Grumpy Part II #auspol

I have written previously about being a "Grumpy Old Man". I didn't take my medication today and have continued with the theme. Turn the page now if you are offended by truth.

The current focus of my "grumpiness" is because of the complete lack of any interest or activity by our political class in understanding and dealing with the substantial risks to our nation and our people.

There are some quite amazing things happening across the Pacific as the US pulls itself up by its bootstraps and attempts to reinvent itself as a hi-tech designer of quality products - but not a single one of our politicians seem to have noticed. I am not going to link to any of these things - because you won't get a free ride here - but Uncle Polonius is worth a read.

How our people can be so preoccupied with digging dirt and selling houses to each other and driving around in twin-cab 4wd's is just sooooo beyond me ;-)

Our voters have a long and glorious history of electing politicians and anointing political parties who have neither the interest nor the ability to do any real thinking or take any real action to improve the place. With the single exception of Paul Keating. Mind you it's not much of a choice when you are forced to select either tweedledum or the Catholic dingbat.

"The Prize" according to these political actors is to win the big seats - and control the Treasury. They are in it for the glory and for the power. Nothing else matters - certainly not you or me. They have honed their systems over decades so that now the "low information" voter is just a small and insignificant part of the process. And *trust me* - most of us are now "low information" voters.

And our media are a major part of this pantomime. The US might be handicapped by its "Military / Industrial Complex" but we are handicapped by our "Politico / Media JV". The dance of the MP and the Talking Head is the key thing that keeps our politicians in the big seats - so of course they will be in mutual embrace. The single most significant thing that keeps our media dysfunctional is the relationship they have with our politicians. Don't believe me - check out what is happening in the UK with Uncle Rupert's "bribe-o-matic".

But the good news is that the place succeeds despite them all.

"Australia is a lucky country, run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck." Donald Horne was spot-on.

Now it's time for my medication.