Agreed Dastardly Dick. Our banking ,military,industrial complex is in deep trouble. They have angry, impoverished people at home, the collapsing reserve stats of the US $ and a recalcitrant BRICS Nations led by Russia who refuse to let their economies be looted like much of the planet. The West led by the US war machine think a nuclear war can be won.Even Malcolm Fraser has warned us about this US imperialism and the need for us to become a sovereign state.

http://www.cecaust.com.au/

Arjay, no offense, but I couldn't care less what Frazer has to say about anything...he's never been in touch with the average citizen, and aside from that, his lust for power is why he blocked Whitlam's budget in order to evoke Kerr's sacking of the Whitlam government (the last TRUE Labor government). He then sold us down the toilet to the World Bank. So in his now twilight years, is seeking any form of recognition, so endeavours to say something relevant. You mentioned Keating earlier, and I have no regard for him either, but for different reasons.

Sovereignty...I presume you mean becoming a republic. I asked this question in the thread about it (and got no response)...WHY? What are the benefits to the average citizen? Aren't all our treaties then null and void, thereby requiring renegotiation? What politician would you trust to do that? I can answer the last question easily...none!

In the 80's and 90's, every few years a report would surface stating that Australia couldn't support a population of more than about 25-27 million people. Strangely, Japan with a land mass less than Tasmania can support something like 60 million. The only reason that comes to mind, for me, is that if we grew to say 100-150 million, we would then be TRULY independent due to the size of the subsequent economy, and with that, military. Would America want that? Would Britain or China? Not on your life! While we're a relatively small population (enough to suck the resources out of the ground), we are reliant upon others politically, in business and defense. But a larger population is the ONLY thing that would give us true independence through the political, military and economic weight we would then carry. Currently, we're just little kids at the table of grown-ups trying to act like them. It's laughable in so many ways.

So in short, I don't see the advantage of becoming a republic. It's not through any desire to remain a Commonwealth country, but rather, what (if any) advantage is there for the average citizen in becoming a republic?

Hi "Dick Dastardly"

You write a a lot of sense.

Though your pen-name is unfortunate http://youtu.be/bLSIU9BG41U .

Cheers

Pete

@plantagenet, thanks. My moniker, as you've noted and linked, was a cartoon villain...I'm sometimes a villain too, but mostly jokingly. So I chose it to be playful.

If you read the link I posted earlier in the thread, it's really quite a good overview of what's going on in Ukraine. I don't believe anyone that espouses America doing the right thing listens to themselves when they talk of politicians...that they're liars. But suddenly, due to media coverage swamping us, and all of it stating how righteous the US is in intervening, we read this swill about them wearing white hats, while Putin is the guy in black. I have a simple rule of thumb...if America says it's good, then it can only mean it's bad for the target country, and good for the US military industrial complex, and/or oil companies.

So too with Aussie politicians...if they say it's good for the country, it's bad for citizens but good for big business. Ratbags.

I support the desire of the people of eastern Ukraine for independence.

I hope they remain independent. Joining Russia would be a terrible mistake whose grandchildren will grieve.

Kiev should cease attempting to rule over people against their will, withdraw its forces to the west where the population is supportive and build a fortress there to defend themselves against the invading Russians. I wish them freedom and success.

It is a pity that Britain and the USA had not "encircled" Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan with military bases prior to 1939.