I watched Bolt (again) this morning, despite my personal commitment never to do so a couple of weeks back. But hey, I’m a female, we are allowed to be fickle. Seriously, if it wasn't for his guests I wouldn't bother, I find Bolt insufferable but he does have entertaining knowledge guests (usually).
The guest list today wasn't up to the usual standard. It rarely is when Nicholas Reece is on the panel. We received the usual serving of Labor propaganda from him. Gems like:
"Bill Shorten is announcing 'brave' new initiatives." Fantastic, but even if he could deliver on them, we would be paying for them for the next 100-years.
"The behaviour of TURC has been outrageous and it's 'politically' inspired mantra." Not a word about the evidence of endemic Union corruption.
As usual Mr Reece was left with egg on face over his claims that TURC had been raiding offices. He clearly wasn’t up to speed that a request was made and subsequently withdrawn. His face said it all.
Of course Bolt was ever keen to push the Malcolm Turnbull is a 'lefty' mantra. I fail to see how showing a willingness to agree to minor compromises to get policy moving is 'tipping to the left'. When this was pointed out to Bolt his rebuttal was hysterical,”But wait until he wins the election, then he is free to do what he likes.” What utter rubbish. If Turnbull wins the election, then it will be on the policies heard the party tables that the voting public agrees with. Turnbull will not be free to then turf all the policies out and bring in his own. Turnbull has committed to a cabinet government not the power of one government, a point that appears to completely escape Bolt.
Of course Bolt made not one mention of the following:
The Governments announcement of it's responses to the Financial Systems Inquiry (the Murray review) which was received positively by the public and with a notable lack of serious criticism of from either Opposition or business groups. Big tick and hardly tipping the dark side.
After months and months of stand offs agreement was reached with Labor on the China Free Trade Agreement and although very, very minor concessions were made the essence of the agreement is untouched. This agreement will now swiftly pass through parliament and will be in effect by December. Big tick to Trade Minister Andrew Robb and the Government and once again hardly tipping to the dark side.
After a minor revamp treasurer Morrison, and social services minister, Christian Porter, have presented a revamped family benefits package forsakes many controversial measures first proposed in the 2014 budget, but still cuts around $3.5bn in government benefits (mostly from single-income and single-parent families) in order to pay for the $3.5bn childcare package promised in the 2015 budget. Despite what Bolt thinks & the posturing by Labor there is a strong held view the senate will pass the package in return for various sweeteners. Treasurer Morrison isn't one to walk away from change. Certainly not tipping to the dark side merely playing smart politics.
We had the usual firm stance on the asylum seeker issue with Peter Dutton's stance on the so called asylum seeker rape claim and subsequent pregnancy and abortion farce. Same on climate.
We can only judge on what happens not what we think will happen based on the attitudes of the past as Bolt does and whether Bolt likes it or not Malcolm Turnbull has not lurched to the left and I doubt that will he. He isn't that stupid.
One point struck me today about Bolt when he was discussing left leaning media and their attacks on Christians in the media segment with Gerard Henderson. Gerald mentioned that most of the left leaning Christian attackers were people raised and educated as Christians who are now atheists. As we see time and again, those who express the most intolerance are very often converts. Ex Christians now Atheists attack other Christians. Ex Christians now Muslim jihadists attack Christians. Bolt who spends the majority of his time attacking the left and middle of the road small L Liberals like Malcolm Turnbull is the same man who campaigned twice for the Labor Party. Perhaps just another case of the converted attacking what he once supported? I wonder.
Gerard Henderson summed it beautifully with this comment during the media segment. I will preface this in stating Gerard was referring to the left; media and supporters. But I think it applies equally to those who tilt a bit further to the right as well; the ultra conservatives. He said, "When you believe your morality is higher than everyone else's, when people disagree with you they are liars and lack morality." We’ve witnessed ample evidence of that over recent weeks. If you disagree with the likes of Bolt and his supporters you are immediately accused of lacking morals, selling out your principles, you are deluded or simply dumb. The moral high ground is very crowded and it certainly isn’t the sole domain of the left.
