… SO IT’S DIFFERENT …
Cross-posted from Truth Seekers Musings – with many thanks to Truth Seeker!
It never ceases to amaze me that, according to the LNP and their complicit MSM/ABC, when the ALP does or says something, they are dishonest, dysfunctional, in disarray, untrustworthy, incompetent etc, but when the LNP are any of those things, for real, there’s nothing to see here! Likewise when the ALP changes leader, it’s a political assassination, but when the LNP do the same it’s in the best interests of the party, the state, the nation and in fact the entire history of mankind!
This question of changing leaders has reared it’s ugly head again, as a result of the unexplained resignation of Ted Baillieu as Vic Premier.
At the risk of reopening old wounds, I think that it’s worth asking “what’s the difference, between what the ALP and the LNP have done?”
We still hear about how K Rudd was knifed in the back, how “Gillard has blood on her hands” etc etc.
Now , in the interest of full disclosure, I for one was less than happy, at the time, with the
ALP’s decision to replace Rudd, but then I, like most, only saw the public face of Rudd, and was unaware of the difficulties of working with him which, with the benefit of hindsight, there were murmurings of, prior to the spill.
Now like Baillieu, Rudd did quit, the only difference being that Rudd had a second chance to put himself up for the position and was defeated by a clear majority vote of the caucus.
The MSM are reporting that Baillieu came to the decision on his own, after becoming aware that he no longer had the full support of his parliamentary party. The same could be argued for Rudd, who made the position of leader vacant of his own volition, returning to caucus later, determining to test the numbers.
Now I can hear all the right whingers, crying foul, and saying there’s no comparison. But who can say with any certainty that Baillieu was not in the same situation whereby if he didn’t jump, he would have been pushed? The very fact that he “Became aware” that he did not have the support he needed, alludes to the possibility that he did get some type of tap on the shoulder.
The LNP also summarily dismiss the comparison with Abbotts actions against Turnbull by saying that Turnbull was not an elected leader of the country, but he was the elected leader of the LNP, as Rudd was the elected leader of the ALP who happened to win an election and became subsequently the PM, in the same way that Baillieu became Premier.
It could also be argued that Rudd, at least had the guts, ego, determination or whatever, to test the numbers, whereas Baillieu, so far, has just capitulated, and the future will tell whether he gets the opportunity, and has the guts etc, to do the same.
Abbott on the other hand deposed Turnbull by one vote, and his motivations were definitely not altruistic, but rather as a way to fulfil his personal ambitions, with the added bonus of being able to renege on the deal Tunbull made with Rudd on the ETS.
The irony of ironies was that the one vote that got him over the line, was almost certainly from his good mate (?) Slipper, another friend and colleague he tried to destroy. (Turnbull given the poison chalice portfolio of destroying the NBN, to further erode what, if any, credibility he had left after the Gordon Gretch affair.)
There is a generic term which is “Right wing projection”, which alludes to the fact that those of the “Right” regularly accuse others (anyone not from the “Right”) of doing what they themselves are guilty of:
And the list goes on.
So, over the statement “It’s Abbott and the LNP, so it’s different” the question remains … WHY?
THE PUB 
angrybee101,
Welcome! Thank you for buzzing out of the shadows and into the light. 🙂
Now, as a bee, I imagine you’d like some Mead? 😀
bushfirebill,
Go hard now, BB!
Start with Retweeting your Abbott photoshop efforts. 🙂
Jack Hawks,
He IS still a federal Labor MP, and we need to win the election against the real enemy. So a 6 month secondment where he can freewheel around the country would at least keep him out of the PM’s hair while she takes care of business.
Might I add, at least until the first Cabinet leak occurs again. 😀
bb,
Had a call from The Guardian yet?
I have felt the same, but the prospect of an Abbott government forces me to consider the once un-considerable.
The one thing that is never countenanced by the media is such a rapprochement between Gillard and Rudd. It’s never proposed or mentioned as a possibility.
The media wants the disunity to continue.
It’s been the only story they have written for the past three years. It colors everything.
It stifles policy debate. It prevents examination of either side’s position on any subject. Whatever happens, whatever is proposed, always come back to leadership.
It’s time to take the media on, not by regulating them (although that’s called for too) but by making them a laughing stock.
Consider this: if there is no leadershit to write about, what else do they have? Only policy.
If there are no leaks from “Labor insiders” what other sources do they have for their crappy op-eds?
They’ll have to do some work, and I for one am not afraid of some decent policy examination.
Ruddstoration underpins every single thing the government and the Opposition do. It provides endless screeds of material for opinionation. It keeps the government down in the polls. It stultifies debate.It renders moot any discussion of what the world will be like after the election.
Take leadershit away and they will be FORCED to eat humble pie and to cover issues properly.
It has to be genuine. No fakery.Which is why I listed “Maturity” as one of the keys to the whole idea.
Even Rudd must know in his heart of hearts that he has no chance of winning alone. Gillard has some chance, but it is slim.
Together they can negate the entire agenda of the past three years in the tick of a clock.
No comment.
fionajr
Thanks! will retire to a corner booth now and work my way from Pilsener to Dark Ale, then likely fall happily to the floor!
Angrybee,
No problems – we’ll tuck you into bed, and give you a nice breakfast tomorrow …
It may just be the way you put it, C@t, but that’s the wrong attitude entirely, in my opinion.
That’s the way it’ll be portrayed.
If it’s seen as just booting Rudd upstairs, it’ll never work.
It has to be genuine and it has to be serious, so as to convince the doubters.
If the rapprochement is genuine that truth will be self-evident. If it’s just a way of keeping Rudd busy, the people will twig to it fast.
I have been exchanging emails with MacTiernan. She tells me she has put herself “in the line of fire” for the good of the Labor Party because she is positive Labor cannot win with Gillard as leader.
My replies to her have been to point out that she’d be better to get herself out from the line of fire because all she is doing is dancing to Murdoch’s tune, by opening her mouth to the media.
She is not happy that she is being slammed by Labor supporters for her ‘media appearances’ and that she is only trying to help Labor see the light.
In my last email, I told her about the journalists whom BB, Vote1Julia and C@t were talking to and the revelation that Abbott has a weekly luncheon at News Ltd headquarters to discuss the week’s tactic to “Get Gillard”. Since then, all has been quiet on the email front, so hopefully the lady will chew over that and stfu.
C@t:
Thanks for posting the photo of Watson voting. Did you read the comments? Almost all of them positive for him.
Looks heavenly, and I will need it if I finish off with a glass or two of C@tmomma’s mead!
I also highly recommend from Tassie’s, Lark’s distillery – , Bush Liqueur made from native mountain pepperberries, but you definitely need cold weather to enjoy this one as it is very warming!
Angrybee,
I am familiar with Moo Brew’s delicious products, but haven’t heard of the Bush Liqueur. Won’t try it today, however – it’s still >36C here.
He leaked when he was inside the tent last time. Why would this time be any different?
Janice,
Well done!
Have a gold echidna 🙂
Bushfire Bill,
It is an interesting idea but ONLY if the maturity condition is rock solid.
Janice
Fabulous effort by you
Gary Gray has also had something to say
[David Speers @David_Speers
Gary Gray says PM can win the election. Urges party to stop white-anting]
Welcome Angrybee
I’m not sure whether BB’s gone bonkers, but I’m sure Rudd is complete bonkers and a loose cannon, whether inside or outside the tent.
NEW THREAD
C@tmomma @ 9;03am
Just got home from work and am catching up with today’s posts.
Your reply to Alannah McTiernan’s e-mail is simply the best post you have ever written and has to be the post of 2013 so far. Bravo Victoria, :standing ovation:
You deserve an Order of a True Believer Blogger, First Class! Its so reassuring having you in the trenches for this political fight. We need a regiment of c@tmommas attacking with such passion from the heart!!!