When the people around me give their views on the Abbott Government, I have to admit that I’m definitely one of the undecided. While some people I know are sure that they have a plan to change Australia and adopt the worst aspects of the United States, others argue that they’re a bunch of incompetents and sociopaths who have no idea what they’re doing. And I have to admit – at different points in the conversation – both arguments are quite compelling. One person will point to the way the Audit Committee softened us up for the spending cuts or Abbott’s meeting with Murdoch in support of the first view, while another will simply say “Christopher Pyne” to refute any idea that this mob have a clue about anything.
And I have to admit that it’s hard to dismiss either point of view.
For example, is their decision to deny the dole to anyone under 30 a plan to force down wages, or simply evidence of how out of touch they are.
“Well, if they can’t get work immediately, they’ll just have to sell off part of their share portfolio to provide themselves with something to tide them over,” I imagine Bananaby saying.
Of course, as I’m sure some of you realise, most of them would have already sold off their share portfolio to pay for the high energy costs of the Carbon Tax.
A Fictional Interlude. Sometime in the future.
“Hi, Mom, I’m moving back in for a while.”
“What about Sharon?”
“Oh, she’s moving back in with her parents.”
“What happened?”
“I lost my job.”
“Well, that can lead to some tension, but can’t you two try to work it out? We always thought you were so well suited.”
“There’s no problem – it’s just that, with neither of us working, we have no income, so we thought it best to move in with you until we become eligible for the work for the dole scheme in six months.”
“But we’ve rented out your room. We were having trouble making ends meet on the age pension.”
“That’s ok, I’ll sleep in the garage.”
“No, you can’t – sleeping there. We’ve rented out our room too.”
“Well, where can I go then?”
“If you hurry, there may be a few cardboard boxes left over from the CEO sleep out in support of the homeless.”
I’m not sure which is more frightening: the idea that Abbott Government is just a front for organisations that wish to exploit the most vulnerable. Or whether Barnaby and Christopher are really convinced of all that they say.
Is it more disturbing that Abbott thinks that the electorate is so stupid he can stand up in Parliament and assert that he’s broken no promises. (Don’t bring up his wedding vows – family should be left out of it!) Or is it more disturbing to consider he might actually believe that he’s broken no promises because what’s said in an election campaign stays in the election campaign.
Whatever, I certainly think the following statement from The Herald-Sun editorial takes the prize for the week’s most delusional:
“While some sections of the media continue to show their political bias by accentuating what they think is a negative, Mr Abbott and Mr Obama, although from different sides of politics, have found they get on together.”
More from Rossleigh:
It’s Abbott Time We Got Some Perspective!
Climb Ladder to Success!
Joe Hockey, Shrek and Other Misunderstood Ogres!
Abbott Government Declares Unity Ticket With Obama on Climate Change!
