The Mad Monk strikes again.

[redandblack]

Sometimes Psyber, it's much better to admit you were on the wrong track, than continue to bark up the wrong tree (no extra charge for the metaphors).

All neutral commentators on this matter of debt agree that Australia's debt is not a problem.

If you still haven't made up your mind about Barnaby's suitability for the job, it's time to take the blinkers off, instead of googling away to find a reason to keep him

[mick]

R&B The head Reserve Bank has cautioned that if government spending continues the way it is at the moment then interest rates will need to rise. http://www.smh.com.au/business/interest-rate-rises-in-labor-hands-20100209-npro.htmlThis is fine for me, I have no debt but it will be hard on new home owners.

[fisho mcspaz]

090823_-_deconstructing_barnaby_joyce_-_august_2009.jpg (27.27 KiB) Viewed 498 times

[Psyber]

Sometimes Psyber, it's much better to admit you were on the wrong track, than continue to bark up the wrong tree (no extra charge for the metaphors).
All neutral commentators on this matter of debt agree that Australia's debt is not a problem.
If you still haven't made up your mind about Barnaby's suitability for the job, it's time to take the blinkers off, instead of googling away to find a reason to keep him

A very familiar line with those of us who lived, and tried to run businesses through, the Whitlam era and the Hawke/Keating era.
They, too, claimed support from "all" "neutral" commentators and experts for the debt they were piling up.
I had hoped it wouldn't turn out to be more of the same under this government, but the level of debt we now have concerns me.
I looks like it will now result in the same pattern - a series of interest rate rises, and another inflationary spiral, like those in the other eras.
I hope it won't be as bad, but I'm preparing for it...

The trick is to be ready to ride the inflation, then bail out before the rising interest rates catch you and kill you.
I pulled it off by cashing in my assets in 1987 before the 1988 collapse and re-investing after the recovery began.
Then, Victoria and SA were nearly bankrupted by their state bank debt, and their equally huge unfunded superannuation liabilities...
I remember Don Dunstan saying, in the 1970s, that it was OK for the government to spend its superannuation funds, "because we are the government and we'll put it back when it is needed."
History proved him wrong...

History may yet prove Barnaby Joyce right in this case, though I am not yet convinced he is the right man for the job.
I won't make up my mind about that on only two media reports, and having seen only one of them, even with your divine certainty to guide me...

[mick]

Sometimes Psyber, it's much better to admit you were on the wrong track, than continue to bark up the wrong tree (no extra charge for the metaphors).
All neutral commentators on this matter of debt agree that Australia's debt is not a problem.
If you still haven't made up your mind about Barnaby's suitability for the job, it's time to take the blinkers off, instead of googling away to find a reason to keep him

A very familiar line with those of us who lived, and tried to run businesses through, the Whitlam era and the Hawke/Keating era.
They, too, claimed support from "all" "neutral" commentators and experts for the debt they were piling up.
I had hoped it wouldn't turn out to be more of the same under this government, but the level of debt we now have concerns me.
I looks like it will now result in the same pattern - a series of interest rate rises, and another inflationary spiral, like those in the other eras.
I hope it won't be as bad, but I'm preparing for it...

The trick is to be ready to ride the inflation, then bail out before the rising interest rates catch you and kill you.
I pulled it off by cashing in my assets in 1987 before the 1988 collapse and re-investing after the recovery began.
Then, Victoria and SA were nearly bankrupted by their state bank debt, and their equally huge unfunded superannuation liabilities...
I remember Don Dunstan saying, in the 1970s, that it was OK for the government to spend its superannuation funds, "because we are the government and we'll put it back when it is needed."
History proved him wrong...

History may yet prove Barnaby Joyce right in this case, though I am not yet convinced he is the right man for the job.
I won't make up my mind about that on only two media reports, and having seen only one of them, even with your divine certainty to guide me...

GOLD! Is R&B's name Benedict by any chance?

[Leaping Lindner]

This is one of my more favourite recent "Joyce-isms". This is from his own website when talking about global warming and climate change....

Many Australians would have collapsed on the ground laughing at Mr Rudd giving his advice on how everything would be fine by 2050. The reality is Mr Rudd that at the end of the day, quite unsurprisingly, a lot of us will be dead in 2050. If that’s your definition of things being better, then I’ve got some really serious concerns about where we are now.

So what Mr Joyce? Stuff the future - stuff the kids - stuff the grandkids. Sorry we ****ed the planet and good luck with that.

He is Joh for a new century this bloke.

[Jimmy_041]

Hey - at least Abbott is a lot less boring than Rudd

[redandblack]

Psyber, I won't quote your last post, it's a bit long, but:

1 I'm glad you made another brilliant decision in 1987/88. I'm impressed.

2 There's no way Whitlam would or could have claimed the approval of economists back then - incorrect generalisation.

3 You may not make up your mind on only 2 media reports and having only read one, but when you get the time, you can catch up on the other several dozen lampooning him as an economic idiot. Remember, this is Abbott's shadow finance spokesman.

4 It's always a joy to see two similarly partisan posters congratulate the other on a GOLDen statement. This time, though, I agree and I glad you recognised the truth of your divine statement

[Gozu]

Regardless of this guys fitness for the job, which I don't have an opinion on yet until I see a bit more, I am personally concerned about the level of debt that is being run up by our federal government.
I was not convinced the stimulus package was necessary, and while I was never a fan of Paul Keating, I don't think he would have done it - he didn't in 1987 in similar circumstances

Here's some more on the ridiculous Barnaby Joyce and his supposed "street cred", "Barnaby Joyce is Tony Abbott's secret weapon":

http://guttertrash.wordpress.com/2010/0 ... et-weapon/

[Gozu]

Former Peter Costello press secretary and member of John Howard's staff, Niki Savva on Barnaby Joyce, "If he can't back him, he has to sack him"

"There's a fine line between being affectionately wacky and being a whack job and Barnaby looks like he's crossed it."

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2814494.htm

[Psyber]

Psyber, I won't quote your last post, it's a bit long, but:
1 I'm glad you made another brilliant decision in 1987/88. I'm impressed.
2 There's no way Whitlam would or could have claimed the approval of economists back then - incorrect generalisation.
3 You may not make up your mind on only 2 media reports and having only read one, but when you get the time, you can catch up on the other several dozen lampooning him as an economic idiot. Remember, this is Abbott's shadow finance spokesman.
4 It's always a joy to see two similarly partisan posters congratulate the other on a GOLDen statement. This time, though, I agree and I glad you recognised the truth of your divine statement

1. I don't claim it was "brilliant" - that is your word. I claim it only as simple common sense based on my experience in the Whitlam era, when I missed the odd opportunity but came out OK by accident.
2. Why was that? I can't remember his exact words but I heard his justifying speeches about the economy, and that experts agreed with him.
3. There are always sites lampooning public figures, but I want the raw data not alleged "expert" opinion dressing it in their preferred direction.
4. You do seem to me to have an air of divine right in how you select and present the opinions of those you agree with.
[I accept that you would probably say the same about me.]

A brief aside: Terry Groom and Greg Crafter told me today they are now actually worried about the SA election, although they still expect a narrow win "if further scandals can be contained".
They presumably trust me to not run off to Isobel with the message there is more to look for, or, perhaps more likely, they feel it doesn't matter as the press are on the trail anyway.
Rob Kelvin was there, and just said he thought the media couldn't afford to ignore any juicy story the public may want to hear, however trivial.

[Jimmy_041]

I think your Labor friends know more than they are letting on.......

[Squawk]

A brief aside: Terry Groom and Greg Crafter told me today they are now actually worried about the SA election, although they still expect a narrow win "if further scandals can be contained".
They presumably trust me to not run off to Isobel with the message there is more to look for, or, perhaps more likely, they feel it doesn't matter as the press are on the trail anyway.
Rob Kelvin was there, and just said he thought the media couldn't afford to ignore any juicy story the public may want to hear, however trivial.

well it seems a lot of people have heard that something is ticking under the desk. Only question is, what will the timing be?

[mick]

Poor Mike, this is all so wrong

[Jimmy_041]

All Foley's fault - monkey see, monkey do

But off topic.....

Gee, Abbott doesn't look comfortable in the position

and I wouldn't let Turnbull even into the party room - he never was a team player

[Gozu]

"Be like the kiwi's says Abbott, but they can't fly":

"Tony Abbott is trying to restrain Barnaby Joyce from blurting nonsense, but who will restrain Tony Abbott?

As the head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, said in December: ''The crisis and the follow-up of the crisis … has been really well managed by the Australian government.''

http://www.smh.com.au/national/be-like- ... -nv6k.html

[Gozu]

"Managing Joyce hard task for either side":

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/ ... -nzb8.html

[Gozu]

"Abbott and Murdoch: Breakfast but no skiing...":

"There’s now a simple test for News Ltd – whether it covers Abbott’s meeting with its proprietor in the same way as it covered Conroy’s, and whether it demands the same details of Abbott as the Sunday Telegraph demanded of Conroy – what was discussed and what hospitality did Abbott enjoy from Murdoch?

And, most of all, was there a deal made between the two for favourable coverage?"

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/201 ... no-skiing/

[dedja]

The difference is that Abbott hasn't given Stokes' industry a massive financial leg up like Conroy has.

[Gingernuts]

Anyone see this?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/17/2822270.htm

Definitely some 'divine intervention' there.