The Australian reports Newspoll has closed its 2018 account with another crushing 55-45 lead for Labor, from primary votes of Coalition 35% (up one), Labor 41% (up one), Greens 9% (steady) and One Nation 7% (down one). Scott Morrison edges to net negative territory on his personal ratings, being down one on approval to 42% and up three on disapproval to 45%. Bill Shorten is respectively down one to 36% and up one to 51%. Morrison’s lead as preferred prime minister is 44-36, narrowing from 46-34. The poll was conducted Thursday to Sunday from a sample of 1731.
Correct fess. Love bathy regardless of her age. Bloody good scout.
I hope that doesn’t sound sexist because I say that about all my mates, male or female.
Silentmajority
It really does make you wonder – those 4 in a row 49-51 sent a huge panic through the Abbott-Dutton forces – they were terrified that Turnbull might actually win. So they had to act urgently.
If Turnbull won, Abbott knew that he himself would never be leader again. I think if the Coalition lose the next election he will be elected Liberal leader. Or maybe even before that if the Coalition lose some votes in the House when Parliament resumes, and they go into another crazy panic.
Chris was one of my best friends at Uni – we studied Journalism together.
A very smart, class act, even at a young age, great sense of humour and like me a Westie…
Her success is totally unsurprising and well deserved.
OK Liberals, you know what you have to do. Morrison isn’t working out, he’s obviously not right wing enough. Time to change leaders again. Not that leftie Bishop. You’ve got a wealth of right wing nutjob s to choose from. Do it! You know you want to.
Way more important than this evanescent fluff is the Superclasico on tomoz 6am of Boca Juniors vs River Plate, the two great teams of Argentina, in the final of the Copa Libertadores; a match which has not only been abandoned twice due to rioting (once when Boca’s team bus was attacked by River fans) but also had to be transferred not just to another city, not just to another country but to another continent (the Bernabeu in Spain is hosting the match).
Go Boca!!
Steve777
I think they might. Another reason Morrison is desperate to limit the amount of time all the Liberal party room are in Canberra for Parliamentary sittings. As I have mentioned before I overheard some very anti-Labor relatives complaining about Morrison, saying he was just like Turnbull and basically a waste of space and that the Liberals should dump him also, and put in a “Real Liberal”. And no, I don’t think they meant Julie Bishop!
“OK Liberals, you know what you have to do. Morrison isn’t working out, he’s obviously not right wing enough. Time to change leaders again. Not that leftie Bishop. You’ve got a wealth of right wing nutjob s to choose from. Do it! You know you want to.”
Funny..but sort of not as well. There are people out there who very firmly believe just that….
They call themselves “Conservatives” ????? Lol!
These people also drive cars and can own guns as well as vote……..not Lol………..scary. 🙁
Dio
Yes I heard that on the radio and was sort of thinking they were playing in the Europa Cup or something then realised it was the South American competition. Sure to be plenty of fans of both sides in Madrid at least.
Felix @10:44. ‘…I think their best bet is probably to call an election on 26 January. They could probably use it to make themselves look more nationalistic than the other side. It also gives them the space to talk up themselves on border security — “we had to call this election, or else they would force us to relax our borders”…’
A March 2 election could be called as late as Tuesday January 29. A week later for March 9.
Cud Chewer @ #49 Sunday, December 9th, 2018 – 9:48 pm
My apologies. I try to err on the side of not missing anyone. (Your guess came close though.) I will add a note to the now historic guess list.
My biggest worry re the Liberal leadership is that JBishop will be voted in to save the furniture. Thankfully they passed those new rules which makes it unlikely the partyroom will move against Scott. Thanks Scott! 🙂
@ Late Riser
Thank you for being the Newspoll Teller
Haha. Looks like the Tories want to follow Australia’s lead
@guardiannews tweets
Esther McVey says she would consider Tory leadership bid – politics live https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2018/dec/09/esther-mcvey-says-she-would-consider-tory-leadership-bid-live-updates?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_b-gdnnews&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1544356368
I thought Julie was skipping stones with her non partner partner.
You know the rock?
No papp snaps of Julie in a bikini.
Wonder why.
Upnorth @ #62 Sunday, December 9th, 2018 – 10:07 pm
Thank you. I enjoy it.
RR
Boca v River is the fiercest rivalry in world sport. Worse than Real v Barca or Rangers v Celtic. It’s the first time in 60 years they have played off for the championship of South America.
It’s not life and death; it’s more important than that.
fess
Those rules didn’t apply to Morrison; they were only for a voter elected PM.
Diogenes says:
Sunday, December 9, 2018 at 11:12 pm
RR
Boca v River is the fiercest rivalry in world sport. Worse than Real v Barca or Rangers v Celtic. It’s the first time in 60 years they have played off for the championship of South America.
It’s not life and death; it’s more important than that.
You mean like the State of Origin :)))
Dio:
I know, but I doubt the Liberals are going to roll their leader now they’ve announced the rule change, irrespective of whether it applies to the incumbent or not.
Confessions
Will make even more of a mockery of them if they change leaders after changing the rules not to change leaders.
Tories fighting with each other……
STATE Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has issued Prime Minister Scott Morrison a $7 billion “back in the game” election-winning strategy that would reduce Queensland power bills by hundreds of dollars a year.
In a blunt letter, Ms Frecklington urged Canberra to pay down the “gold-plating” of Queensland poles and wires, which has dramatically increased power bills for households and businesses.
It is understood the advice has annoyed Mr Morrison, who believes Ms Frecklington should instead take the fight up to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for ripping Queensland households off.
Ms Frecklington said while state governments were to blame for over-investment, the Commonwealth was complicit because the gold plating had been approved by the Australian Energy Regulator.
fess
I’ve seen JB a few times since the coup and she looks free as a bird and wants to get out. She’s just hanging on until nominations so Porter can’t stand in her seat. The Libs are farked. I actually hope they ditch Morrison for Abbott or Dutton so those arseholes can own the disaster fully.
Upnorth
I actually watch State of Origin. It’s got great passion. I don’t watch any other NRL.
“I actually hope they ditch Morrison for Abbott or Dutton so those arseholes can own the disaster fully.”
I wonder if Abbott or Dutton would accept an invitation from say…the ABC…….to be a panelist on their election night coverage??
Would they even take one from Skynoooooze??
I mean, if you were a Liberal politician election night 2019 would be the worst gig. Wonder if the Lib wranglers have a sh@tlist of MP’s who they will tag for the duty?? 🙂
Diogenes says:
Sunday, December 9, 2018 at 11:27 pm
Upnorth
I actually watch State of Origin. It’s got great passion. I don’t watch any other NRL.
Good point!
Imacca
Any of those that will lose their seats hopefully.
I like the idea of Dutton never getting his name on the list of PMs, and I also like the idea of Morrison/Frydenberg owning the election result.
Speaking of Dutton. Some not so great news.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/federal/afp-officer-takes-her-own-life-at-police-headquarters-the-fourth-in-two-years-20181209-p50l6z.html
“Great figures for Shorten and Labor.
Any comments from Kevin Bonham?”
Great figures for Labor, not so sure about Shorten, but it’s irrelevant because if the voters are in a mood to throw out the Coalition they will do so no matter who the ALP leader is, at least so long as it isn’t Mark Latham.
No federal government that has trailed this badly five months out from an election (assuming that we even are that far away) has been re-elected. First time for everything of course, but I’m not guessing this will be it.
This is also the first time the Coalition has trailed 45-55 or worse three polls in a row when coming to power. Considering that Newspoll 2PPs assume a strong flow from One Nation to Coalition, the Newspoll primaries lately have been terrible for them.
Note that on the traditional (and proven) method of estimating TPP from primaries by Newspoll, this result would again be 56-44.
Note also that polling has become less fickle in recent years. There was no “tightening” at the last election. That change in polling behaviour would suggest 60-40 results are less likely to occur than in the past.
Yep, another crashing defeat for the Coalition from Newspoll…
But wait, watch the news, it’s all about “Great division in the ALP as serious infighting looms in the lead up to the National Conference, where blood will be spilled over asylum seekers policies… It’s a violent civil war inside Labor…. they are obviously not fit to govern”…. blah, blah, blah.
The Murdochracy is desperate…. expect the un-believable….
Alpo says:
Sunday, December 9, 2018 at 11:46 pm
Yep, another crashing defeat for the Coalition from Newspoll…
But wait, watch the news, it’s all about “Great division in the ALP as serious infighting looms in the lead up to the National Conference, where blood will be spilled over asylum seekers policies… It’s a violent civil war inside Labor…. they are obviously not fit to govern”…. blah, blah, blah.
The Murdochracy is desperate…. expect the un-believable….
And the Greens…
Hope they go with abott
Had a wager on betfair months ago @ 1500/1stand to $4.5k if he leads them to the next election.
Go Tony Go tony……….
Also have the Bish for a collect of 2k.
Alpo
Everyone knows some people in Labor disagree with X, Y or Z policy. No one cares if there is debate as long as Shorten wins it. The voters realise we aren’t in Stalins Russia where everyone agrees with the leader.
Curious Snail insights..
LIBERAL National MP Trevor Watts’s usually safe inner-city seat of Brisbane has entered into Labor’s calculations as potentially winnable since Scott Morrison became prime minister.
There are eight seats in Queensland that Labor has been targeting to win from the Coalition at next year’s election, but the change in leaders has added Brisbane on to a watch list.
While former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was considered an asset to Mr Evans in the seat, Labor strategists believe the new, more conservative Prime Minister is hurting the first-term MP’s chances in the seat.
One source called the seat the “Wentworth of Queensland”, referring to Mr Turnbull’s old seat which fell to Independent Kerryn Phelps at a by-election.
The eight seats being targeted by Labor are Capricornia, Forde, Flynn, Dickson, Petrie, Dawson, Bonner and Leichhardt — all marginals held by 4 per cent or less.
Brisbane, held by almost 6 per cent, was considered a largely safe seat, bolstered by a popular local member.
Since Mr Morrison took on the top job, Labor has put the seat on a “watch list”.
“It there was one electorate where Malcolm Turnbull was an asset for the LNP, it’s Brisbane,” a party source said.
While not currently considered a likely spot for a win, it is now being closely monitored.
According to SA Health Minister, 110 patients are in SA public hospitals awaiting the NDIS to do its job, which is the first time I can remember our new SA overlords attacking their own federal party. The minister, Wade, is actually a decent guy with an impossible job.
It is both predictable and gratifying to see the polled support for the Liblings has dropped in response to their absolutely facile performance of recent days, while Labor’s support continues to rise.
“OK Liberals, you know what you have to do. Morrison isn’t working out, he’s obviously not right wing enough. Time to change leaders again. Not that leftie Bishop. You’ve got a wealth of right wing nutjob s to choose from. Do it! You know you want to.”
this is basically what Andrew Bolt has been writing for the past two weeks. The victorian election result was because Matthew Guy (who Bolt has endorsed right up to the election) was too much of a lefty for the the mythical ‘base’ of the liberal party.
You can only applaud the RWNJs – as they slither further up their own fundament in search of daylight.
keep going.
Just had a look on the ABC news page. One of the trending stories, albeit not one of the main stories at the top of the page, is:
“‘Really big’ brown snake shocks Canberra shoppers”
And the top story on the page is about a shark attack.
Is this what the ABC has come to with reporting news?
Late Riser
I commented that I was tempted to choose the PB median of 55 but that I also saw 54 as being more probable than 56. So I hadn’t lodge a formal guess. On the previous Newspoll guessing comp I chose 55 but you missed that.
Mr Money
I think you have done your dough on Abbott and Bishop. Parliament doesn’t sit again til February if then and if they changed leader then they would either have to call an election right away or deal with the budget within weeks. It would be chaos. On the other hand it will be chaos anyway, so what have they got to lose?
The libs must be totally stuffed. With coalition primary at 35 that means lib primary is about 32 – real disaster territory.
One wonders whether the rw rump thinks destroying their own party will weed out those pesky moderates so it can become a true haven for conservatism?
I have a question for nath – do you honestly believe trolling shorten here on PB is going to have any effect?
Australia has a vast amount of unused real resource capacity. Therefore there is considerable scope to increase total spending in a non-inflationary way without raising taxes.
Once the economy is at full capacity – that is, everyone who wants paid work has got paid work that uses their interests and abilities; all buildings, plant, and equipment are being used to maximum capacity – then it becomes necessary to prioritize. Do we want the public sector to be any bigger than it already is? If yes, then we will have to raise taxes to delete some private sector spending power and create non-inflationary spending space for the government.
An early good morning all. For the record I was clearly quite wrong about this poll. I predicted 53/47, thinking people would be more concerned about Shorten’s legislation wave-through on the last day. I still don’t agree with the tactic but clearly it worked. I agree ScumMo behaved very cowardly on the last day, and again so did the voters. With this being the last sign of voter sentiment before the break, Julia Banks will not be the last defection nor Sudmalis the last to announce she is not recontesting.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
Here’s Sam Maiden’s take on the Newspoll results.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/12/09/newspoll-scott-morrison-chances-falling/
David Wroe reports that Morrison has locked in a May election, with government sources saying the Coalition needs to deliver a budget to complete its economic story before going to the polls. So the fireworks will begin again on 12 February.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-faces-parliamentary-showdown-ahead-of-may-election-20181209-p50l68.html
Alexandra Smith explains the malaise of the NSW Greens Party.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/destructive-extreme-left-forces-greens-mp-slams-buckingham-decision-20181209-p50l61.html
The tears are flowing as The Australian’s Chris Mitchell says lefty journalists are being used by Turnbull.
https://www.outline.com/DezZRc
Michael Pascoe explains how, for all the government’s tough-on-asylum-seekers rhetoric, protection visa applications have blown out to record numbers on Peter Dutton’s watch. The people smugglers are doing more business than ever. The difference is that their clients are arriving by plane rather than boat and are less likely to be genuine refugees.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/12/09/record-number-asylum-seekers-peter-dutton/
Nick O’Malley asks the question about why some leaders are better equipped for life after politics than others.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/why-are-some-politicians-better-equipped-for-life-after-leadership-than-others-20181206-p50kr7.html
Richo writes that Morrison and his team can take little comfort from the fact that the parliament has shut down for the Christmas holidays. He says that phones wills be running hot over the break.
https://outline.com/Uh9Eev
Sean Kelly says that many have written off the Coalition’s election chances, but ALP insiders know they confront special challenges to win from opposition.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/why-labor-frets-about-being-the-surest-thing-20181209-p50l3z.html
Eryk Bagshaw reckons Frydenberg can learn some lessons from Nick Kyrgios.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/treasurer-can-learn-lessons-from-nick-kyrgios-20181206-p50kjo.html
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has been proclaiming the Coalition government’s economic credentials this week: an economy growing fast, exports up, household consumption up, 1.1 million jobs created. How are we really faring vis-a-vis the rest of the world? Armed with the latest national accounts, Alan Austin reports the flip side of the coin, how Australia has fallen behind.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/the-big-breather-why-australias-economy-now-ranks-outside-the-top-20/
The AFR has a proposition in how to build a business tax system fit for the 21st century.
https://outline.com/wBPt3R
The SMH editorial looks at the Fairfax-Nine merger.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/disrupter-and-disrupted-transmission-to-continue-20181209-p50l43.html
Chair of Digital Rights Watch Tim Singleton Norton explains both major political parties have exposed Australians to a perilous digital future by bowing to the demands of security agencies to defeat encryption.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/one-giant-step-backwards-for-cyber-security-in-encryption-bill-fiasco-20181209-p50l5a.html
John McDuling tells us how Australia could make Facebook’s miserable year even worse.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/how-australia-could-make-facebook-s-miserable-year-even-worse-20181207-p50kx7.html
Is the fragility of Sydney’s stretched rail system about to manifest itself in cascading timetable delays?
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/sydney-train-network-becoming-fragile-20181128-p50iw4.html
And Melbourne’s bus service is also in trouble.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/late-every-second-trip-life-on-the-delayed-232-bus-20181204-p50k0l.html
Gareth Hutchens reports that Tony Burke has shut down a push for radical changes to Labor’s asylum-seeker policy.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/dec/09/tony-burke-shuts-down-push-for-radical-changes-to-labors-asylum-seeker-policy
The intrusion of private finance in the public sphere has had disastrous consequences, writes John Quiggin.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-scourge-of-neoliberal-private-public-finance,12171
The likely rejection of Theresa May’s deal by Parliament on Tuesday would throw plans for Britain’s exit from the EU into turmoil and leave her own political future hanging in the balance.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/unchartered-waters-may-stakes-her-future-on-crucial-brexit-vote-20181210-p50l78.html
Theresa May is facing the reckoning of her premiership on Tuesday, when she is expected to put her negotiated Brexit deal in front of her mutinous MPs. Here’s what could happen in that fraught 24 hours.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/09/parliament-to-vote-on-mays-brexit-deal-what-happens-next
Law professor David Rolph explains why Australia’s defamation laws are ripe for an overhaul.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-s-defamation-laws-are-ripe-for-overhaul-20181207-p50kwk.html
Carrie Fellner writes that a high-ranking bureaucrat has become the third person to blow the whistle on the NSW Department of Planning, alleging he was stood down and ultimately sacked after pushing for investigations into the rorting of a taxpayer-funded energy voucher program and the potential contamination of sensitive drinking water catchments.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/anybody-who-raised-issues-has-been-sacked-third-whistleblower-warns-20181208-p50l0p.html
This is horrible. An experienced Australian Federal Police officer appears to have taken her own life on Sunday at the force’s headquarters in Canberra, the fourth member of the force to do so at work in two years. The woman was understood to be a mother and had served about 15 years with the AFP in a variety of roles. It’s the fourth time in two years that something like this has happened.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/afp-officer-takes-her-own-life-at-police-headquarters-the-fourth-in-two-years-20181209-p50l6z.html
As workers in Paris swept up broken glass and towed away burnt-out cars on Sunday after the latest violent “yellow vest” protest, the government announced that French President Emmanuel Macron would address the nation week.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/everything-is-broken-paris-counts-the-cost-of-yellow-vest-protests-20181210-p50l77.html
The independent and Catholic school sectors are furious at the Andrews government’s latest move to not sign up to what it says is a flawed Gonski 2.0 deal, fearing funding could stop flowing to their schools.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/victoria-digs-in-heels-against-signing-flawed-gonski-2-0-deal-20181209-p50l6f.html
In feature article Nicole Hasham asks, “The numbers don’t lie so why aren’t we doing more to halt climate change?”
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/the-numbers-don-t-lie-so-why-aren-t-we-doing-more-to-halt-climate-change-20181203-p50jse.html
Meanwhile the largest ever group of institutional investors has called on governments around the world to urgently increase their efforts to meet the Paris climate change agreement goals.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/dec/10/largest-ever-group-of-global-investors-call-for-more-action-to-meet-paris-targets
The AFR says that the prospect of an ALP government brings with it the likelihood of some tough policies but many in the sector at least look forward to a defined plan.
https://outline.com/jaZ3JJ
Latika Bourke reports that Simon Crean has expressed regret that the live export industry failed to heed warnings issued five years ago that it faced a high risk of extinction and community demands for a total ban if it failed to fix its act.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/ignored-report-simon-crean-blames-live-exporters-for-stalling-change-20181208-p50l02.html
Professional services giant PwC laid off more than 30 staff and two partners resigned from its division advising companies on research and development incentive applications as clients were hit with government audits forcing them to pay back millions of dollars.
https://outline.com/vazA8d
And the AMP class action beauty parade has turned ugly as legal companies fight for the big prize.
https://outline.com/Ga9H5T
At Westpac’s AGM on Wednesday, a much-expected a strike would deliver a final body blow after a violent year in the ring.
https://outline.com/WqvFcp
A CBA staffer was fired for stealing thousands of dollars in cash but the bank did not tell police and even paid him three weeks’ notice. Bloody hell!
https://outline.com/7grwdK
Tens of thousands of Australians with severe eating disorders will soon be able to access treatment under Medicare for the first time. The government says that from 1 November next year, patients will be able to access a Medicare subsidy to receive up to 40 psychological services and 20 with a dietician each year.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/dec/09/medicare-to-cover-treatment-for-severe-eating-disorders-for-the-first-time
Patrick Hatch explains how Qantas expects to cut its fuel bill by as much as $40 million a year thanks to a radical overhaul to how it plots its flights across the globe.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/how-subtle-changes-to-flight-paths-will-save-qantas-millions-a-year-20181126-p50icy.html
Nick Toscano tells us that Australia’s mortgage broking industry will fund a nationwide advertising blitz to push back against the threat of tough new regulations in the wake of the financial services royal commission.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/mortgage-brokers-launch-blitz-against-industry-reform-20181209-p50l6c.html
It was some time coming but The Independent Australia has the third of its series on the unspoken crimes of the ASX.
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/the-unspoken-crimes-of-the-asx–part-3,12185
Bloomberg says that Trump risks reviving the strife and turf battles that characterised his West Wing before Chief of Staff John Kelly’s arrival after announcing on Saturday that the retired Marine general would depart by the end of the year.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-risks-return-of-white-house-chaos-with-kelly-s-exit-20181209-p50l62.html
New court filings show Donald Trump was “at the centre of a massive fraud” against the American people, the incoming chair of the House judiciary committee said yesterday. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat set to take over the panel in January, said Trump would have committed impeachable offenses if it is proven that he ordered his lawyer to make illegal payments to women to keep quiet about alleged sexual encounters.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/09/donald-trump-michael-cohen-payments-impeachment-jerrold-nadler
The UK Guardian says that contempt and indignation, however deserved, won’t end the presidency of Donald Trump. What’s needed is the operation of the law. That may be coming closer.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/09/the-guardian-view-on-donald-trump-the-net-closes
The latest revelations by prosecutors investigating President Donald Trump and his team draw a portrait of a candidate who personally directed an illegal scheme to manipulate the 2016 election and whose advisers had more contact with Russia than Mr Trump has ever acknowledged.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2018/12/09/prosecutors-narrative-is-clear-trump-defrauded-voters/
Potentially thousands of historic buildings across South Australia are at risk of demolition because a complex and confusing heritage system is leaving them unprotected, an inquiry has heard. Heritage advocates, councils and government agencies want an overhaul of how historic properties are managed and protected, arguing the current system, particularly for local-heritage properties, is not working.
https://outline.com/khckDe
You know the retail world has changed when Noni B is valued at only $59 million less than Myer!
https://outline.com/Ga9H5T
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe reckons Trump is baked!
From Matt Golding.
Glen Le Lievre.
Jon Kudelka’s own favourite of the year,
And he logs onto Skype.
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/88c1bc6ff137e209c18f18aa291c1d64
More in here.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/best-of-fairfax-cartoons-december-10-2018-20181209-h18x7t.html
There is yet more talk that there will be an early budget session on April 2. The excuse last time was that revenues were ahead fo forecast. So what? This time the exccuse is more honest:
“He went on to say there had been no change to his position that the government would deliver a budget on April 2 and go to an election after that. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told the ABC on Sunday morning that the budget would forecast a surplus for 2019-2020.”
So after five years of increasing Australia’s debt more than Labor did in the GFC, the Coalition now wants to pretend that it is a great economic manager? Fairly obviously, they intend to prepare for a pork banquet soon afterwards.
Socrates, the security bills will barely raise a ripple in the electorate and will be largely forgotten within a few days. The Liblings have done nothing but confirm their utterly shameless cynicism. They are truly nothing but spoilers. It’s fervently to be hoped that their Senate vote drops enough so that their prefs elect Labor candidates rather than the reverse. They are unfit to serve in the Parliament.
Socrates – I think the big take-away from Parliament, insofar as anyone paid attention – was that basically nothing happened. No vision, no legislative agenda. Just crap fighting. That doesn’t help Sco-Mo at all.
‘Putin’s probably enjoying this White House shuffle’: Analyst explains intense danger of Trump’s current personnel moves
Before he was president, Donald Trump favored an orderly White House with minimal staff turnover.
In January 2010, the businessman attacked his predecessor, Barack Obama, for his turnover in the Chief of Staff position on Twitter—only to now see himself name a third Chief of Staff inside of 18 months.
“That’s exactly why Putin’s probably enjoying this White House shuffle,” she writes of the changes, which will likely result in even less qualified and experienced people being hired. “That’s Putin’s gain because it undermines confidence in our institutions—like our mission to the UN and the White House itself—and will make us weaker internally and externally at exactly the same time.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/12/putins-probably-enjoying-white-house-shuffle-analyst-explains-intense-danger-trumps-current-personnel-moves/
Conservative columnist crushes GOP leadership for enabling Trump and the most ‘incompetent’ administration ever
Conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin used the announcement that President Donald Trump wants the Senate to approve former “Fox & Friends” newsreader Heather Nauert as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to rip into the GOP leadership for rubber-stamping Trump’s incompetent nominees.
In a scathing column for the Washington Post, Rubin essentially told Republican leaders that enough is enough and to do their jobs.
“We shouldn’t be surprised that the least qualified president in history — with a long record of bankruptcies, refusal to pay his bills and schemes such as Trump University — should select unqualified and ethically challenged advisers and/or retain those whose ethical misdeeds and incompetence become apparent once in office,” she lectured before getting to the heart of the matter.
“However, we cannot blame Trump alone for lousy appointments and staffing the government with unfit characters,” Rubin accused. “The Constitution provides a check on the president’s ability to put shady characters in positions of power. It’s the current Republican Party that rejects that role and decides its job description is to enable Trump’s worst instincts.”
“Senate Republicans would do themselves a favor (diminishing the perception they are invertebrates) and Trump a favor as well if they started saying ‘no’ once in a while.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/12/conservative-columnist-crushes-gop-leadership-enabling-trump-incompetent-administration-ever/