Categories
Open Thread

A Second Term

Obama Second Term
Deep breath, no excuses.
Now we play with futures.

православная кухня книга
мебель в ванную комнату
национальная турецкая кухня
видео как быстро похудеть
насосы espa купить
готовая еда с доставкой
где купить букет
купить обувь в твери
андроид скачать

463 replies on “A Second Term”

Chris,

Yes, I was ‘whinging’ about global warming. It is not an easy message to sell. Nobody is doing anything; everyone wants other people to do something. No-one understands – and especially not the Greens – that moving to a green economy is not going to create a boom; rather, taking the necessary measures will move Australia and indeed the world into a global decades long recession. It would take a great leader indeed to sell that message, and we have no great leaders. And if what the rumours are saying is true, Obama may be about to sell us out on the Keystone pipeline.

And the Labor Party have no credibility on global warming in any case. They are expanding coal mining in this country on a massive scale. Their links with the unions make closing the industry unthinkable for them, as doing so would put tens of thousands of union members out of work.

Running a powerful message about global warming is not very useful for them: if they paint global warming as looming global devastation (which it is) then they run hard up against the fact that they are not doing anything near what needs to be done if what they are saying is true, which indicates that they do not believe it.

Reserve says Australian economy doing ‘pretty well’.
***************************************

A senior Reserve Bank official says Australia’s economy is going “pretty well”, and interest rate cuts are doing their job.

The bank’s deputy governor Philip Lowe says interest rate cuts tend to take a while to feed through into improved economic growth, but most of the signs are there that the RBA’s previous rate cuts are working.

“The available evidence does suggest that lower interest rates are doing their work broadly as expected,” he said.

Dr Lowe has pointed to a rise in house prices, mortgage lending and auction clearance rates over the past six months, a surge in share prices and a strong recovery in consumer confidence as signs the RBA’s six rate cuts, totalling 1.75 percentage points, are having an effect.

The Reserve’s deputy governor also notes that the Australian economy has been performing reasonably well, even before the rate reductions fully feed through.

More here…
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-19/rba-official-lowe-on-structural-change/4581296

Chris,

A big cut, but completely meaningless when we have increased coal and gas exports by more than five per cent, creating even more emissions overseas than we are cutting here. We will export all our emissions and then say, ‘Oh, look how virtuous we are,’ all the while staying rich through the burning of fossil fuels and hence the destruction of the global environment.

Everyone wants to make these cuts without making sacrifices. It cannot happen that way.

Chris,

I am also wary of those figures. The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has not published figures for the December quarter as yet, and given that in the September quarter they only registered an annual decline of 0.5 per cent, the figures in the Australian would imply a massive drop in the December quarter. I guess it could be because they are talking about energy production emissions only, and not all the other sources.

http://www.climatechange.gov.au/climate-change/emissions.aspx

and just an update as a member of local government –
my colleagues just voted to sing the national anthem before every council meeting – a national first.
Accompanied by a piano accordian, played by one of the councillors.

Julia thinks she has problems.

as for global emissions –
David G is right – we just send it all off shore while trying to look like we are doing something when in fact the impact here is negligible and the net effect from mining, exporting and just generally behaving like reckless fool is adding up to ongoing and inevitable climatic catastrophe.
Buys as for the Greens not realising the economy will take a major hit by initiating a green energy agenda- of course that is the reality. But at least we are looking at ways to mitigate further damage whilst starting new industries – might not please the stock market, but nothing will if we are going to become less fossil fuel dependent.

my colleagues just voted to sing the national anthem before every council meeting

Demand they sing “God Save the Queen” instead!

Tried that . They want this to remin ys that whether you live in beechworth or Ruthergken we are all australians.
FFS.

Sorry Jen, all I can offer is my deepest sympathy. You may have stumbled into the spring of Teh Stupid. 🙁

Swear Calvin’s oath of allegience during the singing. 😉

“I pledge allegiance to queen fragg and her mighty state of hysteria …”

God – my typing is even worse on iphone 🙂

..what i meant to say was that they want this to remind us as counsellors that whether we live in Beechworth or 40 ks away in Rutherglen we are all (white) Australians .
And I am not kidding about the piano accordion either.
Shoot me.

and thanks for the support guys – its good to know that after all this time we are still there for each other when life gets truly unbearable
xx

thank you Miss Cat…
where to start?
– think I’ll need them all before the next council meeting
xx

Well i have been here in Dallas for a fortnight and fly home tomorrow. Very dissapointed that George did not even invite me over for a cuppa. Unbelievable i tell ya.

I never thought Rudd would win a ballot. However, it has to be said that they cannot win an election under Julia and it is theoretically possible that Rudd might have changed things (unlikely, but better than no chance).

And, yes, Chris, I know that Abbott is going to suffer a landslide defeat because of the magic NBN fairies and tens of thousands of centrists having mystical epiphanies about climate change.

Rule number one in elections. Remind people about the hip pocket nerve. Elections have been lost over $10 per week in the hip pocket. Australians stand to loose over $2,000 if Abbott is elected.

Newly-Elected Texas Senator Is Absolutely Terrified About His State Going Blue.
**************************************************

In Ryan Lizza’s story in this week’s The New Yorker, Texas’ newly-elected Republican Senator Ted Cruz worries about the changing electoral landscape — and how it could get even less favourable for the GOP in coming years. Cruz provides what must be a truly terrifying thought for the Republican Party:

“In not too many years, Texas could switch from being all Republican to all Democrat,” he said. “If that happens, no Republican will ever again win the White House. New York and California are for the foreseeable future unalterably Democrat. If Texas turns bright blue, the Electoral College maths is simple. We won’t be talking about Ohio, we won’t be talking about Florida or Virginia, because it won’t matter. If Texas is bright blue, you can’t get to two-70 electoral votes. The Republican Party would cease to exist. We would become like the Whig Party. Our kids and grandkids would study how this used to be a national political party. ‘They had Conventions, they nominated Presidential candidates. They don’t exist anymore.’”

More here….
http://au.businessinsider.com/texas-swing-state-blue-election-obama-ted-cruz-2012-11

How
 much
 time
 do
 Republicans 
have
 left
 in 
Texas?
*************************************

Not 
long.

Assuming 
that
 the 
current 
tone
 and
 rhetoric
 from 
each 
party
 stays 
the 
same, 
then
 the

question 
will
 not 
be if 
Texas 
turns 
blue, 
but when.

Let’s
 start 
off 
by
 doing
 a 
little
 math. 
In
 2008, 
voter 
demographics 
look
 like 
the
 following:

More here….
http://jpaultalley.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/texas1.pdf
.
.
That’s what I like to hear.

Texas marches toward swing state status. Only question is ‘when?’
*************************************************

PPP’s latest poll of Texas showed Mitt Romney beating President Barack Obama 50-43 in the presidential head-to-head. That the Republican was winning isn’t surprising, but the single-digit margin was. John McCain won the state 55-44 in 2008, and it has obviously served as the GOP’s electoral stronghold (and breeding grounds) for several decades, both at the state and national levels.

The GOP’s mid- to long-term problem, however, is that there’s not enough white people to offset the state’s explosive demographics. And the San Antonio Express’ Gary Scharrer illustrates just how dramatic those changes are.

More here….
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/07/1089562/-Texas-marches-toward-swing-state-status-Only-question-is-when

It wouldn’t surprise me if Louisiana and Alaska went Republican in 2014. I am hoping Ashley Judd will stand for Kentucky. Will Ashley win? That’s another matter. I have my fingers crossed that Susan Collins might throw in the towel for 2014. Which means Maine will be an easy pickup. But I’m not holding my breath. Texas. The only way for Texas to turn blue is for a Liberal Latino to be the Democrats candidate. This would cause a huge bun fight with the Republican Party and get the Latinos to turn out in force. Texas has the worst turnout of Latinos in any state and would be in play if they turned out. 
In 
California, 
it 
was
 58%.
 In 
Texas, 
it 
was 
only 38% The average Latino turn out was 50%
http://www.electoral-vote.com

Bloomberg Warns: ‘Price To Pay’ For Lawmakers Who Ignore Popular Opinion And Oppose Background Checks.
**************************************************

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg appeared on Meet the Press on Sunday and warned lawmakers in Washington that there would be a political price to pay if they vote against popular gun regulation proposals like universal background checks and a new assault weapons ban:

I hope Judd stands and Mitch McConnell votes against the law.

More here…
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/03/24/1767131/bloomberg-warns-price-to-pay-for-lawmakers-who-ignore-popular-opinion-and-oppose-background-checks/

Can’t help thinking K Rudd’s behaviour is more House of Cards than House of Reps.
I wonder how far his need for revenge is driving his otherwise inexplicable behaviour. I really find it hard to believe that Simon Crean put his neck on the line without an assurance from Rudd that he would stand for the leadership.
All a moot point anyway as Labor has handed the country to Tony Abbott. 🙁

Jen,

I do not think that it is all that inexplicable. The fact is, there are many Labor MPs worried about losing their seats. Rudd, because of his popularity with the Australian people, offers a chance – a small chance – that some of those seats will be saved.

This is what happened last week:

1.) Recognising that realistically this last sitting week before the budget was the only opportunity left to change the leadership, Rudd’s people started trying to build momentum for a successful challenge.

2.) By Wednesday, it was clear that they did not have enough support, although it was close – perhaps as few as five would need to switch to him.

3.) They talked to Crean and convinced him that the only chance to save the Labor Party from destruction was if Rudd took over the leadership.

4.) Crean’s public vote switch and public call for Gillard to declare the leadership open was intended to swing enough votes to Rudd for victory and get him out of his promise not to challenge – if it was vacant, he was technically not challenging Julia.

5.) However, Crean’s declaration of support did not have the desired effect – no-one moved their vote.

6.) Realising that it would be pointless to challenge and lose, Rudd did not bother challenging.

It is not the leadership struggles that have wrecked Labor’s chances at the next election. They have made many, many horrendous errors. And while they have also had many successes, their selling of them has been appalling. This all started with Gillard taking over from Rudd – the Labor Party have never recovered from that. THen they ran a very poor election campaign, only just winning against a very bad opposition – remember Hockey’s black hole?

There is now no way back.

David –
I certainly agree with your last point that it all started way before the current leadership struggles… let’s not forget that Rudd was rolled because Labor was losing support at a rate that was then deemed unacceptable to them – plus Rudd was a prat.
It has been downhill ever since – and that is because Labor has stood for little other than maintaining their vote, and as a result despite any good work they have done – and they have – they look to be unprincipled and populist. I really feel for the decent pollies among them who have been dragged down by this lot.
And now we get Abbott – I seriously can’t believe we have gone this far backward to the Bush/Howard era … on steroids..We will get a climate denialist like Mirrabella as the minister for Science and Innovation just for a start –
😡
tragic.

241 and 242

I can not believe how incredibly naive you pair are.

Neither of you are Government MPs so you would both know fuck all about what happened last week and why but you seem to be able to write that sort of crap.

There’s only one place that that crap comes from and it is the MSM and you guys sound like true believers.

This country is being systematically destroyed by the same megalomaniac media baron, the guy who systematically destroyed everything in the UK with his phone hacking, and he is seeking to take complete control of everything that is important to us by way of installing Australias biggest megalomaniac LOTO and you attack the Government.

That is how we are arriving at what you term as Tony Abbott as the next PM of this country and you don’t come across as feeling very sad about it.

Why don’t you try by acting positive and telling the community about the good things that this Government has done for the citizens instead of slagging them off here.

Tony Abbott will be Balieau, O’Farrel and Newman on steroids who will completely wreck this fucken country and you slag the Government.

Here is a blog that has all the information needed to promote the positives of this Government. Perhaps you should read it rather than SeweRoos rags for your information.

Try printing some of it and letter box drop it.

There are more than 400 pieces of legislation passed in this current Parliament and all you can do is slag it off.

http://www.thefinnigans.blogspot.com.au/

Gaffhook,

I doubt that what we write on this blog will sway anyone.

It is all very well to talk about the evil Murdoch, but the fact is the Labor Party have made some very, very bad mistakes over the last five years. Yes, they have done lots of good things, too. But they have not sold them. The Labor Party cannot win the next election.

Experienced journalists do not simply make shit up about what is happening. The stories are from all sources, Murdoch or other. There was no pretend leadership challenge: Rudd’s people planned it and initiated it but could not get the numbers. What part of that analysis are you disputing?

Being a realist does not make me happy about that reality.

Gaffhook –
I totally agree with you re Murdoch’s appalling influence on the electoral process and that he has relentlessly attacked Labor (and the Greens) from the minute they were elected.
That does not change the fact that the internal divisions and power plays within the party have caused untold damage and given him the fodder to further destroy them . And no I am not happy about Abbott winning – I am horrified. And pissed off with Labor for letting their party ructions bring down a government hat has done a lot of good work as I said previously but has behaved in a manner that has lost the trust of the people . You can be angry at me for saying it but it doesn’t alter the fact that the Labor Party has lost its way and we are all going to pay for it.

243 Well said Gaffy. This is one of the things Labor will use to great effect in its campaign. David is right though. This blog will have no effect on the election. Jen. Labor still has the issues to win it. Nothing is over till the fat lady sings. Having said that. Things have gone really well for Abbott so far. Its about time he tripped up.
https://www.facebook.com/LaborConnect

There are more than 400 pieces of legislation passed in this current Parliament and all you can do is slag it off. I had noticed that Gaffy. Mind you the ALP has been doing things to help that.

Chris B,

No, you’re right: Labor have not made a single mistake …

Apart from:

The mining tax
The surplus promise
Botching the media laws
Throwing away the fact that they saved the economy
Agreeing with the coalition that the pink batts success was a disaster
Dumping Rudd without having a plan to neutralise him
The carbon tax promise
The last election campaign
The Murray-Darling Basin Plan
Helping the massive expansion of coal and gas mining

As for ‘400 pieces of legislation’, that is about average for a parliament. And the number of pieces of legislation passed is not a measure of success in my book: what measures success is what the legislation actually is. On that measure, the parliament has been a successful one in my book. But the horrendous errors that they have made have handed Abbott the Lodge. If he strips away much of the good work that they have done, and adds in a lot of bad work, then this parliament will have been a failure.

The keys to stopping Abbott wrecking the positives is the Senate and then any double dissolution election.

…and the disgraceful treatment of asylum seekers – implementing harsher policies than they opposed from the Howard government in an attempt to appease the right wing Western Sydney voters.
Contemptible.

250
David

All of those items on your list have been the subject of massive beat ups by the media to trash the ALP and here you are agreeing that they were all horrendous fuck ups by the ALP when in fact each one of those supposed fuck ups would have, in a factor of 1-10, a rating of about 1 or 2 in having an effect on the circumstances of my and your well being compared to the infrastructure and other policies aka the NBN, NDIS, tax free threshold, pensions Etc and their effect on your and my well being.

If it makes you feel good to trash the ALP over such trivia then go for it.

I mean how does the issue of whether someone can be gay “married” be better or worse for me than giving me a world class NBN on which to do business etc?

What effect does it have on a gay couple who have been living together for years that they can’t say they are “married” compared to the big issues? They are issues but not big issues.

The biggest issue facing us all is the inability of the media to put the opposition under the same scrutiny as the government as far as honesty and integrity are concerned.

If they did then abbotts charade and house of cards would come tumbling down and SeweRoo doesn’t want that.

In the meantime both you and Jen just keep helping Abbott by trashing the ALP by re publishing all the media beat ups.

The Federal Government has given the strongest signal yet that it intends to change the tax on superannuation for high-income earners.
***************************************************

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says her focus is on making the system “sustainable for the long-term future” amid reports that tax breaks for the wealthy will be cut in the May budget.

Brilliant!
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-27/gillard-signals-sustainable-budget-super-changes/4597050

As a Green Jen I am very surprised at your short sitedness. All the big things Labor has done for all the Liberals talking points. David I understand. Labor never had him in the first place. But not you Jen.

calm down fellas – you truly surprise me.
Firstly , I deplore the conservatives and put my money where my mouth is – taking on Sophie is about as real as it can get even though I can never win – at least I have a shot at discrediting her.
I am not slagging off Labor as opposed to the Conservatives but I am disappointed in them. .And you can blame the media all you want but the last week has proved that either the media was right about the leadership nonsense or Labor was too influenced by them – as it has been all along.
And that is my point. They should stand up for their policies, not let focus groups in conservative seats determine policy.

And Gaffy – it is bullshit say that gay marriage is not a big deal to the couples who want the same rights as straight people . Since when is blatant discrimination not an issue??? The fact that the impact on the rest of community is not enormous is a pathetic reason not to object to discrimination – it almost always impacts on minorities.
And as for asylum seekers – whom are almost all genuine refugees ie: desperate people fleeing untenable situations requiring a assistance and sanctuary – – Labor has been disgraceful.
And they bloody well know it.
Which is why I don’t support either major party. But If the Greens abandoned their core principles the way Labor has I would loudly and publicly quit . Its not fucking football – they’re not “my Team”.
It’s poliitcs and we need our political parties to have integrity . Labor has bucketloads compared to the Libs – but the bottom of the barrel is a a low benchmark.

Yes Jen the media was right about a leadership spill but no one put their hand up at the spill so it is total bullshit and lots of murdoch Myrmidons are eating shit sandwiches this week.

It amazes me that the media came out and vowed to destroy the greens and now members of the Greens party agree with them and what they do.

I find it hard to believe that every Greens party does not relate to the current media in Australia as a complete biased shower of shit and should not even be given one ounce of credibility with their blatant lieing all day every day.

Don’t even try to criticise the ALP over Asylum seekers as your righteous Greens party blocked the changes to legislation in the senate which would have allowed a very good chance of stopping AS drowning at sea in their rickety boats.

Greens and LNP see people drowning at sea as a means of pulling votes from the ALP, they have no desire to stop people drowning at sea when there was a chance to do so.

Your party had the opportunity to knock the LNP over in the Senate but sided with them so don’t come the crap about Greens looking after AS. It’is total bullshit.

I think you will find that ALP has made lots of changes to enable Gay couples to inherit each others whatevers, the same as straight couples so the only argument that exists is whether they can call them selves “married”.

I am of the understanding that the meaning of the word “married” is tied up in the constitution and the only way it can be changed is by referendum not by legislation in the HOR.

If there was an attempt to change it in the HOR then there would no doubt be a high court challenge by the Abbott and his mates like Pell etc.
So they basically have the same rights as straight couples and the only bone of contention, the real big issue, is whether they can call themselves “married” or not and guess what, i couldn’t care a fuck about a word when there are other bigger issues that the LNP are threatening to dismantle.

There are a few things that are as sure as night and day and those are things that can be recognised in the fact that the ALP will not destroy the good policies they have put in place.

The LNP will destroy the good policies put in place by the ALP and attack the wages and conditions and fabric of our society just like the arseholes in QLD, NSW and VIC and WA are doing now.

Until i see the Greens full on attacking the LNP to stop the rot and curb the media i will believe they are acting in cahoots with the LNP.

Time to get real or get fucked I’m afraid.

The Greens are acting to support the Libs??
Really ??? Must have forgotten to let me in on it when I stood for preselection.
Gaffy I understand your rage but you are directing it at the wrong quarter.

At last the Royal Commission into child abuse has started. It has an unlimited length of time to run or until fundamentalist Catholic Tony Abbott gets in.

274 Gaffhook Spot on! Australia has just got its third triple A rating. All three ratings agencies give us a triple A. Even a fourth (Chinese agency) has given us a triple A. Couple that with one of the worlds lowest debt. Means that this country is one of the BIGGEST BUNCH OF WHINGERS EVER! No government with such great economic figures has ever been thrown out.

Be Afraid, GOP: Hillary Clinton Is Back and She Will Beat You in 2016
by Robert Shrum
**************************************************

And her return should strike fear in the hearts of Republicans everywhere. Robert Shrum on why Hillary will prevail in 2016. After a pause to rest and recharge~and she apparently recharges swiftly~Hillary Clinton reemerged to a rapturous welcome at the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards last night, to be followed on Friday by a keynote speech at the Women in the World Summit sponsored by Newsweek & The Daily Beast. She came to the first event to pay tribute to Melanne Verveer, her former chief of staff, assistant secretary of State, and a pioneer of women’s rights across the world ~ or as Clinton put it, one of “those amazing women who could not be denied.”

The phrase aptly applies to her own `prospects for 2016 as the amazing candidate who, if she chooses to run, almost certainly cannot be denied: the nomination or the presidency itself. Outside the Kennedy Center in Washington, the site of the Vital Voices event, a sign waving crowd chanted: “Ready for Hillary.” Almost simultaneously, a new political action committee was launched to promote her next race for the White House ~ & it promptly attracted 60,000 Twitter and Facebook followers.

More here…
http://www.thedailybeast.com/witw/articles/2013/04/03/be-afraid-gop-hillary-clinton-is-back-and-she-will-beat-you-in-2016.html

One thing we don’t know about Hillary. Did she learn any lessons from 2008?
****************************************************

Hillary Clinton made her first public speech since leaving the State Department last night, addressing the Vital Global Leadership Awards at the Kennedy Center. She did not say she is running for president in 2016. But this week, at least, she seems very much like she is. A super PAC staffed in part with former Clinton campaign aides is up and running and sending out press releases. Clinton made a show of support for gay marriage in a Human Rights Campaign video, and will make a whole host of speeches at venues across the country over the next few months. (She’s on the lucrative private speaking circuit as well.)

More here….
http://www.salon.com/2013/04/03/hillary_2016_and_the_mark_penn_test/

Hi guys,

I will be giving evidence (very briefly) at the Senate environment and communication committee hearing on extreme weather events this Thursday, 11 April.

David

Good luck David – hopefully they are listening.
and Gaffy – can’t help feeling sorry for Malcolm having to try and sell their pile of crap policy :mrgreen:

Jen,

I doubt that they will listen, but drops of water on stone can wear it down eventually.

Jen they are probably tech writers like they were tech journos at the launch asking hard questions. That’s their field and they won’t be fed bullshit. Different class to the Press Gallery myrmidons.

That Fairfax journo told the truth and got sacked for it yesterday.

282
Jen

I don’t feel sorry for him at all he is in it up to his neck.

I don’t feel sorry for anyone who knowingly tries to fraudulently sell a straight out fraud on the people of Australia.

Malcolm is as sleazy a reactionary neocon as the lot of them.

he made a big mistake today trying the shout those tech heads down with his bullshit and bluster.
A complete fool of himself and the head nodding simian goon beside him.

292
David Gould
Excellent work there David.
(Fired off both links to twitter. )
Even though I’d disagree with you over the nuclear bit. (I don’t think the time scale to ramp it, or a widespread *reliable* supply of water for cooling makes it a viable energy source.)
The catastrophic consequences of continuing on with fossil fuels, gets more scary by the day.
Shutting down the insane expansion of coal & gas industry would be an excellent start.

Renewables are the key David. 🙂
Nuclear power is best located at a nice safe location.

Sol. 😉

paddy,

In places with poor insolation – which includes much of the areas of the northern hemisphere with large populations – solar is not a viable solution. This is why China and India are building many coal and gas power plants. Much better for them to be building nuclear plants.

David

Hi David – impressive (and disturbing) presentation.

Given the odds of this country , much less the planet, taking the necessary steps I think we are pretty well screwed.
I don’t share your optimism I’m afraid.
🙁

I am a short term pessimist, long term optimist. This is because while things often get worse in the short term if you zoom out for a big picture view you see that things generally get better over time.

Comments are closed.