New 'Axis of evil'

[red750]

Russia and China join North Korea's celebration parade

[old man emu]

I wonder what the average North Korean or Chinese family man would be thinking if told about the multi-national military exercises currently being held around Australia? Surely the alliance of those participants could be framed in the same way to suggest an "axis of evil" threatening N.K, China and Russia.

 

Let's face it. The USA has an ideology that it is prepared to defend with the lives of its allies in the name of "freedom". China, Russia and N.K. have an ideology that they are prepared to defend in the name of "the people". Those countries operating under another ideology would naturally give preference to like-minded countries - "birds of a feather flock together".

 

To be brutally honest, the holders of power in both ideologies are tyrannical towards their own people. The only difference is that the people in one of the systems are free to move to the other, or a neutral third party.

 

 

[facthunter]

I know of Republicans who would not allow siblings to marry a democrat. It's a VERY DIVIDED Country ON PURPOSE. It's a country brought up to believe NO Gov't is what's needed and have NO taxes. Be able to pay for everything you need by yourself. End up a bit like Russia is . Run  BY Oligarchs  and the law doesn't work for the"Ordinary" person. (like it nearly IS HERE). Nev

[Old Koreelah]

[Marty_d]

12 hours ago, Old Koreelah said:

If that's true, then why do Democrats not get 70% of the vote?

[spenaroo]

Because 40% of the population cant be arsed

[Old Koreelah]

Voting there is optional.
Many citizens have been conditioned to believe they can’t make any difference, so don’t even register.

Many who want to vote are prevented by discriminatory laws, regulations, management decisions and blatant harassment.

 

In Democrat-leaning areas, polling booths are few and far between. Expect to queue for hours. It is illegal to bring water to help those waiting.

 

Laws have been framed to ensure a huge proportion of black males get incarcerated for minor crimes like smoking dope.

If you’ve ever been to jail, no vote. 

 

Americans have been astonished at Australia’s recent change of government; how efficiently the election was run, how we all heard the result that night! And all with old-fashioned paper ballots!

 

 

 

 

[Marty_d]

1 hour ago, spenaroo said:

Because 40% of the population cant be arsed

Exactly my point.   If they cared enough about the issues they would find a way to vote against the republicans.

@Old Koreelah - I agree, the republicans and their financiers do their best to make voting hard - but that's another thing the Democrats and their supporters need to concentrate on. But first they have to have the balance of power in both houses and that means getting the non-voters to actually vote.  Also doesn't help when some Democrats, like that idiot Joe Manchin, seem to be more Republican than Democrat.

 

We're bloody lucky here with our electoral system and especially the AEC who do a fantastic job.  But the point is with America it's actually up to the people, if they want a better system, to overcome the barriers and actually do it.

[facthunter]

Don't believe the AEC is all it could be.  Nev

[Marty_d]

Maybe not, but when you compare it to most other systems it's pretty damn good.

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Amazing aint it that we see just how undemocratic the US is but they can't see it themselves.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Hard to see the picture when you're in the frame

[Marty_d]

1 hour ago, Bruce Tuncks said:

Amazing aint it that we see just how undemocratic the US is but they can't see it themselves.

To be fair, they see us as subservient idiots who allowed our all-controlling government to take away our god-given right to guns, and we can't see that ourselves...

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

Hard to see the picture when you're in the frame

That's where Trump is!

[Old Koreelah]

5 hours ago, Marty_d said:

To be fair, they see us as subservient idiots who allowed our all-controlling government to take away our god-given right to guns, and we can't see that ourselves...

We make the mistake of assuming the average American voter is reasonably educated.

Sadly not. The level of ignorance is appalling and getting worse. Democracy is in real trouble.

 

 

[facthunter]

 IF you wish to control a populace, keep them uneducated, Poor and  feed them some religion that is compulsory. It's happening everywhere..  Nev

[Old Koreelah]

4 hours ago, facthunter said:

 IF you wish to control a populace, keep them uneducated, Poor and  feed them some religion that is compulsory. It's happening everywhere..  Nev

 

[facthunter]

I'm Dumb and so  should you be 'cause I'm not paying one extra cent of tax. Nev

[Marty_d]

Instead of trying to emulate the US, Australia should have (for its citizens) as a starting point -

 

- Free health care including dental

- Free child care

- Free education (perhaps limited to 1 university degree)

- Inflation-linked social welfare at a reasonable rate

- Available stock of rent-capped affordable housing

 

And see how we go from there.  Giving everyone a good chance at life and taxing the wealthier with a continuing progressive tax rate (no maximum %) would probably result in far better societal outcomes than having a society with the super rich on one end and people who have to make a choice between paying rent, eating or being warm on the other.

[willedoo]

13 minutes ago, Marty_d said:

- Free health care including dental

I often wonder how genuine parties are with policies they take to an election. It looks like Labor's free dental plan was a one trick pony to try to get Shorten over the line. No mention of it since, so the Labor party commitment to it was probably never there in the first place. I wish they would push it as a solid policy and not just an election stunt.

[facthunter]

Maybe they have struck some difficulties with it. Dentists have to input what's going to  be done with their "system".  No one can just proclaim something and expect to get away with it. (Unless you are Margaret Thatcher). . Nev

[Jerry_Atrick]

Marty - you are sounding like you want a more western European model... One that has, at least since WWII, realised the benefits of not so much greed over the real benefits of a population that is well fed and cared for. This if course is being eroded thanks to super greed and those of us even of moderate income over expenses choosing to spend our money or cause money to be spent in higher concentrations on smaller, usually tech firms or nefarious sounding regimes.

 

Although, often I am careful where I put my dollar/pound, I admit, I probably overuse Amazon, as an example. We have ordered 20 radiators - in the end from Amazon. In reality, Amazon is simply a market aggregator and payment gateway for the suppliers I would have had to go direct to, but their consumer protection terms and convenience means that they will get a share of the transaction profits.

 

Ironically, I wonder if, for all of the western democracy, society is better off. I work with a Yugoslavian (can you say that these days), who is about my age. He lived in Communist era and remarked that when he was a young adult there, there was very little crime, there was good social stability and cohesion, people had their basic needs met by the state, and everyone seemed happier. The one gotcha living there was you couldn't criticise the government (and by implication in other ways get on the wrong side of government officials).

 

Yes, the material standard of  living wasn’t as “good” and they yearned for coke cola and Levis jeans, but I think the oldies that remember the communist era are wondering whether the transition to the western style of living was really worth it.

 

Similarly, I did a lot of work in the Czech Republic (now Czechia) in the late 90’s – 10 years after the Velvet revolution. The director or maintenance for CEZ, the main electricity supply company remarked to me, “We looked to the west with rose coloured glasses; the roses have wilted somewhat” (that was the translator’s words).

Of course, I am not advocating transitioning to autotcratic communism, but a more commuinal that individual/corporate approach woulf be welcome..

 

Also, we are to blame for our own mess (collectively). Remember how bad the coalition was at government before the last election? Yet, the coalition scored the most primary votes - 38% to 30%. Coupled with the fact that many Republicans will vote for Trump even though they hate him to stop the deomcrats getting in over what is best for their country sort of shows where humanity is right now.

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, Marty_d said:

Free education (perhaps limited to 1 university degree)

Yes free BUT, you have to complete the course of study within a reasonable timeframe, eg three years for an Arts or basic Science degree. If you don't meet the schedule, you can complete what you had not, but you pay for those parts. Once completed to overdue work, then you can jump back on the scheduled service. That even allows for part-time study.

 

And I would like to see the emphasis taken off obtaining a university degree. We should be exalting the gaining of qualifications to carry out useful functions in Society. I reckon that if high schools turned their attention towards things practical, the problems that we are trying to help our young people with would diminish. 

[Old Koreelah]

56 minutes ago, old man emu said:

Yes free BUT, you have to complete the course of study within a reasonable timeframe, eg three years for an Arts or basic Science degree. If you don't meet the schedule, you can complete what you had not, but you pay for those parts. Once completed to overdue work, then you can jump back on the scheduled service. That even allows for part-time study.

Menzies saw the value of a well-educated nation, but recent governments only see the cost; Australia is already suffering the cost of public education being neglected.

 

56 minutes ago, old man emu said:

And I would like to see the emphasis taken off obtaining a university degree. We should be exalting the gaining of qualifications to carry out useful functions in Society. I reckon that if high schools turned their attention towards things practical, the problems that we are trying to help our young people with would diminish. 

I agree 1,000%!

 

[nomadpete]

A good debate.