Abbott: “Frankly the alternative to this government is national decline” – I Never Thought National Decline Would Sound So Appealing!
“You know, if there is one lesson to be learnt from the fate of the former government in Canberra, maybe even from the fate of the former government in Victoria, is you do not change leaders,” Abbott told 3AW on Thursday.
“You rally behind someone and you stick to the plan and we’ve got a good plan.”
The Guardian 22nd January, 2014
Now why does this sound familiar? Oh that’s right!
Still let’s be fair. The attempts to make Medicare more affordable by making us pay more doesn’t seem so bad when compared to Baldric’s solution for the low ceiling.
“We’ve decided that we can’t afford Medicare, so you can pay for it, because we don’t want to raise taxes. Unless it’s the GST, we need to review that and possibly just charge it on a few more luxury items like food, which isn’t raising it, it’s just spreading it wider and when you spread things wider than don’t get higher!”
But I did like this bit in The Guardian:
The Coalition’s Senate leader, Eric Abetz, acknowledged the government needed “to re-engage with the Australian people”, but he defended Abbott against criticism from “maybe one or two” Coalition members who were backgrounding journalists.
“They’re always so very brave when they don’t have to give their name,” Abetz said.
“This sort of backgrounding, if it is occurring – it’s just people who aren’t willing to put their names to it, or in fact stories that are sort of half concocted … and it’s amazing how the lowliest backbencher all of a sudden becomes a ‘senior Liberal’ in stories such as this.”
Abetz said he was receiving feedback from Coalition colleagues that they were “committed to the course the government has set”.
“Is it a difficult course? Yes, it is,” Abetz said.
“In a democracy no government deliberately sets about making these sort of decisions that they know that the population instinctively doesn’t like, but I also think instinctively they understand that they are the correct decisions for the future.”
Yep, those Liberals are big on instinct. Just like when Howard said that he instinctively doubted climate change. “Think? We don’t need to think, we have our instincts, and it’s much better to trust them than scientists who waste their time on rational arguments.”
Of course, we also get an insight into the way Senator Abetz feels about us all when he refers to the “lowliest backbencher”! If a Liberal backbencher is only “lowly” who shouldn’t be listen to, what about a member of the general public? As for someoen without a job… Well!
But it’s good to see that – after all the background briefings that “senior Labor figures” gave the media during the Gillard years – that Senator Abetz seems to doubt that these background briefings are newsworthy, because we don’t even know that they’re true. “This sort of backgrounding, if it is occurring…”
Is he suggesting that the media could be making things up? I just know that it wouldn’t be true.
Instinctively!
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jagman48
Return to home pageThe LNP needs to change much more than its leader, it needs an entire new raft of policies. Preferably policies that are about the well-being of Australia and all who reside within her shores, as opposed to the advantages the 1% continue to fatten themselves upon.
Reading between the lines of Abbot’s statements, it’s not difficult to discern that he and his diehard supporters are increasingly worried about prospects for a spill.
I know few would read it but a site dedicated to fleshing out the logical inconsistencies, and down right contradictions and paradoxes, in political double talk would run for page and pages. Though It would be very boring it would be quite informative.
Who would read it?
Why those versed in logic of course and so the snake once again eats it’s tail.
I seem to be standing on the fine edge of a very deep precipice hanging on by my finger nails.
Something tells me I am halfway down but I must hold onto Hope whoever she is.
Thanks again Rossleigh.
Abbott and Abetz, following their political mentor John Howard, unintentionally reveal the thin philosophies they subscribe to, being tantamount to a form of dung hill politics, where ‘instinct’, social hierarchy, and narcissistic chest-beating far outweigh rational thought and discussion about the future needs of this nation and its diverse peoples.
As the most inept Australian government in the past 70 years, this government knows no peer.
That’s the problem with the ‘left’ they want to talk about things.
Next thing they will want to do is think about things.
More boast and skiting to follow.
On the ABC News he looked ‘beaten’, not that I want people to talk or think about that ‘thing’.
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/jan/22/tony-abbott-says-boasting-more-will-solve-the-coalitions-problems-his-colleagues-dont-agree
no Fony there is only one thing left for your government to do and thats you take a trip out to Government house and call an election and try and get a MANDATE for all the extra crap you are trying to do
I dare you
I cringed when TA said once more that they had to do a better sales job. It indicates that the Libs still think they have made no mistakes, it’s just that the people have no understanding that they need to buy the crap (and be grateful for the opportunity)
Don’t use ” ” when saying when putting words in their mouths, use ‘ ‘. Only use ” ” for direct quotes.
lollerkeet, have a ‘read’.
http://universitywriting.shu.ac.uk/punct/advice/s_double.htm
Another day another dictator in the making.
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/jan/22/journalists-reporting-on-asylum-seekers-referred-to-australian-police#comment-46474321
lollerkeet:
Who cares.
No matter how noble the objectives of a government, if it blurs decency and kindness, cheapens human life, and breeds ill will and suspicion – it is an evil government. Eric Hoffer, ‘The Passionate State of Mind’ 1954.
Just wondering how the LNP backbenchers feel about being called lowly and if they know who among them is the ‘lowliest backbencher of them all’.
I myself apply the Lollerkeet Principle regarding the use of “quotation marks” and ‘inverted commas’, using the doubles for accurate recounts of speech or writings and the singles for uncertain recollections, my own paraphrasing and the occasional ‘inventionese’.
For example, Mr Arbetz referred to un-named colleague/s as “the lowliest backbencher” telling ‘half-concocted stories’ (the blaspheming leprous untermenchen!).
Constant attention to the conventions of punctuation is not for me, however, an issue of great passion or precedence.
Good Golly, they’ve got a PLAN!
When did the “The-Coots-With-Queer-Ideas-From-a-Parallel-Universe” (aka IPA ) write that thought-bubble?
And if they do have a plan… to the hills, to the hills….
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“They’re always so very brave when they don’t have to give their name,” Abetz said
Accuse someone.
And then follow up with doubt that it happened.
"“This sort of backgrounding, if it is occurring "
Perhaps "lollerkeet" could explain that …. in his classic English style.
Abbotts mob is going from bad to worse, with the opposition watching on but offering nothing of any substance.
Between a rock and a hard place is looking good right now.
I feel we’re sitting in a lifeboat bobbing around in the middle of the ocean.
In general, the quality of our pollies has gone downhill over the last 4 decades.
Can’t understand the logic behind the majority of their decisions.
Nothing makes sense anymore.
The situation is driving my beer consumption higher.
…and here’s a cartoon on the basis of our current dilemma . . . . .
Cheers
Mick
Policies? Personalities? No, it’s deeper than that. It’s their whole worldview, and the toxic little groupthink that you lobotomise yourself with when you drift to the right of of centre in your political views: “the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness”, as J.K Galbraith had it. Which is, as no rightwinger will recognise, a contradiction in terms. The practitioner of superior morality does not consider themself as worthy of promotion above others. So: contradictory, selfish, abhorrent. What else is there over there rightwards? Not much. A yearning for an illusory and hegemonic past, of servants and endless cream teas, of subjugating the nignogs and incarcerating the uppity oiks and Trots? Some of them even talk like that. Contemptible.
I use double inverted commas to indicate irony or disbelief or downright sarcasm as in ” Liberal” Govt.
“In a democracy no government deliberately sets about making these sort of decisions that they know that the population instinctively doesn’t like, but I also think instinctively they understand that they are the correct decisions for the future.”
Kind of like the carbon and mining taxes? Although why on earth anyone would “instinctively” not like raising revenue from polluters and the people who are making billions from OUR resources is beyond me.
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I make up words that aren't in the dictionary to describe Abbott.
Most people call them swear words.
With Tony Abbott resorting to a public plea for loyalty from his political colleagues on syndicated commercial radio, I get the feeling the longevity of his continued leadership may be measured in months at most.
Over personal immanent satisfaction, I have pragmatic mixed feelings about this, and I definitely wonder what freaky agendas he will be goaded into trying to push through in the meantime (‘show strength of decision, Tony’).
I think he should try that again Kaye.
Might one day make sense.
Nah pigs might fly.
I wonder how many important people in the forces he is friends with
The worst government Australia has ever seen, and we’re to blame. Interesting isn’t it? It’s like when you pollute the ocean, jellyfish thrive! The general public’s apathy towards politics, and their shallow understanding of the power the political process can wield, has allowed people as dreadful as Abbott, Pyne, Brandis, Andrews, Abetz, Cormann, Hunt and Hockey to run riot. Thankfully, the electorate is becoming aware that these despicable nuts are going to try and change the country to the detriment of the whole populace!
Abbott has my full support, my absolute unqualified full support to stay on as leader of the CoA till the next election.
So, mark delmege, your plan is to launch a group saying that Abbott is the elected PM and he needs to stay…
Good luck, after Queensland…
Still, I understand that he has been asked to campaign up there, but the invitation came from the Labor Party
there you go Rossleigh, he is an ALP asset – rolled gold and they know it too. People should phone the radio talkback shows and demand he stay leader (of the liebral party that is) till he is 70 at least.
Do something useful Abbott – take a bloody long walk and don’t come back – the country thinks you’re a dickhead.
Perhaps take a “Harold Holt” swim Phi? 😉
A long walk off a short pier?
I still maintain they are so dim that they believe we are dimmer and thus when Abetz says we know what is the only thing the Govt can do, we are all going to be sitting in front of our tellies saying ” it must be so. Eric Abetz said it was!”
As for Abbott’s assertions that it would be political suicide to change leader? That is a very clear message to front and backbenchers alike. It ‘s not meant for us!
Please. Please. Do not replace Abbott.
He led ‘us’ to a great victory. LOL.
Keep him right where he is!
Agreed at the next election they can scrape the shit out of the bottom of the bucket.
“Frankly the alternative to this government is national decline”.
That is all we need, a man and a party who think that they are our saviours. I have had enough of these self appointed, self promoting, self interested, egotistical bully boys.
Yes, let’s replace Abbott, because Bill Shorten is going to do a stellar job…
And if you believe that, step right this way, I have surplus bridges for sale.
Some Labor people are praising Billy whilst damning Tony.
Some Liberal people are praising Tony whilst damning Billy.
Many Labor people want to ditch Billy to help their chances.
Many Liberal people want to ditch Tony to help their chances.
Some Labor people want the Libs to keep Tony to help Billys chances.
Some Liberal people want the Labs to keep Billy to help Tonys chances.
Meanwhile, I want sensible public policy based upon sound scientific (and other qualified professional) advice, implemented with transparency and accountability by people who are neither dumb nor dodgy.
Poor me.
Ps, No thanks on the bridge offer, rc, I already have ‘highly credible’ assurances that a rising tide is about to float my boat.
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The "revolutionarycoward" barely has the money to pay his phone bill.
Plenty of navel gazing fluff though.
Billy needs to get out more and shout from the pulpits I am not the Mesiah. No really he need to stand on his own (no head nodders) and explain Labors position and Labor values. Who else is there other than Labor to help the working class. The Coalition show disdane everyday at us by their actions.
Abbot claims victories for tearing down policies/actions that helped the working class, what else has he done. But we need Bill to get out there and tell us all these things that Labor can/has done. My veiw anyway but I am just a barnacle stuck onto the Labor machine that I .live for.