to why the Libs are on the nose. Aussies like smiles not grumps so the Libs may take notice of you. On second thought, they won't. They are so full of self-righteousness that nothing will sway them from their Opposition -I hope. Tony Abbott is already surprising us with comments from Howard's textbook. I thought the Libs said that the Howard Govt. days were over and they would be looking forward. It seems Mr Howard won't let them.

Ad astra reply

27/01/2010Folks We seem to have attracted a swarm of spam lately, so I'm closing comments on this piece. The current piece [i]The Grumpy Old Denialist Party[/i] remains open.
T-w-o take away o-n-e equals?