Robert Menzies rolling in Sun Tzu's Grave

Peter Hartcher (the best political journalist in the country on Annabelle Crabb's bad days) quoted Robert Menzies today - "the duty of an opposition is to oppose selectively." Perhaps this could be said of the Liberal party, since only a selection of them are actually opposing an ETS. But Abbott (quoting the same article) has taken on a policy of "throwing jabs from all directions", saying that he is "asking questions here, not making policy." If that were how the art of war is conducted, entire armies would be made of archers.

Abbott seems to be doing well as leader of the Liberals - in a group who don't know where they're going, he seems to have the least idea. As a debater, I find that the best way to pursue the negative argument is to find one word of the topic or one flaw in the definition and form a case around it, but Abbott would rather attack any word of any piece of legislation without anything behind it.

Howard had a case at the 2007 election that he was the best option for the economy - not a very strong case, but a case nonetheless. Turnbull argued that the ETS (with amendments) was in the national interest, even if it wasn't in accord with Liberal policy. Nelson unfortunately didn't have time to form a policy while he was in office - other than to support Rudd (perhaps the best and certainly most effective Liberal policy this term). Abbott thus far is looking like failing faster than any of the above. He might think he's acting as the Duke of Wellington would, but while his troops were always on the move, they always stayed in formation.

Will Abbott then give us a break from T II's Napoleon Complex? O'Farrell seems to be doing well in NSW having whatever he can in a column behind him, but Turnbull's shown what happens to leaders when the columns scatter. Abbott now needs to learn something from the last NSW election. How did Iemma win? Because there was no viable alternative. Labor had lost if only there was something to win. Until the Liberals can offer some policy at a federal level, Rudd is sure to triumph.

But who am I to complain?