Never in Australian politics did the Australian public so unintelligently elect a series of right-wing governments over a decade that were rotten, to the core, infected with hatred for the less well-off but happy with the burden they carried. So ignorant of its incompetence. So willing to break laws and trash conventions. They were so utterly corrupted by lying that they sometimes knew not when or why they were telling them.
That so many remnants of that era still exist in the ranks of conservatives must surely remind our citizens of how badly they governed. This is a sobering thought when the current Leader sees nothing wrong with their ideology.
Can he overcome his acute unlikability? If he is to have any chance of winning the next election, he must undertake a personality makeover. The only state that shows any endorsement of him is Queensland. That’s understandable, given his petulance of the authoritarian leader. It’s a Trump style that Australian conservatives seem to be adopting en-mass.
In 2013, I wrote a piece titled, “Climate Change: A Layperson’s Dilemma” in which I pointed out the debunked theories of people like Andrew Bolt, Prof Ian Plimer, Tony Abbott, Alan Jones, Barnaby Joyce, Pauline Hanson, Malcolm Roberts, and others who insisted that climate change did not exist.
Science won the day, proving beyond doubt that it indeed did.
Source: Nuclear Energy: A Layperson’s Dilemma – » The Australian Independent Media Network
My thought for the day
Just because we were governed by clowns it doesn’t mean Labor can be complacent. (John Lord )
In 2016 I described Trump as follows:
“Australians see Trump as a sick, deluded, and sexually abusive narcissist and corrupt criminal with a limited understanding of complex world problems. He is a crash-through politician with a ubiquitous mouth who is entertaining to some but lacks the worldly character required for leadership.”
And that, has nothing to do with his age.
Source: What has age got to do with it? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Unfortunately, without Peter Dutton’s cooperation, we can expect more of the same. Without it, constitutional changes and an Australian Head of State are just fantasies.
The Liberal Party has been replaced by a neo-conservative one, actively supporting rich individual identities against a collective one, and old-style Liberalism no longer has a voice.
Labor, as is usual, has come to power during a crisis and is managing its wimpy grip on power, unable to make the hard decisions it knows it promised less Dutton denies his support yet again. There is little or no difference between the Liberals and the National Party, who seem irrelevant as a political force in doing anything that benefits our democracy.
In recent years, we have witnessed three individual politicians who have used the techniques of the authoritarian leader, fear, negativity, misinformation and lies. I refer to Tony Abbott, Scott Morrison and the now opposition leader Peter Dutton. All have used the methods of an authoritarian ruler.
The best defence against authoritarianism is to create the best Democracy possible
That’s Sky News Australia,UK and Fox News USA shit that’s the Anglosphere
I am convinced Peter Dutton and others of his ilk, including his supporters in the media, believe that the effect of lying diminishes over time, and they forget that they leave behind a residue of broken trust.
Source: Sky News: where facts don’t seem to matter – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Strangely, conservatives have never realised that kids from low socioeconomic backgrounds are our most untapped source of potential growth. They are the most undervalued resource.
The headline conveys a tale of acquisition, narcissism, and unimaginable wealth. The world is overflowing with money inherited, earned honestly or obtained through corrupt means. Nevertheless, little is acquired through equal opportunities. It is a world where the rich have a significant advantage. It is a rich man’s world.
Source: Money, money, money. It’s a rich man’s world. – » The Australian Independent Media Network
My thoughts for the day
Sometimes, it is good to stop, think, evaluate and formulate one’s own opinion instead of being influenced by the media and other vested interests. ( John Lord )
Source: It’s a nasty business this, being in Opposition – » The Australian Independent Media Network
No Mystery: Money talks. Abbott wants back in as well. Is Jim Molan’s seat really on offer?
My thought for the day
The Australian Parliament is just an excuse for conservative, mediocre minds who cannot debate with intellect, charm or wit to act deplorably. And in doing so debase the Parliament and reveal themselves as moronic imbecilic individuals. Dutton and Morrison are two such individuals.( John Lord )
In all this excitement about the Conservatives possibly winning the next election, one thing seems to have escaped the minds of those supporting this idea: When in the hurly burly of an election campaign, the electorate is reminded of the sins of the National and Liberal parties over nine and a bit years, the hairs on the ends of voter’s heads will stand on end. Will they then feel inclined toward a repeat dose of the same medicine?
Source: 2024: A Year of Change for Labor – » The Australian Independent Media Network
If you go to the link provided, you will find a more comprehensive explanation of negative bias. However, I have given you something to think about. Moreover, we must all adjust to the fact that negativity plays a vital part in the election of a government. The reality is that a large cohort of folk thrive on scandals. They prosper on negativity. They believe they are always told the truth even when it is demonstrably not the case.
Our only recourse is to tell the truth; sometimes, more is needed. We must remind everyone of how dreadful the Coalition really was.
A philosopher once said:
“The secret of change is to focus all your energy on not fighting the old, but on building the future.”
What can we take from these figures so far from the next election? Just what has Dutton done to deserve the public’s support? Well, nothing comes to mind. What Newspolls do is provide Murdoch newspapers with a solid base from which to attack Labor. They create stories around their polling that are of little substance or importance.
Source: The mystery of polls is that they tell us nothing – » The Australian Independent Media Network
My thought for the day
We dislike and resist change in the foolish assumption that we can make permanent anything that makes us feel secure. Yet change is, in fact, part of the very fabric of our existence. (John Lord )
One thing that stood out in the result of the Voice referendum is that being totality negative has little chance of winning back Government for Peter Dutton and his Coalition of conservative misfits.
Source: The man who wants to be Prime Minister – » The Australian Independent Media Network
John Lord is too gracious to begin his article with an ironic congrats. I wouldn’t give the mothers the time of day. But, yes John “We are all racists”, particularly those 50% of us born and raised here. A process of Intergenerational socialization has ensured that. As much as the intergenerational trauma foisted on the FNP of this country has. To a degree, we have all inherited that social defining psychology of the Squattocracy which we are able to read about in David Marr’s personal family history Killing for Country
I must begin by congratulating Murdoch’s news media and the Australian Conservative political parties for their successful long-term character assassination of those who are different. Meaning First Nations people.
Source: We’ve all heard it: “I’m not a racist, but … ” – » The Australian Independent Media Network
For his part, Peter Dutton is still acting as a leader left over from ten years of less-than-mediocre governance. A group of right-wing wankers that showed a liking for corruption and wrongdoing. Opposition, for opposition’s sake, is a useless compass when seeking the highest office
Source: What did the NO vote actually achieve? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
One of his first moves was to nominate former PM Tony Abbott to the Board of News Corp. Abbott would have little to offer in terms of leadership. He was a failure at that. He did, however, have expertise in the delivery of gutter politics. Therefore, he will be well suited to a seat on the right of Lachlan.
Source: Murdoch to Murdoch – » 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 makes us feel secure. Yet change is part of the very fabric of our existence. (John Lord )
Source: The ALP is best prepared to take us into the future – » The Australian Independent Media Network
A choice to accept what is or move forward as a nation and address the gaps for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. To those who reason, it is not unreasonable. To do this, they simply ask for a say in matters that affect them. A small request.
The Voice will create practical and lasting change.
To refuse these simple requests would dishonour our First Nations people and declare our racism.
Source: A legacy of racism with a grief that lingers on – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Moving from Enlightenment 1 to Enlightenment 2 with only a soft glow of understanding will take courage. Do we have it? In terms of change, the new Enlightenment of artificial intelligence will make the old seem placid by comparison.
If free speech’s only purpose is to denigrate, insult and humiliate, then we need to reappraise its purpose. Some say it identifies those perpetrating wrongdoing, but if it creates more evil than good, it’s a strange freedom for a so-called enlightened society to bequeath its citizens.
My thought for the day
Will we ever grow intellectually to the point where we can discern and understand the potential for the good within us? ( John Lord )
Source: The Times they are a Changing – » The Australian Independent Media Network
PS: What happened to the teeth and the transparency?
Source: The NACC: Why it is taking so long – » The Australian Independent Media Network
If the following words sound familiar, the reason is that l have posted them before. However, it may be best to reread them to understand my thoughts. Again, I had better pause lest you fail to grasp where I am heading. In Australia, we have a saying, “Only in America.” It’s a phrase we use when… ( John Lord )
Source: Could Trump really win against multiple indictments? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
In the United States, the advertising industry employs more psychologists than the health industry. It is all calculated to take power over your decision-making. And it works. The same can be said for Australian mainstream media; it also wants your brand loyalty and the power to coerce you into its way of thinking. It uses techniques similar to the advertising industry; the main ingredients are untruth and creating perceptions with subliminal messages.
So incensed was I with the Leader of the Opposition’s response to the Royal Commissions report into the Robodebt Scheme that for a brief moment, I actually felt sorry for him.
However, in an equally brief deliberation, I realised that it was us, the people, that my sorrow was better directed. We deserved more than what Peter Dutton gave us. The Leader of the Opposition’s standing is fundamental to our democracy because he leads the alternative Government and therefore represents its philosophy and policies.
But alas, when responding to matters of importance, he attacks with all the ferocity of an angry Abbott or a lying Morrison. Let me explain his reaction to the Commission’s report in four instances.
Source: A Robodebt response from a leader full of loathing – » The Australian Independent Media Network
My thought for the day
I find the most objectionable feature of conservative attitudes is its propensity to reject well-substantiated new knowledge, science in other words because it dislikes some of the consequences that may flow from it. (John Lord )
Why did the Government proceed with the scheme after finding it illegal? That is the big question. Who was responsible? Let’s hope Catherine Ena Holmes, AC SC, will provide the answers.
We all toy with the idea of changing the world but never consider changing ourselves.
Source: The ugly side of politics – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Propaganda aims to make you feel good about the wrongs being perpetrated on you.
Source: We cannot let racism decide – » 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 part of the very fabric of our existence. ( John Lord )
My thought for the day
American exceptionalism is a concept that should not be included in the same sentence as making America great again.( John Lord )
If they do go early they’ll burn their greatest asset Peter Dutton
You are probably thinking, referring to the headline, that it is a stupid thing to say, and on the one hand, you might be right given the Government still has two years to serve. On the other, going early when your chances of winning are second to none is a good idea.
America is a precarious democracy, hardly able to manage its affairs, let alone anyone else’s.
America may be the most advanced technological nation on earth. However, its social progress on matters of great moral importance is still fighting its way out of the dark ages when mysticism was rampant.
If we had been trying to enrich our thinking and diplomacy with China instead of pandering to the United States, we might have been in a better strategic position.
Moreover, we wouldn’t be facing the conundrum we now are.
Source: China, the United States, and us – » The Australian Independent Media Network
For some reason, I find myself yet again writing about this referendum. Why can’t people comprehend the simplicity of it? Is it because Aboriginal people solely occupied Australia before white people came along? “They didn’t own the land: The land owned them” (as our editor would say).
“Morton’s journalism has marked him out as a writer of rare compassion and forensic curiosity, and across his memoirs, he’s applied that to questions of his own capacity and incapacity, and his 2019 diagnosis of complex post-traumatic stress …”
Source: Who is this bloke Rick Morton and what makes him tick? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Whenever you think the political world has gone quiet, a bit of scratching on the surface reveals that the early frenetic pace set by the Albanese Government has kept up its earlier pace.
Source: As the month of March rolls on, so does Albo – » The Australian Independent Media Network
It was revealed that: “More than 2030 people died after receiving a Centrelink debt notice, also known as robo-debt, according to new data released by the Department of Human Services.”
Source: Many suffered a robodebt of death – » The Australian Independent Media Network
The LNP went down without so much as a whimper on May 21 2022. It was a defeat one could blame on many factors; race, misogyny and right-wing MPs of the Liberal and National parties. And those same people are still around today. You know who I mean – yesterday’s men who still believe it’s their right to rule.
The Liberal’s defeat could also be blamed on factors such as a lack of policies, flawed leadership, consistent failures while in power, and poor economic management. However, the main reason was that the public had finally caught up with the Americanisation of our politics. Its leader Scott Morrison played a lone hand in a presidential-style campaign.
I am not a journalist. As a writer, I don’t know what label people put on me. Blogger, perhaps? Columnist? Most certainly, l don’t write like one. l just write about such things as Super concessions to wealthy people.
Remember these two kept telling us “the outlook is great”
The outlook for most of us, however, suggests tough times ahead. Usually, governments cop the blame when things go wrong economically. The Opposition under Dutton is doing everything possible to discredit the Albanese Government.
They will use the economic slowdown caused by rises in the cash rate, price rises, and other factors to smash the Government’s financial credentials.
It has already adopted the mantra, “why is everything dearer under Labor?”
All this is done with total indifference to the horrendous economic management they showed in almost a decade and only finished a few months ago in a disastrous election loss. Never can it ever claim again that they are the best money managers.
My thought for the day
Never in the history of this nation have the rich and the privileged been so openly brazen. (John Lord)
Source: Has capitalism captured the world? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
“Know your place” is a phrase used in the past by members of the Liberal Party when they observed, in their view, members of the Labor Party acting above their station.
The lessons of the last election should have left an indelible scar on those involved in the Luddite politics of the past decade. Have they not understood that the people, in their judgement, said they had had enough of their rancid unempathetic behaviour? Yet they go on unmoved as if nothing transpired while trying to give the Leader with a public image of a racist bigot a personality transplant. Queensland excepted.
But the attacks led by the Opposition leader Peter Dutton could have a fatal effect on the proposal. He knows that history tells us that without the support of the opposition, the referendum won’t pass. That is unless the people vote as they did in the election and decide to confirm their thoughts of May 21 2022, with a resounding yes vote that shatters conservative negativity for decades to come.
Source: Know your place – » The Australian Independent Media Network
olddogthoughts 
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