Good afternoon to you BELLY...

Thank you for your response, I do appreciate it. I fully understand what you're saying, and have been saying for some time now. I think there's little doubt, that Labor will suffer a substantial defeat in September, and as I stated in my initial Topic introduction, I believe it's those 'faceless' individuals in the NSW Right, that should shoulder much of the blame. Also, I believe Mr Rudd, despite what he says, has probably been 'white anting' Ms Gillard every chance he gets. Though I suppose, he can't really be blamed, when you think about it can he ?

BELLY, I've decided to leave both OLO and the Forum for a while, probably permanently ? My health's not been great.

To the other kind contributors, I'll reply to you shortly, I'm sorry.

Dear o sung wu,

There's a variety of problems.

As I've stated so many times previously,
historically Julia Gillard's Prime Ministership
will be seen as an unusually active and reforming
period in Australian public policy. Her legislative
achievements however have not translated into
public understanding, let alone support. Neither
the PM nor the Party has gone about selling
their achievements. They've simply got on
with governing.

The media has added to the public disdain for this minority
government, which is so good at passing legislation and
yet so driven by internal conflict. That is another part
of the problem.

What voters are not used to federally is having
a minority government.
This means that virtually every action
the government wants to take must be negotiated.
This unfortunately is portrayed as a negative,
"the PM was forced to ..."
rather than as an example of the skilled exercise
of governance.

With the election so close, voters should consider as to
what sort of country they want to live in.

Do they want to live in a country where multi-national
corporations strip our land of our resources or do they
want to protect the environment for themselves and
future generations?

Do voters want a society where all children
deserve the right to the same educational standards and
a chance at a worthwhile future?

Do voters want a society where the elderly, poor, sick,
and disabled, are thrown on a scrap heap or do voters want
a society that cares for those in need and supports them
to get back on their feet?

Do voters want a country willing to invest in infrastructure
that benefits all Australians or do voters want to generate
surpluses that are squandered for tax cuts and hand-outs to the
already wealthy?

Do voters want a country where the country's assets are
sold off at bargain basement prices into private hands and
voters are forced to pay a premium to gain access to them
again?

Instead of asking - What's wrong with the PM and Labor?
Perhaps voters should ask -
What's right with Mr Abbott and the Opposition?

Dear o sung wu,

I missed reading your previous post while
I posted mine.

Please accept my deepest well-wishes for your
return to health. You shall be greatly missed
on OLO, and I wish you and your family All
The Best.

Take it easy, and hopefully we shall once again
share time in cyberspace soon.

Thinking of You.

Dear o sung wu,

I will miss your contributions and hope you will return to good health. Your health may not be good, but you at least sound quite sane.

rehctub wrote: You know a party has lost it's way, when not only do these faceless men replace a popularly elected leader, but also ignore voters wishes by leaving a dud PM in place.

Dear rehctub,

Apparently you don't know the system in the country you're living in. Australia does not elect a prime minister by popular vote. Not only does the general public have no say in who is prime minister, but the membership of the party to which the prime minister belongs do not have a say either. The voter's wishes were not ignored. The voters were not consulted. The voters might have preferred Gillard to Rudd if they had been been on a ballot. Maybe you'll write about Australia instead of some fantasy land where the prime minister is elected by popular vote and the wishes of the voters are considered.

As I've stated so many times previously, historically Juliar's Prime Ministership will be seen as an unusually chaotic and incompetent period in Australian public policy. Her legislative disasters and lies have translated into public contempt. The PM and the Party has gone about spinning, and ignored governing.

At present I have no feelings regard Labor.

After Fraser I was a swing voter, probably leading towards Labor. However when he first started to undermine Beasley, while claiming undying support for him, I could see through Rudd.

The thing we see is not a man, but a total construct. His, & probably his lady's idea of what the Oz public want in a Prime Minister. That Rudd is in fact nothing like the persona he presents is so obvious to me I can't understand how so many are taken in by it.

It did not take long for the details of the erratic rat bag he had been as a bureaucrat in Queensland to surface. All the media, & much of the bureaucracy knew what he was, but kept quiet.

We need him like a hole in the head. He is a disgusting excuse for a human being, exceeded in this only by Gillard. She has thoroughly earned every bit of vitriol poured on her, in every possible way.

So o sung, Labour may be able to resurrect itself, they have done it before, but this rot, started by Richardson, is very deep. I do find it ironic, that Richardson now talks sense, having seen where his system of buying votes ultimately leads.