Time for some vision
In recent months the western world has seen the ongoing right wing populist experiment go into overdrive, Boris the mop head blustering his way towards Brexit, Trump openly inviting impeachment while simultaneously abandoning allies afar and trying to host a meeting of world leaders in his own resort. But here in sunny Oz, the fascist kleptocrats are pedalling hard to catch up with the big boys.
Make no mistake, the Morrison government will attempt to destroy much of the social welfare state that is left after 25 years of neoliberalism, either by outsourcing government functions or privatising key components. In the meantime they will do nothing to arrest the ongoing carbon crisis or deal with any of the negative consequences of a capitalist system unfettered from government regulation, such things as static wages, job insecurity, rising inequality, homelessness, suicides...the list is seemingly never ending.
Does this amount to a form of oppression by the wealthy elites and their pet government? Do the decisions of the Murdochs, the Hancocks, the Palmers etc really end up being the way we have to live? Isn't there supposed to be a democratic choice?
Well if there is you would be hard pressed to pick the difference right now. Sure the "opposition" has been sniping away scoring the odd point of two in parliamentary questions but then that shouldn't be too hard given the quality of the LNP government. It might even generate a few lazy retweets and MSM news stories but it's simply not enough.
It's not enough when we see pictures like these
and witness the ALP siding with the government on votes against corruption inquiries or climate emergencies. It's not enough when the ALP is muttering about being more centrist, ie less left wing, trying to appeal to the aspiring voter. It's simply not enough when we are heading into ecological collapse.
Fundamentally the message is simple. If the ALP ever wants to convince people to vote them back into office it has to offer a compelling alternative to the status quo. That means being brave, a bit like Gough 45 years ago. Because being liberal lite isn't going to cut it, most people will end up deciding the devil they know is better.
Being brave. Map out a plan to phase out coal. Plan massive infrastructure builds to address the cost of housing, our aging transport systems. Do something about the destruction of the land, buy up the farms, plant billions of trees. If necessary, renationalise the things that have been sold off to private enterprise. Take Australia forward into the 21st century instead back to the fascist era of last century.
Anything less is not enough.
Make no mistake, the Morrison government will attempt to destroy much of the social welfare state that is left after 25 years of neoliberalism, either by outsourcing government functions or privatising key components. In the meantime they will do nothing to arrest the ongoing carbon crisis or deal with any of the negative consequences of a capitalist system unfettered from government regulation, such things as static wages, job insecurity, rising inequality, homelessness, suicides...the list is seemingly never ending.
Does this amount to a form of oppression by the wealthy elites and their pet government? Do the decisions of the Murdochs, the Hancocks, the Palmers etc really end up being the way we have to live? Isn't there supposed to be a democratic choice?
Well if there is you would be hard pressed to pick the difference right now. Sure the "opposition" has been sniping away scoring the odd point of two in parliamentary questions but then that shouldn't be too hard given the quality of the LNP government. It might even generate a few lazy retweets and MSM news stories but it's simply not enough.
It's not enough when we see pictures like these
Fundamentally the message is simple. If the ALP ever wants to convince people to vote them back into office it has to offer a compelling alternative to the status quo. That means being brave, a bit like Gough 45 years ago. Because being liberal lite isn't going to cut it, most people will end up deciding the devil they know is better.
Being brave. Map out a plan to phase out coal. Plan massive infrastructure builds to address the cost of housing, our aging transport systems. Do something about the destruction of the land, buy up the farms, plant billions of trees. If necessary, renationalise the things that have been sold off to private enterprise. Take Australia forward into the 21st century instead back to the fascist era of last century.
Anything less is not enough.
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