Don on not only the wrong page, but reading the wrong book.

The book you read Don should be retitled “ the rich are getting richer, while the poor get poorer”. Obviously your one of the former.

My Grandfather drove a horse and cart! And he was sure as the sun rises in the east there will always be Grandfathers driving horse and carts, always was always will be! Ditto slavery, child Labour and the exploitation of the poor, downtrodden and impoverished by extreme capitalists/capitalism!

And even more logical than the intrinsically absurd premise of your latest effort Don.

After all, there is only one constant in the entire universe and that one constant is constant change.

Thus we had China impoverished and home to over billion largely dirt poor people, able to apply logic's rationale and the very antithesis of trickle-down economics, to their economy and lift over a billion people out of poverty in fifty short years and into the bargain become the very economic entity (hated commies) that gives us our current standard of living.

Imagine where any of us would be if Don's, always was always will be, thesis held any water whatsoever! Particularly in all the tiger economies and Communist China, or even the highly successful Celtic economic miracle, only cruelled by foreign debt-laden real estate speculation!

Sound familiar?

Expected so much better from the pen of such a highly credentialled academic!

There are very few reasons why this country can't lead the world as the most egalitarian and universally prosperous; and they are the troglodytes in our midst, with either power and or influence, whose moribund ramblings decide our less than the best we can do, always was always will be, the powerful predatory pernicious personalities dining out on the most vulnerable, future.

And our own hell here on earth in the making!
Alan B.

What a problem envy is, the divisions between rich and poor.
Rich in what? Poor in what? Attitude?

We aim at being egalitarian - we may not always get there, but there is nothing wrong with having a bloody good go at it.

Yes Ponder, the problem of envy.

I am a millionaire, but only because of property value inflation. If the market crashed tomorrow, & my place was worth only the $200,000 I paid for it 27 years ago, my life would not change because I was not a millionaire.

I really don't give a damn that someone else is a billionaire. I only want to eat nice stake a few times a weak & I have no desire to drink Hermitage. My living standard is probably better than Henery the 8Th's.

If I were given a million dollars, provided I spent it in 24 hours, I really don't know what I would spend it on.

I really don't want to buy another yacht & sail the Pacific again &
I can't imagine anything much worse than being stuck on a cruise ship or in a holiday resort for a week.

My 48 year old home is quite comfortable.
I would not change my 16, 18 & 38 year old cars for anything, & my 65 year old tractor starts easily & does everything I ask of it.

I certainly would not give a cent to the hordes complaining that the government, read taxpayer, doesn't give them enough.

I know, I'd buy & burn a million dollars worth of coal. If the scam is true, the CO2 might warm up the frigid nights we are having around here.

Don't bother ponder, the hasbeens of this world just don't get it. Aren't ever genuinely concerned with the plight of the less well off. Think that what they've achieved is somehow remarkable and can't imagine a better world where every boy and his dog, even him and his, are comparatively better off.

Thinks we all envy him!? Risible!

Can't imagine power cheaper than coal or a better economy other than a coal-fired one!

But would drurther give a one finger salute and urge you to, go visit the nearest taxidermist.

And continue to believe that they got what they have through diligent application only! Never what other folks may have contributed?

A self-made man born in the log cabin hewn from a hostile wilderness with his own to bare hands!

Can't imagine a better system where there are no homeless, no poor or downtrodden?

After all in such a world, who would they be? Not even a Has Been, just a run of the mill nobody living in some vainglorious past. And the older he gets the better he was!

As for shovelling on more coal? Must have worked a treat, given the hottest July on record hereabouts. Imagine, who would he be in a more egalitarian world, where we all were seriously better off?

And for him and his ilk a frightening prospect that can never ever be allowed a snowflakes chance in hell of ever becoming our literal reality?

Who could they look down on them with such self-satisfied smugness!?
Alan B.

Ponder,
Does the term egalitarian come from the german egal as in who cares ?

Alan you are becoming one of the more miserable fools contributing here, & becoming more miserable every day. What ever you are doping stop it now.

Happiness is always welcome, misery suffers alone. For gods sake be happy for all you have, & stop bitching.

Hasbeen didn't have to post something, but he did and in so doing, with his own trembling hand, established credence of my opinion of him?

Just an old attack dog with no evidence in any of his posts of normal human empathy. And clearly doesn't like the view when he and his are seen through the eyes of others?

Left up to him and his prefered, I'm alright trickle down economic rationale, an oxymoron if ever there was one? The country would already be a basket case economy trembling on the precipice, of total bankruptcy?

We've come a long way since WW11, where thousands gave their lives and or their able-bodies, for our freedom and a future!

Instead, Hasbeen and Co gave us the only generation not better off than their forebears!

And most of it backwards from a post-war period of unprecedented prosperity!

And down to their preferred ideological idiocy and or entrenching unearned privilege! And at the hands of the demonstrably less intellectually able? Delivered what we have today!

Were this not so we would have built on that golden era of post-war prosperity to become even wealthier and more than the third wealthiest economy we once were! Now somewhere south of number thirty?

It had to take a conscious effort to FTU so Massively from that beginning?

Something to brag about? Hey Has

Well done Hasbeen, friends and fellow travellers, your true master would be proud!
Alan B.

Culture is not changing in Australia. Culture is starting to put its foot in the door here.

Alan B.
What does the B stand for.
What is it with you?
What happened to you to make you attack someone with such negativity and aggression.
I'm not sure what either of you are on about, as you both speak in riddles and worms, using BIG words that only you understand, but I'm going with Hasbeen on this one.
Alan, you contend, like labour and the left that because someone else is wealthy, he obviously did it at the expense of his workers.
Now you know that's not true and your only saying that just to make your point.
Let me say what you already know.
If you want to become as rich as the boss, then you find a group of people who are willing to put their nuts on the line financially and ALL their free time for the first years of operation, and a whack of further compromises and sacrifices that you would not/could not begin to fathom or understand.
Then you might just begin to get it.
You see Alan, people who have succeeded did not do it by punishing their employees, then there are those who 'made it' without ever actually 'doing' anything.
What about people like Mark Zuckerberg?
Facebook just hit the top valued company ever.
So Alan where do YOU draw the line?
No one is stopping you from getting wealthy then YOU can stick it to them legitimately.
Sure there are people like my mate Mt 'T', who does not have the best track record in justifying his wealthy position, but what do you want him to do?
Write you a cheque for, hmmmm let's say, a couple of million.
Will that do?
I tell you what, history cites that you will be back to your current wealth position some time in the future, because that is your level of status and this has been proven time and again, with very few exceptions.
Alan, the type of person you describe are more and more prevalent today.
They feel a sense of entitlement.
You want something, you alone have to start it.

I quote the author -

"And to end with what I see as the take-home message, at least for me . . .
A disposition for hard work has strengthened in recent decades, and contributed to high social mobility, and an optimistic confidence that the conditions of life, both for individuals and collectively, can be improved.
As I know now from several week of important voluntary work done by complete strangers to me, but hugely important to my health and future life, Australia combines all that with a willingness to give time, energy and money to others.
This is a small but most important book. Yes, there are people who are battling on. There are people making squillions. There always were, and there always will be. I've read and written quite a lot in the last few months about this issue. The world is improving, and our country is showing that the improvement is out there, and expanding. May it continue!"

Yes, I agree with your statement, "Australia combines all that with a willingness to give time, energy and money to others".

At the same time I ponder the fact that $130B over the last 10 years by Governments, has done nothing in reducing the horrific abuse inflicted on "our" Indigenous Aussie children.

No child asked to be born. These children deserve the right to be brought up in safe and loving families and to be told their future to society is "endless". They can attain their dreams and aspirations.

Some Politicians ascertain we must accept their Aboriginal "culture"....really?

So I ask some simple questions to Indigenous Leaders - as an Aussie who speaks on behalf of all children - born with "no voice".

......2

...2

1. What culture permits children to be abused - and it's ok.
(Refer to recent Royal Commission).

Governments of both parties "shy" away from addressing same. Why?
is it due to Votes?

2. Why is it not "compulsory" for Indigenous children to attend school.

3. Why is it that not all Indigenous births - are registered with Australia's relevant Government Agencies? As per evidence provided to recent Banking Royal Commission hearings into Indigenous Affairs.

That to me is an entire revelation as to continual abuse of children - not registered/known to relevant authorities. And who in Government is chasing up this "culture/fact"?

4. Cultural leaders having "power" - I refer all reading this listen to recordings of Banking Royal Commission for your own education.

5. School staff washing children's uniforms by Activists as being "paternalistic - really?

When school staff (saw a problem, and went over and above their call of duty) in trying to ensure children understood the issue of hygiene and health issues.

But those "Activists" - wanted to call out any offer from "dedicated" teaching staff to a child/children's well-being as being "paternalistic?"

A complete "shame" to all those activists involved.

Culture Australia - yep - we certainly have "turned the blind eye" - and most assuredly need to "refocus" on our values.

We also need to "cut the crap" (on - oh this is our culture) and get all Indigenous children into school so as to ensure they have a sense of "place" and "worth" in our society.

No "closing the gap statement" or "power/voice" to Government, needs to be addressed before "ending abuse to all children (our Aussie children) including all Indigenous children being afforded the right to attend school - and on a daily basis

From Individual -

You state - Culture is not changing in Australia. Culture is starting to put its foot in the door here.

We as Aussies, welcome ALL cultures and have always have, and yes we are ALL watching....we all note your point.

I don't have a problem with wealth or the bright people using their minds and their ideas to build wealth.

Except when they need to A: Brag about all the things they're owned and are so full of themselves. B: You'd think they were the only people who've ever worked their tail off to earn a quid?

John Laws Is/was not a poor man and as an Opinioned shock jock was able to bring a degree of fairness and balance and a whole lot of unsung behind the scenes Christian charity, and never once told us what he did or didn't have. Even though he drove a ROLLS to work!

Albeit, off-air had a mouth like a sewer, but some of his lewd stories were at least funny. And His mind remained active and he rooted for the underdog and his fellow Aussies!

And my kind of conservative. And not one with the closed mind who takes comfort in always knowing he is right and a horizon that rarely sees past the front gate?

If we in this wide brown land truly embraced cooperative capitalism we'd do a number of things, we'd rely almost exclusively on a business model that almost alone survived the great depression largely intact.

Second of all sounds the death knell of unions!

And thirdly, is the most cost-effective form of business available and the only one that will allow us to compete with the emerging economies for a much larger share of the global market.

And is almost totally reliant for that successful and robust fair competition on the world's cheapest power!

That old folk just want to shovel coal and burn it in foreign-owned or controlled power stations seems to me to be both unaustralian and Just plain dumb.

Time some of these doddery dictatorial decision makers were held to account for the mess they've made and created.
Alan B.

Alan B, now I get you a little better.
I agree with you on most of your points.
I don't brag, as I abhor the idea.
If I have ever been guilty of what you speak, it was not for personal embellishment, but in response to someones question/s.
Even though I have a collection of the type of cars you speak of, I don't drive them.
Most are un-licensed anyway.
I too am guilty of 'judging a book by it's cover'.
If I need a contractor for any reason, I take note of the vehicle he drives up in.
A little thing I learnt many years ago.
If he turns up with a new or late model car or ute, or a down trodden rust bucket, he has already lost the job before he even turns off the engine.
My 'daily driver' is a 2000 AU Falcon 1 Tonner.
Alan the reason I don't drive my 'other' cars is because of people like yourself who took it to the next level called 'road rage'.
You want to complain about the Aussie scum, well you take your car out and get spat at or run off the road or given the finger or had abuse hurled at you, just for driving a poxy Rolls Royce or Bentley.
No mate you don't know what your talking about.
You are part of the problem and part of this sh!t culture you hold so dear.
It makes people like you happy in the knowledge that you've just maligned a person for doing something YOU find offensive or are envious or jealous.
I don't care, take your pick.
I am the one who deserves a break for having been born in a country of negativity and entitlement.
I NEVER asked for help or loans or any assistance from any govt body.
Just forked out money, a lot more than yourself and most other Aussies, so instead bagging those who YOU seem to think, don't deserve their financial status, you try and create some new idea and see how far these turds will let you go.

we are ALL watching....we all note your point.
SAINTS,
note or get ? It's as different as Greed & Need.

Well, there you have it? I was speaking in broad and non-personal general terms and used a well know public entity to make a particular point and Altrav saw only what he clearly considered a personal attack on him.

Why?

Because he could deny that we'd gone backwards since an unprecedented period of post-war prosperity! Basically, because the political class old the joint down the river rather than dump the ideological idiocies that they've lumbered the nation with and they come from both sides of the isle.

Be they the extremely authoritarian far left greens or those boneheaded numbskulls of the far right. And praise greed based individualism as if it were gospel? All while ignoring factual examples that proved them so wildly off the mark to be in orbit. e.g., the economic miracle that was post-war Japan. which used enviable social unity and their own internal resources, i.e., people, to rebuild a war-torn shattered and bankrupt economy to become the world's second-largest economy.

Only turned that around and went backwards by adopting the greed is good individualism doctrine of the ultra-right boneheads.
TBC Alan B

Cont: Then there was Singapore our near neighbour and ally and source of foreign funds and investment. Started from a worse post-war position than say Japan, which at least had a sizable post-war population.

Singapore adopted inclusive social democracy without including the nanny state culture of Europe and most Europeans. Ditto South Korea and Taiwan.

China has a similar story of adopting pragmatism that allowed them to de-communise their economy, that lifted over a billion people out of endemic generational poverty.

The Celtic economic miracle was similar in many respects that invested in its own people and their better ideas and given it emphasised cooperative capitalism over the destructive nonsense of greed is good extreme capitalism, succeeded beyond their wildest dreams!

Until self-serving boneheads allowed debt-laden foreign speculators to have almost unfettered access to their real estate market. In the mistaken belief that a few troglodytes could make an unearned fortune that others essentially earned for them.

Although our own resident boneheads will see that as proof of an economically flawed model.

When the only flaw was the deliberately created and unnecessary over-dependence on foreign capital as investment in the bricks and mortar of a massively successful modern economic paradigm

This then brings us to modern day Australia, with all these economic miracles learned and acted upon?
TBC Alan B.

Cont: So applying all those illuminating examples, what could we do here in OZ to exceed them and given our quite massive mineral resources we could. Well, first we have to grow up and look at the problems rationally rather than like spoiled brats squabbling over a brand new Tonka truck in the sand pit. Then look at ideas on merit regardless of which side of the political spectrum they came from or who! And we really do need to understand, that a house divided against itself CANNOT STAND! Then use our own super to grow our economy and wealth base.

We need to prioritise and pragmatism.
Begining with a start toward nuclear power and power prices as low as 2 cents per KwH. Then use that power and modern deionisation dialysis desalination to droughtproof the joint and as part of a comprehensive thirty-year plan!

Including a start on an inland canal to bring permanent water to a dead heart. changing both our economy and our landscape! Pay for all of it with government guaranteed self-terminating, tax-free, thirty-year bonds.

And using cooperative capitalism that unites us as a people writing heir own destiny and economic prosperity, minus union interference or need or that of the carpetbagging foreign investor, who repays our hospitality by price gouging, avoiding or fair and equitable tax and by worst of all, repatriating profits.

WE DON'T AND NEVER EVER HAVE NEEDED, PROFIT DEMANDING MIDDLEMEN! Or the doubled cost of living or doing business, they bring to the table!

The final piece of this jigsaw puzzle is genuine and universally applicable tax reform!

For mine that has to be either a flat rate of unavoidable tax, free of any deduction or otherwise associated compliance costs.
Alan B.

"My Grandfather drove a horse and cart! And he was sure as the sun rises in the east there will always be Grandfathers driving horse and carts, always was always will be!"

Oh, so utter cluelessness is hereditary then.

" the rich are getting richer, while the poor get poorer"

Its one of those sayings that trips off the tongue and is said so often that it becomes a truism.

But it is completely untrue. The fact is that in Australia and most other developed nations , the rich have been getting richer AND the poor have been getting richer.

Alan, I must correct you.
My response was not to brag.
It was to expound further on your comments.
I agree with all you say, except for the part where I must cede my wealth to others.
Instead of expecting the boss to lower his status you should be urging the 'average man' to raise his.
My wealth was not created because I under payed my workers.
I give the example of my business abroad.
When I started the company the workers were getting X amount (foreign currency).
When I sold I was paying DOUBLE, approx 2 years later.
So don't you put me in the same bracket as all these scumbags like the govt and their thieving mates.
My guys were happy and that was not because I wanted to screw more work out of them, but because they were good WORKERS!
Something you will very rarely find here in Australia by comparison.
So I'm one of the good guys.
If you knew my background and history, you would sympathise, not criticise me.
You can dream, that's your prerogative.
I on the other hand am a realist and if I say this country is crap I can give you a breakdown, section by section as to why.
But the over-riding factor that is at the root of all this, is the PEOPLE.
You can try to justify your wealth sharing agenda, but your wrong.
For your theory to work, you first and fore-mostly need people to WORK.
Aussies have long held this entitlement attitude and as I said have this 'I work to live' attitude instead of 'I live to work'.
You want to improve things here?
Well begin by getting rid of the politicians and the bludgers.
Then stop the people from living beyond their means.
And by all means adopt some of your foreign investment reforms.
Then and only then will you see some common sense prevail.
One major thing which contributes to our downfall again and again is, INFLATION!
I contend that little or no inflation is a saviour, no matter what the so-called experts say.

Well begin by getting rid of the politicians and the bludgers.
Altrav,
I know many bureaucrats & general public servants who in all honesty are not worth half their salaries. To get rid of such people would only exacerbate the welfare programmes but why can't they be put on less pay until they actually produce revenue ? It isn't actually their fault that they get these jobs but surely, there must be some sort of watchdog for these bureaucrats who employ unemployables to cover their own inadequacies.
I wonder if the gerneal public has any clue how much Facebook is costing Governments just within their public service offices ?
We have inquiry after inquiry at massive cost but the public service is immune to accountability.
perhaps opposition parties should focus on that instead of where a politician was born.

Individual, I can only agree with you.
I am frustrated at the sheer waste and corruption these scum-bags are inflicting on us, and I am helpless to do anything about it, and they know it.
They have designed the system so we have little or no recourse.
That's at the base of why I lash out at these creeps and want em' dead.
I have no way of doing anything, so maybe demonstrating my sentiments might give them cause for concern, especially with so many people fed up with them and being forced into doing, as so many say, 'something stupid'.
I keep thinking, with enough people talking like this, someone must take notice.
Even if they get a little concerned.
Especially with people disaffected with todays pollies and govt workers.

ALTRAV,
Perhaps getting sincere ALP/LNP/GREEN/ON etc. into forming a United Australia Party could work.
Base the workings on common/practical sense i.e. academic infiltration would need to be strictly monitored in order for it all to work. No practical contribution, no membership.

Alan B

I agree with you about those at, the wealth and political end, of Western societies
now not allowing more wealth in the form of wages etc. to be shared more evenly with those at the lower ends. That needs to be rethought if they want peaceful happy societies but I do not believe that communism is the answer.

Because more millions died under communist regimes such as Mao and Stalin than
Did under right wing regimes, last century.
The revolutionaries when they gain power turn into the most brutal authoritarian fascist
Regimes ever.

I just looked it up on google under the heading
MAOS GREAT LEAP FORWARD killed 45million in 4years.
www.indepedent.co.uk

I think the unions for the workers, are a less deadly way to protect the fair share for workers, backed up by arbitration courts, then romanticing leftist, communist regimes.

Leftist utopian regimes who promise the peasants everything, have always turned out to
murderous despots.
Without exception anywhere.

Individual, unfortunately I can't contribute to the conversation at your level.
I lack the knowledge of the inner workings of govt.
I simply react to things that affect us negatively.
I can only voice my disgust and disdain towards all the members of govt.
I say all, because even the most well intentioned of people once 'in' have to conform to the rules of politics, or they will never be accepted.
In conforming you must compromise your stance and beliefs, if you are to garner any kind of support for your platform or bills.
Once 'in' you learn how to lie, or more specifically talk in Politically Correct terms.
If you don't you are just another govt bludger who does nothing but sleep in the chamber all day, with absolutely nothing to show for being elected in the first place.
I do not have the answers.
I have a lot of questioned generated by years of frustration, knowing, yes knowing, these scumbags are stealing money from us.
Then having the arrogance to find ways of making us pay even more.
We pay more taxes and duties than the rest of the world bar one or two. (very few)
So it is that we know all this and yet the public still stupidly believe they are there doing our bidding.
The reason I advocate killing them is because it is final, and more importantly it is sending a very serious and conclusive message to all the scum that are waiting to step in and take their place.
Incarceration does not work.
They still run things from 'inside'.
Anyway, my way will actually produce real and visible results.
Any other way doesn't.
Like a lot of other cultures when run by dictators and the like, one bullet and their problems are solved.
I don't wear fools lightly, so I 'cut to the chase', and go the way of least resistance or diversions.
My way has always been the quickest and most efficient.