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Belly, I’ve always considered you to be a good OLO mate.

Now I’m not sure what you are trying to say in your second last post.

I can’t see why the Greens shouldn’t have really laid it on the line very shortly after the election by insisting that the party that they support agrees to strong action on the sorts of fundamentally important issues that I have mentioned in this thread.

What an amazing bargaining opportunity!

Belly, can you tell me why you think they shouldn’t have done this?

You remain grumpy about the Greens getting a ‘protest’ vote. I remain grumpy about the critically important need for major changes in Australian politics, which amazingly has actually become possible with this hung parliament, with the Greens in a prime position to capitalise on it, but which is looking like it just isn't going to happen to any meaningful extent!

If they are not willing to make every effort to get one or other or both major parties to act on the really important issues as part of the process of determining which one governs, then it would seem that they are really not that interested in doing it at all, and won’t even try to get strong action on population growth, direct action on oil dependency as opposed to marginal action on climate change, and urgent action on other vital sustainability issues after the government is decided.

I’ve often said that Labor and Liberal are two peas in a pod, being so nearly identical that I call them the liblabs. Well, it is now appearing that the Greens are just the third pea.

Its a good start.

This is not about the greens "ramming" their policies through and forcing Australia to defer to their beliefs.

The greens want to influence and persuade people that their way is the right one and the best way to proceed.
Until they get that support from the majority of Australians I think they recognise the sense in restricting their "demands" to things that wont upset people and be divisive.

//Given that the Greens preferenced the socialists and the communists, I am waiting to see Belly's responce to this deal with Labor.//

Remember what I've been saying? *WATERMELONS*

Ludwig I will try.
An election is about the party with the most policy's most voters want winning.
I have reviewed you wish list and while finding much Merritt in most of it understand its is still minority view.
Most of us, far too many, want more of every thing and not to have to pay for it and sadly for a lot climate and population matter less than self interest.
Now a new reality exists today, we have seen the removal of Rudd, gut less back downs on climate change mining tax and we have not yet been told why.
Abbott has had wind under his wings with one of the most disgusting show of media bias we have ever seen, a dreadful insult to investigative journalism.
He re invented himself, but it is only a plastic mask, he remains what he is, the very man who back stabbed Turnbull and sold out time and again his view on climate change.
He is no less self interested than Gillard, unlike her he could not lead a united government, her will to change is stronger.
In this mix we all benefit, I will work without rest to put Labor back on its own next time.
But this Parliament will bring change and we needed it.
Greens did not get radical policy's up, after next year they will try , you Ludwig and thousands of others will have to understand conservation is just a front the greens are not the savior of Australia you seek.
Defence migration coal ,the list is long while my saying it hurts mates I can not over look putting honey on a cow pat will not make it a cake.
With out self standing majority's they can not inflict on most of us policy's we reject.

The blatant post-poll pork-barrelling that we are presently witnessing is appalling.

The last vestige of legitimacy for our next government, whatever its constitution, has just disappeared in the smoke and mirrors of a billion-dollar bribe.

Who do these people think they represent?

Forget about Brown's Greens. I'm seeing Red, and its giving me the Blues.

Perciles,
At least we agree on this one thing. The majors are buying the support of the independants. Where is the principle?

Belly, from what I have read Gillard comes from a very soccialist background and leopards don't change their spots. Labor dropped the ETS because AGW was no longer popular and Gillard changed, or says she has, on population and on the boat people. I do not believe her, as she is being populist simply to get votes, speaking with forked tongue.

With a better leader the Libs would have waltzed in. I don't think much of Abbott, but at least he did stop us from getting the ETS for which I will give him some marks for.

Ludwig I agree with you. The supposedly big thing for the greens is the enviroment and if Labor is buying, why did not the greens go for things that are fundamental to them, like cutting immigration to put a brake on population numbers which in turn affects the enviroment. But no mention of that. On every turn they show themselves to be hypocrits.

Looks like they only want power like the rest of them.