Bombertalk

Maybe I'm either going senile in my old age, but I always was under the impression that the ALP was supposed to be a viable political party that offered a different alternative to the Libs.

When I heard Big Kimbo suggesting that he was going to introduce a Pledge of Australian Values for visiting tourists to sign on entering this country, I thought he must have been taking the piss. This is even more right wing that anything little Johnny could think of & that's saying something (even Vanstone is calling Kim a xenophobe).

Have the lunatics taken over the asylum? Why is Kim coming up with such bullshit without consulting his own party members? If Kim just shut up & said nothing, he's a chance to win the next election. Now he's gonna get a flogging for the 3rd time, by trying to win over the Cronulla rent-a-crowd rednecks, so that the general bloke in the street can't make out any discernible difference between the 2 parties.

Bring on Gillard I say, as Kim has really misread the population if he thinks that he will get in the next election by being a Mini-me of Little Johnny. C'mon Filthy, I know even you would be shaking your head in amazement about Kim's latest dumb idea.

I have heard that Kim is in trouble and might not be in the job at years end.

The sooner they get rid of Beazley, the better off the ALP will be.

It's a bit like the AFL (IMO) in that when you bottom out you get draft picks and the coach gets sacked.

Beazley has already lost two elections and is totally devoid of anything like an original idea.

Why is it that the ALP goverrns in all states but can't get past the post federally?

Lack of original policies and a lame duck leader spring to mind as two reasons.

Agreed 100%.

Beazley is supposed to provide an alternative, not be Howard-lite.

Sooner they get rid of him and put in someone with conviction (insert name here) the better.

It's almost as though the role of the politician is to disappoint as many people as possible, in the shortest time possible.

uptick wrote:It's almost as though the role of the politician is to disappoint as many people as possible, in the shortest time possible.

Isn't it?

This was a huge politcal mishap from Beazley. It sounded like something he thought of when he was sitting at the traffic lights. No wonder his colleagues are distancing themselves from him.

Sounds like something he thought up whilst sitting on the toilet. And he forgot to flush it away!

CameronClayton wrote:Maybe I'm either going senile in my old age, but I always was under the impression that the ALP was supposed to be a viable political party that offered a different alternative to the Libs.

When I heard Big Kimbo suggesting that he was going to introduce a Pledge of Australian Values for visiting tourists to sign on entering this country, I thought he must have been taking the piss. This is even more right wing that anything little Johnny could think of & that's saying something (even Vanstone is calling Kim a xenophobe).

Have the lunatics taken over the asylum? Why is Kim coming up with such bullshit without consulting his own party members? If Kim just shut up & said nothing, he's a chance to win the next election. Now he's gonna get a flogging for the 3rd time, by trying to win over the Cronulla rent-a-crowd rednecks, so that the general bloke in the street can't make out any discernible difference between the 2 parties.

Bring on Gillard I say, as Kim has really misread the population if he thinks that he will get in the next election by being a Mini-me of Little Johnny. C'mon Filthy, I know even you would be shaking your head in amazement about Kim's latest dumb idea.

CC...I have been saying for yonks that the only thing that keeps the Rodent in office is Kim. A Rudd/Gillard ticket would romp it in.

Beazley's problem is he can't distinguish the ALP from the Liberal Party. Of course they stand for different principles and ideas but with key issues (apart from IR) he hasn't been able to show the public where they differ. If he can do that I think he could beat Howard.

i'm all for an "Australian Values Pledge", because it would mean that we could deport Howard.

I don't see what the problem with the pledge is. Would have meant that my uncle who has been here for 22 years, barely speaks English and hasn't worked a day would be told to piss off (well would help to prevent this sort of thing to a certain extent). People should be able to speak the language, otherwise you get people like my uncle who will abuse the system.

Beazley is the ultimate conservative Christian politician. His old man was the most conservative labor politician ever, until Junior came along.

Rudd is a little nancy. If he becaomes PM we will be declared a state of the U.S. within weeks. FFS, give Gillard the job. Either that or bring back the former member for Blaxland to smash a few torie heads in parliament again.

I read somewhere that Abbot and Costello were both members of the labor party in their early days... Any chance of a trade? Beazley + Wayne Swan + a third round pick for Costello? I hear his captain is keen to offload him anyway...

Unfortunately, the Labor Party lacks a politician with any charisma, tactical nouse or tough ideological substance. Latham was a loose cannon who imploded. Beasley is soft and lacks identity and substance. All I can see for future leadership strength within the Party is PERHAPS, a Bill Shorten leading the Party to victory. When, I have no idea.

Bill Shorten's name comes up every now and then as some sort of saviour for the ALP, but I'm not seeing why he gets this sort of hype. as far as I can tell, he's just another union honcho.

edit: Ben Doolan, as for charisma, tactical nous, and ideological substance, ALP lost that when Latham left. it was unfortunate for them that he wasn't able to better restrain his wilder urges.

temporary stevo wrote:Bill Shorten's name comes up every now and then as some sort of saviour for the ALP, but I'm not seeing why he gets this sort of hype. as far as I can tell, he's just another union honcho.

Precisely.

temporary stevo wrote:Bill Shorten's name comes up every now and then as some sort of saviour for the ALP, but I'm not seeing why he gets this sort of hype. as far as I can tell, he's just another union honcho.

edit: Ben Doolan, as for charisma, tactical nous, and ideological substance, ALP lost that when Latham left. it was unfortunate for them that he wasn't able to better restrain his wilder urges.

Agree with you re: Mark Latham. He seemed to give the ALP much needed oomph with his tough style and "vision" for a better country. Unfortunately, he was unable to contain his anger and it all unravelled for him. Andrew Bolt got under his skin and Laurie Oaks made him look foolish in interviews. Then he decided to sink his boots into his own party. Loose cannon.

The reason why I mentioned Bill Shorten is because in my opinion there is absolutely no-one within the ranks that has leadership qualities. Shorten may be "just another union honcho", but he "leads" that union very well, and won many friends with his charasmatic style during the mining crisis in Tassie. That doesn't mean he will make a good PM, but it certainly showed he has good leadership qualities.