Are the Liberals becoming another Tea Party?
For the last few months, I’ve found it hard to shake the idea that the Liberal Party’s overriding approach to politics and policy has deteriorated to a level little better than where the US Republican Party now finds itself. I think the reason why things have sunk this low has a lot to do with the perverted nature of the so-called culture and history wars which were embraced with such fervour by the Howard government.
The public and policy debates engendered by the culture/history wars were driven by political point-scoring opportunities and a desire to reframe public perceptions in a way which fitted a hardline conservative worldview. It is no wonder Malcolm Fraser resigned from the Liberal party – a decision I am sure he would not have taken lightly.
Facts have been an optional extra in any of the arguments used to advance the culture/history war positions. Once a group of people engaging in political debate no longer feel the need to adhere to a reality based framework, and even basic tenets of logic and rationality are readily dispensed with if they get in the way of a desirable slogan or soundbite, then we are really are faced with a very different type of politics.
Just as the Republicans seem to think that, by definition everything Barack Obama is automatically another part of his socialist, big government, big spending, high taxing, pro-Muslim, anti-American, anti-religious, pro-abortion, gun-hating, pro-terrorist plot to destroy America from the inside – so the Liberal-Nationals now seem to feel every action by other parties, no matter how mundane, straight-forward or rational, must immediately be seen as another example of a fundamental threat to whatever it is they decide they believe in this week.
Julie Bishop’s latest bizarre attacks on the very middle of the road decision by the Rudd to eject one Israeli diplomat from Australia in response to that country’s action to forge Australian passports and steal the identities of at least 4 Australian citizens is a small but telling example.
Expelling a diplomat in this sort of circumstance seems like a very stock standard, almost tokenistic going-through-the-motions type of action by Foreign Minister Stephen Smith. Yet Ms Bishop immediately tried to portray this as some sort of anti-Israel action aimed at currying favour with Arab nations. So desperate was she to take a pro-Israel approach, and to suggest that what Israel did was no big deal that she stated that the Australian government (or our spy agency) did the same sort of thing when it came to passport forgery and identity theft.
There is plenty to criticise the Rudd government for, but replacing coherent critiques with knee-jerk shrieking sloganeering is not a good sign. It may even be that this low road approach of manically pushing every negative button in sight could work well electorally – but heaven help us all if it does.
I am not convinced that the Tea Party movement will achieve much politically in the long run other than splinter the Republican vote, but in the mean time they are making any attempt at coherent, rational policy debate in the USA almost impossible. The Liberal’s incoherent, self-contradicting approach on a whole range of policy issues – most worryingly even on economic and tax policy – might be sufficiently obscured by their continuing inchoate war on everything as to provide electoral benefits for them. But once rational thinking is no longer required – in fact becomes an impediment to launching the latest barrage – then there is no guarantee it will ever be returned to at some stage down the track.
21 Comments, Comment or Ping
paul walter
Bishop is developing a problem with facial hair. I know its a function of the (bio) system, but she will need eventually, dilapidatory treatment.
As for the lack of intelligence and arrogance born of ignorance; ignorance born of arrogance, the writer fears the time for remedy is long past recall.
May 26th, 2010
Tristan
I’ve always found wondered how pollies like these consciously dumb themselves down. I guess it makes it easier to understand the issues. But having the confidence to actually say such stupid things without caring about the facts or consequences – that must take some strong will power.
May 26th, 2010
paul walter
Tristan, this the “Alexis/ Dallas” 80’s teev epic take.
What happened with the upbringing, a la Bronwyn’s alleged kid sister??
May 26th, 2010
gusface
Andrew
since johnny took total control the fibs have been a tea party in all but name only.
with abbott the charade is neede no more
May 26th, 2010
Cuppa
I blame the media for a lot of it. They should stop glorifying this Abbott character. It’s just ridiculous the lopsided commentary they give us: pro Abbott, anti-Rudd. I’ve never seen the media be so vindictive towards a Prime Minister as they are towards Kevin Rudd. He doesn’t deserve half the poison they spray at him. They wouldn’t know balance if they were run over by a set of scales!
May 26th, 2010
Tony Zegenhagen
Andrew:
The conservative parties have always been made up of more than one group. The LNP for instance was destined to fail from the day they merged. At the State level I could see some merit but to continue it on to the Federal level was always asking for trouble.
The one good thing about the coalition (totally missing from the ALP) is the freedom they do have to act and this is amongst their strengths. In other words members can act or react to the needs of their electorate or their beliefs as they should.
The ALP simply are a nothing party. No need for ALP Senators as they only shadow the lower house, and junior lower house ALP members are more of a mechanism of the party then they are members of parliament.
Put simply there is no need to talk to more than one as they all have been taught the same babble and can recite it very well.
Luckily in Australia we have a number of parties on either side of the political spectrum that the public (if they were interested in politics) could chose from.
The liberal are certainly a split party and our party often refers to them as the liberals or the Turnbullites. The later we have no time for but the traditional liberal or National we converse very well with. (or the traditional old labour in fact) If they were to split I’m sure we’d end up with a similar model we once had with at least two major coalition partners and possibly a third.
But lets face it our forefathers never envisioned the duopoly that Australian politics has become, nor would they have supported it.
May 26th, 2010
Chris Dubrow
The Tea Party would not exist without fox news. While we all know the Murdoch papers back Abbott, do they have the high-impact influence that newspapers once had? Perhaps still in the swinging seats where it counts. Sky news can’t step up even if it wanted too, and at least we have the Bartlett blog to keep the balance online…
May 27th, 2010
barry rutherford
I suspect if the passport fiasco had been done by a country like Iran the Lib’s would have been proposing WW111
May 27th, 2010
Anthony David
You nailed it Andrew. Reasoned nuance is out the window with this opposition. They are sounding more like talk-back hosts than a team with any clue about leadership and statesmanship. The govt still has some who can put a cogent argument together (e.g. Tanner) but they risk being drowned out by the ill-considered comments by the Prime Minister.
May 27th, 2010
red crab
it dose not mater what the libs do the facts are that rudd forcast the population groth and is going nothing about border control looks to me like this was a planed exasize.
and thats the way most ppl see it .
now they are making a grab at western australia the state that saved the rest from disaster so they have lost w.a. weather they are right or not.
seems to me that a lot of accademics are getting nervious about there positions so they are comming out from there hiddy holes to make some sort of comment to justify there positions
if frazer is so passionate about reffugees why didnt he resign from the libs when howard was in govt howard did it
abbot is only talking about it at the moment hes not in a position to do anything yet.if rudd cant get a grip on it now abbot will be in the position to do something.
if only the greens were a viable alternitave
but for me the things that are going to play are population and border control dosent mater the labors stance on these points will not help them .
.
May 27th, 2010
Andrew Thomas
While Tony is no John, Julie is morphing into an Australian version of Sarah and Julie potentially could be acting leader of Australia. Does this frighten anyone but me? Who has been the common denominator in the leadership of the opposition since 2007? Who has vigorously defended each leader equally; no matter how contrary each leaders view? What does Julie stand for? Nothing but all that is associated with the deputy leadership!
May 27th, 2010
Marilyn
Red crab, what is there to get a grip on except putting brains into gear. From 1 July – 9 February out of 1319 refugee applications on Christmas island only 66 people were refused and deported.
We don’t get to turn people away if they need help, not ever.
So what is there to get a grip on.
May 27th, 2010
Mr Denmore
Andrew, my thoughts exactly. This incoherence in the right-wing parties here and in America seems almost pathological.
What I can’t reconcile is that the publics of both countries made a very conscious decision in the elections of 2007 and 2008 to move back to the centre after the Bush and Howard administrations used the events of 2001 as excuse to take their parties to the far right. Yet the right in each case has stuck it head in the sand and tried to pretend the votes didn’t happen.
Abbott here in Australia and the fruitloops in the Tea Party in the US are being helped by a corporate media which feeds off conflict, however inane and fails to call politicians on what to even the most impartial observers are outright lies.
The Rudd government is far from perfect, but their sins are at the margin in service delivery. Even then, this has to be put in the context of the biggest financial crisis since the 1930s and a global recession. Put in that light, they have done pretty well – which I guess explains why the very unimpressive Abbott front bench has to resort to deceit and shrieking hyperbole to differentiate itself.
Oh, and can I say, the world will be better off when Rupert Murdoch finally departs this earth. The man is evil.
May 27th, 2010
Lorikeet
Well, I think if all of the communists were removed from the parliament, there wouldn’t be too many left.
I cannot say I like Julie Bishop or Julia Gillard.
Those from the Liberals who support a Green agenda should put up their hands and move to the left, instead of playing games with the constituency and hedging their bets.
I’m glad Malcolm Fraser is out, and Malcolm Turnbull can follow him ASAP if not sooner.
I’m also hoping and praying that the rumour I heard on the television news about a Ruddster Removal Revolution being imminent, becomes a speedy reality.
May 27th, 2010
red crab
Red crab, what is there to get a grip on except putting brains into gear. From 1 July – 9 February out of 1319 refugee applications on Christmas island only 66 people were refused and deported.
so tell me
what are the stats so far this year from jan to now
oh i forgot there is to many to count
as dick smith asked on the insite prog last week (how are we going water and feed all these extra ppl ) .
people smugglers two australia nill so far
marilyn its good to see you comments againe .
May 28th, 2010
red crab
Red crab, what is there to get a grip on except putting brains into gear. From 1 July – 9 February out of 1319 refugee applications on Christmas island only 66 people were refused and deported.
so tell me
what are the stats so far this year from jan to now
the count so far this financial year onto christmas island is 5000.
May 30th, 2010
Mark
The Federal Government is in knee jerk reaction mode as you suggest. The wastage of public funds, whether it be the roof insulation, school buildings and the mining ads is breathtaking. The Mining Tax will have ripple impacts and negatively impact everyone right through to tradepeople and coffee shops. Worst decision since Federation
May 30th, 2010
Lorikeet
Mark:
I think they are trying to break Australia’s economy deliberately, as they have been since 1947, when Chifley signed a General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which was later turned over to the World Trade Organisation under Keating.
May 31st, 2010
paul walter
Are all the coalition front bench ALL odd?
Tonite’s QA fare included a strange looking Ronald Reagan clone, without the humour or wit,of which Reagan had none, a Tory senator Andrew may know something of, called Cory Bernardi (Barnardi?).
It had me in mind of Howard boasting how he had turned the Liberal party into a “broad church”. But harsh people like Bernardi are really, going to frighten away some of the left liberal constuency; Dr’s wives, Deakinite social liberals of the Fraser sort,educated people. The conservatives simply have no place for cosmopolitan inner city liberals in their organisation.
Jun 1st, 2010
Reply to “Are the Liberals becoming another Tea Party?”