Venting corner

BullwinkleII

TeeCeeKay wrote:

Soooo, we've talked religion, politics and slid a penis joke in here.
Can't say this thread isn't interesting.
I could mention I'm a mormon and that could really get things going.

However...
I'd vote for Bullwinkle, but I don't think he'd show us his budget until after the election.

A few questions:
- How do you encourage good people to go into politics when there are so many clowns already in there?
- How do beat a two party system (Aust. & US) where personality rules over vision?
- How do we get "we, the people" back to reality instead of prefering minders ensuring the pollies always appear to be walking on water instead of helping us to see them, and accept them, as fallible and accountable?

That suggestion of a religion thread was wisely stepped over. I think a politics thread would need to be given the same treatment.

Back to socially acceptable venting...

I wonder why all levels of government aren't assisting in the establishment of aquaponics systems in our communities? They could begin with subsidised, industry endorsed units of study available to tertiary students. It could only improve levels of self sufficiency in a time when many are struggling to stretch the pay pack.

I guess it depends on us putting some pressure on our pollies to start recognising the benefits. Typical Aussie...ask a question and give the answer in the next breath.

But the politics thread was a distraction from the religion thread.

So...

the way to get around all the problems of everything in politics is the following.

Everyone gets a vote.

You can stand for parliament, or if you don't have enough votes, you can give your vote to someone else.

Your mum, the guy from the local chicken shop, the minister for good times, whoever. We live in a digital world. I don't want to tick bits of paper any more.

anyway... There are a limited number of seats. Voters/number of seats = how many votes you need to get a seat. if you don't have the numbers, you pass them on.

People can move their vote whenever they like.

Also I propose a 1% discretionary tax that each person decides where it is spent and can change their mind when ever they want. ( think I might have already mentioned that)

There. Now that CANT be controversial.

Ronmaggi

None of it matters, when the aliens land, they are going to make me supreme ruler of the world.

floridafishin

So Mork gave up his egg for a pirate ship? Nanu Nanu :roll:

Colum Black-Byron

Talk like a pirate day will be every day?

BullwinkleII wrote:

But the politics thread was a distraction from the religion thread.

So...

the way to get around all the problems of everything in politics is the following.

Everyone gets a vote.

You can stand for parliament, or if you don't have enough votes, you can give your vote to someone else.

Your mum, the guy from the local chicken shop, the minister for good times, whoever. We live in a digital world. I don't want to tick bits of paper any more.

anyway... There are a limited number of seats. Voters/number of seats = how many votes you need to get a seat. if you don't have the numbers, you pass them on.

People can move their vote whenever they like.

Also I propose a 1% discretionary tax that each person decides where it is spent and can change their mind when ever they want. ( think I might have already mentioned that)

There. Now that CANT be controversial.

I'd just see the media becoming the new leaders of the world. They have full control of what the masses see/watch/listen to, or corporations that pay for air time, so spout propaganda.

Not a bad idea, but I fear we'd just end up with Rupurt Murdock as our supreme leader.

What I think we need is a cap on election advertising, and for the networks to give equal coverage to the smaller parties, instead of labour and liberials being able to throw million and millions onto advertising to get votes. And no other party can match that.

floridafishin

Remember who owns the media (bankers). They will never put a cap on their own propaganda machine. So the people they want elected get elected. The rest are pushed off into obscurity, to negate their chances.

Yavimaya

system i would rather is politicians are only there to bring issues forth that the community has raised.... then every saturday there is obligation free voting on what gets done on each issue.

so the public decides if we give money to this charity or not, whether we give more money to schools or less, we decide if the port in the barrier reef goes ahead or not - not the politicians who want money from it, etc, etc.

floridafishin

If you cap the pay of the said politicians, to the average salary of the populace. And have mandatory audits of their finances. You would quickly weed out those in it for greed and power. Replacing them with patriots that are there to serve the people, like they were elected to.

coachchris

If you cap the pay of the said politicians, to the average salary of the populace.

Then there wouldn't be any politicians. :laughing3:

floridafishin

That was the point. Only someone who deeply wants to help the country would run.

Colum Black-Byron

It wouldn't work. The greedy and corrupt would take the low paying job, knowing they were promised the multi million dollar consulting job after they finished their term in office.

Actually, I think that happens already.

floridafishin

It does but far fewer would be willing to take the loss for a full term. Giving others a better shot at winning. Plus it would make no economic sense to waste $100 mil, on an election campaign. Knowing it would take you 40 years (even with the consulting) just to recoup your initial investment.

BullwinkleII

Yavimaya wrote:

system i would rather is politicians are only there to bring issues forth that the community has raised.... then every saturday there is obligation free voting on what gets done on each issue.

so the public decides if we give money to this charity or not, whether we give more money to schools or less, we decide if the port in the barrier reef goes ahead or not - not the politicians who want money from it, etc, etc.

The main problem with citizen inspired referenda is that every time it's tried people always vote decrease taxes and increase spending on the same day.

BullwinkleII

They are already underpaid.

Their's is a job that is easy to get. You just have to rock up. You don't even need to apply. If it's such a good deal, just do it.

The truth is, if your willing to work as hard as a politician does, there are a lot better paying jobs out there.

Seriously, how many hours a day do you think the average politician works?

I doubt there is even one state or federal politician who is in it for the money.

To everyone saying they are over paid, why are you saying it? what makes you think that? what are you basing it on?

If it's that they do stuff you don't agrees with, that's just because they are doing stuff that the majority agrees with.

If it's because you genuinely think they don't work very hard and don't have much responsibility, give me a name of one that you think is bad, and I'll talk to them, their staff, and the people in opposition to them politically, and see what they say. I guarantee everyone, even the people politically on the the other side of the fence will all say the same thing.

They work their butts off all the time.

I think people just like to dislike them. That being the case, there's little point is trying to convince anyone any different, but to say, if it's such a good job, just take it.

Yavimaya

i think that you seem to be forgetting that the higher levels of government take all of thier "knowledge" of whats going on out there from polls, small surveys and advisors, with the latter having the most weight, corporations also have a lot more say than the polls and surveys.

politicians do work long hours and they have stressful work, their pay shouldnt necessarily be lower, but they shouldnt get this huge pension and perks afterwards. they should also be able to be held accountable for mistakes like an average citizen or ceo of a corporation can be.

BullwinkleII

Accountability is a tough one.

The reason cops cant be charged with assault (in oz) is because if they could, they wouldn't arrest anyone.

Would you cut spending to health if the budget required it, knowing that if someone died (as they inevitably do) you would be sued?

That's an instant recipe for nobody running unless they always kept a private jet fuelled and running just in case.

For anyone, interested in this discussion, put forward an alternative, and someone/everyone will point out the flaws.

I think we're doing pretty well.

Nobody in my area is systematically cutting young men's arms off with machetes, so they all get a thumbs up from me. (unless you are from a culture where a thumbs up is an obscene gesture, in which case, they all get a wave)

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Venting corner

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A place to discuss aquaponics