[LINK] Good reason to worry about our democracy

[Tom Koltai]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au
[mailto:link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of Frank O'Connor
> Sent: Monday, 5 December 2011 12:20 PM
> :To: LINK List
> Subject: [LINK] Good reason to worry about our democracy
> 
> 
> See:
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/good-reason-to-worry-about-our
-democracy-20111204-1oddk.html
> 
> An excellent article on the current state of play.
_______________________________________________

Sad that the article timing was too late to influence the recent head
bashing in Los Angeles, or earlier in London, Yemen, Cairo and Teheran.

Although maybe it will encourage Australia's politicians to realise that
the public (the 99%) don't want to starve. With indications of European
belt tightening forcing the closure of thousands of factories in China,
it is only a matter of time before the Chinese led Indian Summer
economic up tick that we are currently enjoying must decline.

Dr Leslie Cannold has diligently made the case for lawlessness by
Government.
Monkey see, monkey do. Occupy Wall Street is the response. Civil unrest
will assuredly escalate with obvious consequences. The psychops folk are
already busily at work. The meme has arrived in popular consumer
targeted media.

Last weeks episode (s2e9) of popular US television program, "Harry's
Law", (a fictional series of the "Misery lady" as a lawyer,) told the
tale of a disaffected solo mother who held up a bank because the bank
received a bail-out but instead of passing on the bail-out to it's loyal
customer, foreclosed on her house. While she was pointing the gun at the
teller, the teller responded with "Good on you girl". The moral lesson
was that of course the jury found against her.

The latest episode of House (s2e8) had a man keeping secret from his
wife a purpose built secret room armory containing a large quantity of
guns, grenades and ammunition which the man built into the family home
because society was about to go pear shaped and he wanted the means to
be able to protect his family. The moral lesson was that the mans wife
initially left him because of the guns and the lies (i.e.: stop buying
guns).

Few have analysed that the basis of the meme is unfortunately drilled
into us from a very early age, viz: The majority of the worlds
population moral basis emanates from outdated religious ethical
standards, e.g.: the old testament tells the children of Abraham to take
an eye for eye and the modern day equivalent is "Rambo".

The Judeo-Christian ethical guide book has served humanity reasonably
well as a conscience guiding safety net preventing man from falling into
a deep hedonistically inspired nihilistic pit. (One interpretation,
obviously, there are others.)

Yet the "lawlessness breeds lawlessness" comment of Dr. Canold is an
obvious conundrum that our elected representatives would do well to
reflect on, and then continue their expansion of stated policy resulting
in an improved open and transparent government.

This might include for example, extending the comment period on new
legislative "imperatives" from four weeks to four months. Four weeks is
not a fair period for public informed response to legislation that will
impact the economy and the people of Australia for possibly decades and
generations.
Possibly banning all political donations over $500 AND publishing the
names of each and every donor and their fiduciary relationship with any
company might also give corporations reason to reconsider suborning our
Politicians.


TomK