View Full Version : Politics!! Where do you stand?
CrankyAndTired
15-08-2009, 20:43
Its saturday night so I thought a nice non-controversial thread would be nice.. :p
Do you align yourself with a particular party?
Liberal/Labor/Greens?
Republicans or Democrats?
Tory (Conservative) or Labour?
Are you a leftie? Rightwing conservative? Commie? :D Or a centrist?
Interested to hear where people stand, or if its something they prefer to keep private??
I'll kick off.. ** climbs onto personal soapbox** ;)
Firstly, I'll be honest, I'm not very interested in Aussie politics, but big fan of US Politics.. Mostly align with leftwing policies, with the exception of abortion "rights".
I like the fiscal conservatism the republicans preach but a) i think taking care of our society's unemployed, uninsured, poor and elderly is more important than anything else and b) I think its hypocritical to preach fiscal conservatism and then spend trillions on an unnecessary war!
**steps off soapbox**
I'm interested to hear what other ppl think.. bout taxes, national defense, social policies, fiscal restraint, national debt, international affairs... Open forum!! :D
Leftie here :D
I don't align myself with any party though - I believe there are fundamental flaws with a party system (not that I can suggest a better alternative).
Also, I lived in north of England for quite a few years and met a lot of people who were adversely affected by Thatcher - I am definitely not fan of the Tory party. :no:
delirium
15-08-2009, 20:53
Staunch labour voter, always vote greens second on the ballot card.
CrankyAndTired
15-08-2009, 21:21
Salam, I am a Christian too... and while traditionally Christians have been aligned with conservative, right wing politics - I actually find many right wing policies conflict with my religious perspective!!
Very interesting to hear people's take on this issue.. so many aspects to consider yet so much passion belies people's perspective.. :detective:
missie_mack
15-08-2009, 21:51
Left but just off centre not as far as being say communists. I do however have some conservative sided ideals....
Interesting Livly on your idea that christians are right wing conservatives... I don't believe that to be the case. Even traditionally whilst religion was often a divider, particularly in early days (in Australia anyways) with the traditional Catholic, unskilled labourer being very left and the wealthier business owner being protestant/anglican
reAllytee
15-08-2009, 23:07
Well according to FB I am :
Ally is a left moderate social libertarian. Ally is also a non-interventionist and culturally liberal.
:laughing::laughing:
I am more of a swing voter but I do tend to go Greens a lot :yes:
I sit down :laughing: No standing here. I hate politics and it just goes straight over my simple head.
misskittyfantastico
15-08-2009, 23:13
I'm firmly to the Left. Funny, because I live in a rural community.:D I was once religious, but that never influenced my vote - I believe in the separation of church and state, I believe in choice (then and now). I believe in personal autonomy, equaltity...but geez, I'd like to get some roads fixed out my way.
sockstealingpoltergeist
16-08-2009, 00:41
I am a lefty.
I do prefer a more socialist model, not to the point of dismissing individual freedoms, but ensuring individual freedoms are protected whilst also ensuring every one is valued and has equal access to opportunities.
I don't think it's fair that the wealthy have better health care and educations for example,
I got no idea, :laughing:
rainbow road
16-08-2009, 00:54
I'm a lefty right down to hand I write with!
I don't particularly align myself with certain parties because I don't agree with all of Labor's stances but I if it came down to Libs or Labor it would be a no brainer.
Mummaholic
16-08-2009, 01:00
Big lefty here :)
Pippi Longstocking
16-08-2009, 06:59
Pinko tree-hugging commie bleeding-heart lefty and proud. :p
CrankyAndTired
16-08-2009, 07:33
Interesting Livly on your idea that christians are right wing conservatives... I don't believe that to be the case. Even traditionally whilst religion was often a divider, particularly in early days (in Australia anyways) with the traditional Catholic, unskilled labourer being very left and the wealthier business owner being protestant/anglican
As I said in my OP I'm not as interested in Aussie politics but in the US the right wing party has traditionally been socially and fiscally very conservative. The "Bible Belt" of middle America won George Bush his presidency both times..
Even here, although the parties are not as different to each other, groups like Fred Nile's Christian values party is more likely to affiliate with the Liberal conservative party..
I sit down :laughing: No standing here. I hate politics and it just goes straight over my simple head.
You sound like both my sisters! They are not interested either, to each her own! :)
I don't think it's fair that the wealthy have better health care and educations for example,
Totally agree. I would like to see free healthcare for all instituted in the US and it would be a dream come true for tertiary education to be free again.... :goodvibes:
Pinko tree-hugging commie bleeding-heart lefty and proud. :p
:laughing::laughing:
As I said in my OP I'm not as interested in Aussie politics but in the US the right wing party has traditionally been socially and fiscally very conservative. The "Bible Belt" of middle America won George Bush his presidency both times..
:laughing:
Do you live in the USA?
The only thing that won George Bush the first election is the false media reports and the dodgy supreme court. The electoral vote did not reflect the popular vote :no: Bush didn't win. In 2000, Jeb Bush worked with Katharine Harris to disenfranchise over 60,000 of African American voters - knowing that they generally vote democrats. They were scrubbed from the rolls using the slightest of similarity with convicted felons. Then when Gore won anyway, John Ellis, a Bush cousin at Fox News starting calling the election in FL for Bush, Bush then took the recount decision to the US Supreme Court which illegally stopped the state mandated vote recount. On the day 9/11 happened, Time was reporting that in every recount, Gore had won.
In 2004, Bush had Tom Ridge send out fake terror alerts, Gonzales used the Dept. of Justice to bring frivolous lawsuits against opponents, to interfere with states' voting laws and rights, and to cage voters. Ohio was such a battle ground state, they used a Homeland Security threat, and surrounded the voting polls with huge buses and scared people from voting.
To answer the OP, I am left of centre :D
I am a lefty.
I do prefer a more socialist model, not to the point of dismissing individual freedoms, but ensuring individual freedoms are protected whilst also ensuring every one is valued and has equal access to opportunities.
I don't think it's fair that the wealthy have better health care and educations for example,
:iagree:
I vote Greens, and preference to Labor.
Best political day in recent memory was seeing John Howard lose his seat at the last election. I cried tears of joy, and got very drunk...:o
I have zero interest in American politics, but I have a couple of friends who LOVE it. They follow it over Aussie politics.
Looshkin
16-08-2009, 19:01
Obviously I'm a young liberal.:cool:
:iagree:
I vote Greens, and preference to Labor.
Best political day in recent memory was seeing John Howard lose his seat at the last election. I cried tears of joy, and got very drunk...:o
I was just so happy... so... happpy.:D
I also vote greens...and preference Labour.
Pinko tree-hugging commie bleeding-heart lefty and proud. :p
^^Yeah that.
I'd love to have my home country, Australia to remain democratic but rejig the actual infrastructure to more like that of a social democracy than one moving towards free capitalist democracy.
Maybe.. include Frances changes to the working week to balance work and family life.
I think children would benefit more than we could even measure from a 4 day working week , having less stressed parents as well as the pure time factor of having that extra day for family.
I think everyone in a nation deserves to have the opportunity to have children if they wish and receive 2 years government assistance, it's a wise move for a government to allocate funds for this, to allocate funds to provide childcare/kindy for free to enable parents to work and pay more tax...
Everyone should be able to access free education - from 5 year olds to university students. I believe this would equal a more highly functioning budget anyway.
So yep, I'd like to live in a country with a more benefits / socialist infrastructure and slightly higher tax.
Pinko tree-hugging commie bleeding-heart lefty and proud. :p
I stole your cake analogy and you stole my political stance. :laughing::laughing:
Me too.
I am a lefty too. And I think Labor are doing a pretty awesome job.:yelclap:
I am a lefty too. And I think Labor are doing a pretty awesome job.:yelclap:
Federal :yes:
NSW State :no:
yep i'm a lefty. though i will assess who is the best party for me. though, when it comes down to it i will vote labor.
dw cried tiers of joy when mr sheen sorry john howard was voted out :thumbsup:.i still cant believe how much damage that man did to our country, and i'll leave that there...:)
Federal :yes:
NSW State :no:
Agreed, but I do not want to vote for Liberal:no: Not sure what to do.
Baldie's Mum
16-08-2009, 19:42
If you lived in NSW you would understand why i vote Liberal! :yes: :laughing: :rolleyes:
Also being a small business owner, whos hubby works damn hard to provide a future for him and his family, who has multiple investment properties and a conscious for the future of all australians, i vote liberal for sure.
*also, i definatly dont agree with alot of goverment handouts.
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Mummaholic
16-08-2009, 19:46
*also, i definatly dont agree with alot of goverment handouts.
[text deleted by moderator]
:eek:
I think you will find the people you speak of are a small minority.
I actually want my taxes to go towards helping people less fortunate than myself. I leave the organisation of who gets what to Clink etc, as although I pay a lot of tax, my taxes are a small part of the pool when you consider how many of us pay them.
Pippi Longstocking
16-08-2009, 19:52
I stole your cake analogy and you stole my political stance. :laughing::laughing:
Me too.
I'm happy to share with you Bron. :valentine: That's what us bleeding hearts do best eh? :D
Aquamarine
16-08-2009, 19:53
Labor/Greens.
There is no chance on earth I would ever vote Liberal.
As for US politics. Definitely democratic party.
The day Barack Obama was elected was the best day!!!:yelclap:
*also, i definatly dont agree with alot of goverment handouts.
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As Mummaholic said, it's definitely the minority that abuse the system.
And, at the end of the day, I wouldn't swap my life (tertiary educated and an employed professional) to receive a fairly meagre government benefit (honestly, or otherwise).
But I think most people are fairly genuine. My partner worked in job network for about 8 years so has met thousands of long-term unemployed people. He said there were a few out-and-out scammers, but the majority of them had some unfortunate story that had led them there, and some pretty big barriers to getting jobs.
And some people appear for able to work than they are, as they don't want to admit to underlying mental illnesses etc.
I don't know. It confuses me in Australia that we have this strange dual relationship with welfare recipients - loathing and envy.:confused:
Agreed, but I do not want to vote for Liberal:no: Not sure what to do.
Me either...
:eek:
I think you will find the people you speak of are a small minority.
I actually want my taxes to go towards helping people less fortunate than myself. I leave the organisation of who gets what to Clink etc, as although I pay a lot of tax, my taxes are a small part of the pool when you consider how many of us pay them.
:iagree:
sockstealingpoltergeist
16-08-2009, 20:11
I don't know. It confuses me in Australia that we have this strange dual relationship with welfare recipients - loathing and envy.:confused:
:yes: I don't understand it either.
My lazy;) *** recieved benifits for 8 years, and there was nothing to be envious of I can assure you.
People don't want to think others are getting something they are not, they don't appear to have the ability to think clearly about their own privileged situation.
Apparently it's fine to sit on your bum as long as you don't get benifits.:p
Baldie's Mum
16-08-2009, 20:12
Oh i have no envy for them. :no: I just worry that if Australia keeps giving huge amounts of money out to people who dont need it, then we are going to go further and further into dept. People who do need it are schools and their employees, hospitals and their dedicated staff, disability workers and carers ect. We have alot of it the wrong way round. If you support small and medium business, you are supporting a huge proportion of the country. Your supporting employment, which takes care of families.
I am sorry for the rant and rave, but, where i am sitting, i just think so many other people deserve help. :yes:
And where i live, if you walked down the street during the day, you would see that there is no minority of "slobs".
If you lived in NSW you would understand why i vote Liberal! :yes: :laughing: :rolleyes:
Also being a small business owner, whos hubby works damn hard to provide a future for him and his family, who has multiple investment properties and a conscious for the future of all australians, i vote liberal for sure.
*also, i definatly dont agree with alot of goverment handouts.
[text deleted by moderator]
The government handouts actually stimulated spending so probably did help your husband's small business.
I work in a school and we have loads of things being done. We have had all the school buildings inside and out painted, making it a much nicer learning and working environment. We have just had the car park extended. We are getting a brand new state of the art library. We just had a new hall built and extra undercover playing area. We got new photocopiers. We are having the computer lab refurbished...the list goes on.
Baldie's Mum
16-08-2009, 20:24
your school is lucky! :yes: That will be great for the kids and staff!
missie_mack
16-08-2009, 20:39
And, at the end of the day, I wouldn't swap my life (tertiary educated and an employed professional) to receive a fairly meagre government benefit (honestly, or otherwise).
:iagree::iagree: Really I don't know how unemployed people survive on $225 a week or a single aged pensioner of $280 a week with the value of rent, electricity, food etc etc today :(
Take away these benefits and the effect on those who currently don't receive benefits would be enormous particularly relating to theft and crime...
Mummaholic
16-08-2009, 21:10
:iagree::iagree: Really I don't know how unemployed people survive on $225 a week or a single aged pensioner of $280 a week with the value of rent, electricity, food etc etc today :(
Take away these benefits and the effect on those who currently don't receive benefits would be enormous particularly relating to theft and crime...
:iagree: A sad state of affairs.
If you lived in NSW you would understand why i vote Liberal! :yes: :laughing: :rolleyes:
Also being a small business owner, whos hubby works damn hard to provide a future for him and his family, who has multiple investment properties and a conscious for the future of all australians, i vote liberal for sure.
*also, i definatly dont agree with alot of goverment handouts.
[text deleted by moderator]
Living in NSW, growing up in the family business, going to a public school and discovering the benefits and downfalls of becoming a high income earning family and having our own property (now rented/investment as we rent) are the reasons I'd NEVER vote Liberal. :thumbsup:
My political views swing wildly. I voted Labor in the last Fed election, but will not currently vote Labor at a state level (or council level). I make up my mind on talent and vision and you can't find that in a single party at all levels IMO :D.
Cheers
reAllytee
17-08-2009, 23:33
My political views swing wildly. I voted Labor in the last Fed election, but will not currently vote Labor at a state level (or council level). I make up my mind on talent and vision and you can't find that in a single party at all levels IMO :D.
Cheers
Ooooh see that explains things perfectly for me !!!
Wish I could be so smart to put it into words :D
My political views swing wildly. I voted Labor in the last Fed election, but will not currently vote Labor at a state level (or council level). I make up my mind on talent and vision and you can't find that in a single party at all levels IMO :D.
Cheers
Ditto for me too - exactly where I stand. :)
SassyMummy
18-08-2009, 10:50
Left.
Don't know why anyone would begrudge government "handouts" though... pensioners live on next to nothing and single parents struggle to find a place they can afford to live...
I dunno why anyone would be angry about anything there, except for the fact that they're not getting enough.
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