Is Katter a Marxist?

[Richo83]

This question was posed via a twit on q and a. Or at least a socialist or sorts. He has complained about the deregulation and free trade of the agriculture and manufacturing sector. These sound like ramblings of a unionist, not a conservative rural. How he can throw his giant hat in the ring of the libs who openly support free trade, deregulation and no tariffs I have no idea. It's also clear this is probably the issue he's most passionate about. Yes, he may oppose the mining tax and the emissions trading scheme, he's also dismissing one of the key liberal policy platforms (workchoices anyone?). He also seems to think it's a great loss to lose our manufacturing and agriculture sector, two bugbears of the union movement.

I mean I don't agree with him but if he's honest he seemingly can't go on with what everyone is suggesting he is going to do (and vote liberal). What do people think? He certainly proved what I said today that he's barking mad.

 

[evo]

Katter was amusing when he crazy old Costanza airing his grievances last week, but the more he talks the more you realise what a dangerous loon he is now he has an unprecedented power opportunity.

Hopefully neither of the majors have bent to many of his secret list of 20 demands. it was heartening to see Beattie joining Minchin in calling him on his tarriff bullshit.

 

[Richo83]

Agreed, so he's not an economic liberal, and he's not of labor, so what is he going to do? Set up a tent for the revival of the protectionist party?

 

[evo]

He's just an idiot.

It looks like the ALP are going to form government and it's going to be a nightmare trying to form policy with Brandt/ Brown in one ear and Crazy Bob Katter, Wilkie and Oakshott in the other.

 

[Old Spice]

Bandt fool.

You guys must be just out of your blouses if you don't understand this situation.

Rural Australia has always relied on state support for delivery of infrastructure and services. If country people had to rely on the real costs of delivering letters, laying telco cable, providing roads, etc., the cost would be enormous, in fact untenable.

This is part of the explanation for rifts within the Coalition. The Liberals are free-marketeers by conviction, the National Party conservatives by inclination. On some issues, they agree, but there is a bifurcation over protectionist measures.

There's nothing Marxist about protectionism bird-brain.

 

[Richo83]

Of course I know he isn't a Marxist, it was just a question posed on q and a which I said. All I said was there's an inconsistency with liberal and nat/ind policy, which you've agreed with. So why the insults if you agree with what I said?

 

[Old Spice]

Of course I know he isn't a Marxist, it was just a question posed on q and a which I said. All I said was there's an inconsistency with liberal and nat/ind policy, which you've agreed with. So why the insults if you agree with what I said?

You also said:

These sound like ramblings of a unionist, not a conservative rural. How he can throw his giant hat in the ring of the libs who openly support free trade, deregulation and no tariffs I have no idea...

He certainly proved what I said today that he's barking mad.

Why is it barking mad and why do you not get it? I get the distinct feeling you not only wonder about these matters, but disapprove. Am I wrong?

 

[Richo83]

Why is it barking mad

Listen to him for about five minutes, then get back to me.

and why do you not get it?

Katter opposes free trade.

The liberals support free trade.

Katter and the libs reach conflict.

Pretty simple I thought. Evo got it.

I get the distinct feeling you not only wonder about these matters, but disapprove. Am I wrong?

No, but even if I oppose free trade, is my point about Katter not being able to support the libs wrong? Because that was my point of the thread. So, given I was right about this point, and you agree with me on this, I dunno why you're arguing with me.

 

[Richo83]

He's just an idiot.

It looks like the ALP are going to form government and it's going to be a nightmare trying to form policy with Brandt/ Brown in one ear and Crazy Bob Katter, Wilkie and Oakshott in the other.

This, Wilkie, Oakschott and Windsor are not as bad as Bob it seems but you're right, it's an unstable scenario.

 

[Old Spice]

Listen to him for about five minutes, then get back to me.



Katter opposes free trade.

The liberals support free trade.

Katter and the libs reach conflict.

Pretty simple I thought. Evo got it.



No, but even if I oppose free trade, is my point about Katter not being able to support the libs wrong? Because that was my point of the thread. So, given I was right about this point, and you agree with me on this, I dunno why you're arguing with me.

Alright Richo, I love you, like your misguided namesake. Accept my apologies.

 

[Chops_a_must]

This question was posed via a twit on q and a. Or at least a socialist or sorts. He has complained about the deregulation and free trade of the agriculture and manufacturing sector. These sound like ramblings of a unionist, not a conservative rural. How he can throw his giant hat in the ring of the libs who openly support free trade, deregulation and no tariffs I have no idea. It's also clear this is probably the issue he's most passionate about. Yes, he may oppose the mining tax and the emissions trading scheme, he's also dismissing one of the key liberal policy platforms (workchoices anyone?). He also seems to think it's a great loss to lose our manufacturing and agriculture sector, two bugbears of the union movement.

I mean I don't agree with him but if he's honest he seemingly can't go on with what everyone is suggesting he is going to do (and vote liberal). What do people think? He certainly proved what I said today that he's barking mad.

He's more your Catch-22 brand Communist.

Reminds me A LOT of my incoherent 16 year old self.

And it is no surprise he has a lot in common with the Greens on a lot of economic issues.

Great to have that bent in politics I reckon. There are a lot more people with similar views to him than what elections would indicate.

Would be really good if thanks to him and the Greens we could push the ETO environmental - agric tarriffs button.

 

[evo]

Bandt fool.

Agreed.

 

[lemon chicken]

This thread probably sums up why he is an independent. He's not part of either party yet is forced to support one because they are both so incompotent.

 

[MightyFighting]

I'd like to know when and how protectionism became confused with Marxism.

 

[simpleton]

Katter is nothing like a Marxist. He is a caricature of a 18th century mercantilist who typically believes that tariffs are beneficial and that large reserves of gold (or US dollars today) are a measure of wealth. This type of thinking has long been refuted by the likes of Adam Smith (Wealth of Nations), David Hume and David Ricardo (Theory of Comparative Advantage)

 

[Richo83]

I'd like to know when and how protectionism became confused with Marxism.

It hasn't, read the op, especially the first two sentences. It was a reference to q and a last night.

 

[Clay Davis]

Country conservatism is pretty much socialism with a huge hatred of unions.

 

[Richo83]

Well then, how do the liberals feel about having a protectionist on their side? How are they going to get workplace reform through?

 

[MightyFighting]

It hasn't, read the op, especially the first two sentences. It was a reference to q and a last night.

The sender of that SMS last night must night must have confused protectionism with Marxism.


In other news... Oakeshott and Windsor back Gillard for PM. Katter throws his support behind Sir Edmond Barton.

 

[Chops_a_must]

Country conservatism is pretty much socialism with a huge hatred of unions.

Catch-22 Communist.

The more alf-alfa he doesn't grow, the more the government pays him.

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Bandt fool.

Bandt is as much of a 'Marxist' as Bligh, Howes or Gillard are, I'd suggest. All have had the same sorts of ties to such groupings in the past. But I don't reckon anyone would seriously describe them in that way now.

It's important to reiterate, for instance, that at the same time as Bandt was involved in Trotskyite activities back in 1995, Howes was also a Trotskyite, and lived in Cuba for 9 months of that year.