I am too mean to buy the Financial Review: as a rule, I don’t get $3 of value for my outlay and to subscribe on-line is a ‘pretty penny’, as my mother would say.
But there is always a copy in the tea-room, so if I have time, I have a read, especially of the op-ed page. Mark Latham’s piece today is a classic. He maintains that Julia Gillard is following the Carr/NSW Labor Right/Bitar/Arbib/Hawker manual of election campaigning, down to the last decimal point.
There are five strategic ploys. These are:
- Time-buyer. Latham cites the Citizens’ Assembly as example of this.
- The Diversion. Here Latham refers to population policy as a diversion from the real topics of asylum seekers and migration.
- The Illusion. This is the practice of announcing something that will never come to pass (and this is known). Latham’s example here is the East Timor offshore processing centre.
- The Sacrificial Lamb. Obviously, in this case K.Rudd, hence allowing for ‘moving forward’.
- The Micro-announcement. The school uniforms, the cash for clunkers, the announcements today in relation to disability support residential places and I guess there will be plenty more. Delivered in reverential tone to a specialised audience, the micro-announcement adds to the impression of ‘moving forward’, no matter how the quality of the announcement or re-announcement.
Interesting stuff.
6. The gender card.
C.L.
29 Jul 10 at 1:56 pm
They all seem like tricks that will work and which are clearly being employed. They also seem like tricks that treat the public with contempt and ensure bad policy. I think both sides use these tricks but the ALP appear to have turned it into an art form. Are they timeless tricks or will the public cotton on to what is going on?
TerjeP
29 Jul 10 at 2:35 pm
That’s a great run down. I think Latham’s found his true calling as a snippy ex-Labor journo.
Actually I’d apply all these rules to K. Rudd too (Latham was Rudd’s sacrificial lamb).
TimT
29 Jul 10 at 3:31 pm
It’s not meaness, Judith its valuing the return on margin
I only buy Saturday’s Fin Reiew for the same reason. It contains the rest of the weeks really newsworthy articles and the financial news which takes me all Mon-Sat to try to undersand anyway!
Mt Isa Miner
29 Jul 10 at 3:38 pm
The ALP does produce haters, doesn’t it? And often the hate is directed to their own side. I don’t think there is anything quite like that among the Libs – Fraser is seen as a grumbly old man rather than someone who needs to be taken down.
There is a growing view on the left that the likely outcome of the election is a win for Abbott after which the ALP moves to its true heartland further left and as a result Abbott is demolished after one term. Presumably then we have a socialist paradise for eternity.
Meanwhile, many suggest a vote, or at least first preference, for the Greens.
A charming little outlook, don’t you think?
ken n
29 Jul 10 at 4:17 pm
7. Repeat old spending committments as if they are new
Rococo Liberal
29 Jul 10 at 4:30 pm
If Abbott wins, it’s hard to imagine only one term of Coalition government. Exploited from government, the mismanagement and exploits will be the gift that keeps giving. Labor would be in Opposition for a generation.
Samuel J
29 Jul 10 at 4:55 pm
Part of me, the cruel, callous side of me which is rarely really seen would like to see labor win and the Greens holding influence through a senate balance of power.
This would have two results.
1. it would finally teach the public lesson about who the greens are good and freaking hard
2. next time around it could knock off labor for a generation.
JC
29 Jul 10 at 5:02 pm
Ken,
you are talking like Forrest.
No-one hated like Howard or Costello for that matter.
Howard bore grudges about people.
for petes sake look at this site.
It is full of haters.
Butterfield, Bloomfeld % Bishop
29 Jul 10 at 5:08 pm
Homer:
Being cynical and making fun of idiots is not hating.
Howard held so many grudges he appointed Peacock- his nemesis- in one of the most important ambassadorial posts in the world.
Yep, Howard was a hater alright.
JC
29 Jul 10 at 5:13 pm
2. next time around it could knock off labor for a generation.
We’re gonna get that either way. If Julia loses, even by a fraction of an inch, there will be carnage across the ALP.
daddy dave
29 Jul 10 at 5:13 pm
“Being cynical and making fun of idiots is not hating.”
Oh, OK
JC you are an idiot and it is fun watching you prove it.
rog
29 Jul 10 at 5:25 pm
Homer, between Howard and Costello in the blue corner and Keating, Whitlam and Rudd in the red there is no contest in a hate battle. As I knew him – which was quite some time ago- I don’t think Howard hated anyone.
As for this site, ridicule is not hate. I don’t think anyone here hates you. We are just a bit sorry for you.
ken n
29 Jul 10 at 5:25 pm
I don’t hate Homer. i just like a bit of amusement
jtfsoon
29 Jul 10 at 5:26 pm
Glad you are enjoying yourself rog. If we have accomplished that this site is worthwhile. But I do wish you were sharper. We could all do with someone who can help polish our thoughts.
ken n
29 Jul 10 at 5:27 pm
I am full of love and I love watching JC hating..
..and CL hates commies with a passion which is understandable as the Vatican is one of the biggest totalitarian Leninist regimes around – he just hates competition
rog
29 Jul 10 at 5:31 pm
Oh hi Wodgie:
It’s not a complete day unless we see you spew out some irrelevant poison.
Can Dr. JC diagnose your illness?
Your problem seems to be that you don’t seem to like what is being said here, but you’re unable to articulate the reasons without being laughed at…. as we’ve seen on numerous oaccasions.
JC
29 Jul 10 at 5:32 pm
Vatican is one of the biggest totalitarian Leninist regimes around – he just hates competition….
LOL
Yep, it’s catholic hour in Eastwood now. Stay classy, Wodgie.
JC
29 Jul 10 at 5:34 pm
What happened to you, rog? Nailgun accident?
Infidel Tiger
29 Jul 10 at 5:34 pm
Well Ken I can only suggest changing to a ceramic grained carborundum, guaranteed to cut through decades of ingrained nonsense
rog
29 Jul 10 at 5:34 pm
6. Latham’s Gender Card
SKANKY HOES.
Peter Patton
29 Jul 10 at 5:50 pm
Ken,
Howard was a much greater hater than Keating and indeed he was famous for hating the wrong people.
He frequently hated the wrong people who had allegedly done him at some stage.
you simply never knew him nor Costello for that matter.
Yeah Ken Catallaxians are mad rather than hate infested
Butterfield, Bloomfeld % Bishop
29 Jul 10 at 7:48 pm
Thanks for the history lesson and who’s going to the hate fest.
Bye.
JC
29 Jul 10 at 7:52 pm
you stay there Forrest and have another chocolate
Butterfield, Bloomfeld % Bishop
29 Jul 10 at 7:54 pm
Shame we can’t be like the hate deprived Roy Morganreich Gestapo pollsters…
.
29 Jul 10 at 7:55 pm
Marky funny how you like to criticise Tooze but then you have never read him.
Just like your knowledge of the RAD
Butterfield, Bloomfeld % Bishop
29 Jul 10 at 8:00 pm
So you contend that Tooze had “admiraton” for Roy Morganreich’s Gestapo?
Yes or no.
.
29 Jul 10 at 8:06 pm
gosh Mark you are slow .
Steve even quoted the passage.
They were as good at knowing the national mood as Gallup.
Marky you know bugger all about the Gestapo. Gellately had written several books about the organisation but you do not rads books do you.give up
Butterfield, Bloomfeld % Bishop
29 Jul 10 at 8:17 pm
“They were as good at knowing the national mood as Gallup.”
That’s because they tortured people to get intel you dumb fuck.
“Steve even quoted the passage.”
Where?
.
29 Jul 10 at 8:19 pm
I rads books, man, especially page 21 where them skanky hos hang out.
Rococo Liberal
29 Jul 10 at 8:22 pm
Who can ever forget the hatred of Paul Keating – directed at Changi war veteran Alec Downer, amongst many others? (Paul’s heroic father was a concrete salesman during the war). Wilson Tuckey – no mean hater himself – certainly put a stop to that.
But Howard was no great hater. Keating used to visit him in the ld Parliament House for advice. JoHo’s parties were considered the best and most well attended in the old Canberra – by both sides of politics.
But for true, raw, bloodcurdling hatred, it’s difficult to go past Rog’s suggestion that tourists – presumably, with children in tow – be sold packages to watch whales be slaughtered on the open sea.
C.L.
29 Jul 10 at 8:31 pm
In defence of the Fin Review – I have a home subscription and read it on the train in the mornings. While its editorial position is centre-left I still like it for the business news.
Sinclair Davidson
29 Jul 10 at 9:50 pm
Sinc it’s the most left wing business newspaper in the western world. It’s horrendous.
They even supported the resources tax referring to it as “elegant” which has now being used as a word to describe basic theft.
Fairfax is going to bust and not a moment too soon.
JC
29 Jul 10 at 9:53 pm
Yes, I know. Their coverage of the RSPT was woeful – the editorial position to support the government v their own readership was a commercial decision that I don’t understand. But they don’t have to pretned to have a human interest side to their coverage, they have the news without the crap.
In the future when the Australian have sorted out their ipad app, I’ll get an ipad and subscribe to the WSJ and Australian and read that on the train.
Sinclair Davidson
29 Jul 10 at 9:58 pm
It won’t happen now but it wouldn’t shock me if the FT or the WSJ eventually have a go here. Out of the two I would tend to guess it would he the WSJ because of the Murdoch connection but would only be when they can figure out the new model.
The Oz has the skeleton makings of a spin-off with it’s WSJ supplement.
No business journal in the world deserves a subscription when it supports blatant theft like resources tax.
JC
29 Jul 10 at 10:04 pm
I wouldn’t subscribe to the FT – they are commies.
Sinclair Davidson
29 Jul 10 at 10:13 pm
lol
JC
29 Jul 10 at 10:14 pm
I have it on quite good authority that Neville Wran never allowed the words “Nick Greiner” to soil his lips. He preferred “that little c***” Charming.
Peter Patton
29 Jul 10 at 10:25 pm
originally posted by JC:
Part of me … would like to see labor win and the Greens holding influence through a senate balance of power.
This would have two results.
1. it would finally teach the public lesson about who the greens are good and freaking hard
2. next time around it could knock off labor for a generation.
Second that.
Mitch
30 Jul 10 at 2:27 am
1. it would finally teach the public lesson about who the greens are good and freaking hard
A lesson that we would all pay for for the rest of our miserable lives. Bad laws rarely get repealed. The state never gets smaller, only bigger. Any new restrictions on freedom brought in by the greens would just be continued on by the next government.
Be careful what you wish for.
Yobbo
30 Jul 10 at 7:23 am
According to Galaxy it’s now 50/50 again. The Libs are looking more like winners all the time.
Rococo Liberal
30 Jul 10 at 9:28 am