Hi UOG,
Well that pretty much covers all the bases.
Anthony
http://www.observationpoint.com.au

the measure of a nation to a degree is how we treat ourt elderly and unborn. Once we measured well but since secularism has created a totally me centred country we have gone down the tube. Individual 'rights' no matter how perverse are now more important than the corporate good of the nation. This is seen clearly in the way crimminals literally get away with murder, those supporting gay marriage, defacto relationships replacing marriage (commitment)and total indulgence in drugs and alcholol. Interesting enough in order to mask our moral vacuum many have taken up the 'environmental ' cause not because they really care about the environment but they need to display some form of self righteousness to fill the vacuum.

Dear Anthonyve,

Great thread!
There should be some interesting responses.
We do need to discuss what kind of society
we want to live in - and select the party
at the next election that we feel will be
able to point us in the right direction (no pun
intended here).

Personally, I would like to live in a society
that does leave room for social equity,
compassion, and the idea of an egalitarian society.
A society that does provide social welfare, public
health, education, a co-ordination of trade and
economic policies. We're living in critical times
and we do require a re-assessment of the relationship
between labour and capital, a re-assessment which
takes into account the politics of industrial democracy,
profit and long term planning which allows for the
proper protection and preservation of our environment.
The only way in which the country can work properly is
for management and labour to co-operate with one another,
not condemn one another.

However, therein lies the problem. In most industrialised
democracies "wedge politics" - that is - deliberately
creating a division between sectoral interests - is the
name of the game. Hence, interest group self-interest
and antagonism between citizens permeates policy-making.

The much-touted notion in liberal democracies that
governments govern for all, is not believed by significant
numbers of voters. It is all too obvious that governments
actually don't do this. This destroys social capital, that is
trust, togetherness and the tender feelings of a caring
society. It becomes - "Them" and "us," rather than simply
"us," and much effort is employed in partisan politics
which could be much better utilised in positive pursuits.

Living in a functional society requires the seeking of
a consensus "the mean" between extremes - which is the
operational principle for sustainable policies. Otherwise
we will be in continual dispute. We need to make
consensus-building into a fine art in societal decision making.
But I won't be holding my breath for that to happen any time
soon. Our current state of politics is in quite a mess -
and "wedge politics" is the name of the game.

The true measure of a nation is patriotism in tough times not when it is fashionable. To give yourself huge pay rises whilst so many can't find employment because those with the pay rises can't mange is not patriotic nor is it a good measure for a nation.
It is not a good measure for a nation to hand over more good cash to other countries which also don't have a fair wealth distribution policy.
A good nation looks after its own more than after those who come to exploit & change it.

The true measure of a civilisation is how it treats its
weakest and most vunerable members. The same measure shouold
apply to the policies of its political parties.

The economy is the engine from which all the money for protecting the most vulnerable comes.

I have spent some time in Africa, and in Kenya where well meaning benevolent socialism plunged the majority into abject poverty, the saying "the path to hell is paved with good intentions" is hammered home.

By contrast, the real incomes of the lowest paid and most vulnerable increased in real terms by far more under Howard than under Hawke and Keating.

Making the rich poorer never makes the poor richer.