My own sentiments exactly: The era of unprecedented ignorance. Not only that, but it’s from a source that is least expected: Matthew Bach who is the Victorian Shadow Attorney-General and Shadow Minister for Child Protection and Youth Justice.
I recommend it all, but let me provide you with a few bits near the start before you go to the link.
First, we had a global pandemic. Then we had to deal with the devastating impacts of harsh health restrictions designed – we were told – to protect us. Instead, they resulted in a mental health crisis, years of lost learning for our kids, and the crushing of small businesses.
In my home state of Victoria, the situation is even worse.
The number of people awaiting vital surgery could fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and newly leaked documents show numerous Victorians have recently died waiting for their 000 call to be answered. Cost-of-living pressures are hitting families hard as the price of fuel and food sky-rockets, but the Andrews Labor Government continues to raise taxes to fund its massive infrastructure blowouts: $24 billion since coming to office.
As if to top it all off, we have a full-scale war threatening in Eastern Europe with the potential to reorganise the international order for the worse.
At every step of the way over the last two years, our leaders have been at pains to tell us how unprepared they are for these crises. The Covid pandemic was ‘unprecedented’ – we’ve heard it a thousand times. Now, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is ‘unthinkable’ – the word is repeated again and again in television news bulletins, on social media, and in print.
And yet, few things have more precedents throughout history than plagues and wars.
Go to the link and read it all.
Our “leaders” are preoccupied with the latest polls and re-election and manipulating public opinion to towards that end, not with improving the lot of the people who put them there.
a Bach sonata … very nice
what’s the betting ScoMo distances himself from these comments. After all, the vaccine roll-out is his “legacy”. And the “National Cabinet” (FMD) pumping money into Danistan has just been hunky dory.
The politicians and the pubic serpants caused this.
More fool the compliant for going along with them.
Own your mistakes you ratbags.
On the vaccines, this is an interesting video from India: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U22DmAyvaT0. And there is so much more coming out every day.
However, it’s not an ‘era of unprecedented ignorance‘, but an ‘era of unprecedented malevolence‘.
Well may nobody expect the “Spanish Inquisition”, but:
None but the most terminally optimistic expected eternal peace, sweetness and light in this world. The planet seems intent on bringing sudden or slow death to all manner of organisms. As the old joke goes: “Nobody gets out of this alive”.
And you’d reckon that after millennia of examples, most folk would be a bit skittish about the rise of nasty, bloodthirsty, totalitarian regimes, both foreign AND “domestic”..
Apparently, “hope springs eternal”, despite not being a particularly valid survival strategy.
And Dan Andrews is still breathing. Remarkable.
Ahistoricism seems to be a prerequisite for public office in this country.
Every time we have big bushfires, the same mistakes are made before, during and after. Ditto for floods. There seems to be no capacity or willingness to learn from the past.
I suspect part of the reason is that preparation is kinda boring from a political perspective. No ribbons to cut, no photo-ops, no playing at being the fearless leader for the media once the disaster strikes. Just the grind of proper research, facing down the usual suspects who object to everything, and getting the job of burning off or building dams or levees or whatever it is done.
Add to that the relatively short electoral cycle (three or four years is not long for the kind of work that needs to be done) and the odds are stacked against good governance, especially when your average politician is uninterested in it, except to the extent that it might enhance his/her electoral fortunes.
“And Dan Andrews is still breathing. Remarkable.”
And Dan Andrew will, most likely, be re-elected in November. Now that’s what I call remarkable.
Johanna:
Add to that the relatively short electoral cycle (three or four years is not long for the kind of work that needs to be done) and the odds are stacked against good governance
But were there a change via referendum to introduce 4, 5, or even 6 year terms (and don’t forget how that would affect the Senate: 8, 10, 12 years) still nothing would change except further ensconcing these parasites.
Nothing gets done because there’s no real leadership. Having a leader state the obvious, unvarnished truth and being prepared to stare down the opposition both within the parliament and outside its walls is what’s needed.
Instead, we’ve got these “servants of the people” intent on controlling every aspect of the lives of citizens.
Plain and simple, we’re dealing with arseholes who want to stay in power for their benefit and not for us.
Oh us preppers were prepared!
Even if the US president’s term is for years, the US HoR is two years. They never mention that when pushing for longer local terms.
Bach is a Vic Liberal, he and his party have been almost fully on board with Andrews since the madness began. Not a word from him or his party have stood and spoken against the loss of freedom, the lockdowns, the vax mandates etc, they loved it. Not a word on the police brutality on people protesting. He’s a useless member of a useless party, well on their way to the WA Liberal Parties fate.
Why he wrote this I don’t know, he and his mates have been MIA since it started and now want to pretend that they are defenders of the people.
BBS
But were there a change via referendum to introduce 4, 5, or even 6 year terms (and don’t forget how that would affect the Senate: 8, 10, 12 years) still nothing would change except further ensconcing these parasites.
Nothing gets done because there’s no real leadership. Having a leader state the obvious, unvarnished truth and being prepared to stare down the opposition both within the parliament and outside its walls is what’s needed.
Indeed. I would shorten the cycle to two years. That is so short that they would recognise that they have to do something completable in a short period, or they will have nothing to tout as a “success”.
And NO fixed terms. Keep their tiny minds focused.
The problem with that, BJ, is that you would effectively handing over the whole of government (except for ribbon cutting and photo ops) to the bureaucracy.
Even bright and dedicated Ministers take at least six months to learn the rudiments of their portfolio, and a year to get moderately competent. Then deduct the electioneering period from the other end …
In the meantime, bureaucrats run things, because somebody has to, and ignorant Ministers can’t. Then there are the lazy ones who won’t, even if they could.
There is no perfect solution. But I think longer terms, with recall provisions, may be a good compromise.
Johanna:
Eleventy+
Johanna:
There is no perfect solution. But I think longer terms, with recall provisions, may be a good compromise
We’re never going to get recall provisions.
Of course he will, all Victorians who would have voted against him have moved to other states.
Another thing:
Until ballot papers have a valid, accountable “box” for :
“No suitable candidate has been presented”, it is all “theatre”.
Kabuki or Noh”; take your pick.