Really,I'm bored to sobs by the infantile criticism of Scott Morrison here on Twitter. Not because I like him or his politics. I don't, as you well know. I'd lose a testicle rather than vote Liberal. But Morrison is shouldering a burden unmatched by any other Prime Minister.
More than John Curtin in 1942, or Scullin in 1929. The strain upon him must be near crushing. He will know that every decision he takes can be measured in jobs gone, in families hurt, in lives lost. Get it wrong and thousands more could die. Tens of thousands, perhaps.
Add to that, he has kids of his own who, I guess, he barely sees. His day will begin at 6am and probably not finish until midnight. And the figures will keep relentlessly rolling in - new cases...deaths...economic collapse...unemployment...all requiring a decision.
He will also recognise that some of his ministers have utterly failed: Dutton and Robert for starters. He has to carry the can for them, too. It's obvious that he derives far more strength from the National Cabinet than dills like them.
If he derives strength and hope from his religion, then good luck to him. He'll need to get it from somewhere. Sneering at that is fine in the good times, a bit of a joke. It's no longer acceptable now. Just let him have it.
In fact, Morrison's had the courage and good sense to abandon the most barnacled neoliberal economic and societal beliefs and myths. He's consulted Labor premiers and the unions. He's put a plank under wages, protected rental tenants, introduced free child care. Not bad, huh ?
Constructive criticism is one thing, and absolutely necessary. But for fuck's sake, stop the sniping and snarling from the cheap seats. Heaping shit is just that. Maybe he's not the Prime Minister you want but he's the one we've got. Deal with it. Give him a go.
