That lucid analysis I promised two posts ago will still have to wait another day. In the meantime, I have added a new “photo finish” thread below for Dickson, where Labor’s lead is an uncomfortable 389 votes, to those already existing for Swan, Solomon, McEwen, Macarthur, La Trobe, Herbert, Bowman and the Victorian Senate. It would also be remiss of me not to note the very sad passing of Matt Price, taken far too young at 46.
Reflections on the Miracle of Democracy at Work in the Greatest Nation on Earth
The day after the day after
Copyright © 2008 Private Media Pty Ltd, Publishers of Crikey.com.au. All Rights Reserved.
Independent news, blogs and commentary on politics, media and business.
Editor: Jonathan Green.
Publishers: Eric Beecher, Diana Gribble.
Level 7, 22 William St, Melbourne, 3000. Ph: 1800 985 502 Fax: (03) 8623 9975
1,367 Comments
Pages: « 1 … 24 25 26 [27] 28 » Show All
Im not referring to Glen. He is a Tory and good luck to him. I have been reading this site closely too and most of the comment has been about what people oppose. They oppose Howard and all the others, they oppose Workchoices etc. The point is what do they stand for? As far as I can discern, not much! Most would run a mile if a REAL labor government was elected, even one as right wing as the the Whitlam Government.
“1300
Glen Says:
November 27th, 2007 at 1:14 am
Before i go, while you insult a person who has spent decades in public life you forget that Mr Downer did that ’stunt’ for charity!”
What, the Iraqi bribes? Gee, I never knew that. OK, I’ll lay off him then.
Glen,
Pleasant dreams about Julie B.
“1301
gary Says:
November 27th, 2007 at 1:15 am
Im not referring to Glen. He is a Tory and good luck to him. I have been reading this site closely too and most of the comment has been about what people oppose. They oppose Howard and all the others, they oppose Workchoices etc. The point is what do they stand for? As far as I can discern, not much! Most would run a mile if a REAL labor government was elected, even one as right wing as the the Whitlam Government.”
Can you give me some examples of what you consider to be a real Labor Government? They don’t all have to be in Australia.
1302
VoterBoy of Over the Water – show me evidence that Downer knew about brides or leave it alone mate you’re only making yourself look stupid!
Gary you are so refreshing, and correct people have no idea what they believe in and vote according to the media these days and hip pocket.
Always do, paul k lol.
Glen Says:
“Before i go, while you insult a person who has spent decades in public life you forget that Mr Downer did that ’stunt’ for charity!
Give it a rest, I think this is just a waste of bandwidth…”
Glen, I don’t give a hot turd what he wears and why… but $300MILLION to Saddam H, mate, that puts him so far down the list of “Great Australians” that even Satan himself would be a couple of spots ahead in the line.
Gustav Nossal is a Great Australian.
Mick Dodson is a Great Australian.
Fred Hollows was a Great Australian.
Alexander Downer? The chewing gum under my shoe warrants greater respect.
On the topic of looking stupid …
244
Glen Says:
November 18th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
… etc etc
And for the record this election will be close whoever wins, a Labor landslide
is fanciful considering the polls are narrowing but not enough to definitively
make this election undecided.
If Dolly Downer had been FM at start of World War 2 , he would have allowed $300 million in bribes to the Japanese military.
Sorry he could not because Menzies was selling them iron ore to build ships to attack us ..hence his name ‘pig iron bob’
I can feel a lecture coming on. It’s not enough to just want good government, you have to have some left wing agenda or you don’t stand for anything.
“1305
Glen Says:
November 27th, 2007 at 1:18 am
1302
VoterBoy of Over the Water – show me evidence that Downer knew about brides or leave it alone mate you’re only making yourself look stupid!”
Brides? Crikey – were we offering them women as well?
Fletch they were narrowing at that point 52-48 from 58-42…i stand by my comments, nice to see you spend so much time trawling through what people said weeks ago but to each his own.
The Cole Inquiry is history’s record of Dolly Downer’s $300 million bribes to our (at the time) military enemy.
Does his charity work offset this or just the wearing of his black stockings
About 5 pages back in this thread we were discussing possible female candidates for the next govenor general. I only just thought of the perfect candidate…
MAXINE MCKEW
I’m off, but enjoy reading our good mate Philip Adams with his latest in post-GG:
Why it’s great to see him go
http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/phillipadams/index.php/theaustralian/comments/why_its_great_to_see_him_go/
ciao for now.
One that doesn’t sell out public education by indulging in the subsidy of private schools, one that doesn’t engage in non means tested welfare where millionaires can claim benefit, or where valuable public utilities are not sold off at fire sale prices. One where governments dont offer business welfare through tax subsidies. One that introduces a decent standard of living for the elderly, disabled and their carers. Note they didn’t count in Rudd’s great scheme of things- only working families.
Paul K you like your government to do nothing, sit back and do absolutely nothing. You don;t know much about politics or much else really.
Well I think I’ve offended enough people for one night. My work is done here. Goodnight folks. Sorry Marky. I meant Goodnight Comrades.
Always good to keep greatest hits
Glen,
here is the narrowing in all its glory:
http://possumcomitatus.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/thenarrowing21.jpg
you really are an idiot. The “narrowing” is within the MoE – buy a statistics book and educated yourself.
See Ron you’d got nothing on Downer but what the socialist alliance and the trots tell you, how naive and stupid you are. If you come here with assertions and no proof you will end up looking the fool and you are if you think Downer was associated with the AWB bribes. You’ve proved my point you’re a lightweight and you’ve got nothing on Downer, unless you can find some hard evidence, toughen the f up and get over the fact that Downer will have been a better minister than any ‘bright’ up and coming in KR’s front bench.
1317. OK Gary, I see where you’re coming from, but can you now give me any examples of Labor or Social Democratic governments that in your mind are worthy of being called “Real” Labor? When was the last time we saw “Real” Labor in power in Australia, for example?
Gary you are spot on. Now watch the right wing dills say that your a communist and have no idea, especially Paul K because he is counting how much is in his wallet.
Glen @ 1322. He knew. He lied. He lost the election. He’s leaving.
And now, as you promised nearly quarter of an hour ago, so should you.
No evidence VB you hacks really are a sad bunch!
If you’re going to accuse people of things have some evidence or get over it.
Paul K scurried off to bed, to count dollars in his sleep.
Gary and Marky – while I respect your beliefs, I think it’s a bit rich for you both to be coming on here, teliing people they only voted for their hip pockets….. IF you’e spent any item on here you’d realise most of teh people ont his site are from the progressive left.
You should argue your points rather than making assumptions about other’s voting and their beliefs..
Marky, you still haven’t discussed the fact that the Swedish and French voters have rejected your ’socialist’ system at their last elections (and I’m not baiting here, I was surprised and a little disappointed by it).
Glen , the Cole Inquiry’s summary makes it clear the trail went to Dolly Downer
whose Dept signed each contract off & which also received advance advice warnings of the AWB bribes from Aussie diplomats as well as USA & Canadian ones.
Like your departed hero , truth is difficult to accept
Dolly Downer’s legacy is the AWB bribes scandal
Mate the last Labor government was Gough’s and as I said above that was pretty right wing too, but he had vision and a program. He allowed working class kids like me to atttend university, he introduced socialist health care, he made a real difference. Of course stagflation and the oil crisis put paid to it all. All we have now are pale, watery imitations of Labor should be about and its sad. Yes, we should expect “good government” but we should also expect a good mdeal more. Unfortunately, I doubt we will ever get it.
Cain, Whitlam and Dunstan were real Labor.
1329
Ron Brown – do some homework and get some hard evidence if not stop making yourself look stupid.
I’m off to dream of dollars and cents oh and Julie Bishop.
What the hell is the “progressive left?” is that some fashinable cafe in Parahan?
The ONLY reason Rudd will not set up a Royal Commission on dolly Downer’s AWB sanctioned $300 million bribes is NOT because he is worried about Dolly Downer being found guilty (Rudd already knows he is) …Rudd is worried Howard is involved as well …no PM will put another PM in jail
Gary – if you’re not interested in having a decent discussion – why are you on here?
I am. I’m a socialist, i believe in the public ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange what do you believe in? What do “progressive leftists” believe in?
Glen
at least your hero’s are still in Parliament
like Howard…sorry he lost his seat
like Costello…sorry he ’spat the dummy’
like Dolly Downer….the ONLY FM in history to oversee bribes to our military enemy
Yes they rejected it but they will be back once they see the alternative. Already in France thousands are protesting about the changes Sarkozy has in mind.
Chris people also reject right wing governments also, so don;t think they are perfect.
Progressive Left what does that mean, changes slowly over a ten year cycle meaning a few crumbs for the masses and plenty for topcats and then a change of government. So the next government can totally inflict the pain.
Realistically what does Labor want to actually do here, what major plan does it have? Because if it does little people on their massive mortagages will start fretting…
Glen#1235
Maybe Kevin could be looking at things in terms of structured targeted actions that can be viewed, considered and delivered from multiple ‘departmental’ positions. For example – the wiring of schools deals with broadband infrastructure (Telecom), there is question of promotion of open data standards which plays into Trade (think about software license monopolies) and Industries, there are potential environmental, occupational health and safety, and security opportunities through smart-school-infrastructure, and we haven’t even started on the subject of the information technology impact on a school curriculum, benefits to teaching, productivity improvements, etc. etc.
But maybe not – after all – that would be a revolution.
I am with you Gary. At least you have some intelligence and care for other people. Unlike these cynical bloggers who have been captured by the Media barrons such as Murdoch and corporate images on tv which tell us you can make it in the world whereas very few people do.
Love to know how it is good that chief executives earn heaps whilst others go without, but that is okay that is the world we need.
The model for new Labor is this, preselect people with no Labor credentials (read people with no Labor ideals, you know movie star candidates), follow policies that will offend none of the elites. Pay lip service to the historical mission of the party (at election times mainly) and service the managerial elites, those who will benefit most from right wing Laborite policies.
Could not agree more. Watch it the brainwashed bloggers will quickly refute this.
My God. People find it controversial that modern Labor and some of it’s cheerleaders can be criticized for being too right wing. I rest my case!
Seems they have all gone to bed. Time for bed comrade marky marky. Catchya later. Nite socialists, Trots, DLPers, Progressive leftists. Greens and Tories all.
Marky
The Age of socialism is dead because of the Global economy
The French socialist system operates SOLELY because the EEC buys unsold produce made by EEC members and prevents overseas competition
ie. the EEC acts as a barrier to Global competition
The EEC succeeds only because of its collective economic power
Sooner or later the growth of China , India & other Asian economies will force the EEC to drop its barriers
When this occurs Europe will face the World like Australia has had to
ie. compete in the global economy for exports & services to sell
the tax on the profits of which the government THEN has the proceeds to distribute
Hawke & Keating acted accordingly to globalise our economy
Do you want to go to Australia pre Hawke/Keating
I agree that Kevin probably will end up disappointing me – I would like to see then end of the private health subsidy, more investment in public transport (including a fast suburban train network, particulary in Sydney and Melbourne) and a VFT up the eastern seaboard, less roadbuilding – incentives for renewable energy both wind and solar. I’d probably like to see nuclear power stations built ( I don’t believe they are anywhere near as dangerous as people say, and if it’s good enought for your beloved France….. it’s a lot cleaner than coal).
But I suppose I’m a political realist and leftist govts (and let’s face it – France didin’t really have a leftist govt – they disproportinately spend money propping up their agricultural sector, but that’s politically acceptable to you guys? To let fields lie faloow while the developing worls is starving? How’s that socialist? )
In reality not a lot of that will happen, it’ll cost too much money and be politically unapalatable. I don’t particularly care for your name-calling and scoffing at other’s opinions, I mean the public ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange’ – what does that mean?
FRANCE HAS A CONSERVATIVE GOVT NOW – Sarkozy was elected to dismantle it – hence the current strikes you fools….
For mine there’s no denying the ALP has moved right gary. In fact, the Libs and Greens all have in recent times. I’m not sure what your point is…
Off to bed now. Nite all.
The Liberal phoenix will arise, and in time grow feathers to cover its current naked embarassment. Labor will make mistakes in Goverment, and as time passes these will accumulate and become beacons to the ineptitude and incompetence that all Governments invariably display as they approach the due time for their demise.
Labor will, while its star is shining, do many good things as well, just as the Liberals did in the time their star was in ascent.
Nothing is forever, philosophies change, expectations change, people change, their wants and needs change.
By any objective standard, the Liberal Administration made some gross errors of judgment, and in its last year became obscenely smug, self indulgent and arrogant. For that reason I became very angry with it, as some of my comparitively few posts on this site reveal.
I am not so blind as to fail to acknowledge in anticipation that Labor will make the same kind of mistakes, and in time the wheel in its cycle will bring us back to where we are today, but with a different party about to embark on its journey of reform and destruction, and Labor left to bemoan what could and should have been.
Meanwhile we can rejoice in the new as we discard the old, as most have done here over the last few days.
But lets not get too full of ourselves, the Labor bum will sooner or later be exposed to Glen’s boot.
Here endeth the rant.
Are you for real? Infrastructure and essential services don’t get traded, the same for education and health. Oh i see sell them to rich entrepeneurs and let make money at the expense of the poor.
Please tell me how do you trade healthcare and education and electricity and phone services.
Pages: « 1 … 24 25 26 [27] 28 » Show All