“Beware of what you wish for” constitutes a wise warning!

Updating our view of the future is an essential element of moving into a New Year.

We have yet to see how much damage the current POTUS will be able to inflict on his country – and the world – before he reluctantly exits the White House, while, no doubt, immediately launching a new campaign for re-election in 4 years time!

It is worth noting that there has only ever been one US President who has served two non-consecutive terms in office

We have the misfortune to have, as our current Prime Minister, a man who shares many of the traits of Donald Trump, which does not bode well for our future.

Both are narcissists, both of whom demand constant attention – one through an almost constant flow of tweets (the pauses seem to coincide with his going into a sulk because things are not going to plan) and the other through an insatiable demand for photo ops (he even took his personal media staff into ‘self-isolation’), justifying the process as only he could!

Both have an ability – admittedly shared by a high proportion of politicians – to tell lies when the truth would be inconvenient.

Both are climate change denialists which may prove to be their undoing.

In the case of Morrison, he will be seeking re-election long before Trump, and it is vital that Labor and the Greens (why in hell cannot these people realise how much they have in common, settle their differences and join forces to defeat the Coalition before it is too late?) work their butts off to convince themselves and the electorate that, without effective action on climate change, Planet Earth has no future.

Even Biden will have an uphill battle to undo the damage already done by Trump’s actions in reversing so many policies which were designed reduce emissions.

Australia seems to rely on being an island – which, in relation to COVID-19, has some advantages – to avoid sharing policies adopted by an increasing number of countries which share ideas as well as borders.

I still maintain we need to expand our views of the world in many regards.

There are now 3, not just 2, certainties in life, and the newcomer is the most important one.

These certainties are – CHANGE, DEATH & TAXES.

Adapting to change is sometimes so automatic that we co not realise we are doing it – and, unfortunately, there has been a massive amount of change which has happened quite subtly in the last year that we have not questioned what is going on.

Just look at Parliament.

How often has it met this year?

Why?

What is its function meant to be?

Has it been able to meet those requirements?

How often has the Prime Minister refused to allow debate to continue?

Is the Parliament being allowed to act as a democratic parliament is intended to act?

How much evidence of corruption has been detected?

How much action has been taken to deal with that corruption?

How many Ministers ought to have resigned and yet, in nearly all cases, have merely been moved or even promoted?

While accepting that China’s administrative changes have been an obvious reason for our current lack of rapprochement, who in the Australian government have been responsible for unnecessarily undermining that relationship?

And can we afford to have such a tenuous relationship with a country with the capacity to destroy our economy?

Since retiring, I have come to realise that, when I was working, I did not have the time or interest to follow what was going on in national and international affairs.

Climate change, in particular, was an issue I had not troubled to examine in sufficient depth.

So I can see why so many people, who are struggling to find and keep work in order to survive, cannot afford the time to look seriously at how our government is handling its job of running the country.

Now that I actually have time to do so, I am far from impressed with any political party policies and desperately concerned that we are becoming increasingly reactive, and running out of time to develop proactive and progressive policies.

We need our brightest minds from science, economics and business to insist on forcing the government to introduce more appropriate policies, ensure people are not forced into abject poverty, create jobs directed to avoid the disastrous outcomes which will be inevitable if we do not adjust to slow down global warming and – above all – stress policies that ensure we act to benefit all – not just a favoured few.

We are all in this together and we want to all benefit from plans which are inclusive not exclusive.

Is an early election in Australia likely?

Do politicians tell the truth?

At present the prospects for a peaceful New Year are not looking good!