It seems that Gillard’s credibility and Abbott’s credibility will bring them both down soon. And there is a reason for this.
Both have embraced the Howard method of dumbing-down and shrill simplistic accusation. Both talk in abusive banalties, and voices that irritate, of the other’s ‘negativity’ or ‘incompetence’ or disloyalty to Australia.
The arrival of Bob Carr has put all that into sharp relief. He does not dumb you down, he smarts you up. He shows you the complexity and uncertainty of the world in a particular troubling time, and talks to you as if you were an adult, or even a scholar.
This makes Abbott’s rants and blatherings seem prepubescent, shrill, dumb, bullying and out of touch. It makes him look like he is still in short pants, and has cried Wolf once too often.
Abbott cannot recover from this. He seems like a fool now, the Barnaby Joyce or Bill Heffernan or Wilson Tuckey or Campbell Newman kind of fool the Liberal Party usually demotes or sidelines or sends, like Alexander Downer, to Cyprus to fondle his hangover.
He is gone for all money, and will not see out the year.
And Bob Carr will be the reason.
He is our Better Angel, and it is good to have him back.
Name:
I’ve got to say Bananaman, that was an incredible post!
Erudite, persuasive, trenchant, insightful, and overflowing with a intelligence and passion little seen on this blog before!
This is one for the album!
Absolutely stunning stuff.
Congratulations.
Powerful endorsement for a patch of white space, post-erasure. The late to risers will forever be in the dark.
I’m moved to post this from The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam:
The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.
It was a mighty thing to behold Canguro.
It was a political/social/philosophical/psychological rumination of the most exquisite kind; it swept into its discursive embrace every word, every metaphor – it created juxtapositions without precedent, it captured the delicate and still moved the mountain, it outlined an ethical programme and laid new statutes of jurisprudence, it spoke of epistemologies and uncovered a new system of ethics, it spoke of beliefs and identities, and set forth new taxonomies of class consciousness. It probed the hairline cracks of logic and reasoning, it unearthed new aesthetic criteria and sought to harmonise religious schisms. It ventured forth new laws on justice and shaped new configuration of scientific knowledge. It sought an exhaustive analysis of Poincare’s ideas on geometry and addressed the central problem of the Argument for Intuition. It exposed and redressed the analytic/synthetic distinction, and argued for a new brotherhood of man based on modal metaphysics. It sought to eradicate the negative energies of envy and lust, and replace them with the more dignified philosophies of Origen of Alexandria.
There was so much more Canguro, soooooo much more!
Like I said, it was a treatise for the new millennium, for the New Man.
Unfortunately it was erased by our host who mistook it for a stinging satire of his article.
Oh well.
I’m sorry I missed it.
Must get up earlier, birds and worms and so on.
I am strongly of the belief that we have reached a critical juncture in the economic direction of this country, and that our political leaders are mostly powerless to influence it. The collective insanity of our obsession with houses is going to start biting more and more as jobs start to fall by the wayside, banks ration credit, and younger generations find themselves unwilling or unable to wade into the pool of buyers that has sustained prices. The wealth in housing that so many had counted on for their retirement is going to continually dissipate, and Governments will find themselves completely beholden to the primary goal of ensuring our banking system – so woefully overexposed to residential housing – does not collapse.
Within this economic context, I think the political discourse is only going to get dumber. More and more people are going to start hurting, and I suspect they will not be given over to the kind of self-examination that should lead them to the conclusion that there is a collective responsibility for the mess we find ourselves in. As usual, a scapegoat must be found, and there is generally not much nuance in the politicizing of the problems. So, get used to those same old memes – it’s the Carbon Tax, the Unions, the Greens, the reckless government spending, the lower productivity from our industrial relations system – the same old half truths that fool Abbott knows will cut through. Should the ALP attempt to shift the gears to a level of more rational and reasoned political discourse, I think they will find themselves struggling against the simplistic and pleasing rhetoric of the Opposition. I honestly think their only realistic prospect of limiting the damage next year is to run a 2007-style negative campaign against the LNP’s industrial relations policies. The shrill is only going to get worse.
Mr Ellis, I’m sorry to have to bring this to your attention, but I do believe you still owe, one Mr Spleenblatt, the sum of $10,000.00 (ten thousand dollars) for an earlier wager that was made on Abbott not making it to August.
Would you like to honour your word and pay that account now or would you prefer to roll that over into a new wager?
OK?
Bets open ladies and gents!
Ellis here has 10 large on the table.
This time he really, really, really will pay it.
He says he’s good for it.
Just ask spleenblatt!
There is much in what you say.
When the profits of Shakespeare In Italy reach 100,000 dollars you shall have your money.
But if Abbott falls before Christmas, only half of it.
Deal?
Mr Ellis, thank you for your prompt reply.
I shall discuss your offer with my client, Mr Spleenblatt.
As an aside: I saw your play.
And what did you think of it?
Better than Dog’s Head Bay? Or worse?
Leigh Sales was better than Mads Mikkelsen last night , ripping into Abbott…
Thank you Leigh, I been waiting for this too long…he really is a waste of space.
Leigh Sales was great, although she could have contained her zeal a bit better from the outset. It was genuinely enjoyable, if excrutiating, to watch Abbott squirm through that questioning, but I think she emptied her barrel a bit prematurely. I don’t think Abbott will subject himself to anything approaching that kind of scrutiny for the next 15 months. And just watch them ramp up the rhetoric about ‘ABC bias’ from here on in.
I admit that it was as if Kerry O’Brien was back. We won’t know for sure until Julia Gillard gets nothing but underarmers if she ever confronts Sales.
I also saw the interview.
Ms Sales let him misdirect to J.Nassar when the question SPECIFICALLY was to the comment made by M. Kloppers.
Abbott slid away too easily.
But as pithonme said – it will be seen as further “evidence” of ABC bias.
It was so bad/awful that I had to watch the repeat on the ABC24 in the small hours this morning
Abbott; The abominable No-man.
And the voting public’s opinion of Abbott.
I most heartedly agree about Bob Carr – our best ever Premier and the man who should be king.
There is no one who speaks better, has a greater command of policy, or is a natural prime minister than Senator Carr.
However, how do you reconcile his leadership with his views on Julian of Equador? Bob Carr seems to have the same position as the PM, and this is to leave the blonde one to his own devices (with mother’s frenzied help).
Is this a strength or failing of our best ever foreign minister?
Lee Sales did her job, but the Abbott was peculiar, even by the standard we have come to expect of him. Clearly of his meds.
I agree with your comments on Gillard and Abbott – they are both atrocious “leaders”, but surely you’re not promoting that silly old fart, Bob Carr, again. Read how helpful Carr has been with regard to poor old Julian Assange: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/dfat-ignored-assange-requests-lawyer-20120823-24nuj.html
They have also pushed through new anti internet legislation when everyone was looking the other way.
Canguro, might Combantrin help?
Singularity: just listening to Carr not answering a question from Lee Rhiannon on humanitarian aid shonks…now it’s moved on to Birmingham trying to link the carbon tax to Olympic Dam, and copping a tongue lashing from Penny Wong. Hides like rhinoceri.
Just keep doubling up Bob. You will eventually get something right. It is a mathematical certainty
Abbott is dead in the water. The only question is who will replace him.
As usual, it will be Rupert Murdoch who will replace him, but with whom remains to be seen. The front bench of the coalition is a moribund croquet team of also-rans (just go through them one by one). They are not short-sighted but rear-sighted. Abbott has served his purpose as a pit-bull in the media-sport of beer-hall politics, but the plan did not work, and he has just run out of time.
Abbott is the living dead even as Prime Minister. He is a total waste of our time . Three years in fact.
‘Trustyworthy’ doesn’t read BHP’s own position on the mining cancellation (pronouncing cause: carbon/mining taxes), doesn’t watch PM’s press grilling over Slater & Gordon (but insists she still has questions to answer),
slags more funding going to the public school system as one of a great injustice against the privileged (statistics pointing to a parallel decline between greater funding of private schools and Australia’s falling standing internationally, slags refugees as “illegals”… his ‘negativity’ poison may not be
gene-based, it is a poison he is incapable of cleansing from his mean spirited, ‘Christian’ system and it will see his tragic political career off to the trash bin of broken souls…
Pity you’ve joined the Gillard bash, Bob, most unlaborlikeyou. When Gillard farts the world comes down on her. When Abbott farts, it’s Gillard’s fault too. Okay, she is no engaging speaker. Who is these days? And if they are they probably just want your money. Give credit to Gillard for keeping an almost impossible show on the road. All powers of evil against her, from Emperor Murdoch to to the Australian [Unaustralian] to Mr Magoo and Carney to the small group of traitors within her own ranks and the thirty percent public that wouldn’t have a clue. Take Mondays Q&A, bookends Albrechtsen [don't know how she can give you a hard on] and Richardson, Gillard haters and two bigger arseholes I couldn’t imagine, setting the tone, getting away with anything in that fashionable bloodsport called who-can-make-the-biggest-contribution-to-the-murder-of-the-Prime-Minister-of -Australia. Sure she has had to bend and duck; appease them all; and yet still seems to maintain the respect of most her party, the Greens, and two of the Independents. And her government is doing an exceptional job all considering. So, Bob, if you can’t differientate between Abbott’s performance with Sales and Gillard’s with the press corp yesterday, then I am afraid you are not a better man than me Gunga Din.
Robert Carr is indeed eloquent and raises us to his level. It’s just a shame that he carries the torch so articulately for the ‘get Assange’ crowd.
If only this media spin master (ex Journalist) hadn’t set N.S.W. back twenty years.He sold himself to the investment bankers. I hope he shows more morals as our foreign affairs minister
… as is another ‘pattern forming’,
‘Trusworthy’ has his own mob now ‘white anting’ his credibility as the man to take them to the next election…. not just the deputy-
Speaker ready to turf him out…
Please Bob, ban this adolescent twat.
Three POSITIVE ALP polls in a row… John Howard publicly confirming the POSITIVE ‘state of the nation’(direct contradiction to his Mob’s leader)… while ‘Trustworthy’ branded a liar by Laurie Oakes… me thinks ‘a
pattern is forming’…
I always gave Abbott until August/September when “the sky is falling” crap over the carbon charge could be seen for what it is, and all the other storms in a teacup reach their use-by dates.
Bye bye Tony, if his “colleagues” can figure out which nobody will replace him.
2.00am Sunday.
Bishop rang not more than two hours ago to give me a heads up on the latest polls that indicate that Gillard has advanced her lead over me in the preferred PM stakes, the Australian people are never wrong, and this causes me to consider the reasons for my lack of appeal to the electorate, and I wonder if they are same reasons as those of my wife and daughters, although the electorate are more open minded to change. Eric Abetz emailed this very minute volunteering to give me a few hints on how to charm the public. Fuck me, Eric, Abetz, Eric Abetz, emailed me about how to be more appealing. Must remember to pump up the back tyre this morning, actions speak louder than words.
If I could hire two blokes to kidnap Work Choices drive it out to the bush and put a bullet in its head I would, but they are number seven on my to-do list, Shorten, Turnbull and Joe Hockey are higher priorities.. Hockey has to lose weight, I’m starting to look slight in comparison, he raised his arm to straighten his tie at a news conference the other day and in the shadow cast for that brief moment I disappeared from view. Joe insists he is the right guy to launch the obesity program announcement, he could lunch it but never launch it, must break it to him gently somehow, I will do it with biscuits.
Got to get some sleep, stopped using pillows, they mess up my hair.
The Moe Diary :
Tried going without sleep for two days; nearly worked. Three days and I’d ‘ve won the election.
Larry rang me suggested he should be the only economic spokesthingy (as if). He’s already trying to overshadow me, raising his arms like that.
Just as well I can beat the poodle out of the chamber whenever Thomson threatens to vote with us.
The Cardinal wants to give me more orders . . . ah, suggestions about policy. He doesn’t realise some voters aren’t tykes. Maybe they’ll convert when I’m PM?
Ah, time for bed. Should get to sleep tonight, trying counting boats.
The Demise of ‘Trustworthy’… further developments… Yesterday: ”John Howard is three Liberal leaders ago. That was then, this is now. There is no going back to the past.” Yet, last week, this bloke was promising to return us to the Howard ‘golden years’… also, that oldie, but a goodie, ‘irony’ is shuffling in the wings eager with a bag load of poo to dump: ‘Trustworthy’ came to power courtesy of climate change (“crap” in his mind). By election time next year, based on just two month’s of public reversal on The Threat, the carbon tax will be dead as a political issue , climate change, though will only have increased in people’s minds and (courtesy Bill Leak) ‘shag on a rock’ Coalition leader, if he’s thick enough to stand by his PROMISE, to repeal that tax, and bring on a double dissolution if the ALP/Greens don’t budge, will face his own (Big Business) mob’s already absolute negativity over his much more expensive solution to combating the “crap” of climate change.
The Moe Diary cont.
Policies, policies; I could have sworn I had some policies lying around somewhere. Bloody Larry probably ate them when he got hungry.
Curly’s no better, a real sad sack whenever I get really good ideas.
What’s a few billion black hole when I could be in the lodge by Christmas?
Christmas, now there’s a thought – no not the bloody island, the holy day you heathens.
Could have sworn I had a policy on something, no no no no no no no no no . . . shit, I sound like Jim in the Vicar of Dibley.
What a pair of knockers! Nothing quite so decorative around the Parliament . . . I wonder if any of the new staffers are big breasted . . .
Now where are those policies? Bloody Leigh Sales, I will privatise her as soon as . . .
Now how does it go? Stop the Boats Stop the what was it? Oh yes Carbon Tax Stop the Waste Stop the Boats Stop the Carbon Tax Repeal everything except tax cuts, yes that will work . . .
Where are those frigging policies? . . .
(And so on, ad nauseam)
03:00 AUGUST 29
WEDNESDAY
Hail Mary, stubbed my toe in the shower and fell over taking the shower curtain with me yesterday, twenty minutes before Joyce called me in a stupor, calling me balding cunt, again. I bloody well wish he was found floating the wrong way up in his damn one morning. I have to remember to talk to the big G about that. Barnaby really is a challenge. Not long after that it was Clive on the blower. I’ll have to remember to give Barnaby his number- then again maybe that’s a bad idea. Peta reckons I need to relax and believe in myself. I keep having that same dream, we’re in the Senator, on the freeway, waiting to turn into a farm to sniff some more dirt for the cameras, and there is the truck, coming right at us. Then I see her face, and the face of her passenger, as the truck swerves and they both cackle hysterically, as the truck turns into a giant yellow Dolphin torch, and I’m naked, on the 7:30 report. Right when I’m about to die Shaun Micallef comes into the studio dressed as Charlie Chaplin and makes Leigh Sales shit herself and run away. Then, Joe, him and I eat pizza and play squash. I’m watching Joe slap about the place when Micallef lobs a ball over his head and he comes sprinting towards the glass, racket out-stretched and *CRASH* – I wake up. I have a meeting with Rio Tinto at lunch. I have to keep telling myself there is no plan B.
I will be Prime Minister by the first day of March, 2013, and nothing will get in my way, nothing.
I will be Prime Minister by the first day of March, 2013, and there is nothing I won’t do, nothing.
I will be Prime Minister by the first day of March, 2013, and nothing will get in my way, nothing.
I will be Prime Minister by the first day of March, 2013, and there is nothing I won’t do, nothing.
I will be Prime Minister by the first day of March, 2013, and nothing will get in my way, nothing.
I will be Prime Minister by the first day of March, 2013, and there is nothing I won’t do, nothing.
I will be Prime Minister by the first day of March, 2013, and nothing will get in my way, nothing.
I will be Prime Minister by the first day of March, 2013, and there is nothing I won’t do, nothing.
Meanwhile down the corridor the distant ringing full throated tenor voice of Eric Abetz can just be heard:
“The babe in his cradle is closing his eyes
The blossom embraces the bee
But soon says the whisper, arise, arise
Tomorrow belongs to me
Tomorrow belongs to me”
The Leigh Sales moment might just be his Hewson GST cake. He has certainly made a gross error revealing his lack of detail. A very hollow man and we may have this cretin running the country. HELP111