The propensity of the left to prattle on with cliché and to state ideological dogma with conviction where there is no conviction never ceases to amaze me. It means therefore that selecting twerpie, insincere, candidates at election time is no problem. Any cause or stupidity can be espoused since it is only immediately revocable talk. In pursuit of this philosophy, the Labor Party has picked some gem candidates for the forthcoming election.
There is the physically attractive Maxine McKew who still has done nothing the whole year except smile whenever a camera is pointed in her direction and mouthe cliché. Or South Australian high-achiever Nicole Cornes who seems to know zilch about Labor or Labor policies (more gems here and here) or, indeed, the latest boy-wonder Dominic Rose, aged a mere 20, the Labor candidate for O’Connor. This boy can talk.
Six months ago Rose described Kevin Rudd as a ‘filthy Liberal’ who ‘had to be convinced to get rid of WorkChoices legislation and he has refused to enforce the near-century-old rule that parliamentarians be union members’. Rudd has ‘not made any commitment to advancing Aboriginal land rights and will actually make it harder for indigenous Australians to access social security’. Rose notes any reading of the Labor Party's own constitution would suggest it was pretty much committed to 'killing capitalist pig dogs and establishing a dictatorship of the proletariat'. Errr…yes.
But as he now acknowledges ‘I was acting in my position as a student representative and a political reporter for the newspaper. I was trying to be sensationalist’. It was just me ‘ranting’. Yes, just talk.
A vote for Labor later this year is partly a vote for idealistic intelligence. It is also a vote for an appalling bunch of nitwits that will replace the best government Australia has enjoyed in 50 years. The dishonesty, incompetence and insincerity inside the Labor ranks is just so pervasive. Kevin Rudd is a decent bloke but nothing can change the Labor Party.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
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12 comments:
Harry, it's going to be a bitter pill (for you) when not only the Labor Party wins in a landslide, but John Howard is defeated in his own seat by the very embodiment of everything you intensely dislike, that archetypical member of ABC news and current and affairs, Maxine McKew.
Get used to the Labor Party being in power. By the time they are out of it, you will be beyond caring.
You should reflect on why, when the economy is going so well, the electorate looks like it's going to reject "the best government in 50 years" so decisively.
Spiros, My guess is that once economic stability and growth are achieved that people form other priorities such as education, climate change and the environment. In some respect the Coalition couyld have publicised its strengths and done more in these directions.
But the alternative choice is so poor. It is an index of the extent to which the Liberal and National parties must be 'on the nose' that candidates such as the three I discuss could ever be seen as serious. That Wayne Swan coulfd be seen as a replacement for Peter Costello is a basd joke on modern Australia.
BTW I never criticised Maxine in her commentator role. But as a trivial opponent to the most successful and capable politicians in Australia, with a depth of skill and experience, she is a total joke.
Of the three candidates, only McKew is serious. I don't understand why you think she is a joke. McKew is intelligent and articulate, and she is articulating an alternative to John Howard for the electors of Bennelong. You seem to think that Howard by right should be re-elected unopposed. Let's wait and see what the voters in Bennelong have to say on the matter. If they decide that Howard has overstayed his welcome, that's their decision to make.
The Labor Party made a mistake in selecting Cornes and it will probably cost them the seat. O'Connor is an ultra safe Liberal seat and the Labor Party probably didn't give a minute's thought to who they selected.
Of course the Liberal Party has had plenty of embarrassing candidates, especially in safe Labor seats.
It happens a lot in these kind of seats. Parties have to practically beg people to stand in them and the enthusiasts who volunteer for the suicide mission often use the occasion as a stage to parade their eccentricities. The most famous example is, of course, Pauline Hansen.
And, really, I don't understand your hostility to Wayne Swan. Has he personally insulted you? Swan will be a reliable if perhaps dull Treasurer.
Spiros, Can you cite something intelligent Maxine has said?
On Swan the polls (as well as me) indicate an overwhelming preference for Costello. Don't you have some concern he will stuff this beautiful set of circumstances up with an idiotic industry policy or tariff cut slowdown? I do.
DOMINIC ROSE – RUDD COMMENT “ON SONG” – WILSON TUCKEY
“My Labor opponent Dominic Rose would not be really sorry regarding his labelling of Kevin Rudd as a “Filthy Liberal”, nor would his Labor Party strategists” Wilson Tuckey, the Federal Member for O’Connor said today.
“Fundamental to the Labor strategy is the portrayal of Rudd as a Liberal and radical party members and trade unionists are encouraged to portray this “electoral plus” as a betrayal of Labor culture” Mr Tuckey said.
“They do so in the confidence however, that if this strategy achieves the election of a Labor Government, that it will be they, not Rudd, who will drive their future policies through the factions of Caucus. The Combets and Shortens, plus a number of other senior union bosses, who have already proved their power over Labor’s preselection process by the dumping of a number of hardworking sitting Labor MPs to gain a guaranteed trip to Parliament, know full well that upon election to Government it will be they, not Kevin Rudd, who will use that threat to run the Party policy agenda” Mr Tuckey said.
“Labor Governments, State and Federal, are past masters at shrugging off promises once elected, and their excuses are probably already written.
“If readers of this release doubt that fact, just revisit the history of the sale of the Commonwealth Bank” Wilson Tuckey said.
Media contact: Alana Lacy 08 98 426228 0428 391 882
Harry, McKew is a candidate running for one seat. She has spoken a lot about issues as they affect people in Bennelong, in terms that ordinary people can relate to, and Bennelong-specific issues. This is exactly what she should be doing.
She is not putting herself forward to run the country. Why are you holding her to higher standards than other candidates in her position? The fact that she is running in the PM's seat doesn't oblige her to become a de facto Leader of the Opposition, any more than the Liberal candidate in Rudd's seat should be act like a de facto PM.
The polls indicating a preference for Costello over Swan are not to be taken seriously. No one (except those who follow politics closely) has heard of Swan. It's always this way for shadow ministers. It was this way for Costello when the Liberals were in opposition.
As for tariffs or whatever, you can't be serious. Do you really think that slowing the rate of fall on car tariffs or textiles (a policy which exists only in your imagination; it certainly isn't Labor policy) is going to derail the minerals boom?
Ha! That you can get so irked by 2 cnaidiates with remote chances (Rose, Cornes) and use that to write off the whole ALP is absolutely ridiculous. Especially when one looks at the labotomised members of Eden-Monaro (he's a certain goner), Kooyong and O'Connor.
As for Costello v. Swan, I'd love to see the figures for Willis v. Costello in 1996. Voters don't choose a "team" they pick a brand as reflected through the leader.
Oh well Nick, at least you and I agree about the member for Kooyong. If Harry is puzzled as to why the government is going to be slaughtered you only have to look at the way the parties (Lib and Nats) have disintegrated during this term. There's absolutely no discipline left (exemplified by Tuckey, Georgiou, Costello, and Joyce among many others). I suppose you have to say the responsibility is Howard's. He comes across as just too nice. Just the same he really was a great PM and full marks to him for not quitting when he could have done a Menzies. The man has guts and integrity.
Better these than the creepy Christian extremists in the Liberal party!
Labor have also brought in Kelly and Combet, who are not exactly despised by the community.
The Liberal backbenches have plenty of deadwood coma patients, stealing oxygen, and Howard is hardly the statesman-like intellectual powerhouse his mythographers like to believe. Hell, Maxine would almost certainly beat him in a debate.
more yawning. If our Arry still Costello is the bees knees He was obviously sleeping in the last election when his Peter had to be taught rudimentary budgetary costing by an ABC journo of all people . And his Peter is a longest serving treasurer. his Peter is merely another blonde Andrew Peacock.
I have met Maxine, met her againat Eastwood raliway station yesterday.
She cerainly has very motivated troops helping and is on top on most subjects I talked to her about which is more than we can say about our Arry and the young doctor
I'm sure you must av ad a real in-depth conversation all by yourself and "your" Maxim at Eastwood RS, Omer. Ope you found you way ome up the ill after that me ol china.
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