As I write, Malcolm Turnbull is on the telly stealing Paul Keating’s lines, ranting and raving about stuff that happened in 1989, and jabbering about neo-liberalism and Hugo Chavez.
It certainly appears that Malcolm couldn’t resist taking the bait laid out for him in Kevin Rudd’s now notorious Monthly article. And can’t resist being the centre of attention.
And it certainly appears that the spectre of the Overshadow has dragged Turnbull and his party to the right.
But can he really be about to die in the ditch over unfair dismissals at a time when people are very concerned about job security? And reject the bill that overturns WorkChoices?
Didn’t see it. But a mainstream Australian politician, any mainstream Australian politician, talking about Hugo Chavez? Fascinating.
According to Malcolm, Kevin is allied with Chavez in standing against neo-liberalism…
I would imagine Mal’s mesage is going over the heads of the vast majority of Australians.
Faaark! The man’s lost it. One thing Rudd is not, is a socialist, even if he does occasionally read Green Left Weekly. Malcolm’s gone mad.
Paul@4 says ‘One thing Rudd is not, is a socialist, even if he does occasionally read Green Left Weekly.’
Or perhaps Socialist Alternative?
John Passant @ 5,
Just before the last federal election some enterprising socialist took a snap of Rudd reading GLW and sent to the paper. Of course, it was published with great glee.
Good way to make yourself seem even more irrelevant Mr Turnbull.
Keeping Workchoices alive,keeping unions alive and more relevant.
Recession coming – Union drive for membership, give half prices deals. Protect your job, join a union. The Liberals have just shown you are never safe.
Also brings unions back closer to Rudd Labor.
@3 – just a tad!
I don’t post that much about Socialist Alliance on LP, because I figure if youse want to know what we’re up to you’ll either read GLW or visit the SA website. But there’s an interesting point to raise. Quite some time ago, in the unlamented Howard years, I read a report somewhere that Chavez might actually visit Australia. He wanted to acknowledge the role Australian socialists had personally played in furthering the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela.And give Ratty the shits as he’d have to be accorded all the respect/ceremony etc due to a visiting head of state. (I’d be over there in a flash if I could afford it. Different people go over every year to work for the Revolution.) Perhaps somebody whispered something into the Viscount’s pearly pink ears?
If Rudd is with Chavez, Turdball is with Berlusconi.
Ah, Belesconi, the head of state who authorizes neo-fascit thugs to go out and bash up Africans to discourage immigration. Nice Fit, Rx. Question: Can it be possible the Viscount is turning into Ratty Mark II before our very eyes?
Mutiny Mr Christian!!
I’ll see you all hang from the yardarm!
Now tell us the minor parties and independents see bad political juju in preserving WorkChoices. Can 20 be made to fit into 15?
According to Guy Rundle the Labor Right is Australia’s version of the crypto-fascists in Berlusconi’s coalition.
I can’t believe my parents used to laugh at those sketches Rundle wrote for Max Gillies.
No, come to think of it, the old bugger is perfectly consistent with his absurdist humour.
“If Rudd is with Chavez, Turdball is with Berlusconi.”
This is right. Anyone paying attention will see that, despite his absurd and breathtakingly hypocritical scrawlings in The Monthly, Rudd remains at the head of a fairly mundane neoliberal government that pays lip service to social democratic ideals only when it suits. And thank God for that.
BBB
Our Steve is at it again. Worried now that the government will go for a “double disillusionment” (sic) over the 15 employee small business line.
Well may he be doubly disillusioned when he is running around town looking for a new job with the rest of the mountains of unemployed.
Stage 2 in the upcoming dismissal of Rudd has begun.
tssk:
What’s stage three? I only hope it involves briefcases full of cash, dodgy Middle Eastern businessmen and mysterious dark-haired women from the East. Anything to jazz up this bland psuedo-social democratic posse of technocrats.
Stage three involves the tax refund being blocked from progressing in the high court.
Stage four will be the death of 1000 News Ltd tongue lashes.
The right is going ballistic on this. They’re busily setting up their own “narrative” on this. Whitlamesque (whoever he is), “Reckless Rudd”, “Ruddbank” and making anti-Chinese adds. They smell blood. It’s a pity they don’t realise the blood they’re smelling is their own.
I was visiting some people a while back (just post-Monthly article) when the hostess vehemently asserted that Kev was a Communist. Truly! I considered asking what her definition of Communist was, but thought better of it…
Should be “the blood they smell is their own”
Actually Paul, re Wee Kev reading GLW – doubt he’s ever done it (at least willingly).
The picture you’re referring to was in the lead up to the 2004 election, where our beloved Tin Tin was seen reclining with the Socialist Alliance election manifesto, which can be downloaded as a PDF here: http://www.socialist-alliance.org/resources/manifesto_web.pdf
The page which Ruddy might want to take another look at (he clearly didn’t read it very closely) is the second to last, entitled “Who Will Pay For It All” still relevant today, largely.
“If Rudd is with Chavez, Turdball is with Berlusconi.”
Certainly, I just hope we aren’t exposed to Kevin singing folk songs (Venezuelan or otherwise) on telly, or to naked pictures (or any, really) of Malcolm. http://www.javno.com/en-world/berlusconi-completely-naked-at-beach_167479 (WARNING: HIGHLY UNPLEASANT IMAGE!)
As for Chavez, well, the Overshadow himself raised the spectre of the Bereted One a year or two ago.
On a lighter note, I understand that pre-mixed drinks are now to be known as “Malco-pops”. I like (the name, that is, not the beverages). I can really see my former comrades in arms down the pub in Tele Point or Lake Cathie using that one, kicking back on a friday with a Dark’n'Stormy Malcopop…
Perhaps Chavez will get wind of this and, as he has done with Obama, publicly invite Rudd to join him on the dark side.
Wombo @ 22,
He’s actually read the Socialist Alliance Manifesto! That’s even better. Some of it must’ve seeped into his consciousness. Must’ve!
I can see the headlines now: Rudd gets ideas for The Monthly attack on Howard neo-liberalism from Socialist Alliance Manifesto. Quick, somebody tell the Viscount.
Those mainstream pollies (Greens excepted) are a hopeless bunch.
Though, being serious now – I do hope he picked up something from it. If there’s ever a time the Socialist Alliance solutions are needed, and more importantly, likely to be supported by the electorate, its now in thre midst of these terrible economic times. A lot of people will scoff, but I think we do know some of the ways out of our present mess. For those of you who ask what they are, read the manifesto.
OMG, I been outed!
Socialist Alliance has solutions? Next step is for them to teach their adherents to press the button, pump a dollop onto their hands, wash it off in water, BEFORE going out & street hawking.
Oh, Toaf @ 23,
Good on him. Some of you might be getting an idea why I love the man. He really has been very good for Venezuela and he is a democratic socialist, not a dictator. Everything is done through the will of the people at the ballot box,
Count me in.
Thanks Steve at the Pub at 25. BTW people might scoff at those AIG executives, but they always look well groomed. We probably should stop being jealous of their bonuses and start looking for an excuse to kick dirty hippies who dare say the corporate system isn’t working.
tssk @ 28: I am yet to be accosted on the street by a group of AIG executives exhorting me to sign a petition to stop the iraq war/condemn JHoward/stop sand mining/block workchoices/whatever.
Am thus unaware of the personal hygiene or grooming of AIG executives. I am more than happy to take your word for it.
AIG executives do however have the good manners to not block me up in the street, nor sneer sullenly if I express a contrary opinion on their cause du jour.
SATP,
After all, looking at the GFC, wouldn’t you say they deserve it. I’ve had some real bang on arguments with the RWDBs in Armidale. But they still come to our functions.
Sometimes we publicly show our contempt of capitalists.
Btw, I shower at least once a day, two to three times if I’m feeling really obssessive and I can afford the electricity. I also like long hot bubble baths and have at least three a week. And I like reading books while drinking 50/50 Guiness and cider in the bath
The BTW is where you made your mistake Paul. Now people will say “OK you aren’t a smelly hippy but where would you get your bubble bath without the wonder and beauty of capitalism?”
tssk @ 31,
Well, ideally, I’d buy it from a factory that’s under worker control. It works very well in Venezuela. And when the workers took over the Lucas Aerospace Corp in Birmingham, UK about 50 years ago, they ended up inventing the hopcart, which was a great boon for children suffering from spina bifida. And, the idea came from the tea-lady. Anybody interested in following up that story can read it in Mike Cooley and Mike Cooney, Architect or Bee.
Thanks Paul. Will read up
For contrast/balance/more typical outcome, one could read up on ACTU Solo petrol.
Or AGI?