Grumpy Old Man #auspol

My distaste for our political class may simply be because I am a grumpy old man. Or because I haven't slurped down enough of the kool aid. Who knows?

But the more I see and hear of our Prime Minister - the less impressed I am. She started out a year ago as a novice but has quickly adopted those quirky characteristics of the political bovver boys. Some might use that as evidence of a fast learner. I would suggest that it's more likely evidence of a slow thinker.

During her reign she has vigorously pursued the bogan - as though this cultural icon will be her political saviour. When all it has done is further alienate thinking Australians.

She has sucked up to the American president and congress and military industrial complex - so now we are part of the US too whether we want to be or not. No debate, no discussion and no consideration of alternatives - all very democratic.

She has even made speeches to the corporate class about how those Australians on welfare need to get off their bums and get back to work. Presumably to fill all those imaginary jobs that are only visible from Canberra.

And she and her Treasurer are pursuing neo-liberal policies that are more aligned with her political foes than a compassionate Labor Government. The economy is slowing, unemployment is growing and yet they are madly in pursuit of a budget surplus. Clever politics. Not.

But the most distressing thing is how she has responded to our citizens who are in trouble abroad.

Julian Assange has been under house arrest in the UK for a year and is about to be sent to Sweden to answer imaginary charges. And once there he will be despatched to the US where a grand jury is waiting to lock him away forever - or worse. For what? Because he dared to tell the truth and expose the hypocrisy of US foreign policy.

All the while our Prime Minister says and does nothing to support him. She is being puppeted by her new best friend Obama.

But closer to home we have a 14 year old boy in jail in Bali - who was caught buying drugs.

And she is all over him like a rash. Calling him on the phone, sending our Ambassador out to negotiate, speaking to the Indonesian President about him and generally lobbying to get the dope back home again.

This pantomime might appeal to her new bogan constituents who will be comforted that she will go into bat for them when they get caught with drugs in Bali - but it doesn't do anything for the rest of us.

Assange is a national hero - and the boy is a bogan dope. And who does our Prime Minister support?

PS An update here.