And what better way to recall the events of this week than with some scathingly brilliant cartoons, and some deeply moving pictures?
First (at BK’s suggestion):
Next, a reminder of which MPs bothered to attend the House of Reps on the occasion of the legislation to increase the Medicare levy to fund DisabilityCare:
And, finally, Prime Minister Gillard’s friend, Sophie, and Sophie’s photograph of the PM:
Enjoy the evening, people.
THE PUB 
Even Wayne Swan’s favourite musician has covered Tom, here is the original.
Sorry to indulge, but this is so sad, beautiful and uplifting…
Does anyone know of the connection between the Daily Telegraph and Jaimes Packer’s proposed casino in Sydney?
The DT has been spruiking it like mad for months now.
Latest installment…
Well, my turn at the jukebox is over, I have drunk my last coffee and it is time to toddle off to bed. Thanks to those that have been listening to my favourite musician.
Before I go here is a thought for you.
What is worse the scar on our environment caused by rhinoheart, forrest and their ilk and their scramble for riches……….. or the scar on society caused by their greed and how they infect others?
I know what my answer would be.
This voice!
If Mark Kenny is writing about it, and saying criticism of it can only be a “scare campaign” you know it’s true: Abbott wants to increase the GST.
They’re so brazen now they don’t care.
Just as they seem to expect that, any day now, thousands of waitreses, chefs, chip oil jockies and barristas will be marching down George St. positively DEMANDING an end to penalty rates, someone has apparently whispered in the Coalition’s ear that raising the GST will be rousingly popular with the battlers.
As I and many others have noted: their hubris will be their undoing.
Hint: everyone who receives penalty rates loves penalty rates, and no-one wants to pay extra GST. No-one will be marching up George St. screaming for the abolition of the former and the hiking of the latter.
Just a suggestion… why not try raiding the Future Fund? There’s more in there than they need, and it’s THEIR fund, after all.
HaveAchat, trust me you weren’t talking to yourself. Tom Waits is one of ny favorite artists. I lack only a few of his second mid-period CDs, and have loved him since that Don Lane interview way back when.
I think the most galling aspect of Abbott’s Budget replay has barely been mentioned in the coverage. What the hell was happening up in the gallery? I never expected him to be called out on it. That’s way too much to ask. But there was very little of the “Abbott’s speech received a rapturous reception…” reportage either. It’s as if drawing attention to it in any way might tip people off to the strings being pulled behind the scenes. It stands as a piece of almost subliminal messaging. I find that very disturbing.
But then it is on a par with the way he’s conducted his entire campaign – and the way he’s been campaigning since 2010. He only ever gives speeches to hand-picked crowds, and he makes no secret of that either. His audience are almost always wearing those blue tops with slogans on them. You can see straight through it, but he doesn’t care because he’s in the business of branding himself. I think we’re meant to assume he’s out there winning audiences over, even when we can see with our own eyes that he’s preaching to the choir. Those with only half an eye on it see him smiling and waving to cheering crowds and think “Aw, he’s doing ok.”
Mitigating it somewhat is that they really haven’t chosen a savvy performer as their leader. Lord help us all if they had – if one were available, that is. Abbott slips up all the time. He can’t make his abrupt termination of press conferences look smooth no matter what he does. And he can’t finesse interviews even when he dictates the questions, pre-records the whole thing and only speaks in his own slogans. Even with all that, he still comes across as slow-witted, shifty and evasive. And it is painfully obvious that he can’t think on his feet. And no matter how thoroughly the press corps are groomed, the odd curly question is going to slip through now and then.
He can manage set-piece speeches to fawning audiences. So I guess we’re going to see a lot of them. But I also expect that from here on in, every one of his speeches is going to be followed up by a few ALP members picking it apart. And you can bet the demands will start coming for him to front up for debates, and they’ll be throwing his “we’ll be honest and upfront” claims right back in his face when he starts making excuses for not agreeing to them. What are you hiding, Tony? Why won’t you talk about your own policies? That sort of thing.
Maybe he reads my posts, mocking him?
Kenny is the gift that keeps on giving.
He still insists that Gillard LOST the NDIS debate:
What a bloody time-server Kenny is.
I think that was a net negative, Aguirre.
It was so obviously canned and fake. No-one in the larger TV audience would have fallen for it.
Ditto for the direct, earnest looks into the camera that he made a couple of times.
Phoney, unconvincing and embarrassing.
Take heart. If he thinks he’s got to go this far they must be worried.
You bet it will. And you know what? The ALP will be quite justified, and will be saying so too. The response almost writes itself.
“Raising the GST would be a nasty surprise indeed, and impact on those families least able to afford it. The ALP guarantee not to raise the GST. Abbott made the specific claim that there would be no nasty surprises. So, he either tells us before the election that he’s going to raise the GST, or he guarantees that he’s not going to raise the GST. We know how much he hates people not being straight with the Australian people, seeing as he goes on about it so much. Here’s his chance to either stand by that claim, or squib it. What’s it to be?”
Abbott is the Marion Davies of Australian politics. Rupert Murdoch is his Randolph Hearst.
Abbott has fallen for the line that he can PR his way into power.
He seemed to really believe that Renta-Crowd in the Gallery the other night and those earnest looks to camera would impress the ordinary punters.
I had a discussion with somebody over on another site re the NDIS. His argument was that, because Gillard played politics with it, she lost. She could have negotiated with the independents and got it through that way, but she decided to try to wedge Abbott. Apparently that sort of behaviour ought to be beneath her.
I gave him a massive blast over that. Well, it was more of a long, detailed post setting everything straight. Nobody has gone near the subject over there since then.
What I found most off-putting was this benign belief that no matter what stunts or wedges or slurs Abbott tries on, Gillard Must Not Do The Same. A lot of people do seem to think that way. Gillard is subject to the Marquis of Queensberry rules, whereas Abbott is allowed to kickbox if he wants to.
Agreed.Labor in general has to play by the rules, but – since they allegedly MADE the rules – the Coalition can break them at will.
It is now 16 hours since what was left of my broken tooth was levered from its socket by Rocket Rod, the Painless Dentist (ha! ha!) yesterday morning.
At last it has stopped throbbing, after the copious application of half a bottle of bourbon and two glasses of wine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Davies
I must say, BB, that moment where he looked the camera in the lens – in Parliament, in a Budget reply no less – was a jarring moment. Not just because it was horrible protocol, and because breaking the fourth wall in Parliament is a weird, creepy thing to do. It was the message too: “Tonight I want to speak directly to you, the Australian people, and I want to tell you this pile of gobbledegook and motherhood statements, almost all of which you’ve already heard dozens of times.”
It’s a virtual admission that he can’t talk about the Budget all that much – as he admitted later when he said he’d be supporting the whole kit and kaboodle – so maybe a bit of rhetoric is in order.
It doesn’t take into account that the general public couldn’t care less about him. He might be able to hope that they’ll tolerate him, but they’re never going to trust him enough to take a direct appeal on board. Especially when such an emphatic gesture calls for a specificity in his policy undertakings that he simply can’t provide.
In fact, a direct appeal of that sort is what you do when you know you’re on top of your policy positions, but you’re struggling to get the message through. He’s in the diametrically opposite position. He’s got all the media platforms he likes, at his beck and call. It’s substance he’s missing. He’s better off skulking and evading.
But then maybe it’s his reaction to all those taunts from the Government benches about the need for him to put some meat on his policy bone. As long as the ALP dangle the bait, he’ll bite and bite and bite.
I’ll turn the lights out for the night, then?
I use yahoo for my emails and I usually check their polls. On nearly every poll the results favour the LNP even if logic suggest to you that this position is wrong.
Their latest poll is ” Do you trust Tony Abbott to look after the economy”
Yes—–8874
No——10,426
Maybe the messiah has not arrived.
If you want to feel bilious first thing in the morning read Harther.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/seeing-sense-as-end-nears-20130517-2jrwb.html
He has got it from a inside ALP member that PMJG is build a legacy like a Egypt sphinx. He should get back on his meds
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
Mr Pinstripe Jr. gives Abbott another free kick.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/abbott-gst-is-back-on-the-table-20130517-2js0b.html
Paul Keating has a bit to say on Abbott’s superannuation proposal.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/price-of-abbotts-twoyear-delay-too-high-says-keating-20130517-2jrz3.html
If you really want to read Hartcher this morning, go and find it for yourself!
Jaquelinne Maley describes the mauling that the disgusting Alan Jones gave to Joe Hockey.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/joe-goes-into-bat-and-is-hit-with-a-jones-bouncer-20130517-2jrlo.html
This is a good spray!
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/church-no-better-than-bikie-gangs-20130517-2jqkx.html
And rightfully so!
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/television/adelaide-chosen-in-national-geographic-channels-smart-cities-program/story-e6freeul-1226645609984
Section 2 . . .
Mike Carlton with his usual good column.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/a-magnificent-pm–when-she-drops-her-guard-20130517-2jrny.html
Alan Moir seems to have written off Labor’s electoral prospects.
http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/opinion/cartoons/alan-moir-20090907-fdxk.html
David Pope is milking (no pun intended!) the Skywhale for everything. This time it has a hairy chest.
http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/opinion/cartoons/david-pope-20120214-1t3j0.html
A prescient Ron Tandberg.
http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/opinion/cartoons/ron-tandberg-20090910-fixc.html
And from the Land of the Free –
A nice public radio excoriation of Donald Rumsfeld.
http://americablog.com/2013/05/donald-rumsfeld-interview-npr-book-rules.html
Some cartoons on the Repugs’ continued futile attempts to repeal Obamacare.
http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/2013/05/17/cartoons-of-the-day-gop-votes-to-abolish-obamacare-again/
Godwin Gretch alive and well in league with the Repugs.
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/cbs-news-calls-out-republicans-lying-about
The ridiculous Pat Robertson with advice to cheated wives.
http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/pat-robertson-says-if-your-man-cheats-its-y
Their gun culture is so good!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/17/anastasia-adair-dead-dies-assault-rifle_n_3293336.html
Morning bk
Thanks for the links
I am thinking of putting up a permanent stand alone links thread .
What do you think?
Hi Joe
Are you saying that you would copy the links from the active thread and accumulate them on a sidebar?
Jacqueline Maley seems to imply because:
“Gillard’s frontbench team has conspicuously changed its attacks on Abbott from observations about his character – that he is negative, a destroyer with the rage and capacity of a political Incredible Hulk – to attacks on what they believe to be his intentions in government.”
it means that they no longer believe he is negative, etc. He’s a changed man, don’t you know. He acted Prime Ministerial in his speech. It’s an act, Stupid – if you can’t see that what use are you!
Thankfully, there are now some actual stated intentions that can be targeted and they should be – with guns blazing!!
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/joe-goes-into-bat-and-is-hit-with-a-jones-bouncer-20130517-2jrlo.html#ixzz2TaQzciDq
BK, you will remember Mike Carlton said something about this a week or so ago, http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/bigorexia-school-sports-big-drug-fight-20130517-2jrvh.html.
Yes Fridge, Carlton was on the money.
Well, I’ve stoked up the “chip-heater” broadband I’ve got out here in the sticks and it appears to be ticking over for now….
Goodmorning fellow “public-cans”!…new day, new dollar!
Because Jacqueline Maley is incapable of walking and chewing her gum at the same time she doesn’t think anyone else in politics, like the Labor Party, can do it either.
C@Tmomma
[I think I’m coming down with the dreaded lurgy myself!]
I had it this week – 2 really ratshit days but have the better of it now.
Joe6p…..I am not so sure about the side-band links thingo….it may be a “go to” place for some, but I find that the demand for rapid read and assessment that certain times of the day and the posting speed require ther to be infotrmation in my face, at my finger-tips at every available opportunity.
Mabey there is a valid reason to do it as you are thinking, could you expand on you thinking on the subject?
J. Maley seems to have been at the “lollypops” in Tony’s fridge again!
Uhlmann has posted a facile piece over on the ABC. Drum online. In it he certainly runs his colours up the mast..but by far the worst is reserved for his fanboys and the in-house ABC. right-wing cheer-squad.
Once Labor regain office after the election, there will be a lot of “spring-cleaning” to do…..it is really starting to stink over there!
Maybe BK’s posts in the main thread with a sidebar list of links to the posts for each day.
I can’t be bothered flicking between posts. I prefer BK’s links in the main body of the thread.
That’s my 2c-worth! 😀
Misadventure’s suggestion sounds very good to me.
Today is St. Vincenza’s day…..according to my Italian calenda.
Happy St. Vinnie’s day!……hey, Vince….Vinchenzoe!!?…if I recall the dialogue from “Wogs at Work”.
I find it most disturbing that a rep’ from the Indonesian govt’ was sitting with Tony’s fan-club in the back row while he “delivered”. Surely this is a mark of disrespect from both the opp’n AND the Indonesian Govt’ official?
This from the J Maley piece linked by BK. It is very telling.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/joe-goes-into-bat-and-is-hit-with-a-jones-bouncer-20130517-2jrlo.html#ixzz2TakDr8ni
Lets hope there is more of this kind of garbage by A Jones and more from Hadley. Like Maley says they don’t need to win over his listeners.
watching that little “chat” last night on Lateline from Gina Grindhard, was witnessing the archetype “Fat-Capitalist” lecturing the serfs! As if EVERYBODY would aspire to be like HER!…..I have news for you “Gini-arse”..I…have my own personal little garden where I grow things..I don’t need you or yours!
Jaycee,
Uhlmann does get some inside information I suppose 🙂
muskiemp…sure! by gazing up his own colon!
An interesting conversation on another non-political forum I frequent this week about how our thoughts are shaped by the question asked. The question sets the solution, the mindset.
The MSM still view the election using the question “How can Gillard beat Abbott?”. All their thoughts are bent by that question, and they can’t find a solution where she can. Hence, the narrative for Gillard’s defeat is a given – immutable fact.
I believe that the ALP has had the same fixation on the wrong question for much of this term.
I think there are other questions that can be asked and that they can produce interesting positions from which a winning strategy can happen. I also think that the ALP strategists started asking those question late last year, they have been forced to by the dire position they are in. If they can tease them out and have the courage to follow through on the answers, they WILL win, as I very much doubt the LNP have had any such thoughts – they have locked themselves into a rigid pattern of thinking and reactivity – and, as such, they can be blindsided and left behind. The hubris of the last week demonstrates that they believe it is all over.
If the ALP returns to fixating on Abbott and his faults, the game is up – they are back on Abbott’s favoured turf where all politicians are sneaky and untrustworthy, and as Bushfire has pointed out, Abbott has admitted he is sneaky and untrustworthy, so therefore he is peversely more trustworthy than Gillard.
Hey!..listen; moderators…I’ve got an idea…why don’t I consult my trusty italian calendar and every day I can post up the “Saint for a Day” person?
I could follow on with a little homily to get the spirit flowing!…..what say you, fellow sinners!?
Well has the tide turned.
http://www.afr.com/p/national/joyce_gambit_shows_new_england_seat_4sF1x3xIuXtOos5S1TnGEP
Good morning all – on Darwin reminisces. I was up there 95-97 and use to love going to the Berrimah Hotel to the monthly bull riding rodeo they had in the beer garden. Real cowboys on real bulls in a beer garden; with the main bar usually full of the local motor cycle club members.
Morning all
HaveAchat
Really enjoyed the musical clips last night. 🙂
bb
We now have Maley, Hartcher and Kenny spruiking for Abbott. Vomituous stuff. There is only Mike Carlton left at the SMH worth reading. Sigh……
Muskiemp,
That would be delicious – even if Abbott won, losing Joyce would brighten a very black day.