Carbon tax and other political matters

The Gillard government has found itself in the middle of a battle where all the people they rely on for actually holding government are insisting on getting their own way.

Independent Andrew Wilkie is demanding the implementation of the poker machine reforms he was promised by Julia Gillard - or he will pull his support for the government. Read article. Meanwhile, the Clubs owners are mounting a massive campaign opposing the reforms.

Union boss Paul Howes is insisting that he won't support the carbon tax - and potentially the government - if even ONE job is lost. As Andrew Bolt says, many, many more jobs than just one will be lost if a carbon tax is implemented - and suggests that Howes may as well pull his support now! 
When Julia Gillard took over the ALP leadership, Paul Howes was one of those supporting her... now he could end up helping those who oppose the government.

Greens Senator Bob Brown is continuing to demand action on 'climate change' - currently that is for a 'price on carbon' or 'carbon tax'. In fact the Greens want a HIGHER price - well above the possible government suggested price of $20 a tonne!
Read article... Multi-party carbon tax talks resume Tuesday,

And the Independents… well they are hanging on to a carbon tax at present – but for how long?

On the carbon tax, Rowan Dean's opinion piece highlights the fact that the government has to SELL the tax to the people. His analysis of how 'focus groups' work (and as an advertising executive, he knows how they work!) shows that the argument 'for the greater good' isn't working... which he says "must mean, to put it bluntly, that the product doesn't work". Instead, the government has chosen the line 'a million people will benefit' in a hope it will persuade people to support the tax.

A million people will benefit? What about the rest of the people?
Those million people will only benefit by taking money off the companies as well as making the other people pay more!