Tony Abbott for PM

[explod]

Joining the right party would be a start.

How can we tell which is the right party?

Hindsight would suggest that is precarious at best. Is it perhaps like trend following, Abbott seems to have some volume but the trend is a bit doubtfull and of course the Nielson poll, the widest margin, is usually a bit biased to the right too. Mid term divergences of 10% or more are very common, Howard was gone several times but came back.

And, what qualifies one to make such a determination?

Perhaps it is genetic and of Irish, English or Aboriginal assent, or do we need to get the tape measure around skulls like the good old days.

In common with Tony, we were both alter boys and used to speak in Latin and understood not one word of it. So if the country is to be in hands such as ours then od help us. Can we split that ?

 

[wayneL]

How can we tell which is the right party?

I don't know. But I believe we can tell the wrong party... that would be one whose policies are at odds with one's own politics. Ergo, the Liberal party is the wrong one for Malcolm.

 

[Julia]

Hi Julia, what is your take of the term "political intelligence" ?

Being savvy about what to say and when, having an understanding of the ramifications and repercussions within the electorate and amongst your own party of every small comment.
Further, when given the chance at leadership, what was absolutely not politically intelligent was ignoring the consensus of your party and striking out alone to make a deal with the government about an ETS, thus for ever earning you the disapprobation of your colleagues.
If Mr Turnbull thinks he will be forgiven for this, it's simply a further testament to his political stupidity.

Joining the right party would be a start.

Quite so, but Mr Turnbull can't quite come at being in the 'workers' party' blueblood that he is, despite Labor being his natural fit in many ways.
Re his climate philosophy, as I think has already been pointed out, he should be supporting the Greens, but realises the possibility of PM 's position will never be his via that avenue.
It's all about Malcolm, nothing to do what's best for either any party or for Australia.

Following is email I have sent to him this evening:

Mr Turnbull:

How about joining the Labor Party if you cannot adhere to the policy espoused by the Coalition?
Why can't you be a team player?

You have made your leadership ambitions clear, despite having had a chance in this position and dismally failed.

Why did you fail? Because you lack political intelligence/nous and because your colleagues rightly perceive you as being 'all about Malcolm' and very little about the party, or for that matter, about Australia.

Just when the Coalition is making decent headway against the government, you have deemed it, in your egotistical fashion, appropriate to voice your dissent about the climate policy.

You are of course entitled to hold whatever views you wish.
But if these views are out of line with that of the party you are representing, at least do the decent thing and stand as an Independent or tip over to the Labor Party.

When you were elected to parliament I was delighted, believing you to be competent and intelligent.
But you have been an utter disappointment.
I detest the government but if you were (by the remotest of chances) leading the Liberal Party, I would even vote Labor, such is my distaste for your pathetic egocentric personal grandstanding.

The old term used to be 'Dog in the Manger'. The law needs to be laid down to the Member for Goldman Sachs, and fast. This presents a test of leadership for Tony Abbott.

Shut up or go. Why reward him with Shadow Treasury, it just supplies an opportunity to further undermine the Coalition, and it would be a kick to Joe Hockey who has been disciplined.

Totally agree. Mr Turnbull's ego is so large I doubt he has remotely considered that he could be pushed out. This is what Tony Abbott should be doing.

Poor Rudd.

He thought he was the best at this too

Yes, one has to imagine what Mr Rudd must be thinking now as the government is in way more disarray than it was when he was tossed out.
Ms Gillard would be gone tomorrow if such a move did not make them a complete laughing stock.

 

[Calliope]

How can we tell which is the right party?

"It's the economy stupid", and that rules out Labor, and of course the Greens who are economic morons.

 

[sptrawler]

Abbott is handling the Turnbull issue very well. Now back to the main game, getting rid of labor

 

[ghotib]

...
Quite so, but Mr Turnbull can't quite come at being in the 'workers' party' blueblood that he is, despite Labor being his natural fit in many ways.

Hi Julia,

Why do you call Turnbull "blueblood", and why do you regard Labor as being his natural fit in many ways? I understood that his childhood was neither easy nor wealthy and that his background wasn't aristocratic, not even Bunyip aristocratic - what else does blueblood mean? I also understood (though I can't find a reference now) that he considered joining the ALP at one time, but obviously he didn't actually do so. I'm not arguing the point, I'm just curious about exactly what you mean.

FWIW, I agree with you about Turnbull's lack of political nous. I think it comes from consistently underestimating the capacity of people, individuals and groups, to wilfully ignore facts and twist ideas that they perceive to be against their interests or ideologies. He always tries to change everyone's mind about too many things at once; it often worked in the courtroom, but in the political arena people resent it, or get confused, or pick up the tabloid version and think (rightly) that it doesn't make sense. The Republic referendum was the paradigm case - Howard might have broken the heart of the nation, as Turnbull said, but Turnbull himself handed Howard the weapon.

Fascinating character and always worth listening to. But probably not PM material.

Ghoti

 

[sptrawler]

Hi Julia,

Why do you call Turnbull "blueblood", and why do you regard Labor as being his natural fit in many ways? I understood that his childhood was neither easy nor wealthy and that his background wasn't aristocratic, not even Bunyip aristocratic - what else does blueblood mean? I also understood (though I can't find a reference now) that he considered joining the ALP at one time, but obviously he didn't actually do so. I'm not arguing the point, I'm just curious about exactly what you mean.

FWIW, I agree with you about Turnbull's lack of political nous. I think it comes from consistently underestimating the capacity of people, individuals and groups, to wilfully ignore facts and twist ideas that they perceive to be against their interests or ideologies. He always tries to change everyone's mind about too many things at once; it often worked in the courtroom, but in the political arena people resent it, or get confused, or pick up the tabloid version and think (rightly) that it doesn't make sense. The Republic referendum was the paradigm case - Howard might have broken the heart of the nation, as Turnbull said, but Turnbull himself handed Howard the weapon.

Fascinating character and always worth listening to. But probably not PM material.

Ghoti

I think you have it right on the button, the general public want it kept simple and fairly sensible so they can keep up. This is the undoing of a lot of politicians and the list is going to grow quickly.

 

[IFocus]

I think you have it right on the button, the general public want it kept simple and fairly sensible so they can keep up. This is the undoing of a lot of politicians and the list is going to grow quickly.

More than three words and they are confused apparently but then that's all some politicians like Abbott actually understand .

 

[sails]

More than three words and they are confused apparently but then that's all some politicians like Abbott actually understand .

It seems that is all some in the electorate can understand so perhaps Abbott deliberately keeps it simple.

What's worse is hearing labor supporters keep harping on about having Turnbull back as Coalition leader when the polls clearly show that it is labor supporters who want a soft opposition leader who will not oppose their schemes.

Turnbull is clearly labor's choice for Coalition leader. I just wish labor would look after their own leadership debacles and get that sorted out instead - surely that would be a good place to start, wouldn't it?

 

[noco]

It seems that is all some in the electorate can understand so perhaps Abbott deliberately keeps it simple.

What's worse is hearing labor supporters keep harping on about having Turnbull back as Coalition leader when the polls clearly show that it is labor supporters who want a soft opposition leader who will not oppose their schemes.

Turnbull is clearly labor's choice for Coalition leader. I just wish labor would look after their own leadership debacles and get that sorted out instead - surely that would be a good place to start, wouldn't it?

Yes sails, I agree.

The Labor Party must suely be ready to implode. Some Ministers and a majority of back benches must be tearing their hair out not knowing what to do with Gillard and Swan.

If they change leaders now, like history shows they do when the Party becomes unpopular whether it be Federal or state, they will no doubt lose the Indies support.

IMHO there could be a change of government by Xmas.

 

[Calliope]

Abbott has them worried.They can't get anything right.

It is rare, if not non-existent, now for the Prime Minister or a minister to give an interview or a press conference and, without prompting, to start talking about Abbott. They appear intimidated. It is little wonder that Abbott feels he has only to reinforce the negatives.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/polit...th-its-chin-20110515-1eo7n.html#ixzz1MyC7OOQn

 

[sails]

And it's all Mrrrrrrabbott's fault again. Doesn't seem to get it that people don't like being deceived.

From the Australian: Gillard won't surrender on carbon tax

And it seems that even labor devotees can only take so much of their leader - from the article above:

The ALP conference ended in high farce this afternoon when too few members returned to the conference floor after lunch.

It meant organisers were forced to close proceedings before debate on substantial policies, including gay marriage and asylum seekers.

 

[noco]

I watched INSIDERS on ABC with Barrie Cassidy this morning and his theme was to do his best to tarnish Tony Abbott. How pathetic.
I guess he has been instructed to try and lift Gillard's image from where it is ATM.
Cassidy could not help himself to emphasis the Abbott/ Hockey phone call and Turnbull's statement on the Carbon Dioxide tax and Climate Change. He did all he could to make a mountain out of a mould hill.
He stated Gillard received a great lift with Conroy when pressing the button for NBN in Armidale to keep Tony Windsor happy. WOW seven connection already.They have really done well??????????????? I wonder how many this time next year.
They don't appear to be doing too well in Tassie.

 

[explod]

Yes sails, I agree.


IMHO there could be a change of government by Xmas.

You said that last year

 

[noco]

You said that last year

Did I explod. Please show me where?

 

[noco]

How can we tell which is the right party?

You certainly would not have to be a 'rocket scientist' to work that one out.

But of course their are some so dumb and blind, they cannot see their nose in front of themselves.

 

[IFocus]

Dislike of Abbott cost Libs election

The Australian Election Study, based on a detailed survey conducted immediately after the election in August, found that voters' dislike of the Opposition Leader added more than 1 per cent to Labor's vote.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...st-libs-election/story-fn59niix-1226059924848

 

[IFocus]

Joe Hockey most likely to succeed

First port of call has to be opposition leader Tony Abbott. We might estimate Tony’s chances of becoming prime minister, some day, like this:

He has a 50 percent chance of being Liberal leader at the next election. (If that seems low, remember that if parliament goes the full term he’d have to be the longest serving opposition leader since Kim Beazley 1996–2001.) If we give the Coalition a 60 percent chance of winning the next election then Tony has a 30 percent chance (.5 x .6) of taking that particular path to the prime ministership.

Throw in a little more for future possibilities if he misses out this time. Let’s call it about 32 percent.

I reckon Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey has a 45 percent chance of leading the Libs to the next election. So his chances start with 27 percent. (That’s still assuming 60 percent chance of victory. Yes, his being leader would alter those odds, but that’s getting too complicated.)

http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com...n/comments/joe_hockey_most_likely_to_succeed/

 

[IFocus]

Hockey, Abbott in 'brutal' slanging match

JOE Hockey and Tony Abbott have clashed in a fiery telephone conversation that descended into a slanging match.

The shadow treasurer accused the Opposition Leader of embarrassing him and leaving him swinging in the wind, sources told The Sunday Age newspaper.

Tensions erupted after Mr Hockey was forced to back down from suggestions in a keynote speech that family trusts should be taxed in the same way as companies, the newspaper said.

A senior Liberal described the encounter to the paper as a "brutal, free and frank character assessment of each other's beliefs and performance".

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...l-slanging-match/story-fn3dxity-1226060403013

 

[IFocus]

Abbott stands for nothing: Albanese

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's own party is confirming that he stands for nothing, Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese says.

Mr Albanese's comment followed a weekend media report that said tensions between Mr Abbott and shadow treasurer Joe Hockey erupted in a phone call when Mr Hockey accused Mr Abbott of not supporting him and leaving him ''swinging in the wind''.

Their stoush began in the lead-up to the federal budget when Mr Hockey was forced to make a public retreat after suggesting in a speech that family trusts should be taxed the same way as companies.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/abbott-stands-for-nothing-albanese-20110522-1eykp.html#ixzz1N4v52ksv