The Coalition in peril? Howard to be dumped? (1 Viewer)

[Sparcod]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21780407-1702,00.html

 

[frog12986]

The Coalition in Peril? Yes, and has been for some time. (Since 'who must not be named' was introduced)

Howard to be dumped? Despite the wishes of the Howard haters out there, they'll just have to wait for the election for that to happen. Howard has lost much of his popularity particularly among the 'battlers', but Costello is not leadership material, nor anyone else is capable of leading them to a victory at this point.

I believe that Turnbull should be groomed as leader for the 2010-2011 election. Opposers will try to say he's an 'out of touch rich guy', but he is smart, charismatic, has worked extremely hard to achieve what he has. A moderate, who favours a republic, might just be what the Coalition needs to establish itself for the future. Other than that, the future looks very bleak...

 

[Iron]

I think Turnbull would have a great shot. But it's far too late for any of that now.

 

[wheredanton]

This stuff makes me laugh. It's a long time away from the election. Most people have not decided on how they will vote. I'm a semi Howard hater but, in the interests of the Liberal Party, he must stay. He is key.

I agree with Frog. Turnbull should be groomed. However his light bulb policy was pretty silly.

I do agree with the SMH and Glen Milne (http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/howard-behaving-bizarrely-alp/2007/05/23/1179601450071.html) that Howard is been acted very oddly recently.

 

[UnIqUe PrInCeSs]

They should dump Howard and then pretend they're a new party and the negative aspects of their history o) don't exist

It worked for NSW Labor

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

I sure hope the electorate has wisened up to Howard's underdog antics over the years.

 

[BritneySpears]

I want a young, handsome, flamboyant, sexy Prime Minister who will create lots of scandals/affairs and gossip which will make this country more popular and modern. Its about time we dump our mundane, consistent, predictable and uninteresting old man.

 

[frog12986]

I sure hope the electorate has wisened up to Howard's underdog antics over the years.

Underdog antics? I fail to see how he should not to be considered the 'underdog' in the face of consistent polling conveying widespread unpopularity, a vast array of controversial issues and as he is the head of a government that has been in power for 11 years.

The opposition has the ascendency, and the mood for change is rife. If this doesn't translate into favourtism, nothing will..

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Underdog antics? I fail to see how he should not to be considered the 'underdog' in the face of consistent polling conveying widespread unpopularity, a vast array of controversial issues and as he is the head of a government that has been in power for 11 years.

...I'm not saying that he's not the underdog, I was simply voicing my cynisism regarding this fairly obvious attempt at increasing his underdog status. It's an advantage for him, he wants more of it.

 

[wheredanton]

Underdog antics? I fail to see how he should not to be considered the 'underdog' in the face of consistent polling conveying widespread unpopularity, a vast array of controversial issues and as he is the head of a government that has been in power for 11 years.

The opposition has the ascendency, and the mood for change is rife. If this doesn't translate into favourtism, nothing will..

Seriously Frog, the Liberals aint gonna loose. Relax. Early polls, like these, mean sweet FA and the Labor party knows it.

I'd say a great proportion of the electorate make up their minds on who to vote for on their way to the polling both. Most people are employed and are driving nice shiny new cars. Such a combination rarely results in a change of government.

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

'cept for all those people stuck with lesser working conditions...

 

[Sparcod]

I think John Howard is doing well. He's putting up a storng challenge against the rising Kevin Rudd. He knows that if elections were to be held today, he'd lose but the election is probably around 6 months away-maybe more or maybe less.

You do need to be a bit deceitful and outsmarty to last over a decade- just ask Carr/Iemma. I recall my yr 12 teacher saying "to be a politician, you need to be a good liar".

WorkChoices proabably isn't going to be the 'biggest of them all' issue. There's also climate change and the war in Iraq as well as education which'll all be right at the top. Labor as got "star recruits" and a lead in the opinion polls. What could possibly happen by election time?

Is John Howard going to fall on his own sword or not?

 

[frog12986]

Seriously Frog, the Liberals aint gonna loose. Relax. Early polls, like these, mean sweet FA and the Labor party knows it.

I'd say a great proportion of the electorate make up their minds on who to vote for on their way to the polling both. Most people are employed and are driving nice shiny new cars. Such a combination rarely results in a change of government.

That is why 2007 unique. Despite positive economic times, there is a distinct mood for change that extends beyond curiosity for a new, vibrant opposition leader.

Either way, we'll find out soon enough..

 

[Sparcod]

That is why 2007 unique. Despite positive economic times, there is a distinct mood for change that extends beyond curiosity for a new, vibrant opposition leader.

Either way, we'll find out soon enough..

You're right frog12896- there are some people who have mood changes and perhaps to them, if not most people, economic growth is not everything.

If John Howard loses his seat and/or retires, I wonder who could replace him as the Liberal party's leader. Peter Costello? Alexander Downer?

 

[Raginsheep]

I know a lot of people think that, but remember the small things add up. I actually thought, while it was obvious posturing, that it was quite genius, reduce costs/reduce electrical bills/ reduce consumption on quite a large scale.

MATHS TIME!

Average Flourescent Bulb = 25W for equiv 100W Incandescent.

Okay so automatic saving of 75W per bulb.

Number Crunching time. Average house has say, 5 rooms, all with one bulb. For statistics sake let's say that each was a 100W incandescent that has been replaced by a Flourescent.

500W versus 125W - Extrapolating this further

Say they're both on for 10 hours a day, for sanity's sake

Incandescent = 5 kW Hours
Flourescent = 1.25 kW hours

Massive difference. I know it's not energy standards for appliances and that, but it does multiply out nicely and show a MASSIVE saving

Imagine if a million people did this similar scenario


Incandescent = 5 MILLION kilowatt hours a day
Flourescent = 1.25 MILLION kilowatt hours.

You see it does actually multiply out nicely over time, it's simple yet efficient... so the engineer in me finds it elegant *embarassed*

Doesn't the Flourescent have nasties such as mercury inside them?

Question: If Rudd doesn't win this election where does he stand? Do you see him having the ability to go another 3 years and take on possibly Turnbull?

 

[Iron]

Question: If Rudd doesn't win this election where does he stand? Do you see him having the ability to go another 3 years and take on possibly Turnbull?

It's a fantastic election because of the high stakes for both sides.
If Labor loses, the IR laws will slowly suffocate them by ripping the guts out of union power and relevance. However this may end up positive in that labor would be forced into major (overdue) organisational reform, re Union power.

If Howard loses, the liberal party will be plunged into major national crisis because it would form no goverment across Australia. Id predict a bit of an exodus of talent and ensuing fate to wonder the desert for, say, 40 years.

 

[Raginsheep]

Personally though, I don't see organisational reform happening with-in the labour party anytime soon given the hold the labour movement has. I feel it'll be more likely that any reformists would create their own party centralist leaving the labour party as a spent force.

Then again, I'm no expert on this.

 

[Iron]

Howard is certainly beyond pity. That's why Labor plays up how "cunning" and "clever" he is; the implication is that he's fooling the electorate. That certainly strikes a chord with me.

 

[Iron]

Im happy so long as both parties recognise global warming as, by far, the issue for government to be concerned with. It leaves issues like terrorism and the concern to spread democracy for dead. Not acting now amounts to nothing less than the apocalypse.

 

[Iron]

Im feeling a lot of negative non-renewable energy