Category: Informed Comment

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: Murdoch’s mysterious millions. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

ReachTEL: 51-49 to LaborThe Coalition gets a better federal voting intention result from ReachTEL, although the result would be more typical of recent polling of preferences are applied as per the 2016 election result.Essential Research: 54-46 to LaborLabor maintains its wide lead in an Essential Research poll that also gauges opinion on party polarisation, same-sex marriage and foreign leaders.BludgerTrack: 53.0-47.0 to LaborA bit of a fillip for Labor in the latest reading of the BludgerTrack poll aggregate, and also for Bill Shorten whose net approval rating has edged ahead of Malcolm Turnbull’s.My thought for the day.”Just because we are governed by clowns it doesn’t mean we have to laugh.”

Source: Day to Day Politics: Murdoch’s mysterious millions. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: It Dutton get much worse than this. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Thursday 20 July 2017 Have you ever so desperately wanted to express a view on a subject only to find that someone else has encapsulated everything you wanted to say perfectly in his words? It happened to me on Tuesday. I put the subject on my list to write about only to receive Sean Kelly’s…

Source: Day to Day Politics: It Dutton get much worse than this. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Power prices: Australia has a gold-plated electricity grid that consumers can’t afford – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Australia has gold-plated power grid which is the envy of the world. So why are consumers so unhappy?

Source: Power prices: Australia has a gold-plated electricity grid that consumers can’t afford – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: The Trump Report No. 17 – Making sense of illegal activity. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Sunday 16 July 2017 1 After repeating phrase’s like ”crooked Hillary”, ”lock her up”, ”fake news”, or ”but the emails’’ on numerous occasions during the Presidential campaign, the President is now confronted with similar claims of dishonesty himself. Now we have seen released some highly provocative emails that suggest that the real news is Donald…

Source: Day to Day Politics: The Trump Report No. 17 – Making sense of illegal activity. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: Murdoch, Bolt, Jones and others – where the truth goes to die – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Saturday 15 July 2017 Do people ever stop to think how manipulated we have become? Everything the media does, displays or says is for its own self-interest, not ours. It does so because it gives it influence, power and control. Certainly not for the ideals of truth, justice and the common good. It never considers…

Source: Day to Day Politics: Murdoch, Bolt, Jones and others – where the truth goes to die – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Truffles, Canavan, Kelly and McSween shine in Australia’s galah week of stupid

IT HAS BEEN a great week for ‘not-racists, but’ in Australian politics this week. In a widely-reported speech, former prime minister and unindicted war criminal John Howard praised the completely “not racist” Donald Trump and promised to eat a lump of coal to prove it’s good for humanity.

Source: Truffles, Canavan, Kelly and McSween shine in Australia’s galah week of stupid

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: Dumbing us down with drivel. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Friday 14 July 2017 I confess to having been a news junkie all my life. An obsession with news generally – and newspapers in particular – started when I was around fourteen or fifteen. I would purchase a newspaper to read on the tram on my way to work and The Herald on my way…

Source: Day to Day Politics: Dumbing us down with drivel. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Chris Hedges and Noam Chomsky: How the U.S. Became an Oligarchy That Makes War on the Middle Class – Truthdig

In the first of a two-part conversation, the two intellectuals discuss the shift in the U.S. and U.K. in the late 1970s toward neoliberalism, an ideology that Chomsky says claims to increase freedom while actually increasing tyranny.

Source: Chris Hedges and Noam Chomsky: How the U.S. Became an Oligarchy That Makes War on the Middle Class – Truthdig

Informed Comment

G19 outmaneuvers climate Rogue Trump, ignores Donald and Ivanka

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – German Chancellor Angela Merkel ran rings around Trump at the G20 …

Source: G19 outmaneuvers climate Rogue Trump, ignores Donald & Ivanka

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: Donald Trump. A puppet on a string. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Monday 10 July 2017 1 Americans once used to think they were exceptional. So much so that they termed the phrase “American exceptionalism.” It was this phrase that gave birth to neo-conservatism. When people thought the US was so superior to the United Nations that they could treat the rest of us with contempt. So,…

Source: Day to Day Politics: Donald Trump. A puppet on a string. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: Conservatives’ bizarre acts of self-importance. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Saturday 7 July 2017 This time last year I was in bed with some sort of virus feeling miserable and sorry for myself. The new Turnbull Government had taken office and the hypocrisy of our new leader was becoming very apparent. If as Shakespeare said; “time is but the essence of history,” then a lot…

Source: Day to Day Politics: Conservatives’ bizarre acts of self-importance. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull are fighting for the soul of the Liberal Party

The question isn’t whether Turnbull survives. It’s whether in the long run the Liberal Party does.

Source: Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull are fighting for the soul of the Liberal Party

Informed Comment

When Governments Lie: Humanitarian intervention from Serbia to Syria and beyond. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

But don’t expect to hear any of this on the evening news. The corporate media, as always, will continue to construct their narrative according to the US’ script, bringing us daily new stories of state violence and corruption, preparing the ground for eventual ‘humanitarian intervention.’Twenty years after Bill Clinton declared that ‘NATO must stop Milosevic’s atrocities against Kosovo’, few would be aware of the Hague Tribunal’s exoneration of the former Yugoslav president for war crimes allegedly committed against Muslims and Bosnian Croats during the 1992-95 war. Sadly the ruling came 10 years too late for Milosevic, who died in a UN prison in 2006 from complications arising from an untreated heart condition. Too late as well for the people of the former Yugoslavia, on whom NATO dropped humanitarian bombs for 78 consecutive days and nights

Source: When Governments Lie: Humanitarian intervention from Serbia to Syria and beyond. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: The beat of a challenge comes nearer. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Personally, I feel that a return to Abbott would be political suicide. The world has moved on and men like Abbott are of an obsolete breed. With the young likely to make their presence felt at the next election they will be looking for fresh ideas. Abbott has proven that he is devoid of any and his slogans are now held in mistrust.He wants to freeze the RET at 15%, have a moratorium on wind farms, build our own coal-fired power stations and slash immigration. He also advocates the banning all new spending except on defence and infrastructure. He advocates now what he re…..The ACT is aiming to go 100% renewable Abbott doesn’t mention that

The ACT is aiming to go 100% renewable Abbott doesn’t mention that (olddog thought)

 

Source: Day to Day Politics: The beat of a challenge comes nearer. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

In a strange uncanny Australia, how do we know we belong? – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

If a nation can so easily erase a grand palace from its memory, what else can it forget?

Source: In a strange uncanny Australia, how do we know we belong? – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: The Future of Faith in Australia (Updated) – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Friday 30June 2017 Author’s note: What follows is a summary of the Australian 2016 Census. It doesn’t paint a very rosary picture for faith in Australia. If the figures are repeated in subsequent census’s then over time religion – as we have known it – will gradually fade away. A minister friend of mine recently…

Source: Day to Day Politics: The Future of Faith in Australia (Updated) – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Who needs experts when we have Tony Abbott – » The Australian Independent Media Network

If there is one thing Tony Abbott hates, it’s consensus.  He would much rather have a fight than fix a problem, as shown by his speech yesterday to the IPA where he said Australia “plainly, is not working as it should” and that “we are letting ourselves down”. So what are his suggestions? Whilst bemoaning…

Source: Who needs experts when we have Tony Abbott – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: Abbott rears his head again. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Wednesday 28 June 2017 1. Tony Abbott lost the leadership of his party and the Prime Ministership for a number of reasons. He was/is a liar of monumental proportion, appallingly incapable, but mainly he didn’t have character. Character is a combination of traits that etch the outlines of a life, governing moral choices and infusing…

Source: Day to Day Politics: Abbott rears his head again. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Trump Is Already Guilty of Aiding Putin’s Attack on America – Mother Jones

Collusion? Maybe. Active enabling? Definitely.

Source: Trump Is Already Guilty of Aiding Putin’s Attack on America – Mother Jones

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: 2014, the year of the wink. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

My thought for the day.”We dislike and resist change in the foolish assumption that we can make permanent that which makes us feel secure. Yet change is in fact part of the very fabric of our existence. Change sometimes disregards opinion and becomes a phenomenon of its own making. With Its own inevitability.”

Source: Day to Day Politics: 2014, the year of the wink. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Wayne Swan says Labor must boost workers’ power and rein in corporate excess | Australia news | The Guardian

Former treasurer says party should focus on jobs and introduce ‘Buffett rule’ as part of changes to tax system

Source: Wayne Swan says Labor must boost workers’ power and rein in corporate excess | Australia news | The Guardian

Informed Comment

Politicians should listen to educators and employers – standardised testing is a waste of time – » The Australian Independent Media Network

NAPLAN and PISA are not the be all and end all. In fact, slavish preoccupation with standardised test results is stultifying the attributes students need most to succeed – creativity, initiative, innovation, agility, teamwork and good communication skills.

Source: Politicians should listen to educators and employers – standardised testing is a waste of time – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Call the Finsbury Park attack what it is: right-wing terrorism

Illustration: Simon Letch

Terrorism is terrorism irrespective of the perpetrator’s reason for carrying it out.

Source: Call the Finsbury Park attack what it is: right-wing terrorism

Informed Comment

Shooting yourself in the foot – » The Australian Independent Media Network

By their own admission, Coalition politicians don’t bother reading reports to inform their opinion before they shoot their mouths off – Abbott with the BHP Olympic Dam report, Pyne with the original Gonski report, MacDonald with the Forgotten Children report, Kelly with the Finkel report – they have their ingrained ideological views that will not…

Source: Shooting yourself in the foot – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: They still think it’s about them. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

”With 10 years now elapsed no party in the history of Australian politics has been so pathetically incompetent with its policy failure on climate change than the Liberal, National parties. Policy failure of this magnitude in some other countries would invoke street protests.

Source: Day to Day Politics: They still think it’s about them. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

This self-serving bunch of boondogglers will be the death of us – literally – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Even before they could possibly have read Chief Scientist Alan Finkel’s energy report, the coal cheerleaders from the backbench of the Coalition have come out swinging. Tony Abbott jumped the gun, saying two days before the report was even released that “Anything that makes it impossible for us to bank new, efficient coal-fired power stations…

Source: This self-serving bunch of boondogglers will be the death of us – literally – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Saying ‘enough is enough’ is to misunderstand terrorism completely

Raising the spectre of internment is to misunderstand terrorism entirely.

Source: Saying ‘enough is enough’ is to misunderstand terrorism completely

Informed Comment

Terrorists crave the attention of those they claim to despise

This ice-using thief just wanted his moment of infamy. Let’s not give it to him.

Source: Terrorists crave the attention of those they claim to despise

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: Hanson, Trump, and tactless words. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Wednesday 7 June 2017 Christopher Pyne is often called ‘The mouth who roared’ because of the way he feigns indignation. His reaction are certainly ‘over the top’ at times. Some people, in order to push their own agendas, are much the same: so quick off the mark that they can often get their facts wrong and…

Source: Day to Day Politics: Hanson, Trump, and tactless words. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Coal in Death spiral as India cancels 14 gigs, and Solar prices Plummet | Informed Comment

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – China and India have knocked the United States off the top …

Source: Coal in Death spiral as India cancels 14 gigs, and Solar prices Plummet | Informed Comment

Informed Comment

The clean coal con gets another airing – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Here we go again on the never ending fight by the Coalition to prop up the fossil fuel industry. Josh Frydenberg announced yesterday that he will seek to change the rules governing the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to allow it to invest in carbon capture and storage technology. Mr Frydenberg told reporters that carbon capture…

Source: The clean coal con gets another airing – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: The Trump Report No. 16 … 9 days of mayhem. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Tuesday 30 May 2017. He called it the best nine days of his Presidency. “Just returned from Europe. Trip was a great success for America. Hard work but big results!” The world saw it as 9 days of buffoonery by a man ill prepared to mix it with world leaders. The highlight was when he…

Source: Day to Day Politics: The Trump Report No. 16 … 9 days of mayhem. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

What is the Sunni-Shiite Divide into Which Trump just Stepped? | Informed Comment

Ken Chitwood | (The Conversation) | – – In his address in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, May 21, while calling …

Source: What is the Sunni-Shiite Divide into Which Trump just Stepped? | Informed Comment

Informed Comment

Finding the pathway to humanity – » The Australian Independent Media Network

A few weeks ago, an international peace conference was held in Cairo at Al Azhar University, the most prestigious centre of learning in the Sunni Muslim world. Speaking at the invitation of its grand imam, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, to an audience of some 300 religious leaders, professors and scholars from Egypt and several other countries…

Source: Finding the pathway to humanity – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Noam Chomsky Looks at How the System Is Rigged to Ensure That Corporations Always Win – Book Excerpt – Truthdig

The philosopher’s new book, “Requiem for the American Dream: The Ten Principles of Concentration of Wealth and Power,” is a primer in his analysis of the faults of the American political and economic system.

Source: Noam Chomsky Looks at How the System Is Rigged to Ensure That Corporations Always Win – Book Excerpt – Truthdig

Informed Comment

Suddenly, this is a President staring down the barrel of impeachment

Trump’s actions point to a serious crisis now brewing in American democracy.

Source: Suddenly, this is a President staring down the barrel of impeachment

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: The Trump Report No. 15 – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Thursday 18  May 2017 Only in America. Where else in the world would people deliberately elect as their President a man who is an acknowledged racist, sexist, a sexual predator, a homophobe, a xenophobe, a conspiracy theorist, a bully, an imposter, con man and would-be dictator. This of course raises the obvious question as to…

Source: Day to Day Politics: The Trump Report No. 15 – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Decoding the polls | The Monthly

Source: Decoding the polls | The Monthly

Informed Comment

The new gangs of Victoria: Just one click and the whole gang’s here

Street gangs are so yesterday – but what has taken their place is far worse.

Source: The new gangs of Victoria: Just one click and the whole gang’s here

Informed Comment

Respectful debate – » The Australian Independent Media Network

As our politicians hurl abuse at each other across the chamber each day, they laugh and sneer and interject but it means nothing to them.  It’s all about looking for a witty line, a grab they might put on the news.  It’s all about the politics as Scott Morrison explained when asked why the debt…

Source: Respectful debate – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: Coalition pays tribute to Labor policy. – » The Australian Independent Media Network| No tribute to Reality

Thursday 11 May 2017 After four years of denial Scott Morrison has finally admitted that the Government actually did have a revenue problem. Just when he went through this cathartic experience is unknown. Further, in the absence of any ideas of his own, he conceded that Labor did, and the easiest way around his economic problems…

Source: Day to Day Politics: Coalition pays tribute to Labor policy. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

When no one is left | The Monthly

Source: When no one is left | The Monthly

Informed Comment

Day To Day Politics: The Catholics won’t let it happen. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Saturday 6 May 2017 1 At this time last year Leigh Sales got it right when she asked the Treasurer; “What was the point of your three years in office?” On the eve of an election it was a relevant question to ask a government who in order to gain office accused the Government of…

Source: Day To Day Politics: The Catholics won’t let it happen. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Weird scenes inside the Abbott mind – » The Australian Independent Media Network

I didn’t think it was possible but Tony Abbott is getting worse. He is now claiming that a “cultural cowardice” at the heart of public institutions such as the ABC and the public service has caused people to abandon the major parties and mainstream political leaders have failed to promote the “virtues and benefits” of…

Source: Weird scenes inside the Abbott mind – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Gonski 0.5 – » The Australian Independent Media Network

As the details of Malcolm Turnbull’s “new” announcement to “stop the arguments” about school funding emerge, it is worth revisiting how we got into this position. On August 29, days before the 2013 election, Christopher Pyne said ”you can vote Liberal or Labor and you’ll get exactly the same amount of funding for your school”. By…

Source: Gonski 0.5 – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Elderly, disabled, jobless or homeless? It’s your fault, according to the Coalition

Are we becoming accustomed to the Coalition Government’s cruelty and dysfunction, propagated by fake news? Deputy editor Michelle Pini reports.

Source: Elderly, disabled, jobless or homeless? It’s your fault, according to the Coalition

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: Whoops, their hypocrisy is showing badly. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Sunday 30 April 2017 1 Remember the phrase ”spending like a drunken sailor” and how the conservative parties aided and abetted by the power of the Murdoch press would shout their gutter vile comments about debt and deficit? Here are a few examples. It’s been going on for years. “Skyrocketing deb out of control.” “We…

Source: Day to Day Politics: Whoops, their hypocrisy is showing badly. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Day to Day Politics: Mass said for the death of truth in government. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Monday 1 May 2017 A conservative government was elected on September 14 in the year of our Lord 2013. Later a requiem mass for the death of truth in the mainstream media and government was held at old Parliament House Canberra. The service was conducted by Archbishop Murdoch and assisted by an Abbott. The eulogy was…

Source: Day to Day Politics: Mass said for the death of truth in government. – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Secret Documents Reveal a Constellation of American Military Bases Across Africa – Truthdig

While the U.S. maintains a vast empire of military installations around the world with huge, hard-to-miss complexes in Europe and Asia, bases in Africa have been far better hidden.

Source: Secret Documents Reveal a Constellation of American Military Bases Across Africa – Truthdig

Informed Comment

One could be forgiven for thinking this is just another shameful dog-whistling lie – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Spud Duddy is demanding that the ABC and Fairfax apologise to him for doubting his version of events leading up to shots being fired on Manus Island. “These people can take the word of somebody that’s been discredited but that is an issue frankly for the credibility of the ABC, Fairfax and others, and I think…

Source: One could be forgiven for thinking this is just another shameful dog-whistling lie – » The Australian Independent Media Network