Why I won’t vote Liberal
In Australia, the conservative party is called the Liberals. The progressive party is called Labor. These are hangovers from the great right-left contortions of the 20th Century. While both these parties are now pretty close to one another in many of their policies, there is one fundamental difference, I believe, that explains why I will not vote Liberal. That difference is one of attitude.
The Liberals appear to have the attitude of meanness. Their belief is that everyone is out to rip off government services, and hence policies have to reflect this – to misquote the Bard: The quality of mercy is strained. Labor, on the other hand, along with a number of the lesser political parties, have a more positive attitude; more than utilitarianism, more than ‘bleeding heart’, more in keeping with the expressed needs of people.
A corollary to this issue may also be framed as Liberal = the individual first; the others = community first. This is a fundamental philosophical difference from my perception. I cannot vote for a party which puts the individual first and in so doing, jeopardizes the overall community.
I also cannot vote for a party which has, in 8 years:
* Converted the small business community into a vast army of tax collectors via the GST - which, incidentally we were never, ever going to get - and made the tax system so complex as to defy belief.
* Has worked on the Josef Goebbels approach to propaganda with the Big Lie, e.g. the ‘children overboard’ event; the Tampa event, the continual threat of terrorism blown large as an excuse for draconian moves against the most helpless of people – the refugees.
* Stolen the soul of the nation – warping the ‘fair play’ concept into 'first nose in the trough – best fed'.
* Offering no overall vision for the country, but instead doling out a drab, gray pragmatism of greasing squeaky wheels.
To wrap up, the Liberals appear now to be a combination of the Australian squatocracy combined with the sharks of the business world, supported by the “me, me, me” population ganging up on the rest of the community. While it is proving to be a rather uncomfortable and unholy alliance, to the discomfiture of many, it is the country’s dominant paradigm.
Egad; would you vote for that?
‘nuff for now
PB White
The Liberals appear to have the attitude of meanness. Their belief is that everyone is out to rip off government services, and hence policies have to reflect this – to misquote the Bard: The quality of mercy is strained. Labor, on the other hand, along with a number of the lesser political parties, have a more positive attitude; more than utilitarianism, more than ‘bleeding heart’, more in keeping with the expressed needs of people.
A corollary to this issue may also be framed as Liberal = the individual first; the others = community first. This is a fundamental philosophical difference from my perception. I cannot vote for a party which puts the individual first and in so doing, jeopardizes the overall community.
I also cannot vote for a party which has, in 8 years:
* Converted the small business community into a vast army of tax collectors via the GST - which, incidentally we were never, ever going to get - and made the tax system so complex as to defy belief.
* Has worked on the Josef Goebbels approach to propaganda with the Big Lie, e.g. the ‘children overboard’ event; the Tampa event, the continual threat of terrorism blown large as an excuse for draconian moves against the most helpless of people – the refugees.
* Stolen the soul of the nation – warping the ‘fair play’ concept into 'first nose in the trough – best fed'.
* Offering no overall vision for the country, but instead doling out a drab, gray pragmatism of greasing squeaky wheels.
To wrap up, the Liberals appear now to be a combination of the Australian squatocracy combined with the sharks of the business world, supported by the “me, me, me” population ganging up on the rest of the community. While it is proving to be a rather uncomfortable and unholy alliance, to the discomfiture of many, it is the country’s dominant paradigm.
Egad; would you vote for that?
‘nuff for now
PB White
posted by Peter W | 8:16 am
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