Should Abbott step down?

[Rorschach]

Why Abbott has to go.

Tony Abbott is a political lightening rod. He’s hated by the Progressive Left with a passion. (Mind you they hate anyone who disagrees with them.) But in Abbott’s case, they go the extra yard to; libel, slander and ridicule the man. It is almost never ending.

The time has now passed in which Abbott could turn things around for himself and the Coalition. He has tied himself to policy that will drag him and the Liberal Party down and make him a one term leader. Even if they change direction and policies now, Abbott’s Leadership is in terminal decline. He will go down with “his” policies, either leading the Coalition to defeat at the next election or he will be replaced. Perhaps even falling on his own sword and stepping down.

This has come about partly due to the relentless negative campaign that has been waged against him personally, since he was Opposition Leader. But more than that, due to the implementation and direction of the current Liberal/Coalition policy. As Abbott himself often says… the buck stops with him.

The win at the last election, even though a strong win, has set up the Government to fail. Largely in part due to the negativity and bloody mindedness of the ALP and the Greens. The parties which delivered us into the economic situation we find ourselves today. Locked into ever increasing debt and ever decreasing revenue. Without control of the Senate the current Coalition government was never going to be able to implement the policies it felt were needed to “turn the ship around”.

But, then again they were voted in, to not only replace an incompetent government and implement certain key policies, (which largely they have.) They were voted in to end the lies, and broken promises. Abbott himself promised… “a government of no surprises and no excuses,” “a government that says what it means, and means what it says”. Both of which, he and the Government, have spectacularly failed at.
They were not given a mandate to make wholesale changes to Medicare, or increase the cost of living burden on the poor. They do not have a mandate to make wholesale changes to the education system and the cost of education.

What was needed this term was keeping the faith with the public. Followed by consolidation, planning and communication. Then implementation of what was possible in the current situation. Instead we’ve had; lack of consultation, knee-jerk reactions and knee-jerk policy. We’ve had: ideological obstinacy, and a mentality where crash or break-through was favoured to a more reasonable approach.

Personally, I don’t believe Abbott is personally responsible for all this, but… he is head of the Government and it would seem his loyalty to others, is undermining his Prime Ministership. He has been badly advised and/or is simply not listening, either way it shows bad judgement both politically and personally. For these reasons then, he must step down, if he is to give the Coalition Government a chance to “reboot”, reprioritise and find another way. One acceptable to the majority of Australians. It will take at least 2 years to regain the trust and acceptance of the Australian people.

[Black Orchid]

Should Abbott step down?

Yes. He's a wuss.

[IQS.RLOW]

Morrison for PM.

Fuck the leftists. Disband the HRC and any govt dept that has "women", "refugees" or "arts" in it.

At least $5bn there alone.

[mantra]

Yes Morrison is tough. Give him a couple of years as PM and he'll be opening gas chambers here for the homeless and impoverished, all outsourced of course to the yanks. Now that he's in charge of welfare for Australians and from what I've heard it's almost impossible to access now and will get worse when it's handed over to the slack Telstra - then the homeless figures will increase substantially.

He's stopped the boats - can he stop welfare handouts from the government?

[Rorschach]

Honestly mantra do you think that was a sensible contribution to the debate?

[mantra]

It's about as sensible as any of the political comments members make here. As if Abbott is going to be pushed out or even consider stepping down. He's got no competition and the Coalition knows it. By the end of his first term we'll be conditioned into believing that austerity is the only way Australia can survive and that we should be grateful for any pitiful little job thrown our way. That's fine. It was probably the same when you were younger as it was for me. There was no dole that you knew of and you traipsed the streets, rang up potential employers from public phone boxes after you'd been to the newsagent at 6 am to buy the paper and note all the jobs you could bluff your way into.

Although it's easier to look for a job now with all our technology, it's a lot harder to get one and accommodation is a lot more expensive in comparison because of the constant lowering of wages for many people. Wages are going backwards, but they used to go forward.

[skippy]

Who wrote that article, Rorschach?

[IQS.RLOW]

By the end of his first term we'll be conditioned into believing that austerity is the only way Australia can survive

Austerity is the only way to survive if you previously voted in a band of fuckwit economic vandals who pissed everything up against the wall. The UK has shown the EU that Kenyesian economics are a failure and austerity works

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... meron.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The head of the world's economic watchdog delivered a stunning endorsement of the coalition's record last night - saying Britain was setting an example to the rest of the world.

Christine Lagarde, director of the International Monetary Fund, said in much of the world growth was 'too low, too fragile'.

But completing an extraordinary volte face on the Government's austerity measures - which as recently as 2013 were being attacked by the IMP as 'playing with fire' - she called on other countries to look to the UK's example.

Do try and educate yourself Mantra...you are too old to be this stupid for so long.

[mantra]

Christine Lagarde, director of the International Monetary Fund, said in much of the world growth was 'too low, too fragile'.

But completing an extraordinary volte face on the Government's austerity measures - which as recently as 2013 were being attacked by the IMP as 'playing with fire' - she called on other countries to look to the UK's example.

Do try and educate yourself Mantra...you are too old to be this stupid for so long.

I don't recall saying outright that I thought austerity measures were the wrong path to take, but I do feel sorry for those people who haven't experienced frugality. It will be very difficult for them. For me personally - no. I don't mind austerity and have been whinging about waste for a long time, not just by governments, but by people who have no control over their spending. Too many people are now dependent on someone else helping them and when that's taken away - they're not going to cope.

[Rorschach]

It's about as sensible as any of the political comments members make here. Ah no, it was blathering Nazi nonsense, even you can do better than that. Found someone else to hate have we? As if Abbott is going to be pushed out or even consider stepping down. He's got no competition and the Coalition knows it. He has a lot of competition actually. Turnbull, Morrison, Hockey, Bishop just for starters. By the end of his first term we'll be conditioned into believing that austerity is the only way Australia can survive and that we should be grateful for any pitiful little job thrown our way. That's fine. No sign of that or even a mention of it except from you. It was probably the same when you were younger as it was for me. There was no dole that you knew of and you traipsed the streets, rang up potential employers from public phone boxes after you'd been to the newsagent at 6 am to buy the paper and note all the jobs you could bluff your way into. Never bluffed my way into anything. Maybe you are older than me there were always recruitment agencies in my day. Oh and the SMH classifieds.

Although it's easier to look for a job now with all our technology, it's a lot harder to get one and accommodation is a lot more expensive in comparison because of the constant lowering of wages for many people. Wages are going backwards, but they used to go forward. You are going to have to prove that statement. Cost of living and wages have kept going up.

Oh and anytime you feel like commenting on the actual topic go right ahead...