lol at getting upset because you don’t understand how maths works.
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who needs maths when you have ‘just work harder idiot, people with nothing didn’t work hard enough’
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Great post, but in reference to your last line, if capitalism is unsustainable, what system do you believe would work better? Socialism? I don’t mean that to be a smartarse response btw. Personally, I think no system can truly defeat greed and selfishness from those in control.
Maybe more regulation around capitalism but human nature won’t enable a truly fair system.
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The left has moved to the centre, but is vulnerable to the rise of the extreme right, as evidenced in Europe and the US.
Spain has a progressive social democratic central government, but the Party was trounced in regional elections.
Governments have to be elected to deliver policies.
There are protests in Poland at the erosion of democracy in its right wing government that is criminalising minorities and destroying an independent judiciary. But will there be enough voters to redress the cynical appeals of the Government to an agrarian population and others badly affected by the increase in the cost of living.
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Like my 74yo neighbour, who was forced to give up a child because of a teenage unmarried pregnancy, finished school early because of family circumstances, absolutely no scope to set aside part of her income from super. She shares a rental house with an adult daughter who earns her living as a cleaner. She doesn’t get the full OAP of a single person.
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That’s the crux of the issue right there. The problem is that “those in control” aren’t accountable to anyone but their portfolio and those that are accountable to the public don’t serve the public’s interest. The executive position in a democracy, whether a Prime Minister, President or otherwise, is often not the most powerful insitution in a country when it really should be, and with that power should come accountability at the polling booth. Regardless of which economic system one subscribes to, it’s healthier for a society and for democracy when the most powerful people in it are those who are most accountable to the public.
How many measures aren’t passed because it’ll annoy a handful of rich and powerful people? Climate change is the obvious answer, it’s had overwhelming electoral support for more than a decade now yet measures which have passed only very recently are piecemeal and superfluous. The mining tax failed because Australia’s richest were able to convince the electorate that it affected them. Healthcare in America is another clear example.
For good reason we criticize China, yet there’s no doubting that Xi is the most powerful man in that country. He has slapped down billion-dollar businesses in the past for stepping out of line. A few years ago in socialist Cuba, another country which receives a lot of valid criticism, Raul Castro’s proposed market reforms were defeated electorally. Does our government display the same levels of accountability?
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Gorbachev got it so wrong in observing that China’s restrictions on civil liberties and ultra authoritarian style of government would lead to social unrest, regime change towards a more democratic society. China has managed to reduce economic inequality and bring millions out of poverty without questioning of its restriction on civil liberty.
Look at the direction of Russia leading to an oppressive regime. Perestroika and Glasnost have disappeared, with a transition of economic control from the Soviets to the corruption of the oligarchs. How can this be reversed in Russia, the elite dissidents are now all in exile or in jail. Unless sanctions cut into standards of living and the Russian economy collapses, denying any safety net of social security across classes how will things change?
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I have Russian and Armenian colleagues who tell me they have family who will spit in disgust at the mention of Gorbachev. The Adam Curtis documentary Traumazone is a great example of how badly he failed with Perestroika and Glasnost.
There was no doubting that Putin is the most powerful man in Russia, but I left out that example due to recent events. From all appearances he’s on borrowed time.
Russia is so many countries, but the reins of power rest in the Kremlin and its oligarch cronies.
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Presumably they were paying income tax on their salaries when working , contributing to social security in the budgets and also forking out to a lot to bring up their children to enable them to earn decent incomes.
I will argue young Tagger that the problem is not politics at all, not Labor, not Liberal and not Greens.
In my old opinion it is our economic system which is all about what some call greed, not me by the way.
Ever since the Industrial revolution, the system is about demand and hence supply, and we are pushed from an early age to want more and more. We do understand to get more that you have to work for it, but then we lose control over our lives and consumerism takes over.
My Grandparents always rented a house because they could never afford to buy one and my Parents built a house on the edge of Melbourne in Pascoe Vale only due to a war service loan. Modest house on a small block with three bedroom, a kitchen, lounge, bathroom and a laundry about 90 sq metre under the roof. Happy place and both parents worked hard and long to give my sister and I a good working class life. No such thing as child care, we played in the street till the folks came home.
Move forward to today and young marrieds build houses on the end of Melbourne in Craigieburn or Melton, which is mostly on the same sized block of 600 sq m, but the house is probably twice as large or more. Both need to work and child care is not an option or luxury, it is now just part of the fabric.
All Parties policies are driven by voters. We want your vote so we try to attract it, mostly by appealing to your wants and not necessarily your needs. These policies once in Government pander to large corporations ; food supply is run by Coles and Woolies, hence farmers are screwed into their own dirt with one sided supply contract. Hence as you say, they quit their farms and arable land becomes another housing estate, or golf course.
The influence of the mega rich is so strong that tax policy is written to take from those with least money. When a Party sees the light and tries to change it, then Voters who all aspire to pay no tax like Gina and Twiggy, rebel and the votes go to the status quo.
So the collective mindset needs to change, and consumerism needs to be replaced by a less expansive model. Only people can change this and not only give all of us a collective better life, but save the planet.
I have always been a protectionist and would never allow any overseas interest own anything in Australia and preference in all thing would be given to Australians first. I am no longer interested in socialism, preferring the pure form of anarchy where no leadership is needed, we all work together cooperatively for the common good.
Fark Carlton.
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We still have the Hamer Green Wedge!
human nature is to help each other, not harm
the trouble with capitalism is that sociopaths thrive in it
@bigallan there must be a reason your neighbour isn’t getting a full oa pension. Maybe she is over the the income/assets test.
Should be ringing Centrelink coz if not over the limit she should be getting a full single person oa pension and rent assistance.
She’s actually doing nicely, sharing the rent and household expenses with the adult daughter , full health concession card. Although legally single, she is not living as single person, which is how I understand Centrelink benefits are calculated.
No @bigallan if she is single, should be getting full oa single person pension with rent assistance.
Living with family is not considered as living as a couple.
If she is not partnered/married and not over the income/assets test she is considered a single person.
Tell her to check it out with Centrelink.
Thanks, maybe she is still a beneficiary of her late husband’s super ( which would have been pretty meagre)
OK must be that, can only earn $170 a fortnight before it affects the pension.
Absolutely not when the LNP were giving billions to their mates and trashing democratic standards
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