We can't expect the middle class handwringers to be internally consistent now
10.03.2026 01:46
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We can't expect the middle class handwringers to be internally consistent now
Unlike my take, which is its all sinister and that's good actually.
I'm so jealous I can't make it 😭
There's probably other better definitions out there but that's usually how I think of it, and why I get annoyed with how many people flippantly accuse campaigns of not being grassroots merely because they don't align with their own particular political aesthetics or priorities.
I just don't know what people think grassroots means.
IMO its just a campaign that is
self-organised (opposite: "astroturfing")
by individuals (opposite: "lobbying")
who aren't motivated by
(1) the profit motive (opposite: "corruption") or
(2) advancing another cause (opposite: "cooptation")
The rich and well connected are perfectly able to politically organise. In fact, they're famously very good at it. It's kinda why everything is the way that it is.
If these people didn't believe in things like "choice in education" and subsidising the lifestyles of the wealthy, they wouldn't be in the Liberals.
This article has the order of operations wrong just to insinuate some kind of conspiracy.
The only difference between this and any number of unions, ENGOs, community campaigns, whatever, is that everyone involved is a fuckton more rich than the rest of us and outsources a lot of the work to paid consultants.
This is an odd article imo. Noone should be surprised that former staffers are politically active and capable of running sophisticated issues campaigns nor that they might leverage their connections with former MPs and lobbyists to advance their cause.
Esoteric Ebb is quite good.
That’s right
Consider outsourcing your opinions to some kind of collective. Perhaps a hive mind.
Everyone should have fewer opinions.
I think they'd really hate to be given that responsibility. Given the unpopularity of anything that whiffs of "snouts at the trough", AEC would be worried that any decision would tarnish their reputation.
I recommend it be with the Independent Remuneration Tribunal.
You can read my whole take on this LinkedIn blog (let's connect like share subscribe etc).
Voters notice this kind of "horse trading" and they respect all politicians and the very idea of representative democracy less when it happens.
This discretion makes negotiation unequal between government and opposition. The opposition can only negotiate over the substance of a policy or whether to support or oppose legislation – while the government can dangle what should be either an operational or political resource instead.
Last year, I wrote that the Prime Ministerial discretion to allocate political staff undermines trust by creating perverse incentives in negotiation.
Today, the Coalition revealed that Labor tried to secure support for their FOI reforms by restoring the entitlement slashed after the May election.
Submissions are open for the federal Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs' inquiry into racism, hate, and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Mob, I know you've got something to say.
Mates, spread the word.
Great timing too since just yesterday the Victorian Parliamentary inquiry into consultation practices cited research from @ethangilbert.bsky.social and @yimby.melbourne on demographic skew, building on earlier work I did on the inclusion of young people and renters in housing policy
oh baby time for another banger from @kjephd.bsky.social
An update your enrolment jingle would go off ngl.
I pointed this out in my JSCEM submission last year, but if we're worried about public participation, civic engagement, social cohesion and the obesity crisis, we have a perfectly good advertising campaign we can just slot into socials advertising spends nationwide right now...
A reminder that one year in, congestion pricing has clearly been a successful policy: www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
It’s so petty but it’s SOOO funny
oh god why do I read comments
$775 a week. Statewide is $625 a week and Brisbane is $690 a week.
hey now
Applications close in 3 days! 👀
👉 www.screenaustralia.gov.au/funding-and-...
The median rent in the Gold Coast is rapidly approaching $1000 a week.