You're only going to get a couple of political things from me ahead of the senate re-run.
You're only going to get a couple of political things from me ahead of the senate re-run. This extraordinary speech (and attendant meme) is one of them.
The other will be if belowtheline come on-line again. Remember: You can only waste your vote by voting informal.
@SenatorLudlam#transparency #accountability #australianpolitics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtqrfiEV8Gs
The other will be if belowtheline come on-line again. Remember: You can only waste your vote by voting informal.
@SenatorLudlam#transparency #accountability #australianpolitics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtqrfiEV8Gs
While I agree with a lot of what he says.. talk is cheap and easy to do.
ReplyDeleteGiven he's a minority senator, he (and his co-senators) walk the walk as best they can...
ReplyDeleteDarcy Redmond
ReplyDeleteGood point, but I think he is more protesting Abbott's tendency to favor the interests of billionaires as opposed to the interests of the public. I have to admit that is repulsive. Also there is plenty of money to go around but it happens to go through the elite in a trickle down economy and the trickle is slowly becoming a drop. It really ought to be slowly becoming a river, otherwise the trickle down theory practically only serves the elite and should be avoided for the best interests of the public. Tax the rich = lower cost of living - even for the rich. It would only reduce poverty, not inequality, so the rich can still feel better than everyone else.
ProperGanderSaul I see your reasoning but sometimes you just have to think 'why are the rich rich' and 'why are the poor poor', some of it is just by chance but a lot of it is because of what they have done in the past. They deserve what they get.
ReplyDeleteJimi Hendrix I'm going to guess you've never volunteered at a homeless shelter before? I suggest growing a social conscience before making blanket statements that the poor deserve what they get :p
ReplyDeleteAnd some of it is because the currently rich have rigged the rules to keep it that way.
ReplyDeleteAs for money they seem to be wasting a lot of it currently on processing asylum seekers, over 90% of whom are likely to be genuine refugees, offshore. Or buying one use lifeboats to prevent them coming. To pander to the xenophobes.
ReplyDeleteOr trying to shut down areas that are making a profit.
ProperGanderSaul Excellent summary. Trickle down works only when wealth producing enterprises are being supported. The "growth industries" in Australia are bean counting (Financial Services), and home inflation...zero-sum games where every winner must have a loser. the winners are currently asset rich, the losers are anyone who needs to work for a living.
ReplyDeleteThe wealth transfers from Makers to Takers has prevented many (2 gens now and counting) from having a stable career, an affordable home, a secure family, faith in their society.
Sadly, the legacy of Howard and Abbott means retirement for me will be overseas...at 44 I cannot afford the rent seeking parasite tax that is the Australian economy, and have no faith at all that we will get competent, honourable leadership. Howard got away with false wars, economic vandalism and nepotism so I've not got any confidence in the MSM either.
eddiethehyena I see your point, however, it is not fair for one to suffer part of someone else's consequence of someone else's fault.
ReplyDeleteTrying to fix things that are originally seem unfair can end up in a complete opposite way.
For example: If several kids don't decide to attend class, fail, ruin their life and become homeless, is that not their fault? Should we be to blame for their faults?
Yes there are some people out there that are left suffering from an unavoidable, unforeseeable consequence and yes, I do feel sorry for them and I would happily donate for them, but for those who couldn't give a damn about their well being and blame it on others. I don't think it is justifiable to donate to them.
For example: I would donate to cancer sufferers...
Elaine Walker Yup, that's called the aristocracy, I'm do not share (or at least try to) their views but I was simply trying to make out that people who are rich, a large sum of them have tried hard to get there. I'm not saying not to tax them, however I don't think we should 'Robin Hood' them.
ReplyDeleteeddiethehyena I'm also going to admit, no, I have not volunteered at a homeless shelter before as I'm not eligible to do so. If they were homeless because of something like Hurricane Katrina, I would happily help out if I was eligible.
ReplyDeleteJimi Hendrix The game was never fair and never will be. But it would suit everybody if the rich were taxed more.
ReplyDeleteJimi Hendrix Yeah Jimi, let 'em eat cake, hey???
ReplyDelete