You have to hand it to the politicians in Australia. They really know how to turn a boring job into a blood sport. Just when you think things might calm down, someone pulls out a knife. Metaphorically speaking, of course. Though with the look in their eyes, you never really know. The latest drama involves the Liberal Party. They are currently the ones not in charge, which means their only job is to complain about the people who are in charge. But they can’t even do that right. Instead of fighting the government, they have decided to fight each other. Again.

Sussan Ley is the current Opposition Leader. That is a fancy title for the person who has to stand up and say "no" to everything. She thinks she is doing a great job. She thinks she is safe. She declared she is going to stay right where she is. She says she will survive the fallout. It is almost cute. It is like watching a kid build a sandcastle while the tide is coming in. The water is already at her ankles, but she is telling everyone the castle is solid as a rock. In politics, when someone says they are definitely staying, it usually means they are packing their bags within the week.

Here is the reality of the situation. Her own team is done with her. They are whispering in the hallways. They are making phone calls. They are smiling to her face and sharpening their blades behind her back. They want her gone. They say she has lost the support of the "party room." That is political speak for "nobody likes you anymore." It doesn’t matter if she thinks she is doing well. In this game, perception is the only thing that matters. And right now, the perception is that she is a dead woman walking.

The mess started because the "Coalition" split up. For those who don't follow this nonsense, the Liberals and the Nationals are two parties that are technically married. The Liberals are the city folks in suits, and the Nationals are the country folks in big hats. They usually work together to get enough votes to win. But recently, they had a bad breakup. A divorce. The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, is getting the blame for this. He took his ball and went home. Now the Liberals are standing there alone, looking confused. Ley is trying to act like this doesn't matter. But it does. Without the country cousins, the city suits don't have enough friends to run the playground.

So, who is waiting in the wings to save the day? Andrew Hastie. Of course. It is always the same story. Hastie is a former soldier. The media loves this. They love the idea of a tough guy coming in to clean up the mess. MPs are privately pushing for him to challenge Ley. They think he is the answer. They think because he knows how to march and follow orders, he can fix a broken political party. It is a classic mistake. Leading a platoon is not the same as leading a bunch of ego-driven politicians who only care about their own careers.

People love the idea of a "warrior" politician. It sounds good on a poster. But usually, these guys get into office and realize you can't just order people to agree with you. You can't court-martial a voter for thinking you are an idiot. But the Liberal party is desperate. They smell weakness on Ley, and they want a new face. Hastie is "firming" as the challenger. That is a weird word they use. "Firming." It just means he is getting ready to make his move. He is checking the numbers. He is seeing who will back him up.

It is all so tiring. This is why normal people hate politics. Look at what is happening here. Do you see any mention of the economy? Do you see anyone talking about how to help regular families pay their bills? No. You don't. All you see is a bunch of people in nice suits fighting over a chair. They are fighting over who gets to be the captain of a sinking ship. The Liberals aren't even in power. They can't pass laws. They can't change anything. Yet they are treating this leadership spill like it is the most important thing in the world.

The saddest part is that Ley probably actually believes she can hang on. Power is a drug. It blinds you. She looks around and sees smiles, but she doesn't see the hands reaching for the hilt of the dagger. Littleproud broke the alliance, and now Ley is going to pay the price for it. That is how it works. The leader takes the fall, even if it wasn't really their fault. Then the new guy, Hastie, will come in. He will promise to fix everything. He will say the party is united. And in six months, or a year, they will probably try to get rid of him too. It is a circle of stupidity that never ends. And we are all just forced to watch.