It’s more than just a virus: there are culture wounds and abscesses of leadership
So submersed have we become with all the consequences and complications of COVID-19 that it has preoccupied our minds as if nothing else exists.
And rightly so, given the deathly possibilities this virus insinuates upon society.
Like rust this deadly virus, without instruction, without fear or favour, spreads itself throughout the community; the wealthy and the poor die. The aged and not so aged.
Its side effects include the wrecking of lives, families, and the devastation of economies and cultures with the possibility of a world recession.
Without a cure our only defence is isolation and some meaningful rules that – if followed – suffice as effective and efficient weapons.
The rich with a negative worldview see the gloom as a reason to protect themselves and their wealth. The poor with no recourse to health insurance die because Trump hates the word Obama. But the rich do too because of an unpreparedness to combat this killer.
Some, like President Trump, arguably the biggest political liar in history, have likened it to a war and as we know truth is the first fatality of any conflict. He is well suited to the title, king liar.
He advocates – against the best health advice – a return to business as usual, taking the risk that the vicious virus might restart again even encouraging people in certain states to protest against their state governors.
Without even a thought for those who might die because of such a premature decision Trump urges these protests as if he is the sole dictator over life and death.
His mental deficiency also prompted a bad decision to withdraw money from the World Health Organization at a most precarious time in the spread of the pandemic. A decision that has faced condemnation around the world, and at home, and will end the lives of many in Africa where most of the money was spent combating Ebola, HIV and other diseases.
As is his habit, Trump seeks to blame others. Maybe the silence of the cash registers in his resorts has been a price t0o much to pay.
In Australia our Prime Minister is of the same ilk as Trump. His lying, although just as notorious as Trump’s, doesn’t have the same chilling, life-ending, effect. He is, however, a politician so arrogant as to believe that he is beyond the inconvenient nuisance of being questioned. How detestable is the hypocrisy?
The US has a coronavirus death rate per million population of 114.14 compared to Australia 41.9.
Defending his poor handling of the pandemic, Donald Trump resorts to more lying:
“We’ve handled the situation incredibly well … Everything is perfect … the United States has the most robust, advanced, and accurate testing system anywhere in the world … We’re now the king of ventilators … The research and development that we’ve done at the federal level has been absolutely incredible … Ultimate victory in this war will be made possible by America’s scientific brilliance. There is nothing like us. There is nobody like us. Not even close … We did the right thing.”
Scott Morrison – like Trump – is devoid of trustworthiness. Although both profess by faith to be Christians any suggestion that trust would be a quality of leadership in them both needs to be ignored.
That aside, however, Australia it would seem is in a better position to resume business as usual ahead of most countries.
Most are predicting that four weeks will see us back to normal. Morrison is no longer talking about “snap back”, instead saying that we will be in:
“… a different world on the other side of the virus …
We’re going to have to have economic policy measures that are very pro-growth.”
That to me sends a message that a reliance on old style economics will be used to try and fix what is a crisis on two fronts. On the one hand the virus, and on the other hand the economy and all the agony that goes with it.
As we rush toward a recession and 10% unemployment I see no intention to reform the economy at all. I see no promise of a more equitable system that addresses fairness, the privileges of the rich, and all the subsidies to the mining companies.
Morrison says that he has a 3-point plan. The three priorities he outlined were to:
A: Protect the health of Australians
B: Secure their jobs and livelihoods.
[Note, some economists are predicting a jobless rate of up to 16%, which of course would be catastrophic].
C: Set Australia up to bounce back stronger.
And everything is on the table but I don’t see the evidence of it.
That sends shivers down my spine and the word ‘draconian’ enters my head as a descriptive for the next budget.
It is obvious to me that we are in a unique period of time where from these recent health, societal, economic, and environmental disasters there will evolve the opportunity to correct our course.
Now is the time and the opportunity for reform. Yes, real reform. Think health, social security, the aged, pensions, infrastructure, economics, government subsidies, taxes etc.
The peoples of all the nations of the world increasingly seem to be having less to say about their own destiny.
Dictatorships in the guise of democracies have grown their crooked influence and are more interested in power than people.
Morrison has stated that the parliament will sit on a trial basis for a two-week period. Now that’s democracy for you. It shouldn’t be on trial, it should just be.
We have leaders like Trump and Morrison who cannot comprehend the importance of truth as being fundamental to the democratic process yet they make the most contribution to its demise. And of course, there are many others.
Before the last Australian election I found it impossible to imagine that the people could be so gullible as to elect for a third term a government that has performed so miserably in the first two, and has amongst its members some of the most devious, suspicious and corrupt men and women, but they did. And might I add extremely well-educated.
But as I have diligently argued many times previously, Conservatives cannot do reform of the nature I speak of. It goes against their philosophy.
I’m afraid the only plan our Prime Minister has is to return us to where we were.
We must fight against this Government’s return at the next election with everything we have, and more.
My thought for the day
This Government’s performance over its time in office has been like a daily shower of offensiveness raining down on society.
Surely performance or lack of it must mean something.
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Return to home page“That to me sends a message that a reliance on old style economics will be used to try and fix what is a crisis on two fronts. On the one hand the virus, and on the other hand the economy and all the agony that goes with it.”
My mate Blind Freddie can see that conventional school book economics is demonstrably a farce that only describes how the wealthy may take over ALL the assets of the poor, just as Marx and Engels predicted in their report to the banks.
To claim “Snap back” will occur denies the obvious demonstration during this COVID-19 pandemic that trickle down economics still does not work, destroying many local production facilities for centralised mega-production units fails under stress with disastrous consequences, and you still cannot eat hard currency or paper notes.
If you want to see how the capitalist system works (doesn’t) in times like these,
watch last night’s Foreign Correspondent on ABC’s iView.
NEC:
They know “trickle down” doesn’t work. It isn’t supposed to. It’s a lie to feed to the masses to con them into meek acceptance of their (miserable) lot in life.
Did anyone even doubt that this is what these 2 liars had in mind? To openly kill millions of the elderly and less well off was always on the cards for these 2 village idiots. It has been their plan ever since they both came to power, stands out like dogs’ balls. They see us as burdens on their societies. A pair of psychopaths and liars.
Selamat pagi, lord, apa kabar
“I’m afraid the only plan our Prime Minister has is to return us to where we were.”
I am afraid:
smirko et al have no intention of ‘snap back’ beyond the catchy slogan which makes the population feel safe.
They have unlimited money and unlimited excuse for making social and economic decisions consistent with a philosophy that includes ‘it sounds goof, let’s trust twiggy to do it without evaluating and move to the next brain fart.
Albo cannot find the no no no bottle
Loved your thought, remember the kennedy ”don’t think do!!!’ does that apply to snirko or albo???
thanks boobby
We are about to see a tranche-load of Leadership, if the media spots by Frydenberg today are anything to go by.
They are in some kind of raphsodic frenzy as they discuss trashing various corporate and property taxes, raising the GST and abolishing industrial relations.
The swine have gone feral.
After a great pool, exercise lord, I realise I may have to be more considered in my comments and more considerate to any greens suffering from a conscience.
Spot on whatever that is the tip to keeo the morning shows salivating the ipa boys will be baccanalian on port and cigars in the billiard room releasing undreamed of possibilities for americanisation to outdo trump himself.
sorry boobby you did what brandt thought and did it too well.
Its what i have been saying for a few weeks now. You got to expect there to be a push back against reforms. The current mob only know the status quo. to even contemplate the idea that the status quo was failing doesnt even enter their minds. As the IPA crowd crows even louder to go harder, because yea thier ideas were working NOT, the LNP are incapable of clear thinking.
Its just too inconceivable for them to think anything else is worth a try. Just have to remember a few months ago, morrison refused to increase newstart because of ” empathy costs”.
Here is another go at UBI calculations i did a while back. Lets say UBI at $500/wk for 20,000,000 = $500b . now if the tax scales were adjusted so that 50% of the population had neutral outcomes, the UBI would cost $250b. As i already did the calculations, it could save a similar amount in BLACK RED TAPE. that is beuracracy designed to punish , centerlink, or money just going around in circles ie super and housing. Sure we want checks and balances but when the costs are so far above the level of assistance, you have to question the madness. Or we have designed beuracracy to bandade capitalism’s cruel indifference ie super. A UBI means you dont have to squirrel away 10% of your income for 50yrs in the hope of not starving in retirement especially when your starving now ! It Means you dont have to do f#cking stupid shit to get a part pension. It means 60,65,66.5 (including me) or 70yrs old loses its stigma, retire? when you feel up to it, f#ck these c*nts that want you to work and die next day when you retire.
Lets face it, these guys start from a protestant work ethic with slavery undertones. They are not interested in what we want until they lose an election or two or three. Its their Reagan economics texts that they hold sacred, even knowing that the whole establishment is a fraud. The IPA is a loud voice coming from people who dont have to clean toilets for a living, they help create the mess you see when you walk in.
One might ask – Why is it so? Why is it that Vietnam with a population of 97 million (almost 4 times that of Australia), with GDP per capita under US$3,000 (ranked 150th in the world), compared to Australia’s roughly US$58,000 (ranked 15th) has, as of 17 April, no reported deaths due to COVID-19 and only 275 cases. While those figures might be rubbery and there might be a deluge on the way, one should look closely at what this poor nation did as a first response.
Guess, we don’t hear much about Vietnam these days but there were lessons to be learnt and after SARS, Vietnam did lots of learning. More here.
Regardless of what the two prize clowns have to say about the COVID 19 pandemic- ignore them.
Take notice of the young nurse I just watched on the Rachel Maddow Show
In tears as she drove to do her 12 hour shift, fresh from going with a group of other nurses and Doctors who had stood mask to face with the loonies protesting for their ‘freedom” she spelt out her past week where 70 of her colleagues had died from the pandemic, and pleaded “just stay home”
She and her colleagues had pledged that they would not allow a patient to die alone and try to hold their hand in their final moments if possible but they are swamped
She spoke of the young patients, blood pressure dropping, gasping for breath and knows that it is time to get the Ipad so the families can log on and say goodbye as no contact is possible or allowed.
Then the body is “warehoused” at a converted Ice Skating rink as all other facilities are at capacity.
“I don’t know how we’ll cope when we get the expected big wave” she said
A prison had just notified that 1950 of there 2500 inmates have tested positive
damn, my eyes have sprung a leak
PLEASE, STAY HOME
follow the experts advice not the Politicians
As one nurse said “ultimately, in time, the economy will bounce back
The dead can’t
The death rate ratio, per million, between America and Australia is incorrect. America is 114 thereabouts, whereas Australia is is just over 3.2 per million.
Re checked the American death rates based on the latest figures on the population numbers at 368 million. The death rate ratio, per million, between America and Australia is incorrect. America is 108 thereabouts, whereas Australia is just over 3.2 per million.
Vincent Peters
USA total cases per million 2,475
Deaths per million 137
Australia cases per million 261
Deaths per million 3
Of major concern
Italy 408 Deaths per million pop
Belgium 518 Deaths per million pop
Spain 455 Deaths per million pop
The message I guess is back to same old, same old because these purblind idiots that form this “government” don’t want to know anything but what the BCA has laid out for them. When will these glorified shopkeepers realise that to make money, they also have to let their customers have an income. They are strangling the goose that lays their golden eggs, trying to have their cake and eat it too. But never fear, the pitchforks and billhooks are about to be derusted and sharpened…..
What I wrote in 2014…It’s too late bc Hard Right Wing parties have been voted in around the world via microsofts “ELECTION GUARD” hard times heavy taxes protests riots and mayhem see yellow vests . The intelligence they (the leaders) claim to have it nowhere to be found..Don’t allow these clowns to control the story any story , they are pushing this fear porn propaganda to keep us enslaved to their hegemony. starvation and enslavement is coming to all of us.
US. PRESIDENT Andrew Jackson had kicked Jewish Rothschild banking out of the U.S. in 1828….saying ” I would accept us getting it nuked if it meant they would be destroyed, we could have a utopia if not for them”.
Bohemian Grove a place were world leaders gather each year to worship Moloch (satan) and includes a ceremony called “cremation of care” were care is “thrown to the wind” so don’t care an iota for millions of people. This is a very bad dream yea?.
‘ US. PRESIDENT Andrew Jackson had kicked Jewish Rothschild banking out of the U.S. in 1828….saying ” I would accept us getting it nuked if it meant they would be destroyed, we could have a utopia if not for them”.
i think you might want to check that quote.’
Phil, our fact check has you right, but you failed to mention the Rockefeller-financed attack by Lithuania on Reno in 1816.
Remember, context is all, vis a vis a deeper appreciation of historical teleology.
Paul Walter
I think ‘nuked’ is the problem with the quote!
No. He was right. Don’t forget, this is 1828. Of course, germ warfare would have been an entirely different proposition altogether…