OT: Current Affairs and Politics

[The Silverdale Phantom]

There are plenty of folk who don't give a f**k about politics until they have to go to the polling booth.

Some will vote on what they see in the campaign and what it offers them, some will vote on "feels" others will go with whatever picture the media paints.

And in a two party system where as little as half a percent or so can decide the outcome, those folks votes are just as important as any other merkins, but probably more highly valued by the parties, because their mind can be changed right up to the point where they enter the booth.

So with 16.2 m voters enrolled, in the broad, notwithstanding margins, the ads are only targeting about 82,000 undecideds.

Being persons able to be swayed at the 11th hour.

Being undecided, I guess in their heads, they are thinking a major party above a minor one.

I’m sure the media aren’t finished with causing troubles for either party. Gotta drive those advertising sales.

If it’s a close election, I wonder about the wisdom of captains choice/ parachute candidates. Upsets the thinking rank and file or do they robot on?

 

[Gronk]

SMH/Nine seem to have flipped a bit too ... it was endless weeks of Lib/scomo bashing, now they are talking up their latest poll where everyone lost faith in Albo (tho they just went to undecided lol)

Me thinks its good for business if the election looks close with twists and turns - keep the people entertained and they will come back

Interesting take by politics professor this morning. He doesn't miss.

 

[hindy111]

There are plenty of folk who don't give a f**k about politics until they have to go to the polling booth.

Some will vote on what they see in the campaign and what it offers them, some will vote on "feels" others will go with whatever picture the media paints.

And in a two party system where as little as half a percent or so can decide the outcome, those folks votes are just as important as any other merkins, but probably more highly valued by the parties, because their mind can be changed right up to the point where they enter the booth.

People like me will decide when I get to the booth. I have zero knowledge on politics or how to run a country. My vote is meaningless yet as you said important. Most people are clueless about how to run a country and economy.

What I find is lefties seem to want to push this agenda that if you vote right your greedy and selfish and don't care about environment. While reality is the lefties I know have weaker work ethics and seem to enjoy playing the blame game rather then taking responsibility for own situations. And a lot of people I know who are conservative work hard, are quiet and donate to charities. Don't dish out on the lefties etc.....

I'll probably give big fat Clive a vote for being so persistent

 

[hindy111]

And if I was prime minister I'd bring in a $1000 a year tax on large motor vehicles if not a tradesperson or need for work.
You want a big 4 x 4 then fine. You pay $1000

 

[Bandwagon]

People like me will decide when I get to the booth. I have zero knowledge on politics or how to run a country. My vote is meaningless yet as you said important. Most people are clueless about how to run a country and economy.

What I find is lefties seem to want to push this agenda that if you vote right your greedy and selfish and don't care about environment. While reality is the lefties I know have weaker work ethics and seem to enjoy playing the blame game rather then taking responsibility for own situations. And a lot of people I know who are conservative work hard, are quiet and donate to charities. Don't dish out on the lefties etc.....

I'll probably give big fat Clive a vote for being so persistent

I'm centre left, do none of those things, and I 100% guarantee you I work longer hours than most every merkin you know.

Oh, and please don't vote for Fatty Mcf**k Face, he's a f**king grifter promising the world but would deliver f**k all that didn't pay out for him personally. Vote for any other merkin,

If you value hard work, try this on for size when Fatty was actually in parliament.

Clive Palmer absent from Parliament more than any other MP in 2014

Clive Palmer has defended himself as the hardest working MP in Parliament after he attended barely more than half of the parliamentary sitting days in spring.

www.smh.com.au

.........and of course when he did show up......

Clive Palmer nods off during Question Time - 9News

Clive Palmer has blamed Budget blues for his weary state in Question Time today after he was caught nodding...

www.9news.com.au

.......I guess we all need a nap on occasion.

 

[Gronk]

People like me will decide when I get to the booth. I have zero knowledge on politics or how to run a country. My vote is meaningless yet as you said important. Most people are clueless about how to run a country and economy.

What I find is lefties seem to want to push this agenda that if you vote right your greedy and selfish and don't care about environment. While reality is the lefties I know have weaker work ethics and seem to enjoy playing the blame game rather then taking responsibility for own situations. And a lot of people I know who are conservative work hard, are quiet and donate to charities. Don't dish out on the lefties etc.....

I'll probably give big fat Clive a vote for being so persistent

Undecided voters like you will decide the election. Undecided voters don’t particularly have an interest in politics and tend to stick with “the devil you know, rather than the devil you don’t know”. You are a powerful person merkin.

The Poll Bludger – Analysis and discussion of elections and opinion polls in Australia

The mere fact that you refer to anyone who doesn’t vote for the incumbents as “lefties” already tells me that you have decided.

Did you notice that there is no widely used derogatory term used for people who vote on the right of politics? Just saying.

 

[Incorrect]

Did you notice that there is no widely used derogatory term used for people who vote on the right of politics? Just saying.

You consider "leftie" derogatory?? Really?

 

[Gronk]

You consider "leftie" derogatory?? Really?

Sure. To me there are three categories of voters. Conservatives, centres and progressives, also with people in the blurred lines between those three.

Lefties is a term absolutely used to berate and condascend.

 

[Incorrect]

Sure. To me there are three categories of voters. Conservatives, centres and progressives, also with people in the blurred lines between those three.

Lefties is a term absolutely used to berate and condascend.

No wonder everyone thinks they're softcocks...

 

[hindy111]

Undecided voters like you will decide the election. Undecided voters don’t particularly have an interest in politics and tend to stick with “the devil you know, rather than the devil you don’t know”. You are a powerful person merkin.

The Poll Bludger – Analysis and discussion of elections and opinion polls in Australia

The mere fact that you refer to anyone who doesn’t vote for the incumbents as “lefties” already tells me that you have decided.

Did you notice that there is no widely used derogatory term used for people who vote on the right of politics? Just saying.

U r a lefty

 

[hindy111]

Sure. To me there are three categories of voters. Conservatives, centres and progressives, also with people in the blurred lines between those three.

Lefties is a term absolutely used to berate and condascend.

f**k of lefty go hug a tree

 

[Bandwagon]

You consider "leftie" derogatory?? Really?

Like lots of terminology it depends on the way it's used, for the most part in terms of the media, it's used in a derogatory fashion. So yeah, it often is.

I'd bet if you did a search on these forums, you'd find more often than not when the term is used the connotations are negative.

Still, being a bit of a lefty, I'm quite prepared to own it, because basically it's become a really dumb meme used by rightards ( hey @Gronk, there's one for ya ) who couldn't actually define what being left is, 'cause they're too wrapped up in culture wars and IdPol nonsense

 

[hindy111]

Like lots of terminology it depends on the way it's used, for the most part in terms of the media, it's used in a derogatory fashion. So yeah, it often is.

I'd bet if you did a search on these forums, you'd find more often than not when the term is used the connotations are negative.

Still, being a bit of a lefty, I'm quite prepared to own it, because basically it's become a really dumb meme used by rightards ( hey @Gronk, there's one for ya ) who couldn't actually define what being left is, 'cause they're too wrapped up in culture wars and IdPol nonsense

I'm a swinging voter

 

[strider]

Just throw the f**kin ball with your right hand like the rest of us ffs

 

[Twizzle]

Scary what's going on in the Solomon Islands

So according to the political expert in the area just interviewed on ABC News, they are setting up:

Police presence to keep the peace
Military presence for security
Naval Ships and presence for their "exercises" and replenishment
Security Force, to protect their Chinese people and Chinese properties.

Not sure whether it's Chinese Investment properties or just their "embassy" which will probably be more than just an embassy.

It seems the Solomons are going to become a police state. They can kiss goodbye to tourism unless they want to learn to speak Chinese.

 

[Gronk]

Scary what's going on in the Solomon Islands

So according to the political expert in the area just interviewed on ABC News, they are setting up:

Police presence to keep the peace
Military presence for security
Naval Ships and presence for their "exercises" and replenishment
Security Force, to protect their Chinese people and Chinese properties.

Not sure whether it's Chinese Investment properties or just their "embassy" which will probably be more than just an embassy.

It seems the Solomons are going to become a police state. They can kiss goodbye to tourism unless they want to learn to speak Chinese.

Watch this get dumbed down by News Ltd, Sky and Nine (mini Murdoch). The Chinese are like the mob. Everyone are friends until they want a favour in return.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Scary what's going on in the Solomon Islands

So according to the political expert in the area just interviewed on ABC News, they are setting up:

Police presence to keep the peace
Military presence for security
Naval Ships and presence for their "exercises" and replenishment
Security Force, to protect their Chinese people and Chinese properties.

Not sure whether it's Chinese Investment properties or just their "embassy" which will probably be more than just an embassy.

It seems the Solomons are going to become a police state. They can kiss goodbye to tourism unless they want to learn to speak Chinese.

Well they’ve had massive social and economic unrest and in comparison with us, the per capita income in Australia is about 2600% more. Source:World Bank.

From their perspective, the Chinese cash can be put to good use, like feeding people, education, health, new factories and farms and all that.

A massive market to sell stuff to.

It could become like a Bali for Chinese folk holidaying.

From their view, a couple of warships and stuff berthed in the harbour, is probably worth it. A massive airbase to threaten our top and eastern flank in the event of a war.

It’s a failed state and I guess they need long lasting support.

The Chinese are absolute masters at constructions and stuff. They don’t muck about. Then I guess they will extend the exclusive Solomon Islands economic zone into the coral sea.

We had our chance and we failed. How we missed it when we can tap the Indonesian Presidents phone is puzzling..

All quite exciting, but as I said, expensive.

Scomo should be playing this up for the election, liken it to Cuba, the Australian JFK.

Promise a blockade of Chinese ships bringing in supplies to build their base.

Take votes off the far right.


Source:

Cartoon by Behrendt on the Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962)

In October 1962, the cartoonist Behrendt illustrates the seriousness of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the attitude of the United States and the Soviet Union, who are preparing for the worst ‘just in case …’

www.cvce.eu

 

[Bandwagon]

Well they’ve had massive social and economic unrest and in comparison with us, the per capita income in Australia is about 2600% more. Source:World Bank.

From their perspective, the Chinese cash can be put to good use, like feeding people, education, health, new factories and farms and all that.

A massive market to sell stuff to.

It could become like a Bali for Chinese folk holidaying.

From their view, a couple of warships and stuff berthed in the harbour, is probably worth it. A massive airbase to threaten our top and eastern flank in the event of a war.

It’s a failed state and I guess they need long lasting support.

The Chinese are absolute masters at constructions and stuff. They don’t muck about. Then I guess they will extend the exclusive Solomon Islands economic zone into the coral sea.

We had our chance and we failed. How we missed it when we can tap the Indonesian Presidents phone is puzzling..

All quite exciting, but as I said, expensive.

Scomo should be playing this up for the election, liken it to Cuba, the Australian JFK.

Promise a blockade of Chinese ships bringing in supplies to build their base.

Take votes off the far right.

View attachment 60489
Source:

Cartoon by Behrendt on the Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962)

In October 1962, the cartoonist Behrendt illustrates the seriousness of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the attitude of the United States and the Soviet Union, who are preparing for the worst ‘just in case …’

www.cvce.eu

The problem for Scotty in drawing attention to the situation and attempting to leverage votes out of it is that it's happened under his government, it's literally a massive failure of our foreign policy, and thus a failure of the government.

I don't know that bringing your failures front and centre is such a great idea when it comes to winning votes.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

The problem for Scotty in drawing attention to the situation and attempting to leverage votes out of it is that it's happened under his government, it's literally a massive failure of our foreign policy, and thus a failure of the government.

I don't know that bringing your failures front and centre is such a great idea when it comes to winning votes.

Fair enough.

But they are a sovereign state and fair game for scott to pass the blame onto them.

They led hm astray, wouldn’t take his calls, the ultimate betrayal from a country we’ve supported for many years.

Thatcher won her election on the falklands didn’t she?

Some optics of the Navy being geared up on a secret mission, fly-over recon of the district by our F1-11s. An Aussie sub surfacing off their coast.

Tv ads:

“ Scott Morrison’s Australia is a strong Australia” type of thing.

“ When the neighbours turn nasty, trust Scott to sort it out and restore peace to the Pacific.”

Perhaps PNG could put out a call for help from us to protect their sea lanes.

I’m just throwing it all out there.

We all love our armed forces, even the greens have problems with China.

He might pick up a few lefty votes.

 

[Gronk]

The problem for Scotty in drawing attention to the situation and attempting to leverage votes out of it is that it's happened under his government, it's literally a massive failure of our foreign policy, and thus a failure of the government.

I don't know that bringing your failures front and centre is such a great idea when it comes to winning votes.

As much as this is seen this as China extending it's reach into the Pacific, it's possible that the timing of this is strategically aimed at a government who has a record of neglect to our pacific neighbours by reducing foreign aid and the thumbing of their noses on climate change.