Blairites and Clintonites must bring themselves to admit that “third way” centrism is a relic of the past
Category: Politics
Hamas new ‘Document of Principles’ ditches Islamism for frank positions on borders, international law, and human rights. But can the movement maintain unity as it inches closer to the ideas held by its rivals in the PLO? By Menachem Klein (translated by Philip Podolsky) Hamas’ recently-revised charter, titled “Document of General Principles and Policies” sees the group go down a path that could eventually result in its fracturing. Once it chose to depart from the simplistic and monolithic guidelines of the Islamic Charter, it had no choice but to acknowledge the ideological differences that drive the movement’s leadership apart (as do the inevitable power…
Source: Religion out, nationalism in: Will Hamas’ charter divide the movement? | +972 Magazine
By Christian Marx In the past 40 years the Western political narrative has shifted sharply to the right. Since the late 1970s left-wing governments have become proponents of Neoliberalism, while right-wing governments are on the verge of Fascism, in some cases, such as America, they are now indeed Fascist. The Labour parties around the world…
Source: Why a Far-Left Government is Essential – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party is accused of intimidating and financially pressuring its own candidates and senior staffers.
By Brian Morris Religious institutions will feel a pressing need to regain the initiative following damning revelations from the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse. With renewed calls for a parliamentary conscience vote on marriage equality — and foreshadowed legislation on voluntary euthanasia in three states — one may assume the churches will resume their…
Source: Bernardi, Trump and ‘religious freedom’ – » The Australian Independent Media Network
“SNL” becomes a target as Donald Trump and his aide Sean Spicer don’t find the show’s attacks funny VIDEO
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – We are now on the brink of a new form of …
Tuesday 6 December 2016 Author’s note. The arrival of a blatant liar, one who has taken it to unprecedented levels, as the 45th President of the United States necessitates close scrutiny. The Trump report will appear regularly in Day to Day Politics. We have reached the point in politics where TRUTH is something that politicians…
Source: Day to Day Politics: The Trump Report. – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Conservative Turnbull Government MPs are recruiting members of hardline micro parties such as Family First and the Australian Christians, in a move described as a “horrifying” lurch to the right that could thwart the Liberals chances at the next state election.
Source: Family First, conservative Christians join the Victorian Liberals
Tuesday November 8 How did it come to this? Australians have always had a sort of love-hate relationship with America. Whilst we come from an English heritage, it has been the United States that has had the most influence on our maturing as a nation. You agree, guys? Rightly or wrongly we have blindly followed them…
Monday 17 October 2016 Words crafted with logic and delivered with emotion have throughout history, by their authority, often changed the course of history. In my library I have two books of great speeches. The first is called ”Great Speeches”- words that shaped the world. The second is titled ”Great Australian Speeches”. They contain the…
Source: Day to Day Politics: Speaking words that matter. – » The Australian Independent Media Network
That question sounds like the start of a bad joke. And if you look too closely, you’ll realise your society might just be the punchline. Sean Hosking picks at the bones of neo-liberalism and fear-based politics. If you thought the Donald Trump presidential campaign couldn’t get any more bizarre, the documentary maker Michael Moore recentlyMore
You have to hand it to Tim Wilson. He is the archetypal dilettante – a man who swans around the world at other people’s expense having a fat old time doing SFA. In a 2014 interview, he revealed his tactics for self-promotion. He became heavily involved with student politics, eventually becoming president of the Student…
Source: The archetypal dilettante – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Day to Day Politics: What others say about? Friday July 22 2016 A selection of thoughts from my many friends who express opinions. 1 Tim Leeder: ”Less than half of Australians want a plebiscite on same-sex marriage, with support plummeting once voters are aware that the Turnbull Government’s proposal will cost $160 million but not…
The first Indigenous woman elected into the House of Representatives labels Pauline Hanson ignorant.
Australia’s political duopoly only perpetuates a watered down democracy, which is now little more than a regional office for corporate interests, writes Andrew Chambers.
A world-leading system of Marine Reserves to protect Australia’s oceans, which was put on hold when the Abbott government came to power, is back on the cards after Labor announced that if elected it would seek to finish what it started. The plan was unveiled by Tony Burke in 2012, and involves protections for anMore
Source: ‘It Was This Big’: Labor Revives Massive Marine Reserves Plan Abbott Obstructed – New Matilda
Predictably, though lamentably, before his body had even grown cold, they started clamoring to attach themselves to Muhammad Ali and his legacy.
Source: The shameful distortion of Muhammad Ali’s legacy — RT Op-Edge
Labor is hoping to capitalise on rumblings about Liberal MP Fiona Scott to recover the western Sydney seat of Lindsay she won at the last election. Ms Scott won with help from then prime minister Tony Abbott, who famously declared her to be feisty and to have a bit of sex appeal. [node_list title=”related reading” uuid=”7359fddc-f03f-41f1-b14c-028b01aafb6e”] Marcus Cornish, a councillor on Penrith Council, said she only won because of Tony Abbott’s support for her campaign, including his “sex appeal” comment.
Source: Tony Abbott a potential problem for Liberal MP | SBS News
Scientists scan the brains of people using LSD, finding the drug frees the brain to become more like the mind of a baby.
Sunday March 13 2016 The Insidious Invasion of the IPA into Australian Politics, or Public Apathy and 75 Ideas to Make You Shudder. The Institute of Public Affairs is a free market right-wing think tank that is funded by some of Australia’s major companies and is closely aligned to the Liberal Party. In April 2013…
Source: Day to Day Politics: Is the IPA getting its way? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Guardian Australia’s Indigenous Affairs editor tells ABC’s Q&A program the positive response to his racism speech made him consider the ‘responsibility and obligation to the words in that speech’
Populist politicians are on the march, first in Latin America, then in Europe and the US. They are on both the left and right, and their policies vary, but their approach carries the same risks.
Source: Trendy electoral superheroes: from the Americas to Europe, the populists confront us
PM says police report’s failure to mention incidents at 2014 event amounts to ‘double betrayal’, while reports emerge on New Year’s Eve attacks in Malmö
I have said it before but it deserves repeating. Democracy is not failing us; it is we who fail democracy when we fail to actively engage with it. Democracy, as we practice it today, has lost its essential direction and has been usurped by a divisive creed full of vitriolic, jingoistic spin. Over the past…
Source: What is Neo-liberalism and why knowing matters? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Nimr, whose execution has sparked condemnation across the Middle East, was a vocal backer of pro-democracy protests
Source: Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr: Shia cleric was a thorn in Saudi regime’s side | World news | The Guardian
You may not always agree with these politicians, but let’s give credit where credit is due.
Tuesday 24 November 1 Got this reply to my post yesterday from a friend Bruce Beamish (a fellow thespian) about Amanda Vanstone’s article on leadership in The Age: “Now for the real shock, John. I have succumbed to some sort of perverse masochism and read Amanda (we wuz robbed) Vandstone’s column in The Age. This…
Source: Day to Day Politics with John Lord – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Over many centuries the arts have reflected the society in which they found themselves.
Artists and the left exist in a natural marriage of ideological compassion and understanding that speaks of protest of dissent of change of charity and challenge but most of all for the common good. The creative arts shares its values and social democracy exists for the same reason.
Source: Progressive Social Politics and the Arts. – » The Australian Independent Media Network
In July, incoming senator James McGrath became the latest Liberal Party politician to accuse the ABC of bias.
Source: There is no Left | The Monthly
Leaks, anonymous briefings, gossip, Tony Abbott’s “febrile media culture” that “rewards treachery”: this is political reporting, Canberra style, and it’s existed like this for decades.
The rise of Jeremy Corbyn to the UK Labour Party leadership suggests the old corporatist political consensus is collapsing in the wake of its failures, as people cast about for a better course.
Source: The rise of Corbyn and Sanders shows the centre will not hold
Former Victorian Liberal premier Jeff Kennett slams Malcolm Turnbull’s for challenging for the Liberal Party leadership.
Malcolm Turnbull will challenge Tony Abbott for leadership of the Liberal Party and has asked the Prime Minister for a leadership ballot.
Source: Liberal leadership: Malcolm Turnbull to challenge Tony Abbott
The Royal Australian Air Force combat mission over Syria begins, Prime Minister Tony Abbott confirms.
Vladimir Putin confirms Russian military involvement in Syria’s civil war – Telegraph
EXCLUSIVE: The Abbott administration has dropped a major reform to competition law after big business allegedly threatened an anti-government campaign.
- The claim: Tony Abbott says it is a criminal offence to attack a royal commissioner.
- The verdict: There is a criminal offence for “insulting” a royal commissioner but experts say the provision is likely to be unconstitutional because it impinges on the right to comment on political matters. Mr Abbott’s claim is oversimplified.
On Tuesday, the Center for Medical Progress—an anti-abortion group that has little to do with actual medicine—released the eighth in its series of undercover videos purporting to show that Planned Parenthood officials have profited from illegal sales of fetal tissue.
Source: Forensic Analysis Shows the Real Planned Parenthood Scandal Is the Videos Themselves | The Nation
The Sleepy Rural Electorate That Could Topple The PM
Latest Newspoll puts Coalition’s margin in the formerly safe seat held by Don Randall at just 51%-49% in two-party-preferred terms
Liberal MP Don Randall, who died of a heart attack in July, had a lead of almost 12%, but the latest Newspoll shows that margin has all but disappeared.
The poll, which surveyed 508 Canning voters last weekend and was published by the Australian, shows the government ahead by 51% to 49% in two-party-preferred terms. At the last federal election in 2013 it won with 61.8% to Labor’s 38.2%.
Almost half of those enrolled to vote in the Canning by-election are aged 50 and over, reflecting the high number of retirees in the WA electorate.
AFP decision on Bishop comes under scrutiny
But the AFP refused to investigate – citing the so-called ‘Minchin Protocol’ – and referred the complaints to the Department of Finance.
A letter from the Ombudsman’s office to a member of the public unhappy with the AFP’s actions show there are grounds for an investigation into the AFP’s general use of the Minchin Protocol, as well as its explanation for refusing to investigate Mrs Bishop’s spending.
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