The crap has started

[Waldo]

All may be true, yet in my backyard and my Kingdom is My Shed.

[artme]

Even we don't elect a Prime Minister or Gov General they are chosen.

Agreed, but you are either missing the point, being obtuse, or stirring.

[Sebastiaan56]

Wedding???

[wheelinround]

Agreed, but you are either missing the point, being obtuse, or stirring.

France comes to mind trouble is most lost theirs

Elsewhere others are shot or just disappear.

Bit of stirring to

[damian]

I realise you are at least half joking, but the stuff your talking about is very very complicated and if you even half believe the comments you've made I'd suggest you do some serious reading.

This isn't a thread about politics as such so it's best if you want to discuss this to make another thread, I'll just add the following quickly.

Throughout human history there have been a small percentage of people who have aspired to power over all else. The rest tend to let them go until they get too oppressive to bear.

When the Athenians tried democracy withing a couple of generations they were literally dragging the citizens to the forum. They just didn't want to know. Similar apathy is apparent today.

Unless you find a way to get the proletariat involved and informed, and to keep the despots under control you don't improve things.

Democracy isn't efficient nor satisfying. It provides compromises that everyone can live with, it tempers extremes. It's the best we've managed so far, but don't imagine it's permanent. We have slipped back into dictatorship throughout history. It can and probably will happen again.

Today's politicians are exactly the same cast that produced the dictators previously. Same personality differnt title. The elections keep them in check to some extent. That's really all that's changed.

2c

[mic-d]

One thing really bothers me about royalty. What right do these people have, other than by accident of birth, to hold the priviledged positions they do??

It's a lottery Artme. After all what right do we, other than by accident of birth hold the privileged position of access to clean water, access the safe food and shelter, freedom from war, access to good medical treatment,education and a justice system, being able to live without discrimination and have luxuries like woodworking tools for hobby and internet access, when others within and orders of magnitude more outside Australia have none of this. Think about that and a few royal families pale into insignificance.

Cheers
Michael

[artme]

It's a lottery Artme. After all what right do we, other than by accident of birth hold the privileged position of access to clean water, access the safe food and shelter, freedom from war, access to good medical treatment,education and a justice system, being able to live without discrimination and have luxuries like woodworking tools for hobby and internet access, when others within and orders of magnitude more outside Australia have none of this. Think about that and a few royal families pale into insignificance.

Cheers
Michael

Good point Mic, but this brings me to a point I made earlier about the efficacy of the 4th estate and the waste of time and resources on matters that don't matter. Instaed of this time and resource wasting on such frivolity the media ought to be focussing on the real issues of life. Those are exactly the issues to which you refer.

[jimbur]

In most cases the media aren't there to tell us what's going on; they're there to sell advertising space, otherwise they'd fold.
Cheers,
Jim

[ToothFairy]

It's a lottery Artme. After all what right do we, other than by accident of birth hold the privileged position of access to clean water, access the safe food and shelter, freedom from war, access to good medical treatment,education and a justice system, being able to live without discrimination and have luxuries like woodworking tools for hobby and internet access, when others within and orders of magnitude more outside Australia have none of this. Think about that and a few royal families pale into insignificance.

Cheers
Michael

Let's also remember that England tried the republican system (1643-1661), and didn't like it. But they made big changes to the monarchy in 1688 that meant the monarch has no real power - the idea is that the "reserve powers" (those that the monarch has in theory but not in practice - or is that the other way around?) can't be grabbed by the pollies. I'm not entirely sure that the same idea is sufficiently well established in Oz.

- Michael (the other one)

[Waldo]

In most cases the media aren't there to tell us what's going on; they're there to sell advertising space, otherwise they'd fold.
Cheers,
Jim

And the most expensive tarps to buy? 6:00-10:30pm

[artme]

In most cases the media aren't there to tell us what's going on; they're there to sell advertising space, otherwise they'd fold.
Cheers,
Jim

Yep, atrue but sad reality.

[munruben]

Have you guys finished with your soapbox?

[artme]

Have you guys finished with your soapbox?

No!

However I am willing to let a mate have his. Step right up!!!

[munruben]

No!

However I am willing to let a mate have his. Step right up!!!

Thanks Arthur, I will take it home and make something nice out of it. Maybe a large wooden spoon.

[Sturdee]

Now that the soapbox is gone to make something useful, can this thread now die it's natural death.

Nothing useful to be gained by keeping on about it.


Peter.