Hi Paul,

I fear that you are right, that there isn't a real Left in America - and perhaps not in Australia either. An anti-democratic pseudo-Left, yes, probably mostly Trots and unreconstructed Stalinists like Rhiannon.

After all, a key principle of democracy is that, of all those who can and do vote, whichever candidate gains the most votes, wins, even if he/she is hated by a large proportion of voters. The majority wins. Those who did not vote for the winner have to cop it. There'll always be a next time.

The pseudo-Left, or more likely their adolescent children, can't accept that democratic principle, hence the "Not My President" signs and childish tantrums in cities across the US. I certainly wouldn't have voted for Drumpf, not that Clinton would be much better, but not being a Yank and observing the democratic vote, at least in its electoral college form, I cop it.

But look on the bright side: if Clinton had won, it would have been more of the same status quo which Obama had to put up with, if not worse. By 2020, she would have been so reviled that the Democrats would be out in the wilderness until 2028 at least. I don't think I've got that long :)

But with Drumpf crapping on countries all around the world for the next four years and failing to bring back jobs to America, there is a hope that Michelle Obama will re-consider and run for office in 2018, and from there, win a landslide for the Democrats in 2020 (and 2024).

I'd like to see that :)

Cheers,

Joe

LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION.
The elite people like rich boys Bill Shorten and Malcolm Turnbull have been out of touch with the "deplorable" 90%.For 99% of their lives.
Notice the elite who have been insulting Trump.
At the next election I hope the "deplorable 90% knock off the insulting elite members of Parliament.
If evil men can work together then Good men can.
A really good week for Good men and women.

Dear Hasbeen,

My goodness young fella you seem to have a rather unique view of the world that is not supported by facts.

Look, the Democrats out polled the Republicans in the Whitehouse race 60.1 millions votes to 59.8. They out polled Republicans in the Senate by a large margin (45.2 million to 39.3) taking 3 seats off them and they have taken back 7 seats in the House of Representatives.

Even if we call the Democrats left, which is a big ask, trying to label this a rout of the left is just absurd. It is no such thing.

Here is a little test for you.

The Chinese-Australia free trade agreement raised legitimate concerns it is would allow large numbers of Chinese workers, many not properly qualified, into this country. Article 10.4.3 says that neither side shall:

“impose or maintain any limitations on the total number of visas to be granted to natural persons of the other Party; or require labour market testing, economic needs testing or other procedures of similar effect as a condition for temporary entry”.

What was Abbott's response to those concerns?

"These free trade agreements are too important for our country, they're too important for our businesses and too important for our children to be sacrificed at the altar of short-term xenophobic politics" Tony Abbott 2015

Cont..

Cont..

Where do you think the sympathies would lie of those in the rust belt states who got Trump the presidency? Indeed who is best representative of the true right in your mind? Trump or Abbott?

To me labeling as a racist someone holding very real fears for their own jobs and those of their children is far more reprehensible than using the same label to those screaming for right to vilify someone based on race. But then that is just my world view.

I have been banging on incessantly about the million plus 457 jobs going to non-Australians, a fact which many rightwhingers here have chosen to willfully ignore. Instead you carry on like pork chops over 20,000 refugees and 18C. You lot really do need to get off your backsides, start supporting Australians, and tell the Gina Rhienharts of this world (one of the largest individual user of 457 workers) that we are not going to wear it any more.

But you probably won't.

Steely I agree with much of the above, but you are so totally wrong on one point it negates everything you got right.

No one has to go in fear of the foreign workers. While I agree totally that we should be offering training to our own & not bringing in foreign workers, it is not them that has the mother of my son in-law with bars & deadlocks all over her house in Penrith.

It is not foreign workers who make her drive 35 kilometres to a different area to go shopping. It is not them who have devalued the houses these people built many years ago. It is not even boat people.

No it is black Africans, brought here as genuine refugees who are terrorising Ozzy citizens, who deserve better.

Our politicians, academics & even bureaucrats are well enough paid that they don't have to live in areas that are suffering. The ratbag greenie fringe live in areas far too expensive for these "refugee" thugs.

The refugees after WW11 were different people. They couldn't say thankyou enough. These today have only one word, gimmee, & it's a total demand. If you haven't seen it, you're very lucky.

Well, the U.S democrats are certainly the equivalent of the Australian Labor Party and, like the ALP, they are hostage to the Greens and so-called progressives. The first Socialist, collectivist (the correct description for proggressives who are anything but progressive) was Woodrow Wilson. Jimmy Carter was another one as was Lyndon Johnson and of course, Barack Obama. All Democrats. At least the ALP didn't go really bad until Keating onwards.

I don't know how 457 visas got a gurnsey in this thread, but Steel Nuts has a valid point, although it seems to be easier for our useless politicians to bring foreigners in rather than kicking lazy Australians off their arses and welfare to do the jobs foreigners are getting.