Thursday, March 22, 2007

Gut-full.

I think I may have just had a gut-full.

I’m growing incredibly tired of Labor’s attacks on the Greens.

Firstly it was Morris Iemma’s slamming their drugs policy. Saying they are out of touch, it will never happen, "it is just an absurd and ridiculous and disgusting policy."

*sigh* Thanks. Thanks heaps for that, I wasn’t aware – when Family First, the Liberals, Exclusive Brethren, and random right wing columnists, bloggers and others made the same judgement, I just wasn’t paying attention.

It’s not absurd, ridiculous or disgusting. It’s logical, proven effective (unlike the current strategy, which doesn’t appear to be working), and recommended by drug NGO’s. I doubt Iemma believes the policy is so repulsive either, he is simply exploiting a double-whammy by scoring points with the average-Joe as well as tainting the Greens with the extremist brush.

Harm to the Greens helps the Labor party, but it doesn’t help the left-wing cause. Nor does it raise the ALP up the moral ladder. What are the NSW Greens doing with their preferences in response to Iemma’s attack? Still giving them to the ALP of course. The Greens will once again help elect the same party that molested them.

Paul Austin hits the mark in today’s Age.
The emergence of the Greens as serious players on the Victorian political stage… has exploded the myth that Labor and the leftist minor party are somehow de facto partners against the conservative forces. In fact, the Greens are an electoral threat to Labor in its heartland.

Bracks relished the face-to-face combat with the Greens during the campaign, rejoiced in his success in putting down the Greens challenge in the lower house, and is on a mission to ensure the Greens never do as well again at a Victorian election. The tactic now is the same as it was during the campaign: to link the Greens hierarchy — the strategists and now the MPs — with the Liberals, when the average Greens rank-and-file member regards the Liberals as beyond the pale.

Labor's campaign manager… reckons he knows why the Greens' support fell away in he last days of the campaign. He has told cabinet and caucus members it was because of Labor's loud assertions that the Greens had done a secret preferences deal with the Liberals.
Labor is quite proud of its slander.
Labor strategists believe it is electoral poison for the Greens to be seen to be in bed with the Liberals. That's why the Government is now talking up the Greens' voting record in the upper house. In the 30 or so split votes since November 25, the Greens have never sided with Labor. Not once. They have, almost without exception, voted with the Liberals.
The Greens haven’t sided with Labor, and with good reason. They voted for more government transparency – a left position. Liberals want it because it will help their numbers (they are against such things when in power, so it’s a shift of position). Labor voted against it because it will expose their shame. Greens voted for it because IT WAS THEIR ELECTION PROMISE TO DO SO. The Greens aren’t siding with the Liberals, the Liberals are siding with the Greens.

The Greens and their supporters want things changed and fixed. It’s not easy, it’s frustrating at every turn trying to be green/left. Infuriating even. Case in point - a fellow-traveller today got gang-mocked during his lunch break by apolitical peers when discussing global warming – for suggesting it was even remotely a concern. Right-wing assaults are expected, the inability for the average-Joe to read all party policy and judge for themselves is wearisome, but ALP (or Democrat) assaults to gain popular votes in spite of progressive progress are an absolute disgrace.

The decision to put Labor second is not automatic, it is pained over. This crap will only make that decision a little easier.

Labels:

9 Comments:

At 9:21 pm, March 23, 2007, Blogger Mikey_Capital said...

Yeah I got to say as an ALPer it annoys the hell out me. I agree with the Greens on almost everything, especially on drugs. I just wish their foreign policy/defence policy was a little more realistic. But I especially wish THE ALP WOULD STOP SLAGGING THEM OFF.

There will come a time when we're in coalition with the greens. We would do well to remember that.

 
At 6:28 am, March 24, 2007, Blogger Justine said...

"The decision to put Labor second is not automatic, it is pained over." Laboured, you mean.

I was really surprised you wrote that last paragraph, but I can definitely relate.

 
At 8:10 pm, March 25, 2007, Blogger Sarah said...

It bugs the hell out of me too, especially since they ineviteably ignore the real opposition. We have federal Labor to thank for the presence of Family First in the Senate, and it seems that they really haven't learned their lesson.

As for the Greens' drugs policy- Labor's attacks are simply opportunistic. The way it's sensationalised in the media, it's no wonder Labor is keen to distance themselves from it. The truth of the matter is that the policy doesn't represent much of a leap from the position of any MP except the most rabid 'hang 'em high' types. All it involves is not wasting resources hunting down drug addicts, and instead spending them hunting down the manufacturers and distributers (as well as ensuring addicts can access treatment). It makes quite a lot of sense.

 
At 12:26 am, March 26, 2007, Blogger Larry Bonewend said...

Mikey - you're still a member of the ALP, you have the opportunity to change the aspects you disagree with. Slam some heads together and fix them.

Justie, pun duly noted in the appropriate manner.

I understand why Labor distances themselves from it - actually that's misleading... I understand why Labor cowardly flees, screaming "Monster! Monster!"

They have to appeal to Joe Average, and they've gotta break a few eggs to make that omelette, but I see a whole lot of eggshells and a only a very meagre meal.

And I was going to rant on about drink drivers vs drug users - one could have killed someone, but is more likely to get rehab than jail time. The other may not have endangered anyones lives, (other than their own) but the reverse is true.

It's a logical extension of existing policy. Obviously the policy is unpopular, but acceptance can hardly be helped by all-but-universal slander.

 
At 1:53 am, March 29, 2007, Blogger Justine said...

'hunting down the manufacturers and distributers' ... does there always have to be a baddie? are user victims?

 
At 1:56 pm, September 16, 2015, Anonymous Anonymous said...

ninest123 09.16
burberry outlet, michael kors handbags, ralph lauren outlet, louboutin shoes, michael kors outlet online, replica watches, michael kors outlet store, louboutin uk, louis vuitton outlet, longchamp outlet, ray ban sunglasses, tiffany jewelry, uggs on sale, christian louboutin, longchamp bags, oakley sunglasses, gucci handbags, ralph lauren polo, nike air max, burberry factory outlet, uggs outlet, cheap jordans, uggs on sale, oakley sunglasses, michael kors outlet, longchamp outlet, louis vuitton outlet, michael kors, louis vuitton, uggs outlet, prada handbags, christian louboutin, louis vuitton outlet online, oakley sunglasses, nike outlet, prada outlet, uggs on sale, michael kors outlet online, nike free, louis vuitton handbags, tory burch outlet, ray ban sunglasses, replica watches, nike air max, tiffany jewelry

 
At 1:57 pm, September 16, 2015, Anonymous Anonymous said...

lunette ray ban pas cher, coach outlet, north face uk, hollister uk, hogan sito ufficiale, michael kors outlet online, ray ban uk, new balance, converse, michael kors, true religion jeans, nike roshe run pas cher, chanel handbags, michael kors, nike tn pas cher, nike air max pas cher, coach outlet, true religion outlet, true religion outlet, louboutin pas cher, kate spade, timberland pas cher, burberry pas cher, longchamp soldes, michael kors uk, sac guess pas cher, hermes pas cher, polo lacoste pas cher, longchamp pas cher, north face pas cher, jordan pas cher, abercrombie and fitch, lululemon outlet, nike blazer pas cher, ralph lauren pas cher, coach outlet store online, vans pas cher, vanessa bruno pas cher, kate spade outlet, lunette oakley pas cher, coach purses, nike air force, true religion outlet, nike free pas cher, nike air max

 
At 1:59 pm, September 16, 2015, Anonymous Anonymous said...

hermes handbags, valentino shoes, ghd hair, asics running shoes, nike air max uk, jimmy choo outlet, longchamp uk, nike free, lululemon outlet, mac cosmetics, giuseppe zanotti, insanity workout, softball bats, herve leger, beats by dre, bottega veneta, p90x workout, wedding dresses, mont blanc, hollister clothing, new balance shoes, nike air max uk, abercrombie and fitch UK, nike roshe run, abercrombie and fitch, nike trainers uk, salvatore ferragamo, nike air huarache, instyler ionic styler, north face outlet, reebok outlet, chi flat iron, babyliss pro, celine handbags, nike roshe uk, soccer jerseys, polo ralph lauren uk, soccer shoes, nfl jerseys, north face outlet, abercrombie, vans outlet, nike air max, mcm handbags, mulberry uk

 
At 2:00 pm, September 16, 2015, Anonymous Anonymous said...

ugg,uggs,uggs canada, replica watches, sac louis vuitton, gucci, pandora jewelry, juicy couture outlet, nike air max, swarovski jewelry, marc jacobs, supra shoes, doke & gabbana, polo ralph lauren, ray ban, louis vuitton, oakley, links of london uk, lancel, thomas sabo uk, louis vuitton uk, michael kors outlet online, ugg pas cher, bottes ugg pas cher, iphone cases, pandora jewelry, hollister, louis vuitton, montre pas cher, toms shoes, pandora charms, coach outlet, sac louis vuitton, louboutin, ugg uk, vans scarpe, swarovski uk, pandora uk, timberland boots, michael kors outlet, juicy couture outlet, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, converse shoes outlet, hollister, michael kors handbags, wedding dresses uk, converse, karen millen uk
ninest123 09.16

 

Post a Comment

<< Home