Friday 18 April 2008
Budget night 'donation' dinners not a good look for any political party
It's in the bag
No national ban or levy, indeed no solution at all, has been decided on.
Which sort of demonstrates the bigger problem really - at every step of the climate change response is someone who will either lose income or someone who will be forced to pay more for goods and services.
So nothing gets done with a coordinated national approach. Instead we get lots of wordy hot air, because every pollie has an industry lobbyist at their elbow or an electorate sensitive to a particular topic.
Kevin Rudd keeps going to the media with his 2020 mantra of a new way forward.
This magical date is just around the corner, but the number of life problems in which it has been held out as a goal increases every time I open the paper or turn on the television.
It seems there is nothing that can't be cured by a judicious application of 2020 twice a day.
If the plastic bag issue is any guide, then 2020 will see us no further forward than we are today and we'll all be in deep in global warming trouble before any solution is actually tried.
Thursday 17 April 2008
Rats in the ranks of Clarence Valley Council or how to scuttle a North Coast affordable housing scheme
Japan's whalers may raise the price of 'scientific' whale meat
Is this the kiss of death for Brendan Nelson?
Wednesday 16 April 2008
A conservative's view of US08 presidential race
Issue | Obama | Clinton | McCain | Aligned |
Abortion on Demand | Strongly Favors | Strongly Favors | Opposes |
|
Affirmative Action | Strongly Favors | Favors | Opposes |
|
Homosexual Rights | Strongly Favors | Strongly Favors | Favors | X |
School Prayer | Opposes | Opposes | Favors |
|
Death Penalty | Opposes | Favors | Strongly Favors |
|
3 Strike Sentencing Laws | Opposes | Opposes | Strongly Favors |
|
Private Gun Ownership | Strongly Opposes | Strongly Opposes | Strongly Favors |
|
Socialized Medicine | Favors | Strongly Favors | Opposes |
|
Privatize Social Security | Strongly Opposes | Strongly Opposes | Strongly Favors |
|
School Choice | Opposes | Strongly Opposes | Strongly Favors |
|
Restrictive Energy Policy | Strongly Favors | Strongly Favors | Favors | X |
Enforce Drug Laws | Strongly Opposes | Opposes | Strongly Favors |
|
Church Based Welfare | Favors | Favors | Strongly Favors | X |
Increased Punitive Taxation | Strongly Favors | Strongly Favors | Opposes |
|
Illegal Immigration | Strongly Favors | Strongly Favors | Favors | X |
Free Trade | Opposes | Opposes | Strongly Favors |
|
Expand Armed Forces | Opposes | Opposes | Favors |
|
Restrict Campaign Funding | Strongly Favors | Strongly Favors | Strongly Favors | X |
Patriot Act | Strongly Opposes | Strongly Opposes | Strongly Favors |
|
War on Terror | Strongly Opposes | Strongly Opposes | Strongly Favors |
|
Liberal Positions in RED Conservative Positions in BLUE
Chart found at The New Media Journal.US |