and it's just monday morning

[tielan]

Melbourne went back into hard lockdown this morning. Too many people thinking Level 3 didn't apply to them, so now it's Level 4: pretty much full lockdown - no going anywhere unelss you have a really good reason (medical, shopping, necessary work, urgent travel).

Meanwhile all the people who were screeching that the (non-conservative party) Premier of Victoria was being a wanky no-fun Lurch (literally used the word) are now yelling at him for 'failing' the state. Murdoch Media is 100% promoting this, having 100% derided him when he shut things down the first time. They've got him coming and going.

Thing is, Dan Andrews the Victorian Premier has been dealing with the crisis with grace and class. He may not have done everything perfectly (and, let's be real, with idiots out there DESPERATE to believe that everything is 'normal' not to mention the encouragement by Murdoch Media and the state conservatives to behave like it's not a problem, it was never going to be even close to perfect) but he's under a lot of pressure and he hasn't broken yet. He has no public support from anyone - not the PM (of the opposite party), not any of his fellow state premiers, not even his own party (who aren't in power anyway, and aren't terribly assuming anyway).

A politician's ass and his talking donkey are a dime a dozen these days, but a statesman in Australian politics? So much harder to find. Frankly, the last few months have proven to me that Dan Andrews is not a mere pollie, but a statesman of the kind we don't see anymore.

Comments

[wpadmirer]

Sounds like a good man. Yeah, Murdoch and his media are all assholes. They are propping up Trump in the USA. Ridiculous.

[tielan]

I don't know about 'good man' or not, I never noticed him until COVID19 happened, but the man is an absolute trooper, whether or not I agree with his political decisions.

[ladyjax]

I feel the same way about Gavin Newsome. Not my first choice for governor, but he's done the best he can with some very bad hands. Granted, we've had some missteps, some of which were in his power to mitigate, and others that weren't, but at this point, he's trying to keep us on course. It's all anyone can ask for now.

[tielan]

we've had some missteps, some of which were in his power to mitigate, and others that weren't, but at this point, he's trying to keep us on course

Yep. And all the people screaming for his resignation would be shitting themselves if he walked away from the helm. Or screaming about how he's betrayed them. Something.

[deird1]

Dan Andrews is superb, and I wish there was a simple way for me to send him flowers or something - because right now he looks so tired, and I just feel bad for the poor man.

So far, Level 4 seems to be meaning that we're all doing what we were supposed to be during Level 3, i.e. hunkering down at home. Except that childcare is closed, which sucks for many of my friends.

[tielan]

Yeah, I want to leave food on his family's doorstep or something. And he can't give up or give in, because that would only feed the sharks circling around him. The only way is through and out the other end; and I am literally praying the guy has good and supportive networks.

Man, childcare. I have a whole level of rant on that.