Facing a war

[Strannik]

there are only two parties that currently can have the power in parliament.

sure in some electorates you can vote greens, or some other party, but they only make a difference in case of a hung parliament.

anyone who claims different is just trying to mislead people

 

[Strannik]

They can't own everyone.

they don't need to. they only need to own the majority.
also australian elections are decided on local issues, not who goes to war somewhere across the ocean

 

[BayView]

well, compare the number of foreign military bases that so called peaceful democracies have, to that one of evil dictatorships, and you will see who's evil.

I think you'll find the main difference is the free world piles up weapons and bases mostly for defense.

Dictatorships have historically been run by shocking types who initiate conflicts and try to get rid of any opposition to them.

Noone is totally blameless in war, but I'd rather have a US military base here in Aus; than not.

 

[Beelzebub]

Incorrect.

There are more than two political parties in Australia, and those who understand how our voting system works will also understand that voting for these parties is not a 'wasted vote'. The wasted vote is the one that isn't made.

Personally I vote for a party that:

• has been flat out against war and the invasion of the middle east (and other countries) and
• does not accept corporate donations (and is therefore not controlled by those who profit from war)

The 'there's only two parties worth voting for' concept is a myth perpetuated by those who control the government because it makes it easier for them to control. They can't own everyone.

Your vote still goes to a major party; what matters is who you preference, the rest is irrelevant. And unless you're in a marginal seat your vote is not all that important.

Beelzebub

 

[Strannik]

I think you'll find the main difference is the free world piles up weapons and bases mostly for defense.

Dictatorships have historically been run by shocking types who initiate conflicts and try to get rid of any opposition to them.

Noone is totally blameless in war, but I'd rather have a US military base here in Aus; than not.

yeah right

USA has initiated more conflicts in the past 25 years than all of the dictatorships combined.

 

[JohnMichael]

Noone is totally blameless in war, but I'd rather have a US military base here in Aus; than not.

Yeah... but that's because they're our allies, not because they're necessarily a good force in the world or anything. Whether or not they help us is a side issue. If you wanted to talk about whether they're "good" or "evil", you have to see how they treat their enemies, not their friends.

 

[BayView]

Yeah... but that's because they're our allies, not because they're necessarily a good force in the world or anything. Whether or not they help us is a side issue. If you wanted to talk about whether they're "good" or "evil", you have to see how they treat their enemies, not their friends.

I don't think any Country has a good record for how they've treated their enemies.

 

[Peter_Tersteeg]

doesn't it go off? bought a jar of unprocessed honey on the weekend and I assumed it would have short shelf life

Honey crystalises over time. You simply heat it a little to rectify this; a hot window will do it. Pure honey never goes off. Edible honey has been found in Egyptian tombs.

 

[BayView]

yeah right

USA has initiated more conflicts in the past 25 years than all of the dictatorships combined.

Ah, yes; but who were they initiated against?

From my memory; most if not all their interventions have been against bad guys?

I know the whole Saddam Hussein saga has been painted as a scam.."it's all about the oil" and so on, but Saddam was already a very bad dude and had wiped out plenty of competitors and dissenters.

I know you hate the Yanks, but what/who is the alternative to keep check on these other types?

 

[Strannik]

it's not even funny.

yanks were the ones who raised Saddam and got him to where he was. western countries helped him to build Iraq's chemical weapons capabilities to fight against Iran.

then they decided to depose him, and now iraq is in the permanent state of war, and we got ISIS thanks to them too.

iraq was much better under Saddam, than it is now

 

[Ausprop]

mistakes have undoubtedly been made, however as a western country don't we need a western ally? we can't defend ourselves and the US is the only big mate that we have. they may annoy us and be a bit mean occasionally but there is no one else to befriend.

there will be a decision point... US or china. China is the new kid in the ground playground but I think we need to stick with old mate. and if this is the way it is headed then we may as well bite the bullet and embrace it, starting with an open door policy to US citizens.

finally, if we think we can play an each way bet and have great trade with china whilst the US and China blast the bejeesus out of each other then we are dreaming

 

[Phar Lap]

The US is falling due to Democrat ideology, political correctness, leftism etc.

They only want big Govt. We all know that does not work.

The sheer numbers (population) are keeping it relevant (in terms of supremecy) for the moment. But Obamas doing his best to ruin the US as we knew it, you know, Liberty, freedom etc.

 

[DavidMc]

I think you'll find the main difference is the free world piles up weapons and bases mostly for defense.

Ummm... did you see this post? http://somersoft.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1325449&postcount=7

I forgot to add they're also drone bombing Pakistan. And that whole list of countries is only in the last 10 years.

People need to dig further than the version of the stories presented in The Age. We attacked those countries for nothing other than empire expanding, corporate profit and/or power and influence worldwide. None of them are a threat.

Your vote still goes to a major party; what matters is who you preference, the rest is irrelevant. And unless you're in a marginal seat your vote is not all that important.

Beelzebub

Again incorrect. How do they get that preference? By taking on policies or policy alignment with the values of the minor party.

It's these incorrect assumptions that perpetuate the two party system and many problems in the country.

Vote for ANYONE ELSE but Labor and Liberal IMO.

 

[Phiber]

"If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal."