Does Labor fight too 'clean'?

Recall a bar fight in an old Western movie. The goodies walk into a bar for a drink and are confronted by a mob of sinister-looking baddies who resent the invasion of their space and soon make it clear they are up for a no-holds bare-knuckle brawl where anything goes. No Marquess of Queensberry rules govern their behaviour – chairs, anything solid and able to be propelled, anything sharp, even firearms are all used as weapons of combat. The goodies though stick to the ‘rules’. They eschew any ‘unfair’ or ‘illegitimate’ tactics – bare knuckles yes, but no chairs or dangerous weapons. And they usually win! Their superior fighting skills and their ability to dodge flying missiles stand them in such good stead that they triumph. The aggressors slink away defeated or lie unconscious on the floor, while the victors casually order a drink from an intimidated quaking barman. Of course that happened in the movies, and represented a fictional scenario. In real life the baddies too often triumph, because they don’t follow the rules, because they use underhand tactics ruthlessly to achieve victory. Remember Woody Allen’s Crimes and Misdemeanors. Fighting 'clean' is not a reliable way to success.

Recent events suggest to me that Labor is too ‘clean’ in fighting the Coalition’s outrageous aggression, and while that might attract applause from those who prefer to stick to decent ‘rules of political combat’, is it an effective strategy?

Let’s look at a few recent examples:

Take the attack on the Government by Tony Abbott over the contemporary court martial of three Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. In a particularly contemptible assault he accused the Government of ‘stabbing the soldiers in the back’ and not giving them the support they des erved, of abandoning these men fighting as they are for their country. It was a powerful and aggressive strike. Yet what did the mild-mannered Stephen Smith say? He said Abbott’s words were ‘unfortunate’. Too right they were, but in the hurly burley of politics, words hardly like to make headlines, hardly likely to effectively rebut the Abbott charges.

I would have preferred him to say to Abbott: “How dare you have the temerity to make such outrageous accusations. It was the Howard Government, in which you were a minister that created the process for such trials of servicemen thought to be in contravention of the rules of engagement, and it had bipartisan support from Labor. You know perfectly well that in this process Government has no part to play, nor have politicians or politics. You know that this Government wants the process YOU established to bring about a considered outcome and that it wishes to play no part in it. Yet you come along with this completely illegitimate accusation which you know is dishonest, in order to score political points. And you were only too willing to enlist Alan Jones to promulgate this deception, something he was only too ready to do. Worse still, you allowed him, without contradiction, to denigrate the female prosecutor for laying the charges, even although you knew that she was acting completely in accordance with the process the Howard Government established. How dare you behave in this disgracefully disingenuous way, cast aspersions on those involved, and the Government too, although it is NOT involved. This is worse even that the usual low standards of political discourse which you employ. You are a disgrace.”

Smith’s mild reply did nothing to dent Abbott’s aggression, did nothing to quell any anger that Abbott generated in the minds of the people that somehow the Government was not giving these soldiers the traditional Aussie ‘fair go’. Fighting ‘clean’ did the Government no good; it allowed the media to promulgate the Abbott negativity sans the rebuttal.

The second issue, in quick succession, was the Murray Darling Basin report. Again Abbott was quick to condemn the Government for threatening, even destroying rural and regional towns by reducing water allocations, and when angry locals met to discuss the report he asked: ‘Where was the Water Minister?

At least Tony Burke had the foresight to get the facts together to rebut this in QT.

He pointed out that the Commission was established by the Howard Government, was independent of government, had simply produced a report for discussion, not a definitive plan for action, that there were many more steps in the process, and that the Coalition, far from distancing itself from the report, had said during the election campaign that it would implement the Commission’s recommendations in their entirety within weeks of being elected, words Burke quoted verbatim. He also pointed out that it would be inappropriate for him to appear at community meetings of the Commission as it was an independent body, and he had no place there. Every accusation that Abbott levelled was, to use an Abbott expression, ‘demolished’. Burke did it in a good humoured way, but why not get stuck into Abbott for his deceptive assertions. Why not say: “You are grotesque – you know your government established the Murray-Darling Commission as a body completely independent of government and commissioned the Murray-Darling Basin report to be prepared. You know that Government ministers played no part in its preparation, nor could they have, and that accusing them of threatening rural communities is grossly misleading, but typical of the deceitful and hypocritical behaviour for which you have established an unenviable reputation.” Fighting ‘clean’ does not make headlines.

Then there was the pathetic episode over Abbott’s visit to Afghanistan. Again he wrongly accused Julia Gillard of ‘Machiavellian bastardry’, insisting that she had ‘leaked’ the story that he had declined her invitation to accompany her to Afghanistan, which neither she or her office had, as attested by the author of the piece about the leak, Phillip Coorey. Yet that didn’t stop Abbott from saying this episode rendered Gillard ‘unfit to be PM’ a headline the ABC faithfully replicated. I wish Julia Gillard had said: “How dare you accuse me of ‘Machiavellian bastardry’ when you could easily have diverted any criticism the Coorey article implied by simply saying – ‘I already have plans to visit the troops in Afghanistan but they did not fit in with the PM’s visit. I am keen to see the conditions under which they are serving this country – security issues demand that I announce my plans at a time that is appropriate.’ Instead you chose to make political capital out of a situation that you yourself created with your cock and bull story of not wanting to be ‘jet-lagged’ for your meeting with your conservative mates. If you are not smart enough to craft a plausible story, if you are inflicted with chronic foot-in-mouth syndrome, are YOU fit to be PM?”

Fighting ‘clean’ will not attract the attention of News Limited journos hell-bent on demeaning the Government.

Now some of you may prefer the gentle approach, the turning of the other cheek, the countering of aggression with meekness. Personally, I’m sick and tired of this approach. If Abbott wants to pick a bare-knuckle fight, if he wants to delve into his bag of dirty tricks, if he insists on lying, if he insists on deception at every turn, if nothing is too low, too disingenuous for him to assault the Government with, then I would prefer to meet fire with fire, to slam him as he so enjoys slamming Gillard and the Government, kick him where it hurts most, and demolish his arguments with unambiguous searing rhetoric, such that he cowers in a dark corner. Abbott is a bully. Bullies always retreat when they get a strong dose of their own medicine. Abbott needs a very strong dose. Fighting ‘clean’ is not working.

What do you think?

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jj

22/10/2010I do not think the Labor Party have to play any more dirty than what they already do. Attacking Malcolm Turnbull over his wealth in both the NBN and private health insurance rebate debates (Conroy and Roxon). Digging the dirt on Tony Abbott about a certain interview he gave whilst at university; something to do with the issues of women. Gillard sniping and sneering about work choices all the way through the election campaign, knowing full well that the Coalition has no plans to ever go that far again. Gillard telling Tony Abbott to stay out of womens' lives when he made a comment about his daughters virginity. I can tell you, the Liberals could get real dirty about Gillard if they had to. About the various affairs she had with shadow ministers during her days in opposition. Or the fact that she was a signed up member of the socialists alliance until fairly recently. The fact that Gillard is a woman that stands for no one nor any cause other than that of obtaining power and control. But the Liberals wont, because they have already got enough to attack in the way of flaky, scrappy, back of the envelope policies to get stuck into the government about. Oh and by the way, how about you read the full transcript of the Abbott, Jones interview, i am pretty sure when he made the comments about people being stabbed in the back he made quite a large qualification in saying, "...now some people think". He was not directly saying that this was the case, rather that there are some people in the community who are very angry about the decision. On the Murray-Darling-Basin authority stuff. Abbott was channeling the anger of his coalition party's constituents towards the plan, and especially the sneaky 'net' job losses area of the report. How could you take seriously the economic and social impacts of the report when the authority its self claimed almost instantaneously that they even thought the figures were dodgy and then subsequently asked that there be a comprehensive study done on the social and economic aspects. I am not sure if many of you understand, but many people in NSW have already suffered cuts in the order of 5-35% under the NSW water sharing plan, and that many farmers in the basin have received little to no water during the drought. If you do understand, than you would have a bit of simpathy for their position, now that they are being told that they are going to be losing more entitlements, and if they continue to keep farming, water is going to be vastly more expensive. You talk of Tony Abbott not being up front and honest, your Tony, Tony Burke, is worse. He continually claims that the government has bought only a fraction of the water in the water market, and that the market continues to operate without any real government influence; he is lying. In some valleys, and catchments in the NW of NSW, the feds have bought up whole licenses throughout whole catchments. So in some areas the government has totally distorted water prices and has just stopped whole areas from being used productively. Sure it might be only a "fraction" when you consider it in the whole scheme of things, but in many areas the feds have pushed water prices to heights that have made existing farmers in the area, have to sell up because costs were too great.

nasking

22/10/2010You make some valid points Aa...but my Mum is a dyed-in-the-wool conservative and she seems to be over Abbott & Jones & the Murdoch media's agro ways, their dirty fightin'. She told me today that their approach gives her a headache and causes too much anxiety. Consequently, she's turnin' much of the news off. Mebbe Labor's onto somethin' here. We'll see. N'

Ethistan

22/10/2010And yet again, jj misses the point. I know, everyone is shocked! AA isn't saying Labor should fight dirty, he is saying they should fight when attacked, not just turn the other cheek. Comprehension means reading something and understanding it, not just seeing what you want to see and going off on a tangent having a rant

MassiveSpray

22/10/2010Ad, I don't think it matters how Labor take the fight up to the Coalition clowns...in a vacuum no-one can hear you speak. The MSM will not give any rebuttal the attention it deserves and at best they will cherry pick any bits that make the speaker look bad. The softly, softly approach may be pretty poor, but unless they can get it into the public's head that our media cannot be trusted with providing truthful information, it will just another stick for them to be beaten with.

jj

22/10/2010Ethistan, What i was saying if you had of read the whole thing is that i dont think Labor waits until it attacks, it just attacks no matter what.

D Mick Weir

22/10/2010Thanks Ad for another provocative post. If you whipped this up more quickly than you intended, no matter, it has all the ingredients that blended into full meal! There is another aspect to this and I am searching for a name to give it. It is a sort of a reverse of the old adage 'never let the facts get in the way of a good story'. There appears to be a trend of waiting for some good facts to create a story and worse still when the facts arrive no good story is created. Think about the BER where the inquiry showed that 'teh waste' was mostly a myth or in case of insulation where an outsider, Possum, digs into the numbers to find that given the increase in rooves insulated the actual number of fires per 1000 rooves was less by a statistically significant amount. These 'facts' get dropped into their laps of and what happens? Not much and, it may be fair to say that, the 'bad' story is already perceived wisdom (urban myth maybe?) but a good story could be still constructed that illustrates the untruths peddled by various opponents. I have some thoughts on why this may be happening that I need to cogitate on further and test a bit further before I type more.

tredlgt

22/10/2010 AA Agree , stop this being polite and laid back, if attacked, fight back . They, the hard done by selfish egotistical defenders of the right , do not mind lying , distorting and exaggerating any situation to try to destroy an argument or person to benefit them selves. Hockey for example will lie and froth at the mouth and then act hurt when called on it. No need to lie or be aggressive but a forceful defence should score points with the voters.

Ad astra reply

22/10/2010Folks Thank you all for your quick responses to this piece. What a change from the deluge of spam. We’re off now to our son’s 40th birthday party. I’ll respond to your comments in the peace of the morning. As we’ve had little spam in the last couple of hours, I’ll leave the post open until I return later this evening, and hope the spammers will largely leave us alone. Whatever comes in, I'll delete before bedtime. Please ignore it until then. I will close down overnight as that is when the spam mostly comes.

lyn

22/10/2010Hi Ad I told you before, so I will tell you again, you are simply the best. Thankyou so much for putting up this piece "Does Labor fight too clean"? You have just finished travelling 8,000 kilometers, taking the car to be serviced,getting ready for birthdays, fighting hundreds of spam and you care about us on "The Political Sword", thankyou Ad. Now to Labor, yes the Labor Party is far to soft, on the spiteful, hateful attacks the Coalition, the lies are just absolutely amazing, the personal attacks are filthy. The Government has been referred, to as Nazi's, called incompetent,inept, illegitimate, comitting acts of bastardry, accused of manslaughter, the list goes on and on ,absolutely shocking talk. My husband is 6ft 3 a big man with a big heart, a sincere, honest gentleman, he said to me last week: "[quote]Lyn! Labor has got to fight in the gutter with them, give it back to them: if it means getting in the gutter with them, get down in the gutter and fight the bast**ds, they are [b]gutter fighters[/b]. Labor has got to do it, Labor is too soft, it's the only way.[/quote] [quote]Abbott is a bully. Bullies always retreat when they get a strong dose of their own medicine. Abbott needs a very strong dose. Fighting ‘clean’ is not working. [/quote] You are so right Ad.

Sir Ian Crisp

22/10/2010In the interests of balance……. "What the Australian people told us...(is) that we will be held more accountable than ever before and more than any government in modern memory, we will be held to higher standards of transparency and reform," she said. (The Bird of Paradox). http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/julia-gillard-gets-the-numbers-after-backing-from-key-independents/story-e6freon6-1225915343587 “The Government has however confirmed it has had the Governor-General sign a decree exempting the NBN from scrutiny by parliament's Public Works Committee.” http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/20/3043124.htm The ALP as a paragon of honesty, not prepared to take the gloves off? I don’t think so. The Bird of Paradox has a strange version of transparency. Is Warren Entsch correct when he says the Bird of Paradox is a habitual liar? Sir Ian Crisp…replacing banality with balance for those poor souls lost in thraldom.

D Mick Weir

22/10/2010I am having other thoughts about this. Maybe there is a very subtle stategy behind these cool, calm and collected responses. Maybe the idea behind this is that being cool under the 'constant fire' coming from the opposition will cause frustrations to rise and then they will start saying even more silly things and get angrier and more frustrated. Could be Comrade Joes' utterances on banks and interest rates were a sign the strategy is working.

lyn

22/10/2010Hi D Mick Weir You could be right, the frustration shown on Joe Hockey's face yesterday was there for everyone to see. What's more interest rates didn't go up, so what was the press conference's all about. "picking a fight about what might happen". I have been very proud of the quiet way that the Government has been handling the Abbott, self proclaimed ferocious onslaught, Tony Bourke's quiet measured response's in Question time, about a policy that was Liberal Party policy anyway. Julia Gillard's careful answers to the media's nonsensical questions over being accussed of neglecting the troops and 'Machiavellian bastardry’, But as Ad said, it is not working so far, the way is fight in the gutter with them. Bowl them out, call the shots, expose the cheating and lies, expose the hateful name calling. "Illegitimate Government". The Liberals would have been in exactly the same position had the independents sided with them, does the media tell the Coalition that, no of course not. Cheers

lyn

22/10/2010Hi Ad I am just putting these 2 links up again, for those who may have missed them on the last post: Our friends over at the Cafe: [i]The Ugly Australian, Nasking, Cafe Whispers[/i] PM John Howard has managed to come down from the attic to make an appearance just as we see the re-emergence of “the ugly Australian http://cafewhispers.wordpress.com/2010/10/22/the-ugly-australian/ [i]Conroy comes knocking, Benard Keane, Crikey[/i][b] Another day, another volley of outlandish propaganda from The Australian[/b]. Be more specific, you say! Which particular war — on Labor, on the ABC, on bloggers, on the Greens? No, [b]it’s the war on the NBN,[/b] with another series of articles slamming the roll out today. http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/10/22/conroy-comes-knocking-wiring-up-the-myths-in-the-nbn-war/

lyn

22/10/2010Hi Ad Sunday Politics on TV: October 22, 2010 UPDATED Sunday morning TV - a guide to Sunday morning's political and business interviews for this Sunday morning, 24 October: Full program listing available at: http://sundaymorningtv.posterous.com/ 8:00am Ch10 Meet the Press Paul Bongiorno is joined on the Panel by Radio National's Fran Kelly, and The Sydney Morning Herald's Peter Hartcher. Together they interview; Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and retired Army General and former Middle East Commander, Major General Jim Molan. 8:30am AEDT Sky News 601 Australian Agenda On SKY News Australian Agenda this week Immigration Minister Chris Bowen will be interviewed by Peter Van Onselen and a panel of journalists headed by The Australian’s Paul Kelly. 8:35am Ch7 Weekend Sunrise - The Riley Diary Political editor Mark Riley answers the imponderable questions of politics; how many politicians does it take to change a light globe, and why did the chicken cross the road in front of The Lodge? 8:38am Ch9 Today on Sunday - Laurie Oakes interview Laurie Oakes talks to Minister for Defence Stephen Smith. 9:00am ABC1 Insiders On Insiders the Sunday, Barrie Cassidy interviews the Communications Minister Stephen Conroy. On the panel: the Sydney Morning Herald’s Phil Coorey, the Courier Mail’s Dennis Atkins and political commentator Glenn Milne. And Mike Bowers talks pictures with Sun-Herald cartoonist Reg Lynch. 10:00am ABC1 Inside Business This week on Inside Business Alan Kohler talks to Rio Tinto CEO Tom Albanese as well as Tabcorp CEO Elmer Funke Kupper http://sundaymorningtv.posterous.com/

john

22/10/2010Can't strongly defend your programme if you don't have one. Modern Labor is a joke, and their attacks on the workers hurt even more because they betrayed us.

HS

22/10/2010Thanks, AA, for an unusually feisty piece from you this time. As the Tea Party Conservatives in the US keep saying to their opponents, but within the local context, the ALP should 'Man Up!' However, they have to tread a fine line so as not to be seen as hysterical. Even though the Opposition take their 'Angry Pills' every morning before they go in front of the media, the Labor Party can never go that far over the top because it will be an opportunity seized on with relish by outlets associated with News Ltd, and then by everyone else, to tut tut about their hysterical reactions. Also, they will take the opportunity to run as many negative stories as they can muster against the relevant aggressor, such as they are doing this week against Senator Conroy and the NBN. They can't just roll over and cower subserviently either. Actually, I think a good tack was taken tonight by Prof Andrew Leigh on Lateline. He bested Leigh Sales, our Miss prissy, with clear and concise facts combined with curve ball answers to her curve ball questions. Kelly O'Dwyer from the Liberal Party didn't even get the chance to do more than act as a bystander to the tussle between the 2 major combatants. Which is the point really. Arraigned against the ALP are not only the Liberal Party, and their assorted employed hacks, spin doctors and ex-journalists, but all those journalists whose aim in life appears to be scoring Brownie Points amongst their colleagues in the Press Gallery when they score a direct hit on the government. Jeez! Who'd want to be a federal ALP politician these days? It's like fighting in the Wild West Saloons with one hand tied behind your back and two different possees of bad guys to deal with.

HS

22/10/2010john, Boy have you been sold a pup by someone. You're putting down the government that got rid of 'WorkChoices', and all the consequent exploitation of the workers that it meant? Really?

Ad astra reply

22/10/2010Folks Great 40th birthday party - now time for bed. Spam not to bad this evening, but to be on the safe side, I'll close comments for the night. I'll respond to your comments tomorrow.

CALLIGULA

23/10/2010Hoo boy. What does it take to get Australians to see the facts of life? Come up here to queensland, be mug enough to try to take your rightful place in society and see how clean labor fights up here. But that’s not surprising is it? After all, as JJ said on some other thread the whole game is winning. Winning what? Apparently winning something called political office with absolutely no regard whatsoever for the content or intent of the constitutions. That’s plural – constitutions – of the states of our Commonwealth. What then is a Common-Wealth? Oh JJ; something you don’t know about at all. Don’t worry though; you are in there amongst a select set – the majority of our representatives in parliament. Then Mr. Howard. A fair number of citizens of this common-wealth are silly enough to believe he should be before the war crimes tribunal for perpetrating aggressive warfare against innocent citizens of sovereign nations without a formal declaration of war. A ‘litmus paper’ indicator of that might be the incredible number of Australians from all walks of life who have made their views public about ‘concentration camps’ on our soil, unjustified warfare in support of a lost cause, the suppression of fair dissent in the media, and the carefully staged dissolution of our customary rights and liberties in Australia. All this and infinitely more to our collective detriment under his ‘watch’. While on that subject I’m not amazed at all that the whatchamacallit cricket board were very forthright in giving JH the Bum’s rush in short order. Only my opinion as a non-cricketer, mind you, but I reckon that this decision, without any input whatsoever from me, says lots about JH’s odour amongst sportsmen out there in the real world. What other comment might I make relevant to this thread? That’s right. There are three blokes up on a big-time fizzer for allegedly committing atrocities in Ganners. What a complete joke all that has become – except for them. And what do these braves confront in the near future? Well, dear reader, let me advise you. Firstly, if those blokes are reservists they went to Afghanistan under a scheme resulting from Howard’s meddling with the old Defence Act. If that was brought into question it is arguable that they shouldn’t have been deployed overseas in the first place. Then if it could be sustained that Howard’s meddling was deemed as kosher – the question arrives as whether they were adequately trained and sufficiently briefed to undertake ‘sensitive operations’. Howard wanted ‘chockos’ – reservists – but reservists with ‘special skills’ to be legislated in to do his dirty work for him. Here’s something worthy of consideration – perhaps Tony was leaning over Howard’s shoulder when he was scheming this? Perhaps his recent response is a genuine reaction to something even his sort cannot stomach?

HS

23/10/2010Sir Ian Crisp, Surely you jest? Selectively quoting the Prime Minister on a matter of honesty and transparency, when she has that motley crew of bloviators, prevaricators and zealous Barabbases across the Despatch Box from her? Nice try.

Sir Ian Crisp

23/10/2010HS, Sir Ian Crisp merely seeks to bring balance to your life. It's not my fault if the PM is reworking the dictionary.

lyn

23/10/2010[b]TODAY'S LINKS[/b] [i]The Triumph over Power,Prejudice and Bigotry, Greg Jericho, Grog's Gamut[/i] So the next time any report includes the phrase “queue” you know you are reading or listening to someone who has no idea of the facts (or is flat out ignoring them). http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com/2010/10/triumph-over-power-prejudice-and.html [i]Hock-onomics and co-operatives, David Havyatt, Anything Goes[/i] His latest embarrassment is over calls for what seemed to be regulation (though he changed it to a social compact) of the banks to stop them increasing interest rates http://davidhavyatt.blogspot.com/ [i]Polls apart., Ashghebrabious, Ash's Machiavellian Bloggery[/i] deep understanding of that [b]knowledge[/b] and of course withhold any [b]knowledge[/b] that goes against their expressed [b]knowledge[/b] that would make it appear that they are not [b]knowledgeable[/b]. http://ashghebranious.wordpress.com:80/2010/10/23/polls-apart/ [i]Joe's levers and the Ghosts of Malcolms Past, Annabel Crabb, The Drum[/i] Who wrote the Water Act, over whose provisions the Government, farmers and Opposition alike are now studiously hunched?Why, Malcolm, of course - in those relatively recent but poorly-remembered days when he was Environment minister http://www.abc.net.au:80/news/stories/2010/10/22/3045800.htm?site=thedrum?WT.mc_id=newsmail [i]"Where the brains are" Peter Martin[/i] the Productivity Commission saying it would be prepared to conduct the inquiry even though the project is already under way. http://www.petermartin.com.au/ [i]NBN Is The Future, Leon Delaney[/i] ADSL is now cheaper than dial up used to be. All the while bandwith and speeds have been increasing so that customers are now getting much more for much less. http://leondelaney.blogspot.com/ [i]The Australian's war on the NBN , Gary Sauer-Thompson , Public Opinion[/i] Neither the conservative base or The Australian have any interest in exploring or debating the policy issues around a national broadband network. [b]The aim is to discredit the network[/b]. http://www.sauer-thompson.com/archives/opinion/2010/10/the-australians-10.php#more [i]Stephen Conroy, The Australian, the NBN and let the war get bigger and bigger, Dorothy Parker, Loon Pond.[/i] Why allowing wiring for four bedrooms, and a couple of studies, and the lounge room and perhaps the living area - and certainly the kitchen, after all [b]it's vital that the stove and the fridge be connected to broadband [/b]- before you know it, you're up to $3,000 a home in the blink of an eye. http://loonpond.blogspot.com/2010/10/stephen-conroy-australian-thenbn-and.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LoonPond+%28loon+pond%29 [i]Weekend Gab Fest!, Reb, Gutter Trash[/i] Joe “I’m an Economics Marvel” Hockey – to Malcolm “We think we know what he’s talking about” Turnbull. http://guttertrash.wordpress.com:80/2010/10/22/weekend-gab-fest-52/ [i]JUST GO, JOE: Libs have had a gutful of their clueless Shadow Treasurer, Vex news. Com.[/i] it looks like Abbott will treat him with dignity before installing someone up to the job of presenting as an alternate Treasurer of our trillion dollar plus and mostly prosperous economy. http://www.vexnews.com/news/11307/just-go-joe-libs-have-had-a-gutful-of-their-clueless-shadow-treasurer/ [i]Living, breathing Canberra, Norman Abjorensen, Inside Story[/i] Such is the curious ambiguity of Canberra in the national psyche – the capital city we never really wanted and the place most of Australia has never quite warmed to. The 2013 centenary might just pass unnoticed. http://inside.org.au/living-breathing-canberra/ [b]Newspapers:[/b] [i]John Howard's memoir Lazarus Rising shows his selfishness , Laurie Oakes, Herald Sun[/i] According to Fairfax papers, Howard also says in Lazarus Rising that Costello is an elitist who lacked the ability to connect with ordinary Australians. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion-old/john-howards-memoir-lazarus-rising-shows-his-selfishness/story-fn56baaq-1225942421068 [i]Howard is a sore loser: Costello ,Peter Hartcher, SMH[/i] Costello told the Herald: "It's a self-serving account … he appears to be incapable of taking responsibility for the defeat of the government and for losing his seat of Bennelong. http://www.smh.com.au/national/howard-is-a-sore-loser-costello-20101022-16xwm.html [i]Libs lurch towards the loony right , Craig Emerson, The Australian[/i] In true [b]Republican Tea Party style[/b], Australia's shadow treasurer Joe Hockey has called for reregulation of the financial sector. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/libs-lurch-towards-the-loony-right/story-e6frg6zo-1225942444733

lyn

23/10/2010Hi Ad ABC link again, Ad, I am trying your tip, of copying the link from the top of the browser page. Here goes: Joe's levers and the Ghosts of Malcolms Past, Annabel Crabb, The drum Who wrote the Water Act, over whose provisions the Government, farmers and Opposition alike are now studiously hunched?Why, Malcolm, of course - in those relatively recent but poorly-remembered days when he was Environment minister http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/22/3045800.htm?site=thedrum?WT.mc_id=newsmail

lyn

23/10/2010Hi Ad It worked,Ad ,you are a wonderful, magic, marvel, thankyou so very much.

Ad astra reply

23/10/2010LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/Lyns-Daily-Links.aspx Thanks Lyn for another great set of links for weekend reading. The ABC link is working.

HS

23/10/2010Sir Ian Crisp, As opposed to, Tony Abbott, who has created an alternative political reality of the Upside Down World, where a Shadow Treasurer's words can totally repudiate Liberal Party Economic Policy, just so he can get that warm and fuzzy feeling from saying what the Focus groups want to hear? Just like his leader, in a case of 'Monkey see, Monkey do'? Hmm. Sorry, I'd rather support the adults in the room.

lyn

23/10/2010Hi Norman K I meant to tell you on the last post "Just Joey" is just exquisite. You must have a beautiful Rose Garden, lucky you, roses don't like it much here too much salt and sea air, also the humidity. I have 'chameleon' growing in a hanging basket, which is very pretty. I wonder if you think, I am way off topic, Mr Abbott & Liberal party with their nasty attitudes, certainly does't remind me of roses. I am getting a kick out of the news this morning, they are a loyal lot aren't they. Sky news have asked Hockey, if his rumpus yesterday, was the start of a leadership tilt, let the fighting begin: Costello hits back at Howard memoirs, ABC, 4 minutes ago He also says there is no point in trying to blame other people for the Coalition's defeat as Mr Howard was responsible. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/23/3046424.htm?section=justin

HS

23/10/2010Sorry to cut your lunch again, lyn, but this is one newspaper article/opinion piece that needs to be read by us all: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/a-compassionate-voice-for-asylum-seekers-20101022-16xxz.html

lyn

23/10/2010Hi Hillbilly. How are you going. Thanks for your link to Peter Hartcher, I've finished reading it, I need to know what you think, about the article. Hope the painting is going ok, I feel sorry for you, having been through painters in the house last year, for 3 weeks. not fun. Wonderful when they finish though bright, clean and sparkling.

HS

23/10/2010Hi lyn, Painting's finished, and the house looks pretty as a picture now. :) It was the outside of the house, so no big smell problems. As for the article, this is what I posted on Grog's blog about the same topic: 'This is a Rubicon that had to be crossed by the ALP. Were they going to continue to 'Lurch to the Right', or were they going to put on the humane face that the leaching of votes to their Left demanded? Thankfully Chris Bowen decided on the harder road to follow, but one which finally starts to dismantle the horrible bigotry and xenophobia encouraged by the Conservatives.' I've actually submitted my next piece to AA around a similar theme.

HS

23/10/2010This is what I mean about 'They Don't Know the Meaning of Wrong' in Rupert's World and in their political satellites in the Conservative/Libertarian movement: Media Matters for America October 22, 2010 Media Matters: Wishing for Obama's assassination won't get you fired from Fox News The media topic of the week was the firing of Juan Williams by NPR over his remark that he gets "nervous" around "people who are in Muslim garb" on airplanes. Williams' firing comes weeks after CNN canned Rick Sanchez for remarks about Jon Stewart and Jews in the media. In both cases, news organizations made personnel moves in response to perceived violations of their editorial standards. Yet when it comes to cable ratings leader Fox News, it's hard to tell whether any editorial standards exist, and what - if anything - would get you reprimanded by the network. Unlike other media outlets, Fox News has a pattern of failing to seriously discipline employees for on-air transgressions. And in positioning itself as an alternative to traditional news media, that's probably how Fox News likes it. Take the case of Fox News contributor Liz Trotta. During a May 2008 segment on the Democratic presidential primaries, Trotta actually remarked that she wished somebody would "knock off" both Osama Bin Laden and then-candidate Barack Obama: TROTTA: The vast right-wing conspiracy blame has been undermined by her [Clinton's] evasions, by her outright lies, if I may say, by her pandering, by her race-baiting, and now we have what some are reading as a suggestion that somebody knock off Osama - Obama - well, both if we could. It bears repeating what Trotta did - she expressed her hope that someone assassinates Obama. The next day, Trotta appeared on Fox News to do damage control, telling Bill Hemmer that she is "so sorry about what happened yesterday and the lame attempt at humor. I fell all over myself, making it appear that I wished Barack Obama harm or any other candidate." The fallout? Nothing, apparently. Trotta is still a Fox News contributor, and appears in a weekly segment offering commentary. More recently, Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade made the clearly false claim - twice - that "all terrorists" are Muslim. Following outrage over his remarks, Bill Shine, Fox News' senior vice president of looking the other way, said Kilmeade would "clarify" his comments and claimed that Kilmeade actually meant to say that "all terrorists" involved in the 9-11 attacks were Muslim. Of course, this explanation was completely bogus, as Kilmeade referenced non-9-11 targets when he made the same comment on his Fox News Radio program later that day. This wasn't the first time Kilmeade has gotten in trouble for remarks on race and religion. Kilmeade issued an apology over his remark that "we keep marrying other species and other ethnics and ... the Swedes have pure genes, because they marry other Swedes." Kilmeade has also repeatedly made inflammatory remarks about Islam and Muslims. Additionally, Kilmeade's Fox & Friends program was forced to retract the false assertion that Obama "was educated in a madrassa" - one part of the web of internet conspiracy theories claiming Obama is a secret Muslim with a fake birth certificate. In May 2008, Fox & Friends was forced to issue an apology after it repeated as fact an online parody news report of a school prank that included fabricated quotes. And during a July 2008 show, Fox & Friends altered photos of New York Times reporters they disliked -- the journalists' teeth had been yellowed, their facial features exaggerated, and one journalist's hair was moved further back on his head. The fallout? The hosts of Fox & Friends, Kilmeade included, are still standing. In response to the Times incident, Fox News' vice president of shrugging, John Moody, reportedly "said the incident will not result in any official standards adjustments." Why? "Moody told the assembled press that the morning program is 'an entertainment show that does some news.'" Media Matters documented this week that Fox News has a payola problem. Contributor Dick Morris again used his position as a Fox News "political analyst" to tout and solicit donations for the Republican-aligned group Americans for New Leadership weeks after they began paying him thousands of dollars. During his appearances, Morris did not disclose that he was receiving money from the group. To the contrary, Morris lied that he's been working for the Republican Party "without compensation." Morris has also suggested that violence against government officials could be justified. In early 2009, during a long conspiracy theory about a "super-national authority" that will oversee U.S. financial institutions, Morris asserted that President Obama's policies are "internationalist" and that "[t]hose crazies in Montana who say, 'We're going to kill ATF agents because the U.N.'s going to take over' -- well, they're beginning to have a case." The fallout? Morris is one of the most frequent on-air commentators on Fox News. Fox News strategic analyst Ralph Peters once asserted of Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl, who was captured by the Taliban in June 2009 and appeared in Taliban propaganda videos: "[W]e know this private is a liar; we're not sure if he's a deserter." Peters added that if he is a deserter, "the Taliban can save us a lot of legal hassles and legal bills." NBC's Jim Miklaszewski subsequently reported that the Pentagon said Peters' comments "could endanger" the captured soldier. Peters still appears regularly on Fox News. Fox News contributors Doug Schoen and Frank Luntz, meanwhile, have touted and defended the work of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce - without mentioning that the GOP-aligned group is their client. Such behavior extends to Fox's "straight news" division. In February 2009, anchor Jon Scott essentially committed on-air plagiarism by trying to pass off a GOP press release as his own research (typo and all). When Scott was caught, he apologized - for the typo. While students might have faced a suspension or expulsion, Scott suffered no apparent consequences -- to the contrary, he ironically hosts Fox News' media ethics program. And we haven't even gotten to Glenn Beck. While over 100 advertisers have reportedly abandoned Beck's Fox News program, Fox News has stuck with Beck despite his history of violent rhetoric, bizarre conspiracy theories and promotion of anti-Semites. Rupert Murdoch even agreed with Beck's statement that Obama is a "racist," causing MSNBC.com's First Read blog to write about Beck, "What's most amazing about this episode is that what Beck said isn't a fireable or even a SUSPENDABLE offense by his bosses. There was a time when outrageous rants like this would actually cost the ranters their jobs. But not anymore; if anything, it's now encouraged." Fox News has made noise about having editorial standards. Last year, it promised to implement a "zero tolerance" policy regarding errors - then appeared to throw the policy overboard when subsequent errors were found. In another telling incident, Fox News executives yanked Sean Hannity from trying to tape his show at a Cincinnati Tea Party event which charged admission and had "all proceeds" benefiting the organization. Fox News execs were reportedly "furious," but The Los Angeles Times noted that "it does not appear that [their concerns] have resulted in any serious disciplinary measures taken against any staffers involved" and a spokesperson told the Times and NY Magazine that it wouldn't discuss the matter any further. Since April's tea party incident, Hannity has used his program as a non-stop fundraising and promotion tool for favored Republican candidates like Ohio's John Kasich and New York's John Gomez, among others. For those keeping score about what won't result in serious disciplinary action when working at Fox News: wishing for Obama's assassination; appearing to legitimize physical threats against soldiers and law enforcement officers; failing to disclose that you're touting your business clients; trying to financially enrich conservative organizations and candidates; plagiarism of a partisan source; and fundraising on-air for a conservative group without disclosing that they've paid you thousands of dollars. Why the lack of standards? Perhaps it's that Fox News has long defined itself by being the opposite of their competition. The "mainstream media," according to Fox News, is purportedly liberal. Fox's programming, therefore, has to be stacked with conservative hosts and commentators to "balance" out the competition. And other news organizations, apparently, are too focused on restrictions and standards. On Fox News, they don't care about you making "mistakes." "Here you have an ability to do stuff, and then they can always rein you in," Kilmeade told the Los Angeles Times in October 2008. "But I know I'm not going to get reprimanded." "When we make a mistake reading the news headlines, whereas at a [broadcast] network you'd probably get fired, instead, we're like, 'Eh, we screwed up,' " Fox & Friends' Gretchen Carlson similarly told the Times. "And I think that's disarming."

TalkTurkey

23/10/2010This is very much on subject. Just let me get around to it. You know the story of the Negro anthropologist who comes to study a lost tribe, an ethnically-pure race of blond Arians(and redheaded ones of course, cela va sans dire!) but immediately gets arrested on a trumped-up rape charge and sentenced by a kangaroo court to fight a lion in an arena. . ? . . What they don't tell him is that he is bound hand and foot and buried up to the armpits in the centre of the ring. In comes the starving slavering lion, the thousands of spectators are all cheering the lion on, it comes racing at poor Sambo, leaps and lands right on top of him, all he can do is throw his head back and bite the lion right in the goolies . . . The lion shrieks in falsetto and scurries off crosslegged back to its dungeon . . . As one the crowd is on its feet, screaming FIGHT FAIR YOU BLACK BASTARD! Not very funny, granted, but uncomfortably true. Anyway, see, that is very much the Labor position. With the ABC now as it is, and Murdochracy ruling supreme, any bite back by Labor will be distorted beyond recognition and thrown back in their teeth. Gillard and Co are being very shrewd in biting their lip while the Rotten Right does its worst. Giving no oxygen to the bastards (which in the sense of illegitimately claiming legitimacy they so truly are) is doubtless very galling to Gillard in particular, she is a very very quick and devastating wit, but it says heaps for the Labor team that so far they have restrained themselves so severely from biting back. I delight in Gillard's Mincing Poodle description of Pyne though, and look, in this case it was all good, with Pyne not having the wit to think of a quid pro quo hit on her, nor the nous to know the difference in nuance between mincing poodle and (what was it?) bitch, so going that little bridge too far . . . heh heh . . . Good one Julia . . . But the GOOD thing is, with the Government effectively gagging itself from the most egregious ripostes to the Rotten Right, and the media too 'sweak to come up with any for themselves, it leaves the field wide open to US to think of ways of throwing Coalition vileness back in their teeth, or biting them in the goolies as it were. They can do their worst on me, I'd be a yawn as far as Medea brewups are concerned and I got nothin much to lose, so I can talk the way I want, within yes of course legal. And so can all Swordsfolk, spreading our clever sneers at Their stupid bastardry in all possible ways . . . In fact I reckon it's obligatory for us to do all we can in that way. I have a friend, if that's the word, he's like the curate's egg, "good in parts" . . . I've known him for 30+ years, he's the top lawyer in his field in all Australasia, and he has directed federal election campaigns for the Liberals in times past. (and lost, heh heh.) Anyway it is his compulsion to send many many many emails to many many people, I mean, an average of like 5 emails a day for at least the last ten years! Some are scientific, some are on the moderately gross side of sexual, some are very funny, some are amazing photos or facts, some (the ones I REALLY don't like) are bigoted climate-change-denial nonsense, and very many are of the, "Gillard and Swan are taking a piss together on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin, when . . ." type. Not very funny at all, quite nasty really . . . well funny if you think racist/sexist/ranga jokes funny - (actually I do find ranga jokes funny, but I'm allowed to)- Anyway the thing is, that really gives US the right to moon them pretty-well any way we want. So that's why, Ad astra, I want Swordspeople to enter the Rudeness Challenge! Because WE are the ones to get down and dirty. Really, Labor must stay pristine. And it's doing it very well. Here's my Rudeness Challenge Entry #4 Licking the snot off his wet upper lip, Joe Hockey is getting all cranky: Being gazzumped on TV is such a bad trip, And his Mummy's forgotten his hanky!

Ad astra reply

23/10/2010Folks Thank you all for your comments. I get the impression that there is some ambivalence about whether Labor should continue its softer approach to Coalition aggression, or should go in boots and all to counter it. Only a sage gifted with unusual foresight could answer that. It might be a case of ‘try it and see’. One of the imponderables is how the MSM would react to an all-out counter-assault by Labor on the Coalition when it gets into its bullying mode. While the print and online media seems willing, even anxious to publish the belligerent remarks of Tony Abbott or Joe Hockey, remarks faithfully repeated by our ABC, what would the reaction be to similarly belligerent remarks by Julia Gillard or her ministers? Would they be portrayed by the media as newsworthy as are the Coalition’s? Or would they be painted as a Labor ‘dummy spit’, or it ‘losing the plot’, or ‘going off the deep end’? If the intention of at least some parts of the MSM and particularly News Limited and its flagship [i]The Australian[/i] is to demean, diminish and eventually dispose of the Gillard Government, as it seems to be, then we could anticipate an adverse reaction to Labor aggression, not the ready acceptance afforded Coalition aggression. Strategic planning in this regard is fraught, but frankly I wish Labor would give a more aggressive approach a try. jj, you were first cab off the rank with your long rebuttal, drawing on bits and pieces of old and very rusty boilerplate. I did not have to dig far to find very recent instances of Abbott aggression and disingenuousness – the court martial of the soldiers, the Murray-Darling Basin report, the so-called ‘jetlag-gate’. I could have added many more. And it’s not just Abbott – what about Joe Hockey’s feeble attempt to turn the lack of an interest rate rise into a negative for the Government; what about his ill-advised attempt to make something out of ‘the banks ignoring Wayne Swan’s pleas to not raise interest rates out of line with RBA rate rises’? The list goes on. As HS has asserted in her last piece, the Coalition simply says whatever it pleases, no matter whether or not it’s wrong. When you have to resort to legalistic arguments to defend Abbott, insisting that he really didn’t say that the Government was stabbing the soldiers on trial in the back, but that he said "...now some people think" they are, you are using the oldest trick in the political book. All politicians know that if they want to say something publically but don’t want to be held responsible for it, they say: “some people say that…” or “there is a growing feeling that…”, or “informed sources say that…”, or “it is rumoured that…”, the sort of phraseology Glenn Milne so enjoys. Please don’t try that on us. Frankly I don’t care what the words he uttered were – you may be right – the clear intent was to disingenuously smear the Government and foster enmity against it over this issue. It is that to which I strongly object. nasking Your point that Murdoch is involved in all of this is well taken. As mentioned above, that is part of the problem; the Government has not only to counter Coalition aggression, but the Murdoch empire’s endorsement of it. Ethistan It is easy to read into the piece whatever one wishes to read; which is what jj has done. Massive Spray You make a sound point. As mentioned above, the way they would handle aggression from the Labor side would determine if it was a positive or a negative for Labor. I suspect the latter would be the case. D Mick Weir Thank you for your kind comments. You reinforce the apprehension I have expressed above, namely that the MSM just ignores the facts that do not match its theme and its intent. The reports on the BER and Possum’s analysis of ceiling fires in the HIP are classic examples of ‘don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story’. Despite the facts, [i]The Australian[/i] has unremittingly pursued the Government over these programs, and has now started on the NBN. Its venomous intent seems to know no bounds. I can’t guess what Joe Hockey’s motives were for his extraordinary utterances on banks and interest rates. Nor do I think does anyone else. I’d like to think Labor’s approach was working, but who know what gets Joe going? tredlgt I would hope you are right when you say “No need to lie or be aggressive but a forceful defence should score points with the voters.” But that depends on how the MSM reports it. Lyn It is good that you remind us that the “The Government has been referred to as Nazis, called incompetent, inept, illegitimate, committing acts of bastardry, accused of manslaughter; the list goes on and on, absolutely shocking talk.” It is good that jj is reminded of the aggression, deception and outright lying that the Coalition has perpetrated repeatedly. We tend to forget some of this, like the mistreated child who might come to accept aggression against them as the norm. As your husband suggests, street fighting may be the answer. Sir Ian However you may wish to regard it, the NBN Co. is a company that is entitled to enjoy ‘commercial in confidence’ privileges. john Please do tell us what workers Labor is attacking. CALLIGULA I’m sure you’d enjoy John Howard’s autobiography ‘Lazarus Rising’, but you may need to take a tranquillizer beforehand. HS The excerpt you posted “Media Matters: Wishing for Obama's assassination won't get you fired from Fox News” is frightening, but in line with the thrust of your next piece “Of Grassroots and AstroTurf”, which I’ll be posting on Monday. Talk Turkey I enjoyed your humour. You make a crucial point – what would the media do in the face of Labor aggression – that is the central question. I agree though that we in the Fifth Estate have a job to do in countering Coalition aggression.

Gravel

23/10/2010Ad Astra I found myself agreeing with you......but, um, do we want Labor to be low dirty scumbags like the Opposition. I'm afraid I have to agree with TalkTurkey on this one. At least for now, while not many people are paying much attention to politics, keep their heads down, let them overstep the mark, as per Hockey about the banks, and people might start to think a bit about the difference between a "guns blazing all the time" party to a calm cool and collected party. Give this strategy 6-12 months, and if it doesn't work, then throw the lot at the opposition, quick fast and clean. P.S. I agree to a sandpit of ideas over the holiday break, although we are a growing group, we can only go over the same subject a certain amount of times before just being repetitive.

Ben McIntyre

23/10/2010I completely agree with the sentiments expressed in this piece. I'd reply to a lot of the naysayers by commenting that from where I sit, Labour seems to think that the facts speak for themselves and there is no NEED to defend themselves against the attacks of the 'clowns'. This is the problem. The attacks may be ludicrous to an intelligent informed person, but clearly most Australians do not fall into this category - as the polls clearly show. I don't think they need to get down in the gutter, they just need to spell out their position clearly and unequivocally in the manner of a parent disciplining a child. They should not take it for granted that the public understands the issues and can make up their own minds. This is the slant this article already takes, but I thought it might be good to clarify this point.

lyn

23/10/2010Hi Ad Thankyou Ad, how exciting, we all received a bonus supplement. What an excellent idea answering all our comments in a row. I have had a fantastic time reading all your replies. Ad, you truly are a treasure chest full to the brim of fabulous, fair minded, genuine, opinions.

Ad astra reply

23/10/2010Gravel You express so well the ambivalence many who blog here feel. Perhaps there is merit in continuing the calm approach although Coalition guns continue to blaze, but should patience run out, an all out attack might be worth trying in 2011. I note your preference for the sandpit idea. Ben McIntyre Welcome to the [i]TPS[/i] family. Your point is well taken. It is a fallacy to think that verifiable evidence, logical arguments and good intent will win the day; that the facts will speak for themselves and convince the people. Regrettably, Labor has made that assumption in the past. Sadly, most are not sufficiently interested to digest the data and reach their own conclusions; short memorable slogans that do not require thought are preferred. Reflect on how effective Tony Abbott’s four-point slogan was: no new taxes, stop the waste, reduce debt, stop the boats. Labor needs similar slogans. Lyn Thank you for your always-supportive comments. You are a treasure.

Patricia WA

23/10/2010We don't need to fight dirty and this weekend we don't need to fight at all. We can sit back and enjoy watching the Libs fight amongst themselves. Haven't seen anything from Abbot yet but you'd expect him to come out swinging for his 'political pa'.....wouldn't you? Have just been enjoying banging this out for a Cafe Whispers thread where they are having some lively exchanges on Howard and Costello. Stephen Sondheim would forgive this, I hope. Just keep humming if the words occasionally miss the beat! Isn’t this rich? Aren’t they a pair? John here at last on open ground, With Peter out there; Both looking like clowns. Isn’t this bliss? Old mates disapprove, As once ‘honest’ John keeps shifting his ground, Peter won’t move, Backed by more clowns Putting John down. Just when we’d stopped discussing his flaws, Out he comes firing to settle old scores. Making an entrance – not quite in wheel chair - But mumbling his lines. Do you think he can hear? John! Old enemies have been opening doors To give Pete a job hoping, like you, he would never have yours, So here he is now, to respond to your dare, More sure of his lines, This time he is clear. We all love a farce! And political smear. So tell us what you said ‘n he said..‘n you said.. Just make it clear! You’ve written it down? We can buy it in town? Don’t be a clown! Just tell us! We’re here! Your old mates seem sparse. There aren't many here. Minchin and Reith, Even Brough, now appear To give Peter thumbs up And one final cheer. Isn’t it rich? Isn’t it queer? Losing your timing this late In your career? But ‘Lazarus Rising?’ At your age, my dear! That would be surprising. It'd give the new clown Hanging on to his crown, One more thing to fear And wish you weren't here! Well..... maybe next year.....?

Ad astra reply

23/10/2010Patricia WA What an appropriate song – Send in the clowns – and what clever words you have written. Thank you for yet more pertinent verses.

TalkTurkey

23/10/2010A Nicer Little Bit of Verse You Lead the Peloton, TweetyBird Lyn! Hillbilly Skeleton, You feel like Kin! And O You Patricia! Your Rhymes are Delicia! And All You Good SwordsFolk, Good Sword-Strokes I Wish Ya!

lyn

23/10/2010Hi Talk Turkey Thankyou for your nice little verse. What about your good Sword Strokes, Talk Turkey you left yourself out.

HS

23/10/2010Talk Turkey, I never stop having a go at the self-righteous bustards of the conservative Right over at Jack the Insider's blog on The Oz website. He, kindly and indulgently, lets me get away with it. :) Today I have been having a go at them about the Asylum Seekers finally being brought to the mainland for assessment. I get the impression that they know they have been wedged after over-egging the pudding up to the election, and now as a result of Chris Bowen's new approach they are backing and filling and trying to lay claim to the more humane approach by saying that, in fact, it was Howard who got the children out from behind the Razor Wire and Labor are just me-tooing! Do you think anyone in the media is criticising them for having double standards, or talking out of both sides of their mouths, especially when you also see them stirring up resentment in Woodside, SA? *Sound of crickets chirping*

TalkTurkey

23/10/2010See I CAN say nice things (my last post) . . . but now I'm looking at Q&A and WHY DOES JONES LET PEOPLE - (ALWAYS ON THE RIGHT NEEDLESS TO SAY!) - WHY DOES HE LET THEM INTERRUPT? This blonde bitch Jennifer Marohasy needs a smack in her too-many teeth, she has no manners at all! What sort of moderator lets this happen? Tim Flannery at last calls her on talking over the top of him, she just keeps going and going and going, NO MANNERS AT ALL! and Jones NEVER really shuts her up, It is indulgence which amounts to complicity Complicity which amounts to incitement And Jones deserves a smack in the teeth too. And because of things like this I find it easier to write venomous stuff. Damn their eyes.

lyn

23/10/2010Hi Talk Turkey [quote]Jennifer Marohasy needs a smack in her too-many teeth, she has no manners at all! [/quote] Hilarious, I know you can say nice things too, Talk Turkey, but I think you have just the best sense of humour , if you think you are not being nice sometimes, well I tell you what you are making me laugh, nice or not.

HS

23/10/2010TT, If that sort of thing gets you rilod, you should track down the footage of an interview between Scott Morrison and Craig Emerson last week. I believe it was on Sky. Scott Morrison does his usual belligerant and obnoxious act wherein he says what he wants for an eternity, and then, as soon as Emerson gets out more than a coupla sentences, he starts talking over the top of him and loudly challenging everything Emerson says. Fair dinkum, if they had have been in the same studio I think Emerson would have jobbed Morrison! You could tell he was mighty pee'd off. In fact, it is exactly the same tactic that is used in parliament. If the Coalition perceives that the government have got a good flow going on, up pops one of them, usually Chrissy Whyne, and calls for a Point of Order. Groan.

Ad astra reply

23/10/2010Talk Turkey, HS In my view talking over the top of someone else is a form of bullying, and an indicator that the bully is losing the argument. The counter is to wait patiently, pause, ask the bully has he/she quite finished, and then let go with both barrels, not pausing, even to take a breath, until the magazine is empty. Fair and competent moderators stop bullies in their tracks, but we're short of these, even on our ABC. Folks As the spam is starting to trickle in, it's time to put [i]TPS[/i] to bed for the night. Goodnight to you all.

George Pike

23/10/2010Hear hear Talk Turkey! Took the words right out of my mouth...sounds like a great song title hey! That was par for the course for Jones and Q&A and almost every other ABC show where there's debating between pollies. I don't know if I can bear watching Howard pump out his irrelevant drivel next Monday night, with Jones pandering to his every whim and coaxing even more of the same from him. You would think the ABC would be honourable enough to give the PM of the day the full Q&A long before they offered it to that hideous old relic. Abbott has obviously declined to appear on ANY ABC show of any consequence since his election loss...so the ABC have vetoed any major appearance by the PM to protect his dear little image. They are protecting the Liberals like they were the Holy Grail. Even a homophobic aside against them, cast by a Liberal on national television, was allowed to go straight through to the keeper...why?? What the hell is going on? Are the board of driectors and the senior management all utterly corrupt? Something sinister is going on here and the government should call the federal police in to investigate. There is just no way known that a publicly owned television channel could so markedly change their direction and blatantly run political propagandist framing of almost every issue they cover if there is no criminal influence being brought to bear on their major players. SBS are in exactly the same boat. Have other media elites conspired to corrupt their management? Have the mining and energy sector elites been offering enticements to make them act so treacherously? The rewards for those corporate players would very large indeed if the media could pull off a change of government via subversion by propaganda...so it is not inconceivable that they would be prepared to go beyond the bounds of legality to make things happen. One thing is for sure..this country is currently facing the gravest threat to her democratic integrity since WW2...and the people behind that treachery should face the full consequences of their actions. Rupert Murdoch is not only a grave threat to the democratic integrity of this country, he is a danger to the democratic integrity of the entire english speaking world. If nothing is done to silence this despot he will create such malaise with his insidious encouragement of right wing extremism that it will surely result in civil war in those countries where his power is absolute. We are already seeing grossly exagerated behaviour by groups against government actions. The MDBA meetings and the refugee camp fracas in Adelaide have given us an insight into what the future holds if Murdoch and his cronies aren't silenced and silenced fast. Alan Jones and Tony Abbott freely casting aspersions upon the military justice system was sickening to watch. Jones and other media identities showing absolute contempt for the PM, the government and everything to do with anything even remotely progressive in nature is becoming amost fascist in its intent. I would dearly like to know if I am alone in these thoughts, or if there are others out there who believe we in crisis. If there are others, we should start taking affirmative action to encourage the government to stop the rot poste haste. They should be encouraged to compel ACMA and every other federal authority involved to shut these unAustralian despotic rabblerousers down before it's too late and they incite the midless ones to real violence.

Ad astra reply

24/10/2010George Many share your apprehension about the way the media, especially the Murdoch media, are manipulating the political scene with their pro-conservative stance, You will find HillbillySkeleton’s new piece [i]Of Grassroots and AstroTurf[/i], which addresses this matter, interesting but disturbing reading. It will be posted tomorrow morning.

lyn

24/10/2010Hi George Pike Gee, it's so good to see your comment up this morning, thankyou so much. Yesterday I was going to write, "has anybody seen George somewhere", I thought you had gone chasing boats, you spotted from your lighthouse. George your thoughts are not alone, now we have this ridiculous beat up about John Howards book, can you imagine there would be nothing in it that we didn't know anyway. The Telegraph has a column up, Howard has given Abbott a lot of praise, big deal, that's predictable anyway. [quote]Something sinister is going on here and the government should call the federal police in to investigate[/quote] But George, what about James Packer and channel 10, so now will we have channel 10 deriding the Government. The Media deserves the blame for us now having a hung Parliament, people became confused,. Look what channel nine did with Mark Latham, had a wonderful time, Mark Latham smacked his lips while putting his cheque in his wallet, channel nine counted the ratings, who cared about the Country during that episode. I still cannot find one journalist, one newsreader, one reporter, one presenter, just anyone in the media that is giving the Government a fair go. Cheers

Patricia WA

24/10/2010TalkTurkey – Loved your Rudeness Challenge Entry No. 4. Where are the other three? Are they all about Joe Hockey? He is my bête-noire of politicians and I have a couple of potential entries. I just need to know the rules of this challenge. Too often I see commentators suggesting that Joe Hockey is basically Mr. Nice Guy and that’s why he’s making a hash of attacking the government. Hockey, Mr Affability trying to be the bully boy? Hardly.

lyn

24/10/2010[b]TODAY'S LINKS[/b] [i]And the NBN for the NBN'S sake, Dorothy Parker, Loon Pond[/i]. the rag has taken to putting up a splash on the front page dubbed NBN watch, how your billions are being spent, indicating that this is going to be a long and bitter bout of trench warfare. http://loonpond.blogspot.com/2010/10/christopher-pearson-leavisite-tradition.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LoonPond+%28loon+pond%29 Structural Separation - commonsense has prevailed , Paul, Budde Blog. David Thodey enthusiastically supported the long-term views behind the NBN and saw the potential that existed there for Telstra. http://www.budde.com.au/News/#Why-shouldn't-we-build-the-NBN [i]John Hewson on Defence, Paul Barratt, Australian Observer[/i] former Opposition Leader John Hewson takes a substantial swipe at the Department of Defence. http://aussieobserver.blogspot.com/ [i]King Rupert farts out another decree and Stop Murdoch says "farewell"[/i] posse of arselickers, apologists, liars, warmongers, free marketeers, racists, anti-intellectuals, religious bigots and sexists - from his readers and advertisers, to his fascist mates in the establishment and our political leaders. http://stopmurdoch.blogspot.com/ [i]7 reasons for being in Afghanistan and 6 reasons for not. 1petermcc, [/i] From memory the next idea was now we have to find Osama so we are going to blow the crap out of his cave system and then pick up his body. http://1petermcc.wordpress.com/ [i]John Howard Ex-Australian PM-Never Wrong, Never Sorry, Stephen Read, Stroke of Luck[/i]He has demeaned himself by the content of this memoir.IT WASN'T MY FAULT I LOST THE ELECTION AND MY SEAT, IT WAS PETER COSTELLO'S FAULT http://www.goodluckstroke.com/2010/10/john-howard-ex-australian-pm-never.html [i]John Howard: Lazarus with a vengeance,barry Everingham, Independent Australia[/i] now with the publication of his memoirs the Liberals will be policy frozen while they handle all the fallout from the derision the Government will heap on them. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2010/politics/john-howard-lazarus-with-a-vengeance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=john-howard-lazarus-with-a-vengeance [i]Hate mail may drown out real learning from Howard years,DragOnista's Blog[/i] The overturning of this slimy rock is likely to expose a mass of blind and seething hate that may momentarily mesmerise or repulse http://dragonistasblog.com:80/2010/10/23/hate-mail-may-drown-out-real-learning-from-howard-years/ [i]Face it, Howard you lost bigtime,Petering Time , North Coast Voices[/i] but the fact that Mrs. Bucket encouraged Howard to tread that ruinous political path. http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com/2010/10/face-it-howard-you-lost-bigtime.html

George Pike

24/10/2010Hi Lyn..thank you for your concern..I've been keeping tabs on the Sword don't worry. The spam makes it hard to get a word in though hey! Here are my views on this mornings activities to date... When Malcolm Turnbull can sit there and lie through his teeth virtually unchallenged by Hartcher, Bonjiourno and Kelly on Meet the Press, then you watch the human cane toad Oakes run a spiteful antagonistic interrogation of Stephen Smith (only to be rebuffed deftly at every turn), the pro-lib bias within the Australian media becomes starkly obvious.

Ad astra reply

24/10/2010LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/Lyns-Daily-Links.aspx

lyn

24/10/2010Hi George [i]Hartcher, Bonjiourno and Kelly on Meet the Press,[/i] What did they say this mob nothing, sat there and let Turnbull say anything he likes, what about the 43 billion first lie, did you hear one constructive question, no I didn't. They may as well say, here comes Malcolm Turnbull presenting to the the viewers, a wonderfully interesting topic, in the the National Interest: [b]everything the Government does turns to Mud[/b].

TalkTurkey

24/10/2010Patricia WA Gee Thanks! I thought nobody was going even to comment on the Rudeness Challenge, let alone enter! I trawled back over the Sword, my 4 entries so far appear below your reprinted letter. There are no rules, just rudeness, as explained in the foremessage. October 24. 2010 08:48 AM TalkTurkey – Loved your Rudeness Challenge Entry No. 4. Where are the other three? Are they all about Joe Hockey? He is my bête-noire of politicians and I have a couple of potential entries. I just need to know the rules of this challenge. Too often I see commentators suggesting that Joe Hockey is basically Mr. Nice Guy and that’s why he’s making a hash of attacking the government. Hockey, Mr Affability trying to be the bully boy? Hardly. Patricia WA Announcing the RUDENESS CHALLENGE! It's time to swish our Vorpal* Swords! Slice and dice those Vandal hordes! Fall in, Swordsfolk! Form a Phalange! Take the VERBAL RUDENESS CHALLENGE! Pick the pollies you think slimeballs, Roll them into little rhymeballs! With a wicked thrust of humour, Exorcise their rotten tumour! Here's my first entry (but it won't be my last, I got plenty of ammo.) RUDENESS CHALLENGE #1 To what compare thee, Chrissie Pyne? Don't want to insult no Swine . . . Only something VERY rude'll do . . ? . . Guess the best is Mincing Poodle-Do! * "He took his vorpal sword in hand: Longtime the manxsome foe he sought . . . " (From Lewis Carroll's 'Jabberwocky') Rudeness Challenge Entry #2 Tony Abbott im not dum, Tony ride bike and chew gum! Tony Abbott im like shark, Tony always forward come! Tony Abbott Action Man, Tony go Afghanistan! Tony Abbott im shoot gun! Tony im miss mark! Tony Abbott im jump shark! Now Tony up own bum! Rudeness Challenge Entry #3 I worry for you,Rambo Tony, With your fave rave shock jock crony: Watch your silver back young Tones! Don't turn it to Poo-Jabba-Jones! Rudeness Challenge Entry #4 Licking the snot off his wet upper lip, Joe Hockey is getting all cranky: Being gazzumped on TV is such a bad trip, And his Mummy's forgotten his hanky! I guess I'd better start keeping a Challenge File eh. Come on Swordsfolk! ENTER! Ridicule is THE keen edge that cuts to the bone.

Macca

24/10/2010While I haven't had too much to do with gutters I have noticed that when they are left to their own devices they tend to block up and regurgitate on themselves. You can see this happening with opposition at the moment...Howard/Costello, Hockey/Turnbull and all the rest. I think the Govt. is using the right approach here and I have noticed that they are challenging the murdoch press a lot more. This a positive move. They have forced the oo into defending itself, as did the Grog episode. The more they defend, the more people are going to ask....Why? Nothing is going to be accomplished by an all out war with the msm. Challenging their lies will. The more they are forced to defend the more shrill and ridiculous they will become. Every edition of a murdoch rag needs to be forced to defend itself. We must remember that if brand murdoch turns toxic the advertisers go south...and they are smart enough to realise that. There is an old saying, not very pc I'm afraid, however....softly, softly....catchee monkey. I think that this the Govts' approach and I agree with it. As stated above it's up to us on the blogosphere to make the noise and be the terriers nipping at murdochs heels. If we keep it up we'll be able to give the Govt' some clean air. Also; The detritus that ends up in gutters eventually finds its' way to the sewer system. The few LNP politicians who aren't morally and ethically bankrupt may wish to consider their position.

lyn

24/10/2010Hi Macca Excellent ([i]The detritus that ends up in gutters eventually finds its' way to the sewer system)[/i] Did you hear Stephen Conroy this morning on the Insiders, in answer to Barrie Cassidy's question, about the media war on the NBN, SC said there is nothing wrong with Media reporting, the public needs information, but it's the facts, they need to report the truth. Pretty basic & simple, the facts, the truth, just honesty.

Ad astra reply

24/10/2010Folks The comments so far demonstrate that ambivalence abounds about whether Labor should be more aggressive, with bare-knuckle fighting the Coalition 'in the streets', or should take the 'softly, softly, catchee monkey' approach. How difficult it must be for the party strategists to devise an effective approach. What seems certain is that whatever they do it will not please everyone, and success cannot be guaranteed. I'll be away from my computer for a few hours catching up with the family. Back later this afternoon. Please ignore any spam that arrives in the meantime.

TalkTurkey

24/10/2010Swordsfolk, I want to thank you all (yes you too jj) for what you have done for ME. Never before have I had a forum stimulating me to "publish" my thoughts, and the appreciative comments many of you have made in my direction provide the oxygen (and I have a vast store of brimstone) to keep me breathing poisonous fire at those *'s I have so despised since before the Vietnam disgrace. Looking back (as I did in order to find my Rudeness Challenge Entries)over the short while since I first discovered this blogsite, I must say I am astonished by the volume of my outpourings, goes to show how much I do despise Them. Many of You are very much better than I in the way of scholarly research, I am in awe of some of the articles You write, and Your erudition and vigilance are a real fillip to my own awareness. Ta.

HS

24/10/2010Talk Turkey, It's our pleasure! :) All we aim to do at TPS is leaven the stodgy loaf fed to us by the Mainstream media. Anyway, it's always fun to vent!

lyn

24/10/2010Hi Talk Turkey Thankyou for your sincere compliment, very much appreciated, you get a peck for that. I don't know if you are a boy or a girl, but if you are a girl you are precious to us and "The Political Sword, we got you first, we are keeping you here. If you are a boy, you are an intelligent, honest genuine man, with a variety of extremely, interesting opinions, I am sure all us swords are grateful to read. Do you think we could find a Turkey for your Gravatar, I really think your blue one, could have found some better glasses, and there is something wrong with his mouth.

HS

24/10/2010I think Sen. Stephen Conroy has the best approach. Not too strident but challenging the misinformation at every turn with the FACTS!

HS

24/10/2010Talk Turkey, Sadly, poetry and Limerick writing are not my strong suits. I can't even remember a joke to the end! I love your contributions though, and I believe Acerbic Conehead and NormanK would be up to the mark.

lyn

24/10/2010Hi Hillbilly I am very proud of Stephen Conroy, he is excellent with his portfolio, there is never a question that he stumbles on. Never once have the media been able to score a gotcha on Stephen, he is also a match for Technical expert, self declared Mr Turn-bull.

lyn

24/10/2010Hi Ad Insight tonight will be interesting: Insight: Oct 26, David Knox, TV tonight. Insight is in Canberra this week at Old Parliament House, for an analysis of the National Broadband Network debate. Joining host Jenny Brockie are : The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy. The Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband, Malcolm Turnbull. Independent MP Tony Windsor. Don’t forget people … the election is over! It airs at 7.30pm on Tuesday October 26 on SBS ONE. http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2010/10/insight-oct-26.html

HS

24/10/2010lyn, I agree with you, and I believe that Julia Gillard has promoted to Ministerial positions, or kept in them, MPs who can communicate well in this way, are fearless but not Mr/Ms Angrypants' like so many in the Coalition. The contrast is starting to become more obvious as time rolls on. My favourites are Simon Crean, Chris Bowen, Tony Bourke and Martin Ferguson. Wayne Swan is too timid, Jenny Macklin can't kick a goal to save herself, and Craig Emerson isn't always as funny as he thinks he is. On the other hand, Kevin Rudd appears to be benefiting from only having 4 minutes with which to give answers. :)

HS

24/10/2010Just substitute 'The Coalition' for 'The republicans', and keep the images of the Woodside Town Hall Meeting front of mind when you read this: 'Republicans have learned "strategically mathematically sometimes it makes sense to turn every minority voter against you and have that be the cost you pay to lock up all the white votes,"

HS

24/10/2010Remind us again on Tuesday afternoon about 'Insight', lyn, I'm hopeless at remembering important dates. :)

lyn

24/10/2010Hi Hillbilly You are going to say I'm boring, I like them all, I can't pick one of them. Jenny Macklin suits her portfolio, which requires a very caring soft, approach , she's just like a sweet little, caring Grandmother. Kevin Rudd is just beaming, he has really come into his own, and doesn't he look terrific. Tony Bourke is wonderful, Stephen Smith is a very nice person, so calm, well informed, genuine. I am proud of them all.

lyn

24/10/2010Hi Ad Sorry I put up insight interesting tonight, I meant Tuesday night, but the info is correct. I will remind you all again.

HS

24/10/2010This explains the notion of a 'Cost Benefit Analysis' for the NBN really well: http://michaelwyres.com/2010/10/nbn-congestion-telecommuting-and-productivity/

HS

24/10/2010George Pike, You might be interested in reading this: http://www.alternet.org/story/148588/fascist_america%3A_is_this_election_the_next_turn_?page=entire

Patricia WA

24/10/2010I agree with lyn and Hillbilly it's always fun to vent, Talk Turkey. Revising this from Cafe Whispers the other day it's still a bit more polite than your offerings. I'll have to try to fight dirtier, I think, be less lady-like as it were, to really meet your challenge. He must be a boy, lyn. I think the media are too kind To Tony’s not so little mate, Suggesting he’s just disinclined To malice, and therefore too straight To efficiently repeat the line The Liberals have on interest rates. Let me explain what’s on my mind. Hockey’s a man I learned to hate As he once nastily declined When asked at an Amnesty fete For a petition to be signed. I stood alone there at the gate As he let loose with ‘f’s ‘n blinds’ Which showed him not just overweight But as big a bully one might find. THAT IS WHY..... I loathe Joe Hockey He’s not just fat And not just sloppy. He’s a nasty rat Who gets me stroppy. I’d love a bat To wham that floppy Big bully flat. So, don’t be soppy. Don’t be a prat. Send in your copy. Let’s wallop him and Abbot SPLAT*!*!*!

NormanK

24/10/2010Ad astra Thanks for your hasty but topical article. When I first saw the subject, I thought "good, it's been bothering me all day that no-one from Labor is giving Hockey the lathering he deserves for his continued nonsense about government being able to control interest rates (in any form)," and if I had dashed off a quick response it would have been to suggest giving them both barrels. A bit of reflection though has provided a different response. Most aspects of this conundrum have been covered here by yourself and other commenters but I would add a couple more. Senior Labor MPs are gun-shy, with good reason. Witness Rudd's unwillingness to use the word "compromise" during an interview with Neil Mitchell during the mining tax negotiations. Within the context of the interview, "compromise" would have meant just that, a readiness to shift position a bit in order to achieve an outcome suitable to both parties but Rudd could already see the headlines screaming - "PM Backs Down - Ready to Compromise on Super Profits Tax". Similarly if Smith had taken Abbott to task over his comments on the three soldiers, he would run the risk of offering up even just a single word which would allow the hostile press to cry, for example - "Charged Soldiers "None of my Business" says Defence Minister" when in fact he may have said something along the lines of - "While the judicial process is underway, Mr Abbott has no business speaking about the likely outcome and indeed it would be incorrect of me to do so as well." I know your retort was well thought out and safe but you had the opportunity (whether you took it or not) to carefully scrutinise the nuance of every phrase, a luxury not available to Smith in a live press conference. This is not to say Labor should hide in a cave but only that they must choose their moments and their targets carefully, as others here have already said, and use facts rather than rhetoric to lambast the opposition. Another aspect of this is that when dealing with a physical bully, counter-bluster can be very effective but pacifism plays into the bully's hands. Quiet calm responses to a verbal bully will more often than not cause them to escalate their attack in search of the desired response. Labor has a bit of time now where they can afford to cop a few blows and hope that Abbott either tires, gets replaced or self-implodes. As others have said, moderate people will grow very tired of a constantly hostile media and a recalcitrant Opposition. Focussing their attack on News Ltd is probably a good tactic as well. Hopefully, behind the scenes, quiet moves are being made to bring the ABC back to a reasonable source of factual news as well. Lyn I should confess that the rose photos are from Google Search but the varieties are ones which are flourishing in the Spring sunshine in the front garden. Next candidate for Gravatar is one we've dubbed "Old Red" because the bush is over fifty years old and no-one knows what its proper name should be. That will be an original photo. There are days when I'd like to put 'rabid dog' up but I'd much rather look at a rose, wouldn't you? George Pike You are not alone. A couple of my most recent posts have tried to express my concern that intemperate voices could incite some fool to an act of violence or intimidation. Alan Jones pointing his finger at an individual is of far greater concern than his diatribes against institutions. What the answer might be is a more vexed question. Self-regulation (what an empty expression that has become) doesn't have much effect and it would be a huge leap to provide ample proof of wrong-doing to instigate criminal charges. Legislation to temper these strident voices would inevitably be used by future politicians to further their own ends and unfortunately if we want freedom of speech we have to live with the Alan Jones's of the world. What would be nice is if people stopped listening to him and his ilk but it seems they have a market for their bile.

lyn

24/10/2010Hi Patricia You are magic, you made a belly laugh on me, love your words, very talented our Pretty Patricia. I think he's a boy too Patricia, I just didn't want to hurt any feelings, I called Hillbilly a boy once you know, lucky for me she didn't mind, and she blamed her skeleton, poor skeleton. Boy or girl, we got him first, us Swords are keeping him here. [quote]Let’s wallop him and Abbot SPLAT*!*!*! [/quote] Wouldn't we get some pleasure out of that wallop splat, 2 miserables at once, bonus. Do you think Hockey is making moves towards the Leadership.

2353

24/10/2010Hi y'all, Two thoughts on the current topic. I have two young children (a early years school girl and a under two boy for future reference - or when the Australian unmasks me :)). Both of of my kids like watching "In the Night Garden" at 5.30 on ABC2. The dialogue in this show is usually grunts and cheeps except for the narrator who is Derek Jacobi (English Shakespearian actor). There are two "families" seemingly made of old wooden clothes pegs ("Mum", "Dad" and 8 smaller "children" each). One family is the Pontipines and are dressed in red - the other is the Wottengers dressed in blue. Both families seem to follow each other around and dance in the general vicinity of each other. While walking past the TV sometime in the past few weeks, I commented to my wife that this British TV show has some scary parallels with Australian Politics - both families claim to be different but inevitably do the same thing. Chris Bowen's recent announcement in regard to Refugee families hopefully is the first sign that the red family is going to act for the benefit of Australians and potential Australians rather than dance around the issues in lock step with the blue family. Second point is on the original post. There is still a fair bit of road construction work happening in our neck of the woods - so there is considerable sections of road where you are literally driving through a chicane of concrete barriers. (AA would have had recent experience of this in Queensland - he can think himself lucky he doesn't have to live with it.) Most of these zones have speed restrictions. Frequently vehicles will tailgate others through these canyons despite the tailgated vehicle driving at the (lower than normal) speed limit. When the first vehicle doesn't increase speed, the tailgater gets closer and closer. One of two things happens, one of them arrives at their exit and leaves the road (usually speeding up only to slam on the brakes 500 metres up the exit ramp if its the vehicle doing the tailgating) or they do something incredibly stupid and overtake inappropriately. Most people that observe the overtaking manoeuvre seem to ponder the intelligence of the tailgater. I'm wondering if the ALP is attempting to be the vehicle that is being tailgated (a form of bullying) and demonstrating that the LNP's dogwhistles are just that. Using the tailgating analogy, will the LNP up the shrillness of the whistling (get closer and closer) until they just can't stand the stress they are under and "overtake" to the derision of the Australian public or will they pull off at the next exit, regroup and realise that aggro isn't working (look at Abbott's recent approval numbers)?

Matthew C. Kriner

24/10/2010Quality brochure in real estate in vital,just like what you said it reflects on your professionalism.
How many umbrellas are there if I have two in my hand but the wind then blows them away?