The Federal budget, it wasn't all bad

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by Stardrifter_WA

Really? Must be nice to have an insight into everything.

Just a smattering of nothing really

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by Stardrifter_WA

Yep, totally agree. I am surprised it has lasted this long. It should be closed.

The problem with threads like this is that people are drawn, like moths to a flame, mostly because of strong held beliefs, or indeed, lack thereof.

Sums it up precisely.

Funny how it is always the same hot heads.... me included naturally.

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

let's all ' Kiss and Make Up ' ....

Flash.....

[Hagar (Doug)]

Originally Posted by Kunama

I think a quote from Mike Salway sums it up better:
Posting Topics
Please avoid topics about global warming, race, politics or religion. These can be very sensitive topics, and people are usually very polarised about these issues; it can be very easy to take things the wrong way, creating arguments. Threads about these topics often end badly - usually being locked, with posts being deleted, or with people being upset.
Threads about these topics may be locked or deleted, especially if they are intended to simply incite a reaction or cause arguments.

This was what my original post was about but Mike Salway decided to use it to try and show me up. Very sad attempt Mike.

[LewisM]

Let's let sleeping dogs lay --- before they turn into mongrels

[clive milne]

There are (at least) two politicians in Australia who I believe are worth support.

Andrew Wilkie:
A former intelligence officer of the ONA (office of national assessments) - Australia's equivalent of the CIA. Andrew's honest and ethical nature is evidenced in the period of 2003 where he exposed the malfeasance of the Howard government at great personal expense to himself and his family. I highly recommend his biography 'Axis of Deceit', also the episode of "whistle blower' featuring him that you can access here and here:
http://www.dymocks.com.au/productdet...7#.UZX4F-2DoqM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8zhr...52402ECB3E7540
If nothing else, the above two links will give you an insight into the dichotomy that exists between the media's portrayal of Australian politics and the reality itself.
Andrew is currently the independent Member for Denison. His policies reflect a degree of pragmatism, intelligence and social conscience that is rare amongst his peers.

Secondly, Senator Scott Ludlam.
I had the pleasure to meat Scott at a function a few years ago. The thing that struck me above all else was his inclination to try and understand rather than impose his understanding. He is incredibly well researched and defers to science when he forms his opinion irrespective of whether that leeds to a conflict with his party's traditional values.
His stance on the Thorium fuel cycle is a study in intelligent pragmatism.

It is a shame that guys like this will never lead this country in the foreseeable future.

[Stardrifter_WA]

A Joke:

The prime minister, the treasurer and the foreign minister were aboard the 34 Squadron transport. They were flying over Melbourne.

The PM says, you know, I could throw a $100 dollar bill out the window and make someone really happy.

That's nothing says the treasurer, I could throw 10 $100 bills out the window and make 10 people happy.

Not to be outdone, the FM says, I could throw 100 $100 dollar bills out the window and make a hundred people happy.

The two relief pilots sitting up front, overhear this conversation and one turns to the other and says, bloody idiots, I could throw the three of them off the plane and make 22 million people happy.

[TrevorW]

About time someone closed this thread seems to be getting a little personal IMO

[rat156]

Well, with all the talk about the closing of the thread, I thought I'd better put my 2c worth in.

The problem with politics in Australia, and many other places in the world is that there is no real alternatives, no real differences in policies between the two major parties. The Left has drifted to the right so far as to be indistinguishable between former Conservative governments. Take the present government's policy on asylum seekers. How is the current policy any different from the Howard government's?

From the Assylum Seekers Reference Centre...

One of the darkest days for human rights ever in Australia.

Australia has just removed itself from the Refugee Convention for all asylum seekers who arrive by boat. 94% of who are found to be refugees; as the Senate has just excised Australia.

No other country in the world has ever done this.

Makes you ashamed to be Australian. We are extremely lucky to live in the country we do, with all the freedoms we take for granted, yet we cannot treat these people in a humane manner.

And a Labour Government did this, just imagine what Tony "stop the boats" Abbot will do now.

Unfortunately this is merely a symptom of the failing of all governments to govern. When asked in the recent guns debate in the US what a politicians foremost responsibility was, a US senator replied "to get re-elected" , not to make policy, not to represent their constituents, but to keep his job. The TV show also pointed out that there was a time when Australian politicians actually stood up for what they believed in, highlighting the Conservative MPs who lost their seat as a result of the tightening of gun regulations in Australia, made me proud, I'd even vote for them, just because they stood up for their convictions.

Nowadays we don't have elections, we have popularity contests, the thinness of any parties election platform is mainly to blame. Howard's core and non-core promises was the thin end of the wedge for this, the Tampa and other boat people issues showed Governments that they could outright lie to the populace and get away with it. Why? Because there is usually no alternative.

Please don't lock the thread, it's interesting and there's not too much name calling.

Cheers
Stuart

[Capricorn1(Tom)]

Incompetence is one again demonstrated with labors fiscal policy. The debt they have generated is frightening. The party is a dinosaur and hopefully the election will extinct them to history. Unfortunately the liberal party always inherits the mess caused by labor. And yes I work in the real world I'm self employed. Cheers

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by clive milne

There are (at least) two politicians in Australia who I believe are worth support...........
His stance on the Thorium fuel cycle is a study in intelligent pragmatism.

It is a shame that guys like this will never lead this country in the foreseeable future.

I agree.

But, unless the Oz culture of political apathy changes, sadly, we will continue get the politicians we deserve.

I suppose the upside of the NBN will be the possibility of a shift away from centralised media, and how people become informed....and Thorium is a great example...and while I don't agree with Ludlam's
take, at least he is aware of the cycle....I digress, media needs a few more Jon Stewarts (aka the Daily show) to lambast the hypocrisy and spin, as opposed to well reasoned debate.

[blink138 (Pat)]

Originally Posted by Capricorn1(Tom)

Incompetence is one again demonstrated with labors fiscal policy. The debt they have generated is frightening. The party is a dinosaur and hopefully the election will extinct them to history. Unfortunately the liberal party always inherits the mess caused by labor. And yes I work in the real world I'm self employed. Cheers

ha ha "tom tom" seems to have lost his direction!!
pat

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Stardrifter_WA

The problem with threads like this is that people are drawn, like moths to a flame, mostly because of strong held beliefs, or indeed, lack thereof.

Yep, I was a moth because I am pretty keen to see the NBN get up in its entirety (or even upgraded) so if Turnbull had come out and said we will implement the NBN in its entirety and perhaps with even better technology but do it cheaper and faster I would have been quite happy and never got involved with this thread at all. Instead he announced a downgrade of the system so it is less effective and long lasting with only (predicted!) small savings and roll-out speed up ...this to me is craaazy. Of course something less powerful will likely be cheaper but it will be less powerful , to make an announcement that you will be making something very inferior so it is (perhaps) a little cheaper and (perhaps) delivered slightly faster shows no vision - simple.

Mike

[toc (Tim)]

Originally Posted by Stardrifter_WA

A Joke:

The prime minister, the treasurer and the foreign minister were aboard the 34 Squadron transport. They were flying over Melbourne.

The PM says, you know, I could throw a $100 dollar bill out the window and make someone really happy.

That's nothing says the treasurer, I could throw 10 $100 bills out the window and make 10 people happy.

Not to be outdone, the FM says, I could throw 100 $100 dollar bills out the window and make a hundred people happy.

The two relief pilots sitting up front, overhear this conversation and one turns to the other and says, bloody idiots, I could throw the three of them off the plane and make 22 million people happy.

Charming You wouldnt be Alan Jones by any chance?

[Capricorn1(Tom)]

Pat Julie has lost her direction.....including ripping the guts (funding) out of our defence forces.

Cheers Tom

[AstralTraveller (David)]

Originally Posted by Capricorn1(Tom)

Incompetence is one again demonstrated with labors fiscal policy. The debt they have generated is frightening. The party is a dinosaur and hopefully the election will extinct them to history. Unfortunately the liberal party always inherits the mess caused by labor. And yes I work in the real world I'm self employed. Cheers

Originally Posted by Capricorn1(Tom)

Pat Julie has lost her direction.....including ripping the guts (funding) out of our defence forces.

Cheers Tom

So in one post you complain about the level of debt and in the next you complain about the lack of funding to the military. The only way decreased debt and increased spending can be reconciled is by advocating increased taxes. Is that a raised hand I see??

[Stardrifter_WA]

Originally Posted by toc

Charming You wouldnt be Alan Jones by any chance?

Hi Tim,

Read the top two words of that reply; A Joke. I put those two words there to ensure that one realised that it is a joke and NOT a political statement. There are a few areas where I would never make a joke about, but politics isn't one of them.

However, I apologise if that joke offends you and others, it was purely meant as humour, since the general consensus of the thread is that they should all be tossed out. I just took that a step further, a bloody big step too, at thirty thousand feet.

Frankly, I don't care who is in anyway, really, I don't, as it doesn't make one iota of difference, as we still end up with a politician, who will push their own agenda. Just as we would if we were in that position, in all likelihood, as most people have differing ideas. Just as StrongmanMike would with the NBN, for this is what he is passionate about. I'm not, so I disagree with him, but that is the best part about this country....I can, without fear or favour.

Just imagine having this type of discussion in North Korea, you would end up in the gulag.

Oh, hang, that's most of North Korea Yes, I do think that is funny , taken in context (it's called black or satirical humour), but I DO NOT think the actual situation is funny, far from it, it is very sad indeed.

That begs the question; Are we becoming so politically correct that we can no longer make jokes? That is supposed to be a part of our culture, after all.

The original joke actually named the people concerned, but I changed it to just titles, to protect the innocent or guilty, depending on your perspective, and it could mean anyone over the long history of Australian politics.

And, I will also add this, just because I disagree strongly with someone, doesn't mean I have to dislike them. Quite the contrary actually, I usually like them more for standing up for what they believe in, whether that is right or wrong in my view. Fortunately, I am psychologically mature enough to know the difference, as we all often hold strong views.

So let just forget about it and go and get pissed instead.

And no, I am not Alan Jones, I am not that well informed.

Cheers Peter

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Stardrifter_WA

Just as StrongmanMike would with the NBN, for this is what he is passionate about.

You betchya ! and not just me either, this thread is but a gnats R's hair collection of opinions, I just hope that all those that do indeed support a good powerful and fast NBN can look past other (mostly overblown or plain inaccurate) issues to vote for it...or it will be gone for the foreseeable future

So let just forget about it and go and get pissed instead.

Cheers Peter

Now there's an idea we can agree on

** Oh and for the record, since Hagar has a problem with me using them, I use emoticons to try and better reflect the colour of my statements and opinions, which is never mean and nasty. I guess it is too easy (for some) to misinterpret it as vitriol but in my case it is almost always a lack there of. I clearly don't always succeed in getting my delivery style right but rest assured I am almost never angry and try to avoid personal vitriol about anything, all good solid debate

Mike

[Hagar (Doug)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

You betchya ! and not just me either, this thread is but a gnats R's hair collection of opinions, I just hope that all those that do indeed support a good powerful and fast NBN can look past other (mostly overblown or plain inaccurate) issues to vote for it...or it will be gone for the foreseeable future



Mike

If this is the basis for voting for who or what is going to lead this country, God help us all. You are making Abbott appear inteligent.

A powerful internet? What about feeding our pensioners? Providing old aged care at affordable prices. These sort of things seem much more important than uploading 50MB images, well at least for me anyway.

Almost forgot them.:c onfused2::m ad2:

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Hagar

You are making Abbott appear inteligent.

Making it personal yet agaiiiin Doug?? geeez, come'on man lighten up I'm just not interested in writing an essay on all the reasons for my vote..is that ok with you? For me the current NBN is a good piece of policy and should be supported, think I have made that quite clear now

Mike