Some points of contention and some agreement.

First, poverty and hardship will create endless social unrest and crime! And shooting addicts may well end their addiction permanently/substantially reduce prison populations? But leave the Mr Bigs out there peddling their poison, with impoverished pushers left with few economic choices that put food on a usually bare table or a roof over the head.

The answer is one that is rigidly resisted by the money faced!

And that is (not for profit) affordable/carbon free energy coupled to social housing and kibbutz style type community collective, cooperative endeavor!

i.e., SOCIAL CREDIT AND COOPERATIVE CAPITALISM!

And if endlessly available cheap desalinated sanitary potable water (deionization dialysis) is also part of that mix, very different health consequences ought ensue!

However, that nailed to a cross, religious icon would have to come to life. Pull out those nails and once again walk among us, for any prospects of change that we can all believe in? Becomes the preferred, official reality!

Don't hold your breath!
Alan B.

No gay madi grass debates in the Phillipines either. How refreshing. No tolerance of homosexuality in Indonesia , doubly refreshing.
Not all bad Bruce!

IS keep women under control , no political parties, OLO or ABC. Could be winner.

Lucky then, Diver, that you are in Australia and will be voting yes.

first article I have ever read from Bruce where his hatred for Abbott has not oozed and he was not championing the people smuggling business.

There's a lot that I could speculate in regards to the Philippines, but I really don't like conjecture, and prefer facts, which I'm not sure of so I'll leave it be.
Though I will say 'Remember Benghazi', in regards to US originally arming rebels against Assad.

On another related note, the Syrian Arab Army have just crossed the Euphrates.
I'll give ISIS 2 months from today and they will be no more.
Congratulations and well done to the Syrian Arab Army!

The US will have to move their defeated proxy Mujaheddin army elsewhere, (ahem) or force the Kurds and their own embedded troops to fight Russians... Or another false flag...