america is worried about foreign enemies.

the government is constantly reminding you to look for terrorists, under the bed.

but the only significantly dangerous enemy america has is rich americans. they are driven by greed and can never be satisfied. their financial power has shaped american foreign policy with the result that america sees enemies everywhere, and is not wrong to do so, because they have made enemies everywhere.

mccain is the current apologist for greed. it's a difficult job you might think, but america worships money. even those who have little and don't expect to get more have been educated to accept that it's their own fault to be losers. from this base, mccain is able to support 'the american way', while helping the rich get more.

nothing to be done about it, i suppose. americans will watch their standard of living deteriorate and swallow the lie about living in a country of 'freedom'. it is free: the rich are free. and the poor are free, too. free, but without health insurance, without good schools, with crumbling roads and bridges. free to survive if you work two or three jobs.

and all the while, the princes of capitalism complain bitterly about 'terrorism'. so they should. terrorism is extra-national guerilla warfare, the war of the poor against the rich. it is the only kind of war the poor can make, not having drone bombs, tanks, or mercenary professional armies, with helicopter gunships, air support, night vision systems.

terrorism is unlikely to succeed, and won't trouble the rich personally, but it is the only visible symptom of resistance to wealth. that makes the rich nervous, as communism used to do.

what should really frighten the rich, their real achilles heel, is themselves. their greed will destroy the society on whose existence their wealth depends. but they can not see this, and if they did they would say "let restraint begin elsewhere, i don't have enough".

Hi Demos...... you should write to the US administration and recommend they read the book of Habbakuk.. the old Testament minor prophet.

They might also benefit greatly by reading Amos.. They both have different but most interesting perspectives on national life and politics and the problems you have highlighted.

You might find them interesting :)

“they are driven by greed and can never be satisfied.”

Ah DEMOS, nothing like being specific. Why attack an individual for their shortcomings, when you can more easily generalise about a whole nation, assuming they are all the same and devoid of free will.

“but america worships money.”

Actually, on a per capita basis, more Americans attend and actively participate in their local church than do Australians.

May be they just “worship”, all round, more than Aussies.

“but without health insurance,” na.

lots of health insurance and when I lived there, mine was cheaper than what I am levied by the government here for medicare.

“the princes of capitalism complain…”

Whilst the “princes of socialism” complain about nothing,

because they were deposed and thrown out of their kingdom back in the early 1990’s

“terrorism is unlikely to succeed,” like dearest Margaret said

“All attempts to destroy democracy by terrorism will fail. It must be business as usual.”

“their greed will destroy the society on whose existence their wealth depends. but they can not see this,”

Ah the banner call of ever lefty since the beginning of “leftism”, and it will happen shortly after the time when “the meek will inherit the earth”.

In short, don’t hold your breath

And Margaret also said “Economics are the method; the object is to change the soul.”

I suggest you read about Maslow, you might get to understand what you need to do to “move up”, above the swill heap of the socialists.

Demos you are being ridiculous and ignorant. Terrorism is not war against wealth. It is a cheap tactic everyone will utilise (even the wealthy) against a superior fighting force. In the current context it is a response to decades of mistreatment and abuse by foreign countries of the middle east and of a refusal to leave the people in peace there (Afghanistan and Iraq). Granted the "War on Terror" is a sham and clever political ploy to gain more power and control, but here you're missing the point and are confused.

Secondly most people are driven by 'greed'. Your post has more to do with power than wealth, though many wealthy people do strive to have as much power as possible. Anything else you say is merely a repetition of the "power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely" saying, which is not particularly meaningful nor helpful. Americans can do whatever they want as far as I'm concerned (domestically). You shouldn't concern yourself over what they do to each other either (unless it's likely to affect us somehow in Australia of course). Private wealth can have many good consequences if the holder is an intelligent, inventive/creative or wise philanthropist.

Great commentary, DEMOS

Interesting - your pseudonym is written entirely in capitals and yet the content of your post is completely devoid of them!

Col Rouge

"lots of health insurance and when I lived there, mine was cheaper than what I am levied by the government here for medicare."

Lots of PEOPLE LACKING health insurance, more like it - 45 million Americans have no health insurance of any kind.

Bronwyn “Lots of PEOPLE LACKING health insurance, more like it - 45 million Americans have no health insurance of any kind.”

We all make choices to how we manage our personal budgets and resources.

I find my decisions of expense priority suits me better in Australia and it suited me in USA too.

Some of us think of our future and others think only of their immediate, then whine when it arrives and they are unprepared.

However, in Australia, I do not get the choice of medicare I want, I have to take the one-size-fits-all solution prescribed by the federal government and I don’t get to choose a different medicare system either.

Of course, I can ‘double-cover’ and buy private insurance to get what I really want but no discretion on the queues which dominate the public service.

Same too the UK, worst system I have ever seen (I wont bore you), basically more concerned with the career paths of hospital doctors, nurses and porters (etc) than the patients; who the porters, nurses, doctors are supposedly paid to serve.

Col

If there is so much that is 'right' (in all senses of the word) in the Capitalist Bastion of the world, and so much that is wrong here in Australia, I politely suggest that you exercise your free will and move to the US.

Please. I won't take it personally if you leave our shores.

Fractelle “If there is so much that is 'right' (in all senses of the word) in the Capitalist Bastion of the world, and so much that is wrong here in Australia, I politely suggest that you exercise your free will and move to the US.”

Please. I won't take it personally if you leave our shores.”

Oh I do exercise my “freewill” and choose to remain among the country who accepted me as an immigrant.


That said, I feel it a moral duty and act of gratitude to remain here, so i can lead by example, mission to the native (so to speak) and educate them out of ignorance,

Than to couch myself among the comforts of the already converted.

And posts such as yours clearly demonstrate how desperately I am needed here.


Of course, I also have family investment here, which it would sadden greatly me to separate from, compared to mere “friendships” in US.

Col Rouge

“We all make choices to how we manage our personal budgets and resources…Some of us think of our future and others think only of their immediate, then whine when it arrives and they are unprepared.”

Yes, Col, it’s a pity those poor Americans can’t show the same foresight and skill you have in managing budgets and planning for the future.

Unfortunately though, for the vast majority it wouldn’t make a scrap of difference. In fact, you would receive a real lesson in budgeting if you saw how some of these people manage to survive on as little as they do.

Over 35 million Americans live in poverty and a large slice of these are people with jobs. 25 % of all jobs pay less than a poverty-level income and people are forced to work two and three jobs just to survive. Even those with jobs are having to line up for food parcels to feed their families. The top 20 % of earners take over half the national income while the bottom 20 % take home around 3 %.

This is the reason that so many Americans have no health insurance. They can’t afford it pure and simple and all the planning and budgeting advice in the world won’t change that fact.

Bronwyn “Yes, Col, it’s a pity those poor Americans can’t show the same foresight and skill you have in managing budgets and planning for the future.”

Actually, I earn a good part of my income from companies and corporations (in the past, in USA too) who contract for me to show them how it is done -

Budgeting and particularly planning, that is. Including how they can implement processes to turn their businesses style from “reactive” into “proactive” interpreters of their business data…

“In fact, you would receive a real lesson in budgeting if you saw how some of these people manage to survive on as little as they do. “

The point is, because I always do and always have planned, I actually “budget” in the way those folk you talk of need to.

So you are really preaching, not just to the converted but to the preacher.

“This is the reason that so many Americans have no health insurance. They can’t afford it pure and simple and all the planning and budgeting advice in the world won’t change that fact.”

They are the product of their own lethargy and missed opportunity.

the old adage “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” comes to mind

So I will call you when I need your input.

Oh, I have, also, just signed up to supply mentoring skills, it pays $400 per hour and represents a nice little side-line. You could always signup for a few sessions.

Col you take the cake for the purest form of arrogance Ive yet read on these threads!
I would suggest you take up on the idea of living in usa, it is more the style there.
fluff4

Fractelle, fluff4,

We never say any migrant for any reason "get out from our country", or "go back to your country" or " go to any other country because the migrant likes an other country.
It is Col Rouge's right to believe for USA what he believes and it is our right to believe what we believe about him but we NEVER SAY HIM "IF YOU DO NOT LIKE AUSTRALIA GET OUT FROM HERE" OR "IF YOU LIKE USA GO THERE"
As migrant I feel very bad
NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO PRESS Col Rouge WITH THIS WAY. YOU ARE NOT MIGRANT AND YOU CAN NOT UNDERSTAND HOW PAINFUL THIS IS.
Col Rouge go to
http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=7925&page=0#123894
I wrote something about Palin, I am sure you will "love it!"
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

ASymeonakis,

I dislike hate speech as much as anyone, and I apologise for this infraction.
I enjoyed reading your summary on Palin, it too was a little rough on the woman, but from what I read no exaggeration.
I wanted female representation in govt most of my life, until thatcher anyway, why are the only ones who standup, such poor representatives of the speces?
fluff4

Fluff4 so you come to a thread and you want to post something

You could start by making your own contributing to its content,

You did not

You might have agreed or disagreed with what someone else said, addressing the ideas and values they espoused

You did not

Instead you decided to open your first post on this thread with your worthless and irrelevant attack to my character.

If that is all you have to say, I sincerely suggest you simply keep your pig ignorance to yourself, rather than evidence it here with your feeble comment

As to your subsequent post “I dislike hate speech as much as anyone,”

But you seem to find nothing ‘hateful’ in introducing yourself deploying a character attack on me…

IT would sem your hypocrisy has no limits

As for disliking Palin and Thatcher… I guess here is never pleasing some people,
some are just born to whine.

ASymeonakis thankyou for your interjection.

You are right, no one here has the right to suggest I depart these shores, despite their small minded and contemptible, self-righteous attitude but there are plenty of folk who value me and my views, I do not rely on anyones approval of me, at OLO, to bolster my self esteem :-)

Btw I long ago realized all that fractelle has to say is a fractured opinion sourced from a fractured character.


Regarding your post on Palin..
She is a sitting US State Governor who is tested and eligible to stand for the role of Vice President.

She has the support of her political party behind her, a political party which has brought forth more presidents, sitting for more presidential terms since WWII than the US Democrats.

To characterise her as someone "to please religious people, especial the white evangelical base,"

Is no different to declaring "the Democrats are using Obama to leverage the US black vote"

So its as simple as this

Who the next US president will be a matter for the US electorate to decide

And for the rest of the world to accept, regardless of our individual opinions.

Antonius

Until now I have never told any migrant if they didn't like it leave. I allowed myself to be goaded by one of the resident trolls on OLO.

You are also correct in your intimation that Col has an idealised picture of the USA. I used to live there and am fully aware of the issues of health-care for low income people. That this is not a concern for Col speaks volumes about his insensitivities to others.

Col

I apologise for suggesting you leave Australia. That this is a wonderful country, is, at least something we may agree on.

However, I find you completely abhorrent in your comments to both myself and others on OLO, there is no, and never will be any, excuse for the level of vitriol you deliver to people for merely having the temerity to disagree with you.

I rarely make personal comments, however I will do so now; you are an arrogant and very self-centred man and I will continue to point out your failings whenever I choose.

Back on topic:

Socialism-Saves-Wall-Street. George W can find $700 Billion for corporations but not for an adequate health system for public. Only in America...

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081006/greider

"...If Wall Street gets away with this, it will represent an historic swindle of the American public--all sugar for the villains, lasting pain and damage for the victims. My advice to Washington politicians: Stop, take a deep breath and examine what you are being told to do by so-called "responsible opinion." If this deal succeeds, I predict it will become a transforming event in American politics--exposing the deep deformities in our democracy and launching a tidal wave of righteous anger and popular rebellion. As I have been saying for several months, this crisis has the potential to bring down one or both political parties, take your choice.

Christopher Whalen of Institutional Risk Analytics, a brave conservative critic, put it plainly: "The joyous reception from Congressional Democrats to Paulson's latest massive bailout proposal smells an awful lot like yet another corporatist lovefest between Washington's one-party government and the Sell Side investment banks."

My personal view on the financial problems is I would let the market sort itself out.

The problem with government money, it rightly, comes with strings attached...

Doubtless, a few "poor performers" will find their careers out the window and rightly so.

'Corporate Performance' is not a once off event, it is a continuous process, in which the immediate profit is subordinate to the companies medium term viability and long term commercial worth.

fractelle "I will continue to point out your failings whenever I choose. "

I suppose it will bring some purpose to an existence, filled with dubious other merit.

I find it strange (not sure whether complimented or otherwise), that you feel so entitled and disposed to point out my supposed failings, when you lack the where with all to challenge most of my views and when I cannot be bothered to reciprocate to your own failings, particularly this "judgement entitlement" issue, which you clearly struggle with.

fluff4 and Fractelle

Interesting to observe your prompt and gracious apologies, completely undeserved in my view, when you consider the arrogant and wounding abuse the recipient himself constantly directs towards others, and the fact that he never modifies or retracts any of it. I wonder if he will learn something from your fine example!

Col Rouge

”Actually, I earn a good part of my income from companies and corporations (in the past, in USA too) who contract for me to show them how it is done -Budgeting and particularly planning, that is. Including how they can implement processes to turn their businesses style from ‘reactive’ into ‘proactive’ interpreters of their business data…"

The fact that accountants can routinely charge exorbitant amounts to act as ‘proactive interpreters of business data’, which in reality means little more than advising on tax avoidance, shows how sick and unbalanced capitalism as practiced currently in countries like Australia and the US has really become. Enjoy it while you can, Col, because hopefully the days of operators like you are well and truly numbered.

One lesson that should be learned from the current financial crisis is that we need a return to a strong regulatory and compliance-based system. People the world over can now look at the Wall Street debacle and see for themselves the need for a correction. The cowboy capitalism we’ve unleashed in the last few decades has run its course and needs to be reigned in and civilised once more. It has to be made to work for the people who produce the wealth, not the elite few who manipulate it to amass their own fortunes.

If I were you, Col, I’d save my breath on lauding the free market right now and its grand old champion, Maggie Thatcher. No one’s listening at the moment.

Bronwyn “The fact that accountants can routinely charge exorbitant amounts to act as ‘proactive interpreters of business data’, which in reality means little more than advising on tax avoidance, shows how sick and unbalanced capitalism as practiced currently in countries like Australia and the US has really become.”

The amounts I am paid is a matter between me and my clients.

They have a choice, use me, gaining access to my specialty skills, take the huge risk of using someone cheaper (and inferior) or watch their business suffer a loss in competitive advantage.

They do find, however, the “exorbitant amounts” I charge are paid back to them in improved business performance very quickly, so they end up well ahead.

Nothing wrong with tax avoidance.
According to Chief Justice Lord Denning.

And I never give tax advise these days.

Nowadays I use a specialist tax accountant to handle my personal and business tax affairs, safer that way.

“Sick and unbalanced capitalism“

I fail to see how a process can be sick or well.

It is only the intentions of the people who operate it which drive the morality and in every instance of comparison, the actions of the business owner / operator / director produce superior overall outcomes than when the same resource is left in the hands of some here-today-gone-tomorrow politicians and their bureaucratic lackies.

“Enjoy it while you can, Col, because hopefully the days of operators like you are well and truly numbered.”

And due, sometime after the meek inherit the earth.

The green monster has definitely got to you, Bronwyn.

“It has to be made to work for the people who produce the wealth,”
It does,

As for cowboy capitalism, no one is forced to deposit funds in any bank. No one is forced to buy any particular shares
Every business transaction carries a degree of risk.

The subprime problem is because alot of people forgot all about the “risk”.

The capitalist system rewards success and punishes failure,

The socialist system sees no difference between success and failure and consequently, produces only mediocrity

Col Rouge

"The green monster has definitely got to you, Bronwyn."

The day I envy anything about you, Col Rouge, is the day I slit my wrists.

This debate is not about me or, believe it or not, about you either. Just for the record, not that I should allow myself to be pushed into defending my personal circumstances against your ridiculous claims, I live comfortably and want for little. Keeping up with the Jones is not something I aspire to. My interest in this debate lies purely in wanting to live in an equitable and sustainable society. It's not a motivation you would comprehend at all, Col Rouge.