The 2014/15 Off Season Thread

[Poupou Escobar]

I have to admit that I'm someone who gave up on politics many years ago. And finance and economics not only bores me to tears but does my head in. In short, I'm one of the guys who trusts that there are people like you out there who understand this stuff and have a conscience.

Don't trust other people's opinions too much. How can you know whether they're any more informed than you are.

Like most 'educated' lefties, I too was once interested in everything to do with politics - except economics. I felt it was beneath me, something that only mattered to middle aged heterosexual white men and corporations.

But after getting spanked by conservatives in online debates I made an effort to learn about economics. Not only did I find that socialism is only sustainable within an elite parasitic subgroup (e.g. the West exploiting the third world), but I used my newfound knowledge to become rich. And I cut away the left wing political shit. It should be a personal ideology, not a political one.

If you want to help the less fortunate, do it on your own time. Don't expect the government to force everyone else to do it. Because they will run out of money.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Don't trust other people's opinions too much. How can you know whether they're any more informed than you are.

Like most 'educated' lefties, I too was once interested in everything to do with politics - except economics. I felt it was beneath me, something that only mattered to middle aged heterosexual white men and corporations.

But after getting spanked by conservatives in online debates I made an effort to learn about economics. Not only did I find that socialism is only sustainable within an elite parasitic subgroup (e.g. the West exploiting the third world), but I used my newfound knowledge to become rich. And I cut away the left wing political shit. It should be a personal ideology, not a political one.

If you want to help the less fortunate, do it on your own time. Don't expect the government to force everyone else to do it. Because they will run out of money.

I suppose that years of experience simply existing and interacting with other people has given me the confidence in my abilities to determine when someone is more informed about a particular subject than I am. And, to some degree, to determine their ability to make a good judgement using that information. I don't need all of them to be right all of the time. I just need enough of them to be right. And my confidence in one person having the ability to make a difference is low. If we were a nation of half a million people, I might have more concern/interest. Essentially, you could argue that I'm lazy. And I wouldn't make too much effort arguing otherwise.

I don't think socialism or left-wing political shit is an all-or-nothing affair, tho. A community, a society, a government, is always going to help those less able to fend for themselves in some way. And often to decide what is best for the greater good. The only question is the degree. We don't leave babies to feed themselves, as an extreme example. We tend to, or have in the past, looked after the elderly and the sick. Where does it stop? I don't think there are easy answers to any of these questions. I'm also wary of taking advice from anyone who has formed firm judgements regarding these issues.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

I don't think there are easy answers to any of these questions. I'm also wary of taking advice from anyone who has formed firm judgements regarding these issues.

Absolutely spot on there mate. It's very easy to reduce the world and everything in it to simple categories....but it's usually crap. The best people of all political persuasions understand the link between doubt and wisdom.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Absolutely spot on there mate. It's very easy to reduce the world and everything in it to simple categories....but it's usually crap. The best people of all political persuasions understand the link between doubt and wisdom.

Have I ever told you how wise you are, Barry?

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Have I ever told you how wise you are, Barry?

I doubt it ;-)

I'm just winding Pou up. The next person who says something vaguely to the left of Genghis Khan is gonna cop it.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I'm just winding Pou up.

Winding me up? I agree with you. Too many people see the world in terms of black and white.

 

[T.S Quint]

Too many people see the world in terms of black and white.

Racists.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Well it's good to see we're all in agreement. Somehow. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a fairly substandard cab merlot to dispose of.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

How f**ken bourgeois.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Did I mention it comes in a box?

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

No sex jokes please.

 

[TheParraboy]

Winding me up? I agree with you. Too many people see the world in terms of black and white.

Agree

They should cull Collingwood supporters by half

 

[Gronk]

LOL, in front of Turnbull ? Pullease.

smh.com.au ‏@smh 5m With Hockey losing his mojo, Bishop is gathering support as the next Liberal leader, writes @Paul_Sheehan_ http://ow.ly/ANxI0

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

Exactly. Nothing wrong with rainwater tanks instead of town water, kerosene lamps and home schooling.

G'night Jim-Bob.

So you don't actually have a reason why the government should pay for it?

The only benefit I can see citizens getting out of it is entertainment, so in that case we should pay for it ourselves.

In areas such as hospitals, schools, business districts etc the government can go fully to the premises but in terms of my own personal home - if I want it, I should have to pay for it. The government has other things to spend money on that are much more important than me downloading movies or streaming from Netflix when it arrives in Australia.

LOL, in front of Turnbull ? Pullease.

smh.com.au ‏@smh 5m With Hockey losing his mojo, Bishop is gathering support as the next Liberal leader, writes @Paul_Sheehan_ http://ow.ly/ANxI0

Turnbull will never lead the LNP. Never.

Also, and I know the leftoids will love this, but if you're looking for someone other than Bishop, my money would be on Scott Morrison. Irrespective of whether you like him or not, he's a strong performer.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

LOL, in front of Turnbull ? Pullease.

smh.com.au ‏@smh 5m With Hockey losing his mojo, Bishop is gathering support as the next Liberal leader, writes @Paul_Sheehan_ http://ow.ly/ANxI0

The only people who want Turnbull running the Liberal Party are Labor and Greens voters.

 

[Gronk]

Free beer, merkins

Horned Army ‏@thehornedarmy 17h Want free beer? Of course you do! Get to the @albionparra from 4:30 and it's the @Rams_Rugby shout .

 

[SDM]

The only people who want Turnbull running the Liberal Party are Labor and Greens voters.

Wouldn't they prefer Hockey, it would ensure the libs end up in opposition again.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

There are too many voters committed to seeing a big, wasteful government in power. Appeasing them won't win their vote.

So, no.

 

[Twizzle]

yes it will

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I think the coalition will lose power at the next election no matter who is party leader. The important thing is to minimise the losses by appealing to the rusted on supporter base. That means no slick millionaires like Malcolm Turnbull.

Everyone else in Australia seems convinced that the best way for Australia to get out of debt is by borrowing more money and spending it on shit. Or that massive government debt is a good thing. At least we're doing better than Europe, right?