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Malcolm Turnbull asked people in the meeting to indicate whether or not they wanted the plebiscite dumped in favour of a free vote. Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

The Liberal party has elected to stick with its plebiscite policy with a postal vote as a backup rather than moving immediately to a free vote, after a special party room discussion on Monday evening.

Liberals were told at the opening of the party room meeting the cabinet was in favour of resuscitating the governments original plebiscite proposal, followed by a postal vote in the event the plebiscite is rejected by parliament once again.

After a two-hour discussion, only a handful of Liberal MPs, some sources say six, others say eight, raised their hands when Malcolm Turnbull asked people to indicate whether or not they wanted the plebiscite dumped now, and the party to move to a free vote.

No formal vote was taken in the party room on the plebiscite, either the current policy or the postal option.

Only one of the group of Liberal campaigners for marriage equality who have reopened the internally incendiary issue over the winter recess Warren Entsch publicly reserved his position during Monday nights meeting on bringing on a bill to legalise same sex marriage after the Senate had reconsidered the plebiscite.

But while the party room tacitly endorsed the position favoured by the cabinet to reintroduce the plebiscite, then proceed with a postal vote in the event the plebiscite was again knocked back by the parliament a number of concerns were ventilated during the meeting about the postal vote.

Government sources have told Guardian Australia the attorney general, George Brandis, also has reservations about the postal vote option.

The Victorian Liberal MP Russell Broadbent said the government should just maintain its original policy, not the postal vote, and the New South Wales MP Julian Leeser expressed concerns about the postal vote, arguing if the government tried hard enough, it would get the original proposal through.

The former prime minister Tony Abbott and Victorian Liberal Kevin Andrews also said the government should maintain the original plebiscite position.

Abbott said if the government moved off its plebiscite commitment, then voters would again gain the impression the government didnt stand for anything or fight for anything.

The prime minister pushed back against Abbotts intervention, saying the government did plenty and stood for plenty.

Entsch told the ABC on Monday night he was happy to go through the process of seeing the original plebiscite proposal resubmitted to the Senate, but he predicted the crossbench would not budge.

Entsch also argued the postal plebiscite was fraught. If they then put up a plebiscite, a postal plebiscite, they will see the warts and the prickles attached to that.

Conservative MP Craig Kelly said after the meeting the Senate negotiating team should be given wider latitude to attempt to get the original plebiscite policy through the Senate.

Specifically, he suggested the government could compromise by ditching the $15m of public funds for each of the yes and no case in the plebiscite because theres been so much debate it may not be needed, and even consider what the bill would look like.

Marriage equality campaigners have foreshadowed a legal challenge to the postal plebiscite in the event the government proceeds down that path without appropriate underpinning legislation.

In an effort to strong-arm the Senate ahead of the reintroduction of the plebiscite legislation, the finance minister, Mathias Cormann, told reporters after the Liberal party meeting if there were concerns about the legality of the voluntary postal vote, then I would encourage those Senators who are so concerned to consider supporting the governments bill for a compulsory attendance plebiscite.

The government is committed to keep faith with the promise we made at the last election, Cormann said Monday night.

It is now up to others in the Senate, who may have voted against the plebiscite in the past, the full compulsory attendance plebiscite, and make a decision on whether they prefer a compulsory attendance plebiscite or whether they prefer a postal voluntary plebiscite.

Cormann declined to say how much any postal vote would cost.

Some in the government are hopeful that marriage equality groups could swing behind the original plebiscite proposal if the alternative is a postal vote.

Advocates were giving no sign of that on Monday night. Long-time marriage equality advocate Rodney Croome urged Liberals to press ahead with trying to engineer a parliamentary vote.

We urge Liberals who support marriage equality to table marriage equality legislation and cross the floor to vote for it, Croome said.

Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays national spokesperson, Shelley Argent, said: We will lobby the Senate to continue to oppose a plebiscite and we will move to have a postal vote struck down in the high court.

We do not accept, and will never accept, the demeaning terms and conditions the government has attached to marriage equality.

Political parties in the Senate opposed to the plebiscite have given no sign they will budge on their opposition to the governments proposal.

Same sex marriage will be considered again by the joint party room meeting in Canberra on Tuesday, and will continue to play out as a divisive issue for much of the rest of the year.

Read more:
Marriage equality: Liberals vote to keep plebiscite with postal vote as backup - The Guardian

Good morning, this is Eleanor Ainge Roy bringing you the main stories and must-reads on Monday 7 August.

Five Liberal MPs have released an unprecedented joint statement in support of Dean Smiths marriage equality bill, attracting overwhelming support from advocates as the Liberal party prepares for a bruising debate in a special party-room meeting today. The outcome remains in play, as Malcolm Turnbull is under pressure from supporters of Smiths bill to allow a free vote and its opponents urge him to stick to the policy of of a plebiscite.

Smiths bill would redefine marriage as a union of two people, to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life and include all lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people and relationships. The MP Trent Zimmerman said delivering marriage equality would strengthen family life. We believe marriage to be a fundamental institution in Australian life and ensuring all couples have access to it will be beneficial to individuals, couples, families and the community.

An apparent military uprising has been quashed in Venezuela after a small group of men dressed as soldiers were reported to have attacked an army base, declaring themselves in rebellion against the government of President Nicols Maduro. The leader of Venezuelas ruling party, Diosdado Cabello, said the armed forces had quickly repelled the terrorist, criminal and paramilitary attack. But Phil Gunson, Venezuela analyst for the International Crisis Group, said observers were unsure whether the uprising was genuine. There is considerable doubt as to whether this is promoted somehow by the government as an excuse for a crackdown, he said.

Water regulations due to be reviewed and updated on 1 September have been postponed for another year by the New South Wales government after the controversy over allegations of water theft in the Barwon-Darling region of the Murray-Darling basin. The Greens MLC Jeremy Buckingham has accused the NSW Coalition of running scared over the scrutiny of state water management in the wake of last weeks Four Corners program.

The British historian Mary Beard has faced a torrent of aggressive insults on social media after posting messages asserting the ethnic diversity of Roman Britain. Beard, a classicist at Cambridge University, entered the increasingly acrimonious debate that was sparked by a BBC schools video that featured a high-ranking black Roman soldier. Beard said the tone of the arguments had left her dispirited. It feels very sad to me that we cannot have a reasonable discussion on such a topic as the cultural, ethnic composition of Roman Britain without resorting to unnecessary insult, abuse, misogyny and language of war, not debate.

A leaked Google software engineers polemic against diversity has left female staff shaking in anger and forced the tech giant to defend its patchy record on racial and gender equality. The manifesto argues that the lack of women in tech and leadership is the result of innate biological differences between the sexes. After a number of female staff described their disgust at the document on social media, Google sent out a company-wide memo saying it did not represent the companys views.

Arsenal have beaten Chelsea on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Community Shield, the traditional opener to the UK season. After a sluggish start, the champions looked all set for a fifth Community Shield win when Victor Moses put them ahead, but Arsenals summer signing Sead Kolasinac equalised with eight minutes to go after Pedro was sent off.

Its that time of the AFL season when the repercussions of jumper punches, tummy taps and harsh tackles can have consequences well beyond a weeks suspension, writes Craig Little, after a weekend of indiscipline in key games.

The Football Federation Australia chairman, Steven Lowy, launched a withering attack on the self-interest of A-League club owners at the weekend, marking the conclusion of a phoney war that has been raging behind the scenes for months. With the arrival this week of a Fifa delegation to resolve longstanding governance issues, hostilities have been brought out into the open, writes Jonathan Howcroft.

The Guardian series No Fixed Address, launched to coincide with Homelessness Week, continues with Drew Rogers photo essay and affecting stories of how people in the Byron Bay region of northern New South Wales came to be without a roof over their head. Our datablog assesses the numbers on homelessness in Australia.

As dark clouds gather over the White House, Donald Trump has retreated to the safe space he knows best the campaign trail, where the cheers and adoration of a frenzied crowd soothe his battered ego. The Guardians David Smith joined Trump in West Virginia, where, despite the election ending nine months ago, Trump is still on the road and still bashing Hillary Clinton. Smith investigates why Trump has reverted to raucous, crowded rallies in his electoral heartlands when so many problems in Washington are crying out for his attention.

Pat McGrath is the worlds most influential makeup artist, regularly working on the faces of Rihanna and Kim Kardashian. Surprisingly, she doesnt wear much of the stuff herself, and is unafraid to tackle the thorny issues of modern-day beauty including race, wealth and the power of social media to promote unrealistic beauty ideals to the masses. The Guardians Sali Hughes sits down with McGrath to discuss beauty in the age of Instagram, and finds her smart, prone to outbursts of laughter and lavish use of the word darling. She has also just launched a makeup line with many products for women of colour, something she has struggled her whole life to find.

The Canberra Times splashes with fresh allegations about abuse in aged-care homes, revealing that the federal government has serious conccerns about alleged abuse and mistreatment at a number of ACT centres. The West Australian leads with the desert rescue of Briton Anthony Collis, who dug holes in the dirt to survive for three days after becoming stranded on the Canning stock route. The Australian says public servants could be disiplined for liking anti-government posts on Facebook, while the ABC has a quirky read on the practical difficulties of filling Canberras Lake Burley Griffin with water.

The Garma festival wraps up in Arnhem Land today, after a weekend of debate and cultural celebration.

It might take a minute to catch up on the news, but good journalism takes time and money. If you already support Guardian Australia, your generosity is invaluable. If not, and you value what we do, please become a Supporter today. Thanks.

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Morning mail: Liberals prepare for marriage equality showdown - The Guardian

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Posted: Aug 07, 2017 12:00 PM

Liberals across the state of Illinois now have a holiday to honor the birth of their Lord and Savior -- President Barack Obama.

Governor Bruce Rauner signed into law legislation that would designate August 4th as "Barack Obama Day."

NBC News Chicago reports the holiday will be "observed throughout the State as a day set apart to honor the 44th President of the United States of America who began his career serving the People of Illinois in both the Illinois State Senate and the United States Senate, and dedicated his life to protecting the rights of Americans and building bridges across communities," Senate Bill 55 reads.

There is a similar holiday honoring President Ronald Reagan.

However, Democrats were hoping for a much grander celebration for the man once called "Chicago Jesus."

They wanted a holiday on par with the one commemorating the birth of Christ. They wanted schools to close and government offices to shut down.

"It's incredibly proud for Illinois that the president came from Illinois. I think it's awesome, and I think we should celebrate it," the Republican governor told NBC in February. "I don't think it should be a formal holiday with paid, forced time off, but I think it should be a day of acknowledgment and celebration."

Lawmakers subsequently rejected attempts to close schools and state offices on Barack Obama Day -- pointing out schools are not closed on Reagan's holiday.

The first Obama holiday is scheduled to be celebrated in 2018.

I can only imagine how festive and culturally inclusive that first celebration will be -- church bells ringing, homes decked out in rainbow colors and stockings filled with taxpayer-funded cell phones.

And do not be surprised if you come across Windy City carolers singing with great gusto, "We wish you a merry Barack-mas" or "Joy to the World, Barack has Come."

More here:
Illinois Liberals Get a Holiday to Celebrate Their Messiah - Barack Obama - Townhall

Toronto Sun

Liberals don't care about small business Toronto Sun It's callous due to the Liberals' disregard for the impact their policies will have on business and the way they ignore experts business owners themselves when they tell us the only impact of their higher labour costs and other changes will be a ... and more »

See original here:
Liberals don't care about small business - Toronto Sun

Everyone knows that Republicans have political problems, from their failure to repeal Obamacare to President Trumps erratic tweets to his sputtering efforts to make populism a governing philosophy. But what about Democrats? While their problems dont get as much media attention, Democrats are now both the minority party and a toxic brand to much of middle-class America.

Take last Friday, when Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia announced he was becoming a Republican. The Democrats walked away from me, he told a Trump rally in Huntington. Today I tell you as West Virginians, I cant help you any more being a Democrat governor.

I think its a sign of the times, Jose Gonzalez, a 37-year-old project manager at a local steel plant, told the Washington Post at the rally. The Democratic Party used to look out for the downtrodden, but more and more working people are going for Republicans.

Trump certainly broke the mold in 2016. He did better among low-income whites than among upper-income whites the first time a Republican has done that at the presidential level. He won 62 percent of the vote among white voters without a college degree who make less than $30,000 a year. In 2012, Mitt Romney had only won 52 percent of votes in that group. They made the difference in key working-class states that Trump won, carrying them for the GOP for the first time since the 1980s Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Republicans now control the White House and both houses of Congress and have complete executive and legislative control in 26 states.

Since the November election, Trumps popularity has largely held with those voters. Concerns about his lack of focus have been assuaged by the recent growth in jobs and wages. Democrats have not improved their position in part because of their obsession with leading the resistance against Trump. A Washington Post/Abc News poll published July 19 found that 52 percent of Americans dont believe the Democratic party stands for anything beyond opposing Trump. Even 42 percent of nonwhite voters agree that Trump-bashing is all the party is focused on.

The Bernie Sanders wing of the Democratic party is convinced it has a solution: have the party move left. People are looking for a populism, but a multi-racial populism, Heather McGhee, of the leftist voting-rights group Demos, said on Meet the Press this morning. Theyre looking for candidates who say, Im willing to take on the wealthy and powerful, and also Im not willing to let the wealthy and powerful divide us from each other so that they can have the spoils of our great nation.

But thats not what the polls taken by Democrats themselves are showing. The House Majority PAC last month released an exhaustive survey. McClatchys Alex Roarty summarized the findings as white voters without a college degree still view Trump relatively favorably, their opinion of Democrats is in the dumps, and they reject some of the partys favored economic initiatives.

Asked which party will improve the economy and create jobs, Republicans have a 35-point edge among white working-class Democrats. They have a 19-point edge when it comes to ensuring people are rewarded for their hard work, and a 15-point edge on middle-class tax cuts. Democrats have only a four-point edge on health care, a surprise given the unpopularity of the GOPs failed Senate plan.

The poll and its accompanying focus group found that Democrats are hurt by the perception that they care mostly about upper-income concerns such as free or reduced college tuition, and they look down with thinly veiled contempt on working-class voters. Many of those voters dont think college is a ticket to prosperity, and many prefer blue-collar jobs. In short, when these voters hear people tell them that the answer to their concerns is college, their reaction is to essentially say dont force your version of the American Dream on me, the House Majority PAC concluded.

Indeed, the biggest challenge that liberals will face in trying to win back the voters who have drifted to the GOP is finding a way to conceal their agenda which is now geared toward identity politics, job-killing environmentalism, and expanding the welfare state. We are seeing an ongoing class war by liberal elites against the middle and working classes, Joel Kotkin, a demographer and executive director of the Houston-based Center for Opportunity Urbanism, told me in an interview.

Donald Trump won because he recognized the nature of that class war and appealed to those who were being hurt by it. Democrats arent likely to win back the voters theyve lost until they realize that many of those voters wont even listen to them if there isnt a truce in the class war they see being waged against them.

READ MORE: Whats the Matter with Democrats? The Lefts Hamburger Problem Is Not Going Away The Fusion Party: Democrats and the Progressive Media

John Fund is NROs national-affairs correspondent.

Read more:
Liberals' Class Warfare on the Working Class Keeps Trump Afloat - National Review