John finally pops the election boil

Well, we have a date for the Federal election. John Howard, with his divisive, fetid political chicanery, has burst our collective boil. Like a vacillating and narcissistic child holding the lolly tin, he is forced to capitulate. Billions of dollars later – setting a disgusting example to the electorate about how not to behave – his undemocratic, time-wasting and odious ways remind us that Australia should have fixed-term government.
Ethical and moral responsibility is not fashionable now. Tragic barrel-scraping, back-stabbing and transparent crawling shouldn’t fool anyone. A non-apology to our indigenous brothers and sisters is not only 10 years late but hollow, shallow and meaningless. Has his political life expectancy outgrown the average indigenous Australian’s life expectancy?
Most media are entwined in the charade, believing the hype and twisted statistics about never having it so good. Who and what does this apply to? For a large swath of the population, life has become desperate, while the most philandering, self-promoting government in this country’s history is desperately trying to hold on to power. Every day a million bucks are spent on appallingly acted propaganda, as citizens’ teeth rot, and disenfranchised people fall through the cracks of Howard’s plutocratic, crumbling rule.
Parliamentary privilege, lies, lack of transparency and a litany of filth sully our political landscape and instil cynicism and disengagement from the electorate – just what the Coalition wants. This is a non-information freeway, with traffic churning in one direction and no signposts, and no exit – until now. We elect these monster politicians, who often wax lyrical about governing by and for the people – what crap! Even with compulsory voting the process has become so rotten, disillusioning, and non-interactive that many don’t bother to enrol. Our powerlessness is palpable, and big businesses with vested interests influence change through sordid donations for their sole benefit.
This neo-con, capitalist interface we call government is a blight on civility, justice and culture. When this government is ousted – and they will be shortly – we may look back at this epoch as porous, perverted and tragic, for all Australians are not better off.
So, whether Council, State or Federal, think about your back yard and how you would like to see it managed – it’s in your interest. Every vote, every time, is a conscience vote. As Norm used to say, “Life, be in it.”
Next week: Kevin’s pink promises
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