Jonathan Ariel: "the Grand Old Party (GOP) of Australian politics"

Finally, an admission that the Liberal Party is just a branch of the American Republican Party.

The rest of the article is little more than Tory/Neocon bulldust. Expect more of it in weeks to come, becoming ever more hysterical.

Jonathon Ariel admits upfront that 'current polling is indeed a shock for conservatives (including me)'. And his article - shallow and lacking insight - confirms why that polling is a shock to him.

He just doesn't get it - as other posters comment, he is looking for someone - anyone - other than the PM to blame.

Nothing about how people are experiencing the impact of the ideologically driven, un-mandated WorkChoices and the crude attempt to soften it when it became obvious that people were being hurt.

Nothing about the selfishness of Howard in clinging to power well beyond his use-by date.

Nothing about Howard's complete turnaround - but only in election mode - on climate change.

Nothing about the kowtowing to the most unpopular US President of all time.

Nothing about lying to Australians when following Bush into the Iraq quagmire.

Nothing about the un-mandated centralisation of Federal powers.

Nothing about the pork-barrelling in marginal seats.

Nothing about the Hicks affair, or Haneef or Cornelia Rau or the AWB scandal.

Nothing about the many Liberal negatives that explain the polls.

Jonathon is no Dale Carnegie in his quest to win friends and influence people. He insults - even-handedly - everyone except his vainglorious Howard. So he sticks it up the ALP's 'natural constituency, the great unwashed' . And 'panic stricken cognac drinking conservatives'. And the Heir Apparent leading the 'cowardly conservatives', 'Pierre Popinjay'.

Jonathon even has an insult for Tony Blair's 'vulgar, loud mouthed, leftist wife' - though what she has to do with Australian polling is not clear.

And he has some breaking news for Liberals who think Howard should go: '...some of you cannot even be counted on holding your own seats, yet have the gall to pass unsolicited commentary.' Did I hear Bennalong and Wentworth?

Jonathon is so agitated that his metaphors get mangled as does his spelling. 'And now, some conservatives are barking madly, hoisting the white flag and running with their tail between their legs. Quite a sad site really.'

Yes, but for others it's a not unexpected sight Jonathon.

I remember hearing Churchill’s “Gestapo Speech.” I was aged 12 y at the time. I had just found an old crystal wireless set belonging to my grandmother. I got the set working. I was in bed listening with head phones. I think it must have been about 9.00 0r 10.00 pm.

I believe that the hyperbole of the speech was a possible factor in his election loss.

CJ Morgan says "Finally, an admission that the Liberal Party is just a branch of the American Republican Party."

CJ obviously does not pay attention to who is driving the ALP. Vic Fingerhut, a lead strategist for the American Democrat party is pulling all the strings behind Rudd. http://ambit-gambit.nationalforum.com.au/archives/002203.html

Fingerhut takes pride in his design and orchestration of the anti work choices campaign and has spent time here in Aus directing the ALP members.

Fingerhut's leadership in this election is what the unknowing labor supporters are voting for. Fingerhut has done a fine job in directing the ALP to run their campaign just like an American presidential campaign. Fingerhut has also been able to keep all the ALP supporting rabble gagged so that only Rudd appears as the front man in his attempt to give the voters the impression that they are voting for Rudd as opposed to the various union rabble in their district.

"Witness Muslim apologists" - curious that the author thinks Muslims have indeed done anything as a class of people for which others need to apologise - I guess like may of the other positions he has adopted he has generalised from the particular.

And boy oh boy are we as an electorate a bunch of ninnies!

Clearly too few of us have MBAs that allow us to undertake a forensic disection of political events - as has our friend done here - had more of us been so blessed the conservatives would have always been and will be forever more in power.

The ALP gave us a mature economy - free of all the crap foisted on us by Rural Socialism and cowardly protectionist policies - sure they stuffed a few things up - but the authors argument is predicated on the assumption the economy rules - and well it may - but if it does it does so with scant regard for governments of the day - we are an economic minnow being swept along by a worlds hunnger for stuff we happen to have in spades -

Given the failure to invest the largesse flowing from this good luck in infrastrucure - or pretty much anything at all - you would be an idiot to consider this to be a well managed economy - it is for the moment a lucky one at best riding on a debt bubble ready to burst.

The electorate knows that - whatever stupid pork barreling flows from treasury - the electorate knows that the ALP can turn the same tap on when it likes once/if in power - but now they will play conservatively while the coalition sets about eating its young.

It isnt the economy - it is the lies, hubris and contempt - a government basking in the relfected glory of a resource boom they have duck ( read eff) all to do with - that is the rationality underpinning a slide towards Rudd.

Commentators like Ms Albrechtsen appear to be more interested in throwing their weight around than making sense. Her comments(as a conservative) could not possibly help the liberals in this election. Overall the media has done an appalling job during this election campaign the effect of which is to belittle Mr Howard all the time (eg tripping over and forgetting a name was major news) whilst Mr Rudd is always portrayed in a positive light(opinion polls are substituted for lack of policy). What this campaign has shown is the inept media in this country. One can only hope that the electorate ignores them in the end.