The art of debate in politics has been lost.
Forget what the voters want, it is so much easier to sling mud at each other.
Most people don't like politicians any more because they've lost their way.
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Dissing wisdom of the AbbottThe rector of Sydney's most high profile Catholic boys' school has gone into print criticising Old Boy Tony Abbott over his attitude to refugees.
In a piece in the latest St Ignatius (Riverview) newsletter, Father Ross Jones, SJ slammed Abbott for saying he would tow illegal boats back into Indonesian waters.
''He would then steal the bulk of their fuel, to ensure they stayed there. How demeaning a mission for this nation's navy. The navy is called the senior service. Some service. When challenged on talkback radio recently that this was un-Christian, Mr Abbott simply retorted that he didn't think it was a very Christian thing for asylum seekers to come in by the back door and not the front door.''
Commenting on the recent parliamentary debate on refugee policy, Father Jones said that the arguments were ''mean-spirited … lamentable … and lacking in moral fibre.''
Riverview is run by the Jesuits, who are unafraid of a good stoush. After the 2010 election campaign, principal Shane Hogan wrote that
neither Abbott nor Julia Gillard had showed Ignatian leadership, adding that the art of debate was ''not to condemn your opponent but to point out why your arguments were more credible''.Several parents rang up threatening to cancel their cheques.
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/private-sydney/kidmans-urban-renewal-20120803-23...