Hi Belbo
A bit unfair to judge NSW and VIC Government on being in only 12 months or so. In fact, a smart gov does little for the first few years to build the bang in the election years. I suspect NSW is going that path. VIC don't know.
And again, on Abbott don't you think you destroy any objective comment by judging him in opposition. He has no power there?
Like it or not, the job of Opposition is to bag the Government. With the Labor Gov proven failures, it like "shooting fish in a barrel". Abbott is showing constraint when compared with his alleged persona IMO.
And lastly, if the Opposition is useless then what do you say about joining the Gov in the national Disability Scheme? If that a dumb idea.
Belbo, I like your posts but you need to consider both sides fairly to be considered objective.
I.e. I don't think Gillard is a bumbling fool. In another time another election she may have been great. Sadly, it is not her time.
And I voted Rudd with the hope he would be new Labor. He was except the NSW Disease of the Right and Factions gutted him.
Regards Peter 14.7
Hi Peter,
Fair questions all. The Vic and NSW Liberal state premiers may just need some more time. Abbott may actually surprise us when he comes to power by instituting a constructive economic reform programme. Perhaps Abbott isn't cynically just harvesting desperately committed single-issue voters on the disability support scheme. Maybe it's just me. But then you might ask, why is Jeff Kennett so dismayed with these leaders? Why did Malcolm Fraser resign only 48 months ago from Liberal Party he once led as Prime Minister? Just how is this generation of Liberals different from others?
In this and the carbon tax thread I've argued that a marginal, but very divisive ideology has gained ascendancy in the Liberal Party, particularly at its federal level, and implied that the fish rots from the head down to its state branches. Specifically, I've suggested that the ideology of neo-conservatism, as symbolised above all by Tony Abbott, has become predominant in the Liberal Party today.
What distinguishes neo-conservatism from the traditional liberalism of the Liberal Party is its belief (1) that economic growth cannot come about through consensus politics, but can only come about by concentrating power and wealth, and consequently (2) that a small state presence in the economy is not enough, it must first and foremost be a strong state presence. In essence it argues first divide the pie, then try to grow it. Traditional liberals are confused at this reversal of the logic of their philosophy.
Not everyone in the Liberal Party is a neo-conservative of course, but while it holds sway as it does today there can be no other play on the table. Hence we are seeing no discernible economic progress in either Vic or NSW, where creative political leadership has almost never before been needed so much more. Anything that even hints at political cooperation with workers, unions or sectional interest groups is anathema. Conflict must come before peace according to neo-conservatism.
That's how I see it, anyway.
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