" Yeah, yeah, I'm very concerned about global warming"The other day I ran into the local Green candidate, handing out material outside my local supermarket*, which lead in turn to the following exchange.
Green candidate: “Hello there, interested in voting Green?”
Me: “Not really, thanks.”
Green candidate (surprised): “Why not?”
Me: “I’ve met too many of them.”
Which lead in turn to a polite, short, discussion about my aversion to most things Green, which in turn lead to me thinking why so many passionate, polite, well-educated Greens voters give me the flying shits.
In part, I think, it’s because so many of them have that air of deeply self satisfied, self-righteousness that reminds me of members of a fundamental religion. If you disagree with them, then you’re not just wrong; you’re evil, brainwashed, a spawn of darkness. I had a blazing row with an old mate of mine because I refused to regard Victoria’s desalination plant as “sinister conspiracy to privatize our water”**.
It’s probably just as well that I didn’t tell her that, in my opinion, organic food was over-priced crap, with no good evidence that it’s better for either you or the environment.
The other thing that shits me about the Green is their immovable conviction that they’re somehow spin-free “brave truth tellers”.
Are they bollocks!
In my experience, the Greens are the biggest spin-merchants around – they’re just better at looking sincere while they do it.
Oh and they voted with the Tories on the Government’s ETS legislation in the Senate.
That should just about do it.
* Although, given my local shopping centre does attract rather more than its fair share of “colourful local identities”, I have to salute her courage.
** Alcohol may have also been involved.
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I'm only considering voting for them because of the three, they a) support same-sex marriage, and b) are against the internet filter.
But I haven't fully read through all of their policies yet, and I'm sure there will be things in there I disagree with. Like legalisation of drugs, for instance.
I think the plan for the internet filter has been dropped, Puss.
I've gone off the Greens this year (although I always eat my greens!)
In the first place, the sanctimoniousness and airfairycharkhaness which is so characteristic of the average Green voter pisses me right off. In the second place, even though she's gone, I think Carmen Lawrence is the cat's pyjamas, and in the third place, because they bore me to tears
I agree Puss, not very happy re: Gillard's anti-gay marriage stance and the internet filter. I will vote Labor but I'm not very starry-eyed about it as it stands at the moment
Not completely, Ramon. It was just put on hold until after the election. I haven't read anywhere that Conroy is dropping it completely.
Didn't your local Greens MP get expelled after rooting some odious Tory, Squib.
Is the filter really off the agenda Ramon? I am unsure who to vote for, since people seem to still forget that although the leader has changed, the fucked up policies/initiatives/failed promises of the current government are still swimming around. And while the Herald Sun keeps putting any cartoon with Tony Abbott featured with him wearing budgie smugglers, I keep getting a little bit of sick coming up.
Yes but she holds her seat and there are rumours that she may move from Independent to Liberal. If that happens, all hell will break loose
That would be Liberal National Party candidate Rebecca Docherty, Witchy.
Lefties in general seem to think they've arrived at their position using cool, rational logic and that everyone else is biased.
Why I will be voting Green: Gillard has sold out on the environment. The best way I know to keep the pressure on Government to address climate change is to vote Green.
Labor continues to be disappointing. Abbott is unthinkable. We are back to voting for the lesser evil as usual.
The same Greens that voted with the Liberals on the ETS, Patchie?
I'm with Puss in thinking that the internet filter has been delayed rather than dropped - unless you know something that the rest of us don't, Ramon?
Didn't your local Greens MP get expelled after rooting some odious Tory, Squib.
I was shocked when I heard about this. Mainly because I couldn't believe that anyone would want to have sex with this cunt.
It’s probably just as well that I didn’t tell her that, in my opinion, organic food was over-priced crap, with no good evidence that it’s better for either you or the environment.
Not long ago, I was talking to an old cocky mate who had gone organic (due to the high prices) and had been left a little disillusioned by the experience. Apparently, the methods that many organic farmers use are more harmful to the environment than some of the equivalent non-organic processes.
I think I might vote Green too, this time around. But in the end, Labor will no doubt get my preference before the Libs.
Abbott is unthinkable.
Agreed. His stance on RU-486 and that little speech about abortion being the shame of the nation pretty much sealed that one for me.
The same Greens that voted with the Liberals on the ETS, Patchie? Because the emission reduction target wasn't ambitious enough. The Rudd Govt failed to consult or negotiate with the Greens at all over that. Gillards policy seems a complete reverse on this, inviting others to duke it out which will probably leave the ETS in limbo. This is not the kind of leadership I'm looking for.
I don't know about self righteousness . . to me sorting out climate change is about self preservation and the longer we leave this the harder it's going to hurt us all. I really don't want these delays to rob the baby boomers of the opportunity to share the burden of contributing to the solution, however keen some of them are to deny climate change and avoid 'big new taxes'. We need an ETS and we need it fast.
The Greens didn't control the Senate, Patchie.
In order to get an ETS up, Rudd had to negotiate with either the Liberals or the Greens AND Steve Fielding AND Nick Xenophon.
And there was no way Fielding was going to vote with the Greens on this.
So, in the end, instead of having an imperfect ETS that could be used as a starting point - we now have nothing.
I am saying this from the perspective of living in a safe Labor seat . . if I lived in a marginal electorate I'd vote Labor just to keep Abbott out.
But yeah I would have preferred an imperfect ETS than none at all - I'm not saying the Greens are perfect, they are far from it.
All good Patchie.
Alex, rather reminds me of the old saying that political power is the only way ugly people can have sex.
Don't know what Pers' problem is, though.
Ramon, I guess that must be true for ugliness of character as well as appearance.
Also, didn't Fielding get that seat over the Greens due to Labor preferences? Kind of a self-inflicted wound, if that's the case. In any event, I can't imagine anyone will be shedding any tears when he goes.
Alex it's complicated but to put it briefly; Fielding got up in 2004because the ALP and Democrat votes both collapsed.
Whoops. That ugliness of character thing was not directed at Perseus.
My cousin is running as a greens candidate in the next election.
Not the sort of person I want in public office.
Having never updated my address on the electoral roll since I turned 18, Im still enrolled in McEwan, the most marginal seat in the country!
Only 27 votes the difference at the last election.
I feel like a kingmaker.
I'm liking the increase of kitteh pictures on this blog.
I honestly don't know who to vote for. I'm going to be in Paris on the 21st of August, celebrating my flatmate's 38th birthday. I'll be hard pressed to care at that point.
I may end up voting Green. I haven't done that since the first Federal election I voted in. At the time I was a first year Bachelor of Arts student & was pretty much just as apathetic about the outcome as I am now.
I might end up voting Labor.
If you hear I've voted Liberal, you'll know I've been kidnapped by aliens and forced against my will to say so.
The election *is* on the 21st of August, isn't it?
I would never vote Liberal so I'll probably vote Labor. I voted Greens a couple of times in the past but it always just feels like a wasted vote. "Sending a message?" I don't know.
For me it's a case of not voting Liberal and that's a bit sad. Where is the Julia of parliament? There's even something weird going on with her face and it's like a different person.
We were watching some of the "debate" the other night and our small boy (11) said: "I think if I was voting I'd vote for Abbott."
It took all I had to NOT say "A person who votes Liberal can't be in the family any more."
I suspect my husband has voted Liberal in the past and it's a suspicion that makes my stomach roil, more than say anything else he might be hiding in his past.
I'm liking the increase of kitteh pictures on this blog.
EMS, the latest one was my own personal homage to the classic Goodies episode Kitten Kong which was on the other night.
The election is on Saturday, 21st August.
You can lodge a vote before you leave at Australia House in London.
There's even something weird going on with her face and it's like a different person.
If I had to guess, I'd say that the stress of the campaign coupled with the stress of whatever's going on behind the scenes of the Labor party is taking its toll - but in my opinion, she's starting to look a bit like Margaret Thatcher with different hair. I know that's going to upset some people here, but if you look from a purely objective standpoint (remembering to disregard the hair), I think you'll see what I mean.
I rather like First Dog's take on this.
What does he expect of the Australian, Ramon?
It has been overtly right-wing for ages now, and tabloidy. The two seem to go together.
Ha! I just did the little Vote-a-Matic quiz over on the SMH website.
My results were:
68.8% Greens
18.8% Labor
12.5% Liberal
12.5% Liberal
Is there something you can take for that?
Puss, it's a shame you can't just vote for individual policies rather than political parties.
Squib - Ha! There are very few liberal policies I agree with. Abolishing compulsory student unionism was one of them. I'm annoyed one of the parties was considering bringing it back in. It was probably Labor, but I can't really remember.
It took all I had to NOT say "A person who votes Liberal can't be in the family any more.
Really Melba?
I say that to my family all the time.
18.8% Labor
12.5% Liberal
There are very few liberal policies I agree with.
And almost as few Labor ones, I guess.
No, it's just that I like the sound of the Greens' policies better than Labor's on a lot of the issues. But I suspect if it had been a two-party quiz, Liberal wouldn't have received any more than the 12.5% they did the first time. Which means Labor would have received 87.5%.
He's only 11 Ramon. When he's 18 I'll say it if necessary.
The latest tittle-tattle from Laurie Oakes has prompted me to donate $100 to the ALP.
So, thanks for that Laurie.
Personally, I'm starting to get ticked-off with people discussing how sex and family status are not at issue and the general paradoxical nature of said discussion.
Still not quite enough to donate, as of yet, though.
I did that quiz too (Labor 67 %) & I reckon the content is beyond a lot of voters.
As for your Green voters thesis.... 3 words: Walter Jeremy Sear.
Re same sex marriage, I reckon we should not be extending this right, this custom, we should be revoking it. Stamp it out, damn the wedding planners!
Catlick, I reckon Jules is thinking
"What, they all want to get married now?
Cripes, when I was on the left is was a 'bourgeois patriarchal snare and delusion'.
WTF!"
The funereal rendition of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" in the Big Chill is a wedding march.
EMS, the latest one was my own personal homage to the classic Goodies episode Kitten Kong which was on the other night.
Oh, that's my favourite episode. Up until a fortnight ago, I was living in Cricklewood which is where The Goodies is set. At least, that's what Wikipedia tells me. I trust Wikipedia on those important details.
There weren't any giant kittehs around when I lived there.
You can lodge a vote before you leave at Australia House in London.
Excellent, that's what I thought. Ta, Ramon.
Ramon, have been reading about Julias past relationship with the then married Craig Emerson.
Most journos appear to be side-stepping it, but im sure it will get some play before the election.
Do you think it will hurt her? I mean...Emo of all people
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