I was cleaning up the other day, and came across an old notebook from my uni days. I went through it to see if there was anything I needed to keep, and I found one page that I’d written that I wanted to post for posterity.
Considering the obscene (though incredibly uneven) wealth of the Western world and the extreme poverty the rest of the world largely suffers, I thought this comment had to be recorded. To put it in context, on the 22nd of May in 2001, I was in an elevator at UTS, my university, and two teachers got in with me. As we were dragged up to the 20th floor, I overheard this simple comment.
“We could make the other house into a big kitchen, but I’m not sure we really need that.”
The comment was passed in all seriousness and the man who was listening didn’t react in any particular way. I, on the other hand, nearly fell over, and pledged to write that comment down when I got the chance. Seven years later, with the housing boom and resultant housing crisis, I wonder what they did with that second house? On a larger level, what does it say about western excess? Can we justify this level of wealth when such inequality exists? Or are we supposed to be just grateful that it’s not our children starving in Ethiopia? It’s a mixed up world isn’t it….
If you haven’t seen him on your television yet, you ain’t watching.
The Ruddster, a.ka. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, has been on a whirlwind world tour, meeting every leader that will shake his hand. This is his first major overseas trip as Prime Minister, and he has a lot of re-positioning to do after a decade of John Howard’s brand of global engagement.
Labor has only been in power in Australia for just over 100 days or so, so it’s still very early days yet, but the signs are good. The Liberals are reduced to complaining about everything they can, and looking the fools for it. The most ridiculous one this week was them complaining about the salute to George Bush, which earned The Ruddster a rebuke from the Libs from not being prime ministerial enough. Get real guys. You really will have to do a little better…
He’s looking good in my eyes. He’s eloquent, intelligent, very ready to engage, diplomatic, realistic and visionary. OK, maybe he’s not the most exciting Prime Minister I have ever seen, but after having lived through a decade of John Howard, I’d prefer intelligent and visionary over exciting anyday.
His deputy, Julia Gillard, looks frighteningly capable. Maybe she will, in about ten years, become Australia’s first female Prime Minister. We just have to give the Ruddster three terms first. I’m sure he’ll hand over then… 
Some people claim ignorance when it comes to politics. Mostly I think it’s self chosen. They don’t want to know. It’s all too difficult. Or is it that they don’t know themselevs and what they believe in. After all, everyone has political beliefs. It’s impossible not to. Politics is how you feel about social justice, freedom of the press, national security, economic structures. Sure we mightn’t all have a really deep understanding of these complicated subjects, but we will have an idea where we stand on many of the issues if we just took our time to think about it.
Take Australia right now. A federal election is due to be called at any minute. We have had a conservative government in power for over a decade. We are experiencing an economic book, based on the resources sector, and unemployment is at an all time low. Sounds good doesn’t it. But it’s all spin as far as I’m concerned. The unemployment figures are as rubbery as water, and 2 hours a fortnight in a casual position is classed as a job. Any job security we ever had is gone, and now we have individual workplace agreements where the worker has to bargain (with what leverage I don’t know) with the employer directly. A typical AWA is all overtime and loading gone, and 2cents an hour in compensation. Yeah right.
And sure the economy is booming, but where is that money going? To the wealthy investors of the mining companies. They talk about trickle down economics, but I tell you in the real world, the trickle runs out long before it gets to the bottom end. In the real world living costs have increased about twofold while wages have gone up maybe 10%. The dream of home ownership is now firmly that - a dream for anyone but the wealthy. We have the most arrogant government we’ve ever had in power, and it’s time they WENT!
So watch the next election with interest. Kevin Rudd is likely to become the next Prime Minister of Australia, and this is because the majority of Australians can see through the amazing lies the government has been peddling for the last decade. Yes, we have been slow to wake up. But it’s happening.
Technorati Tags: politics, “Australian politics”, Labor, Rudd, election
This is a great idea. The standard one dimensional idea of the left to right political spectrum is hopelessly inadequate. The Political compass sets values across two scales, one social and one economic. This presents a much more accurate idea of where an individual stands politically. I do this quiz fairly regularly, and depending on my mood I move a little to the left or right or up and down. But essentially I am where I am, which is firmly ensconced with the libertarian left. I won’t say exactly where, cause some of you mightn’t want to talk to me anymore :), but I’m happy with it, as it’s a looong way from John Howard.
Do yourself a favour and take the test.
The site also has other amusements such as a plot of where classical composers were on the scales, and where the various EU governments stand. Well worth half an hour of your time (although if you want, it need only take 5 minutes).
Technorati Tags: politics, political quiz, political compass
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