OK, consider a brief exercise in a bit of cynicism here. But sometimes public figures really become irritating, so please indulge me as I let off a little steam for a few moments. (For those whose sensibilities cannot handle a bit of political humour and/or satire, I urge you to stop reading now.)
Back in 1969 at the height of the counterculture revolution in the US, a film appeared by the name of Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice. Starring Natalie Wood, Robert Culp, Elliott Gould and Dyan Cannon, it had to do with a ‘liberated’ foursome exploring ‘free love,’ and the social-sexual chemistry which took place amongst them.
Some folks might recall the movie poster for this film. All four actors were together, naked, in a large bed. In light of some recent events in the political scene in Australia, this film and its famous poster came bouncing back into my mind today.
I refer to the carbon tax madness which continues to bubble along here, and how various eggheads and celebutards have been pimping this tax. We of course expect various trendy lefties, film stars, pop stars, and the Hollywood left to jump into bed with Labor on this one. Of course they will.
What is less expected – or should be – is when people who claim to be Liberals get into the act. But sure enough, a number of people signed a letter of support for the carbon tax, and who do we find showing up? Yep, you got it: former Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and former Liberal Leader John Hewson.
Of course this pair of wingnuts has been going off the rails for years now. Fraser especially has repeatedly made public attacks on his own party. It seems every other week we find old Malcolm again on the front page of the Fairfax press attacking the conservatives.
And John Hewson has also been a big fat pain in the neck for the conservative parties for years now. The truth is, both are failed leaders who are full of anger, bitterness and hatred, and they relish any and every opportunity they can get to lash out at their own party.
They have become so twisted and bitter that any time you see them in the media you know what to expect: more attacks on the conservative side of politics. All of which raises the obvious question: why in the world haven’t these two grumpy old men left the Liberal Party years ago?
They clearly do not belong there. They have absolutely nothing in common with conservative values and beliefs. So why haven’t they joined Labor decades ago? Or better yet, why not just join the Greens? They would seem to be most at home in that radical party.
Given that Julia Gillard and Bob Brown have been in the same bed for many months now, it only makes sense for these two disgruntled, arrogant, childish and selfish Libs to hop in bed with them. They obviously belong there, and they certainly deserve each other.
The caption on the 1969 movie poster read: “Consider the possibilities”. That about sums up what we can expect if we got these four together. They basically already are, so why not just formalise the whole sad affair? Why not get it over with?
All I await is for some clever Australian artist to take the original poster and re-jig it a bit, putting the heads of these four current Australian political figures onto the bodies of the original four movie stars. It would be a most telling poster. And of course we can keep the same caption there as well.
14 Replies to “Bob and Malcolm and John and Julia”
Good one Bill!
I think Malcolm already resigned his Liberal Party membership a few years ago. Who knows if Hewson is still a member? The more I see and hear of Hewson, I think it may have been a good thing that he lost the 1993 federal election when we almost had him as our PM.
Ewan McDonald, Victoria
Yes he would have been bad news Ewan.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Another bad egg though, not as bad as Hewson and Fraser yet, is Malcolm Turnbull.
Whilst he can be effective sometimes (like against the NBN white elephant) I have found his recent betrayals particularly unpleasant.
People should send him a message encouraging him to stop betraying the Liberal Party values and supplying free ammunition to the government;
Yes he is bad news as well. OK then, let’s make it a fivesome.
And yes it is worth writing him, asking him which party he really belongs to.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Damien Spillane: that’s debatable actually. Remember who banned the Edison lightbulb and forced us to use dim toxic mercury fluoros?
Jonathan Sarfati, US
Jonathan
I thought that was in the US where they banned those light bulbs?
Damien Spillane
Hi Damien,
They’re banned in Australia I’m afraid. Just check your local supermarket. It’s too much of an important decision to let people decide what sort of light bulb they like you see. Unlike killing a baby, which is your choice, of course.
Mansel Rogerson
Yes it was then Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull who in 2007 introduced the ban on incandescents which took effect in 2009. It was claimed at the time to be a “world first”. A world first for stupidity perhaps!
Ewan McDonald, Victoria
Yikes, I stand corrected.
Damien Spillane
Its not just the people mentioned, but perhaps one-half the federal Liberal MPs who are suspect. If my memory serves me correctly, when Abbott was elected leader he squeaked in by one vote.
Dunstan Hartley
So true Bill, I am utterly tired of hearing Malcolm Fraser constantly attack the Party he once lead. I understand that he is a life member of the Liberal Party.
Peter Coventry
True Dunstan, but many in the Liberal Party have seen the polling consequences, and have consolidated behind Mr Abbott.
The probable ratio of anti-AGW to pro-AGW within the Libs is now around 2:1, and means that Mr Turnbull (or Mr Hockey) do not have the numbers to even mount a challenge. That is why the huffing and puffing is so destructive – they can only destabilise without being able to make a successful leadership challenge.
The ratio is similar (by my estimate) to the older division of dries/wets on economic policy; the “wets” being pro-welfare, interventionists (Fraser, Hewson, Turnbull, Hockey) and the “dries” being the economic rationalists following broadly the Austrian School economics model. (Why anyone would label them economic rationalists and then gleefully believe themselves to be the opposite is beyond me.)
Similarly on the ALP side, there is a small rump of rationalists (Ferguson, the retired Tanner, maybe even Combet) who are anti-AGW and pro traditional Labour values. I still see them as being closer to socialistic policies than the Liberals but party lines are much more rigid here than in the USA so it’s not likely we will see what we hope for – musical chairs in Parliament.
John Angelico
Of course one should look at how people treat their marriage vows – at least in the case of Bob Hawke and John Hewson – they have no moral credibility!
Stephen White
Very funny and straight to the point, but oh boy carol and alice were a lot better looking than JULIAR.
Brian Carrick
Good one Bill!
I think Malcolm already resigned his Liberal Party membership a few years ago. Who knows if Hewson is still a member? The more I see and hear of Hewson, I think it may have been a good thing that he lost the 1993 federal election when we almost had him as our PM.
Ewan McDonald, Victoria
Yes he would have been bad news Ewan.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Another bad egg though, not as bad as Hewson and Fraser yet, is Malcolm Turnbull.
Whilst he can be effective sometimes (like against the NBN white elephant) I have found his recent betrayals particularly unpleasant.
People should send him a message encouraging him to stop betraying the Liberal Party values and supplying free ammunition to the government;
http://www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/contact/
Damien Spillane
Thanks Damien
Yes he is bad news as well. OK then, let’s make it a fivesome.
And yes it is worth writing him, asking him which party he really belongs to.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Damien Spillane: that’s debatable actually. Remember who banned the Edison lightbulb and forced us to use dim toxic mercury fluoros?
Jonathan Sarfati, US
Jonathan
I thought that was in the US where they banned those light bulbs?
Damien Spillane
Hi Damien,
They’re banned in Australia I’m afraid. Just check your local supermarket. It’s too much of an important decision to let people decide what sort of light bulb they like you see. Unlike killing a baby, which is your choice, of course.
Mansel Rogerson
Yes it was then Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull who in 2007 introduced the ban on incandescents which took effect in 2009. It was claimed at the time to be a “world first”. A world first for stupidity perhaps!
Ewan McDonald, Victoria
Yikes, I stand corrected.
Damien Spillane
Its not just the people mentioned, but perhaps one-half the federal Liberal MPs who are suspect. If my memory serves me correctly, when Abbott was elected leader he squeaked in by one vote.
Dunstan Hartley
So true Bill, I am utterly tired of hearing Malcolm Fraser constantly attack the Party he once lead. I understand that he is a life member of the Liberal Party.
Peter Coventry
True Dunstan, but many in the Liberal Party have seen the polling consequences, and have consolidated behind Mr Abbott.
The probable ratio of anti-AGW to pro-AGW within the Libs is now around 2:1, and means that Mr Turnbull (or Mr Hockey) do not have the numbers to even mount a challenge. That is why the huffing and puffing is so destructive – they can only destabilise without being able to make a successful leadership challenge.
The ratio is similar (by my estimate) to the older division of dries/wets on economic policy; the “wets” being pro-welfare, interventionists (Fraser, Hewson, Turnbull, Hockey) and the “dries” being the economic rationalists following broadly the Austrian School economics model. (Why anyone would label them economic rationalists and then gleefully believe themselves to be the opposite is beyond me.)
Similarly on the ALP side, there is a small rump of rationalists (Ferguson, the retired Tanner, maybe even Combet) who are anti-AGW and pro traditional Labour values. I still see them as being closer to socialistic policies than the Liberals but party lines are much more rigid here than in the USA so it’s not likely we will see what we hope for – musical chairs in Parliament.
John Angelico
Of course one should look at how people treat their marriage vows – at least in the case of Bob Hawke and John Hewson – they have no moral credibility!
Stephen White
Very funny and straight to the point, but oh boy carol and alice were a lot better looking than JULIAR.
Brian Carrick