I was going to say something, but then saw that you live in Melbourne and decided that was punishment enough.
Howard was probably the WORST thing that ever happened to the Liberal Party! History will judge him along the same lines as some of history's worst dictators - having single handedly disarmed all the good guys in Australia, and left only the cops and criminals (the bad guys) with guns... this is the single worst infringement on individual freedoms which i can ever recall any so-called "liberal" ever inflicting on individual liberties. Besides his over generous paid parental scheme policy i dont recall much else that Abbott has said or done which is retarded - unlike 99% of the stuff the Greens and the ALP constantly do and make laws to do.
The Wikileaks party has been divided by infighting and there were a heap of resignations a fortnight ago. That's one reason why I voted Pirate Party over Wikileaks - Pirate Party is somewhat more coherent and unified in their message of freedom of information.
Socialism would work fine if everyone were equal. When you have a section of society that gets up in the morning and produces and supports themselves, and another section of society that feels entitled to sit on their behinds and expect the state to carry them the system is doomed to fail. Much like communism socialism suppresses entrepreneurs and hard workers and innovators who tire of having the fruits of their labour confiscated by the state to give to the lazy and unmotivated.
Sorry to burst your bubble Yippe but 1. Our Tax-to-GDP ratio has fallen over the last 6 years from ~24% (under Howard-Costello) to ~21% (under Rudd/Gillard-Swan). We are, in fact, paying less overall tax now. 2. Our standards of living has increased significantly over the last 6 years, with the average household better of by around $5000 per year in real terms. Yes, costs have increased, but incomes have increased at a faster rate. I know personal liberty is something you like harping on about and if you feel that strongly about such a subjective topic then feel free to keep ranting, but please, stop embarrassing yourself on subjects where the data is so easily available to disprove the rubbish you come out with.
1. My (and just about everybody who works)'s tax:income ratio has INCREASED under the ALP/Greens scumbag government 2. what utter horsesh!t! Good to see you haven't lost your affinity for constant and consistent verbal diarriah mate! :lol:
My point in saying ...was that Yippe (or anyone) else can google this information very easily. This isn't subjective, airy-fairy stuff - we have measurable, quantifiable data available. Yippe, however, just likes talking out of his arse on whatever subject he happens to feel enraged about this week, regardless of whether what he's saying has any basis in fact. For example, this was published on the Macrobusiness blog last week: So, on the one hand you have an independent study from a respected university using quantifiable data, and on the other hand you have some dude talking smack on an internet forum.
That's interesting. But not in my household, or anyone that I knows household. It must be one of those statistics that are.... shall we say, selective.
Having filled in 97 numbers and returned one spoiled paper and needing to use 3 blunt pencils to do I start to wonder whether the existence of retarded political pygmies on the ballet paper and in the booths is part of 'the plan'. Polling place was a total disgrace. Grubby and ill-equiped ( a school of course). The staff were failing the electoral laws in a couple of areas. (or am I wrong - don't you have to state that you've not voted already today and that this is your correct name?) One poor old fellow had to put up with a silly cow sitting on her behind at the ballot box and stating over and over again 'fold it' 'fold it' 'fold it' as he tried to fit his metre long senate paper into the ballot box. Because we simple peasants are not allowed interfere with another's voting process I had to watch his nervous attempts to post the ballot until finally it was small enough to fit in the slot. I hope stupid cow finds more understanding of old age when she faces it. If we get the government we deserve, then judging by the cattle call I saw then we're in for a sh*storm. And no sausage sizzle!!!
I think most of the staff at the booths are teachers. Explains a lot. Probably grumpy because they know their beloved socialists are in for the hiding they deserve. OC