The person that has most thoroughly trashed the office of PM is Juliar:

"LABOR'S leadership fiasco has trashed the Prime Minister's brand, with a majority of voters saying unseemly party squabbling has left the highest office in the land badly damaged. The first opinion poll since last week's abortive coup attempt shows a huge 71 per cent condemned the ALP's in-fighting over who should be Prime Minister. With global economic turmoil swirling and Labor's promised surplus unlikely to be delivered, the result is a reflection of just how disillusioned voters are with Labor's squabbling over the leadership."

Lexi's myopic view of Labor's economic credentials are fortunately not shared by the majority of Australians or economists. The shambles of huge debts while the economy was growing coupled with a litany of broken and unfunded multi $billion promises, and outrageously bad policies have made Labor a joke.

Normally an opposition struggles to compete with a government who having power is able to control the agenda, but with Juliar in charge Abbott is only too happy to give her the limelight in which to self destruct.

Hi there LEXI...

Firstly how are you after your last bout with the medico's ? I'm not as aware as some of those good folk who contribute herein about the specifics of your procedure, but anything concerning the heart is sometimes very worrying, I just hope 'it' (the procedure) was abundantly successful, and you are now very well and feeling terrific !

From your thread were your referring to the 'wrecking tactics' of some in Labour, or that of Mr Rudd ? I realize I'm pretty dense, so I thought it best to check.

I don't like Mr Rudd nor Ms Gillard - I'm a very 'far right' conservative. That said, if there's this perception that Mr Rudd is 'wrecking' most of what the PM is trying to do, it is lamentable for sure. However, good or bad, wasn't Labour elected by the people of Australia, and by virtue of that election, Mr Rudd was legitimately elected as the Prime Minister ?

Yet, some in Labour (including these 'faceless men') determined that the electorate were wrong, and it was Ms Gillard who should be PM, because of her apparent antecedents as a good communicator ?

I can understand why Mr Rudd and his few supporters, including many within the electorate, would be very very 'dark' indeed with what was done. Moreover, HOW it was done ! The absolute humilation of Keven RUDD before the entire Democratic world ! Like him or loath him, he WAS elected Prime Minister, by the Australian people.

There's a real stench of illegitimacy about Ms Gillard that'll follow her forever. Notwithstanding her personal attributes, I'd NEVER ever trust her.

Thank you LEXI.

Dear o sung wu,

Thank You for your concern about my health.

I was told that the AF Ablation procedure was
successful - however the next six weeks are crucial.
I'm still having a high pulse rate at times, and
an irregular heart-beat, but I was told that this
is normal and will pass. Hopefully, health-wise
I shall be a new person after all this is over.

As I;ve stated in my previous posts - it would be
easy to blame the PM for the general behaviour and
direction of the party she formally leads. However
she is not solely responsible for the mess Labor
is in at present. Fixing the problems of the ALP
requires more than changed leadership. The control
by party machine men and relying on bad research to
justify egregious policies that prove the government
is tougher than the opposition would still be there
if the PM was removed or left. As John Howard stated
in his 60 Minutes interview - "there's nothing wrong
with ambition." Sure Julia Gillard wanted the job
of PM however, she can't be held responsible for
disposing her predessor. That only proves the power of
the party itself. And as we know from past records -
party leaders come and go.

It's very easy to criticise Labor at the moment.
However, things can change in politics very quickly.
John Howard lead his party to four election victories -
the equal of Bob Hawke and second only to Menzies.
However his political legacy is soured by the fact
that, when he was defeated, his party was left in
Opposition in every state and Territory as well as
nationally. Plus he is only the second Prime Minister
to lose his own seat.

As Peter Costello told us in his memoirs:

"We must deal with our problems and move forward as
a free, fair, and vibrant society. I have no doubt
we can find the solutions that suit us, provided
we do not succumb to the siren calls of demagogues,
charlatans, and ideologues."

Lexi,

One of President Truman's favorite sayings was "The buck stops here!" meaning that he assumed responsibility for everything under his control.

Considering that Juliar hand picks her cabinet, sets the policy agenda, and signs off on every policy, it is difficult to see what she is not responsible for.

For example She is directly responsible for:
The Carbon tax Lie,
The mining tax debacle,
The media Law stuff up,
etc, etc.

All of the above could have been avoided if she had exercised better judgement.

As for the knifing of Rudd, it is clear now that Juliar was not a passenger in this and had an active role. The recent disclosure that an internal poll showing that Rudd's popularity had rebounded was not revealed to the labor caucus before the knifing, is testament to the underhanded nature of the transaction.

As for the claim that things in politics can change quickly, this is true, but usually requires a game changing moment such as work choices or the carbon tax lie.

The polls show that Australians hold Juliar personally responsible for much of what has happened since June 2010, and that changing to Rudd, while not fixing Labor's policy deficit would have removed the odious leadership problem plaguing the party.

Hello there LEXI...

I certainly hope the next few weeks pass quickly for you, more to the point uneventfully, with a much regular and more stable heart rate !

I accept that Ms Gillard is not solely responsible for the mess Labour find themselves. You're right when you identify those partymen behind the scenes who are causing the trouble.

I suppose the question for Labour is what to do about it ? I liken these malevolent 'types' similar to that of a malignant cancer. Everyone knows of their existance, but just how do they completely excise 'every last one of them' ? Like cancer, you must get rid of it in it's entirety ? But how ?

Come on BELLY, where are you ol' friend, surely you must have some ideas on how to save this and your own floundering political party ?

Most would say I'm wrong. However, these 'party people' are not unlike Organised Crime figures. Hard to interdict, but you know they're there ? I don't know what the answer is for Labour?

Take it easy LEXI.

Dear Shadow Minister,

I'm not going to respond to your repeating the
untrue rhetoric of your party. I've tackled all
of those points in previous posts ad nauseum.

In politics a degree of rhetorical flourish and
a pinch of hyperbole is to be expected. But when
the whole basis of your party's campaign has been based
on continuous lies then the bar is not set very high.

Question:

Which of these untrue statements appear in Tony Abbott's
recent speeches?

1) At the heart of Labor's failure is the assumption
that bigger government and higher taxes are the answer
to every problem.

2) The government has completely failed to appreciate
the iron law of economics that no country has ever
taxed its way to prosperity.

3) With a growing economy, it is possible to
have lower taxes, better services and a stronger budget
bottom-line - as Australians discovered during the
Howard era.

4) To every issue this government's knee-jerk response
is more tax, more regulation, more vitriol.

5) All of the above.

Answer:

All of them!

According to the OECD overall taxation in Australia
increased when the Coalition took office in 1996.
Taxes were then higher throughout the entire
Howard/Costello period than at any time during the
preceding Hawke/Keating years.

Taxation as percentage of GDP reached an all time high
in 2004 at 30.4 per cent.

The tax take then dropped significantly when Labor took
office in 2007. For the entire Rudd/illard period
taxes have been lower than the lowest point during the
Howard years.

Australia has a triple A credit rating and a stable
outlook with all four major credit agencies -
Standard & Poor's, Fitch, Moody's and Dagong.