After Susan Ley’s exit from politics, she embarked on a bucket-list bus trip across the USA from North Dakota to the bottom of Texas. She reports meeting a veritable potpourri of fellow travelers - prisoners returning home, veterans, nuns. She observed a clear disconnect between the elite political class, and her fellow travelers, battered by a lifetime of being overlooked. The most striking observation Ms Ley made was of a dispassionate and divided nation.

Source: ABCTV 7.30 Report

I am not going to make any comment on Ms Ley’s observations. Instead, I pose the question:

What would Ms Ley have observed had she made a similar trip across Australia? Would she travel along the eastern seaboard, or east to west, perhaps Adelaide to Darwin?

Small rural towns under the siege of out of control youth.

Hi Aries54,

What she wouldn't see is a carbon copy of America, thank God for that! Despite all the naysayers and pessimists, Australia is still a great place to live.

http://www.numbeo.com/quality-of-life/rankings_by_country.jsp

What Susan would see in both nations would be young people brainwashed into believing it to be okay to do physical harm to people and things they disagree with.

Why are young Australians being taught hatred to the extent that they want to kill people they disagree with?

I'm certain that no insight will come from the Royal Commission looking into the causes of antisemitism.

The light bulb moment will come when people realise that Nazis and Commies are differing orthodoxies of the same hateful ideology and totally unrelated to conservatism.

Hi Fester,

Me thinks you err too much on the side of pessimism, when the true picture is one of optimism. The vast majority of Australians, regardless of their age or background are decent people, we should be thankful for that.

Nazi's, Communists, I agree they are extremists that have more in common with each other, than any differences. Conservatism is not a bad thing in itself, but when it resists good progressive change, then it is a problem, conservatism resisting all change is bad in my view. With our liberal democracy allowing for progressive change, is why I believe Australia is a better society today than it was 100 years ago. I'm not saying that just in a material sense, but in the context of social improvement, we are a better society. Australia is not a Utopian society, which can simply "stay as we are" with a totally conservative outlook, progressive change is still necessary.

Fester,

You say:

“I'm certain that no insight will come from the Royal Commission looking into the causes of antisemitism”.

You are right. They are now back to yapping about guns and spending lots to buy them from decent, honest people who would never go out and use them against their fellow human beings.

If they are so concerned about the presence of guns in the community, why did the Daddy terrorist of the Islamic duo have a gun or guns?

The creep was not an Australian citizen, and non-citizens are not supposed to have firearms. But this terrorist actually had a permit! Whoever granted him a gun licence should be hauled before the Commission.

The Commission will be a dud, as such things always are in Australia. It doesn't attend to antisemitism or Islamic immigration, the only two things that were behind the massacre. The ALP is antisemitic. A large slab of the Australian population is antisemitic.

Jews are moving to Israel where, despite rockets and military armaments, not just guns, they are much safer than they are in Australia.

In the final build up to the war on Tehran, that Benjamin Netanyahu spent time reading a new book, Jews vs. Rome: Two Centuries of Rebellion Against the World’s Mightiest Empire, by Professor Barry Strauss. “Well, we lost that one,” Netanyahu explained to a reporter about the work. “I think we have to win the next one.” This is perhaps the most unintentionally revealing thing Bibi has ever said.

Think about that ttbn, after the flood of Muslims coming to the West as a result of his wars.

Israeli Minister of National Security yesterday:
"Oh, that's no secret. I disagreed with the prime minister. I think we need to carry out targeted killings in Gaza every night. Take out 30 or 40, not just those who pose an immediate threat to you. There are there are people there who shouldn't be alive. They shouldn't be living. They are not people."

Israel has been a nation of atrocities since before it's founding.

Question:
What would Susan Ley see if she travelled across Israel and Palestine?
Answer:
Absolutely nothing, because that's how conservatives roll when it comes to Israel.

The intercity bus culture in the US is very different to Australia. As Ley explained, she saw the flotsam of American culture - returning prisoners, veterans, the poor and those who weren't embedded in their society. While all that is interesting, she wasn't seeing anything even approaching the average American or even the average fly-over state American. In the US, the vast majority of even smaller cities are serviced by this or that airline and fares are low. So the average American travels by plane or car. Those on busses are the lower strata of society.

That isn't so as regards Australia where large numbers of smaller towns don't have airports, let alone regular services at anything approaching an affordable price. So the people you're likely to meet on a bus are much more likely to be those embedded in the society rather than those on the lower strata.

Of course, Ley travelled through the centre of the country. I'm not even sure that's possible here unless you join some sort of tour but if you did do it, you'd met people, even the well-off who had little in common with the majority of Australians. But if you travelled down the east coast or between major regional towns, meeting returning prisoners or war vets would be remarkable.

The countries are similar in many ways. But we aren't identical.

"after the flood of Muslims coming to the West as a result of his [Netanyahu's] wars."

The majority of Muslims in Europe, the US and Australia are refugees (or at least claim to be refugees) of the Afghan Wars, the Syrian civil war, the Lebanese upheaval, the religious wars in Pakistan, the Somali civil wars. The latest invasion comes Morocco!!

None of those had anything to do with the Netanyahu, Israel or the Jews. Still, for some, no matter the problem the cause is the Joos.

"So the people you're likely to meet on a bus are much more likely to be those embedded in the society rather than those on the lower strata."

What a load of bullcrap, only those without the means to drive theselves go greyhound you deranged fool.
And after writing this below, I really think you are quite delusional.

"None of those had anything to do with the Netanyahu, Israel or the Jews. Still, for some, no matter the problem the cause is the Joos."

What on earth do you think the War on Terror was even about you dense moron?
Trump and Netanyahu have actually helped destroy America and Israel themselves.

Netanyahu’s effort to remake the Middle East is backfiring
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/05/25/netanyahu-middle-east-strategy-hurt-israel-security/

America lost the war.

Don't Stop Believing

Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world
Susan took the greyhound bus going anywhere

http://youtu.be/Pze8Dyqiky8

Hi AC,

When my wife and I go to Fiji to see the "family", we often use the local bus service, not something the average tourist does. A chance to meet the locals, it can be a real experience at times.

"you deranged fool."
"you are quite delusional"
"you dense moron"

Has anyone else noticed that AC is becoming increasingly deranged as he realises that everything he believed and wrote about on these pages over the last 10 years is being shown to be utter rubbish?

"What on earth do you think the War on Terror was even about"

Neither Trump nor Netanyahu were in power when the War of Terror was launched. But heh, AC, don't let mere facts get in the way of your rants. Never have, never will.

BTW the Syrian, Somali and Pakistani civil wars had/have nothing to do with the war on Terror. But heh, AC, don't let mere facts get in the way of your rants. Never have, never will.

"What a load of bullcrap, only those without the means to drive theselves go greyhound"

Well actually I use greyhound quite often (even though I could drive) to visit an aging and age-old friend who lives in a small town not serviced by air. The bus is quite a civilised way to go, especially when you don't need a car at the end of the journey. My experience is that most people who use the intercity busses do so because its a more relaxing way to get from here to there than driving if the journey is over 4 hours. Although I do tend to meet quite a lot of backpackers going to/from their next gig.

"Has anyone else noticed that AC is becoming increasingly deranged as he realises that everything he believed and wrote about on these pages over the last 10 years is being shown to be utter rubbish?"

Actually I'm looking pretty good, the West looks like it will lose in Ukraine, lose with Iran and be booted out the M/E and lose with China.

See Trump yesterday screaming about bombing the shite out of Oman.
That's because Iran has checked his every move and he has none left.

Mutiny on the Lincoln, lol.

Trump got bitch-slapped to the ground by Iran and his military is in disarry.
All his M/E bases got blown up, and Lindsay Graham's dead.
The U.S is in retreat, look at Japan barking at China like a western attack chihuahua and now China checked them and the Japanese economy is going to implode.

The West doesn't even have weapons to fight any more wars or adequately defend anyone.

Look at the UK, sending a carrier fleet to Russia as a show of strength, but UK doesn't have enough frigates for the fleet so the French have stepped in to help, but the UK carrier doesn't even have any fighter jets because the UK doesn't have enough for both is Air Force and it's Navy together.

What a show of strength, Putin must be crapping himself.

"the West looks like it will lose in Ukraine"

Not that you'll understand but....

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/17/andrei-klepach-russian-banker-fired-warning-economy

"The chief economist at Russia’s second-largest bank has been fired after a series of critical comments about the state of the economy, including warnings that Moscow would not win a prolonged economic war with Ukraine."

Lots of deranged predictions there AC. I suspect they'll turn out as good as your previous predictions about Odessa, Bakhmut and Kharkiv!!...ie in a year you'll be pretending they never happened.

Yes the economic effects of diminished oil exports are hurting Russia.
- But certainly no more than the economic effects of the U.S. being booted out the Gulf and losing the petrodollar will hurt their own interests. The Strategic Petroluem reserve is running out.

Apart from the war itself, I think the angle is to undermine Putin's re-election in September. When this fails because Putin has an approval rating in the 70's the gloves will get taken off and UKraine will be finished off.

Russians are about 3klms from Kramatorsk and have already entered Orikhiv. Drone strikes on Moscow will only harden their resolve, Ukraine's certainly not going to march on the city, so they're just slapping Russia in the face prior to getting their own faces kicked in.

From what I hear Odessa is already largely cut off.
http://www.youtube.com/live/Xsb7c4Htx20?t=2995

Douglas MacGregor: "But I think what we're seeing is that the movement towards Odessa is very real and it's begun. Odessa has been cut off. It's blockaded from the sea. It is no longer the artery of support and sustainment for the Ukrainians. And uh the Russians have actually sent in Spetznaz and come out with lots of prisoners, some of whom I'm told are NATO officers. We don't admit to any of that and we will not confirm any of that, but I think that's going on. So my my perception is we're at the beginning of the end for Odessa and we're seeing dramatic movement in the south.

And FYI mhaze, when John Bolton was removed from the White House in September 2019, Macgregor was one of five finalists under consideration for selection as Trump's National Security Advisor.

Hi AC,

The deranged Donald is desperate, he is now threatening to bomb the American ally Oman. What do you make of that? I'm sure the Trumpster would agree, "its a great idea", he was in favour of Donald bombing Greenland, Canada, Mexico, Denmark, that big island in the South West Pacific, run by that commie Albo.

Lets put that in context, imagine the situation here, if TRUMP announced without warning (something he likes to do), that he was considering bombing AUSTRALIA!

Also, Donald is sucking you to the madman Kim Jong Un in North Korea, again, saying Kimmy is a mate of his.

"Yes the economic effects of diminished oil exports are hurting Russia."

Oil is only part of it. The attacks on Wildberries is having significant effect. The draining away of the manpower of the economy to fed the meat-grinder that Putin has committed Russia to (exacerbated by the huge numbers who have fled Russia to avoid being thrown into the meat-grinder), the increasing and increasingly effective sanctions are all sending Russia into economic doldrums. Even the Russians are now admitting that their economic growth rate is down to about 0.3% if you choose to believe anything they tell you and that most of that growth is in military spending with the civilian economy in decline. But your sources won't tell you that.

"I think the angle is to undermine Putin's re-election in September."

You surely can't be that naive to think that these or any other elections in Russia aren't predetermined. Putin will win these elections by whatever margin he deems believable to the gawking Russophiles.

"we're at the beginning of the end for Odessa "
Yeah, this is like global warming predictions. Predict Odessa is about to fall which you did three years ago and when it doesn't happen just make the prediction all over again.

Hi Paul,
Trumps upset with Oman for working with Iran on Hormuz transits.
It means America has no leverage over the strait and Trump doesn't like it.

He's being nice to Kim Jung Un, because he's upset with South Korea for not helping with Iran, but little does he know the South Koreans want the Americans out anyway.
http://www.youtube.com/shorts/KpLY9Spm2rg

In cutting joint drills, Trump has given South Korea’s president what he wants. So why is Seoul so uneasy?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/19/trump-south-korea-alliance-military-seoul-security

"Yeah, this is like global warming predictions. Predict Odessa is about to fall which you did three years ago and when it doesn't happen just make the prediction all over again."

It's not me saying it mhaze, I can't see them taking it anytime soon.

Sloviansk, Kramatork and Orikhiv however, the 'beginning of the end' process for them is now well underway.

Russia launched a heap of jet powered drones on Kiev overnight.

Hi AC,

I can just imagine the unpredictability of Daffy Donald! CHINA attacks AUSTRALIA. What Daffy would say; "Yes Australia is a very good friend, buy a lot of our overpriced secondhand nuclear submarines we can't get rid of. Had a terrific phone call with the Australian Prime Minister Mr Veryeasy. You know China is a very good friend of ours, they are about to sign a trillion dollar deal with us at The Trump Organization, with the governments okay, a very good deal for both of us. China will get half of Australia, we get the other half. I've just sent Jared and JD over to sign the deal. By the way, my good friend Kimmy wanted a cut, I said; "No way Kimmy, good friend or not...you can have New Zealand with a good deal....I'll bomb them for you, before they can get nuclear weapons, can't have those nasty people with nuclear weapons"..." Australia is begging to make a deal, I gave Mr Veryeasy 24 hours to surrender, that's the deal, or I'll have to bomb you back to the stone age with a big one, I don't like to do it, I'm a peace loving guy, BUT business is business!" I was thinking of inviting Mr Veryeasy to the White House, we could tie him to a chair in the oval office, and take turns pissing on him, in front of the whole world, like we did with that fool from Ukraine."

my recent trip covering around 9000 kilometres driving around Australia reminded me what a beautiful, blessed country that I have had the privilege to grow up in. Still most people I come in contact with are indifferent to Politics and just want to live a peaceful life. In some parts I travelled the ugliness of wind factories was enough to even make a greenie vomit. My prayer and wish is that my grandchildren get the same opportunities that I have had. Whatever people's views on politics (mine are easily identifiable), I found the that the filthy harlot Governments of all persuasions showed how completely stupid or evil people will be when controlled by fear as clearly displayed during the covid con. I do think unless people are willing to fight for this nation we will lose it. Labor/Liberal/Greens really have shown themselves as parties of self-interest. There are some exceptions.

Hi AC,

I found this vid on glide bombs and Ukrainian air defence challenges interesting.

https://youtu.be/oYYuh0Reetw?si=W_DNtOFzr4_TFcnx

The irony I see in all the angst between democracies and authoritarian nations is that the prosperity of all depends on the trade between them. War is invariably an economic disaster.

Hi runner,

Well done, a 9K trip around Australia, a beautiful country indeed. I like your comment;

"Australia reminded me what a beautiful, blessed country that I have had the privilege to grow up in. Still most people I come in contact with are indifferent to Politics and just want to live a peaceful life."

It's my belief that the vast majority of people are essentially good, and not in need of salvation by a divine deity as religious believers think is necessary. The notion that people are essentially bad and need to be saved from themselves is rubbish.