Clive Palmer 'the populist'
snidely 'second guessing' the easy winners
Wit and policy 'on the fly'
Racism - It's a hit and miss affair
Several commentators mentioned of Clive's appearance on ABC's Q&A panel the other night - where he had so cleverly picked up on the 'populist winners' as they were delivered from the audience. Easy pickings!
How he had garnered the easy points that were there and just cast them into his policy bag as he went along ...just another night at the office.
Until he delivered a colourful rant against 'Chinese Bastards' as the debate went on. This was then seen as: a side issue, to do with his company problems, more just Clive being Clive. Perhaps not.
If you roll it up with all the other populist points he tucked away during that debate ...this I suggest was just another. As soon as he sensed though how poorly timed it was, he then attempted to 'wrap it up in a blanket of concern' re: communism, "shooting their own people", buying our ports...facts instead of his summary views.
Clive Palmer, just like Pauline Hanson before him, has a mistaken belief that all Australians if given the chance will respond to a racist call. I suggest that Clive was simply 'tucking another populist point in the bag' when he second guessed himself on racism as soon as the words slipped from his mouth. The tirade that followed was then camouflage for what he had unwittingly allowed to creep into his agenda . Quick wit and 'policy making on the fly' are strange bedfellows.
But why did he then carry on so to such an extent? He knows that that he cannot afford to be compared with Hanson. She proved that Australians will think through the real issues over time and see racism calls for what they are. Bunkum!
I blogged on 'White Australia policy' in this country only five days back. It is well and truly buried and so will Clive be if he allows himself to put up side by side against Hanson. People will readily see a lot of comparisons to her that will not speak well to his judgement. Voters at the end of the day in this country, once the fanfare is done, try to seek out 'integrity'.
Perhaps the 'populist' Messiah has fallen at the first turn...
There is a chap in a social club to which I belong who regularly emails around racist rants to 'all and sundry' on our common email list. He has been admonished time and time again by return emails. But he just doesn't get it. Regardless of what continues to happen, he just keeps sending them. He believes in his heart that everyone thinks the same way he does. He will keep doing it. Somehow he filters out the reality. Sad really.
Just getting back to Clive as he delivered his rant about "Chinese bastards" ...sitting right next to him was Penny Wong . I was embarrassed for you Clive and if per chance you don't think to apologise to her ...I will right now. Sorry Ms Wong. He knows not what he does.
The Others
You took me in when I needed help
I know that you are my friend
He vouched for me also at that time
A ready hand to lend
She too was like a sister to me
Without asking a thing in return
But it's not about them of whom I speak
It’s the others that I spurn
I didn’t mean you, when I spoke of ‘a plot’
I didn’t mean him, involved he’s not
I didn’t mean her, I’d be needlessly hurting
It’s the rest of the others to whom I’m referring
It’s all the others, who offer a threat
It’s all the others, whose intent I get
It's all about them, their motives aren't true
I know this just simply, because …I do!
from my desktop Grahame J Flynn
