Snake Oil: Democratic Trump

Based on outgoing US President Donald Trump's strong anti China stance, my wife was hoping he would win another term in the White House. She's from Vietnam, whose government is essentially a Chinese puppet regime. She's one of the proud Vietnamese citizens who resent Chinese interference and control. It was either on my first or second trip to Vietnam that I found myself in an anti China protest march on the streets of Ho Chi Minh's city District One. I remember well the depth of feeling in that crowd.

My wife is so anti Chinese that we are not allowed to purchase products made in China unless there is no other option, and even then, sometimes not. She loves politics and is very up to date with the news, although I would question the objectivity of what she reads. She suspects the Chinese people she meets in her new home, Australia, of being spies and has a general dislike for China's citizens and Australian Chinese immigrants.

She's open minded enough and intelligent enough to be learning from her personal experiences that painting everyone with the same brush is not only only wrong, but quite racist. On the question of the value of Trump there was no point arguing against it. "Make America great again", she would quote at me.

Anyway, steering around the topic of the 2020 US presidential election, was relatively easy. I find politics fascinating but am more interested in my homeland, Australia, than America. I was quite ambivalent about Donald Trump from the beginning and remain so today. In some ways, I admire him, in others I find it had to respect him or take seriously what he says. It's not my intention to discuss US politics in general or to specifically comment on the one term presidency of businessman Donald Trump. I know enough to know that I shouldn't be writing extensively on topics about which I have limited knowledge. I'm also wise enough to realize that some arguments are not worth having.

The Aussie and US political systems are quite different beasts, despite a number of similarities. Perhaps the most significant difference is that, unlike Americans, Australian's do not vote directly for the leader of their government. Here are some other notable differences:

• The US President is both head of state and head of the government. The Australian Prime Minister is only head of the government.
• The executive arm of the government in America is appointed by the President from people outside the congress (ie.,parliament in the Westminster system). The executive arm of the Australian government are elected members of parliament.
• US Presidents serve fixed four year terms, Australian Prime Ministers serve for around three years and can call early or late elections as they see fit. Unlimited terms for Prime Ministers, maximum two terms for Presidents.
• Australians must vote in elections. Americans can take it or leave it...and the majority do exactly that.

In the Gettysburg Address, democracy was described as government of the people, by the people, for the people. Churchill famously said that democracy was the worst form of government except for all the others. Roosevelt and Gandhi felt that democracy would fail without education. Bertrand Russell though that democracy simply gave fools the right to vote which he contrasted with dictatorships which gave fools the right to rule. Many famous people have made fascinating and insightful comments about democracy since its birth in ancient Greece up until the modern era in which democracy is a popularity contest and its actors men who are regularly lampooned and criticized no matter they do or don't do.

On balance, I'm pleased Donald Trump was defeated by Joe Biden, but America is not a country I hold in especially high regard, and its doubtful that the change of president will result in anything but a return to normal (pre Trump) transmission which if nothing else will be far less controversial, polarizing and antagonistic. What will it mean for me personally? Not much.

Having avoided upsetting my wife by not arguing against Trump and his often embarrassing behaviour, nor being unsympathetic to her views and the background underpinning them, I will continue to enjoy a peaceful relationship with her. I will also continue to be choosy about what I accept as truth, knowing full well that snake oil and politics go hand in hand.

The Museum of Anonymity

The Loathe Your Neighbour book tour was a spontaneous, last minute marketing ploy which I tacked on to a planned road trip. http://dacairns.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/the-world-revolves-around-me.html

Here are three things I want to share.

1. I have tried everything to build my platform and sell my books but my numbers are paltry. I take the advice of authors and bloggers who have significant followings. I spend at least an hour every day on social media. I share "me" at least as much as publicize my work. I join conversations. I try to build relationships. I even add prayer to my hard work. Nothing really works.

2. I love driving. I went to Canberra via the scenic route just

because I could. With no dead lines and no passengers to consider, (apart from a very compliant copy of Loathe Your Neighbor on the passenger seat) , it was just me, and my Falcon XR6 cruising the open road to the sounds of my favourite tunes.

3. I spent hours at the Museum of Democracy, http://moadoph.gov.au and I came to this conclusion: the Australian version of democracy is great. I may have missed out on Question Time but as I walked the halls, and trod the lush carpets of Old Parliament House and considered the  

long, furious and passionate debates which went on there as our political leaders argued over decisions of great national significance, I felt awed and grateful. When I watched interviews of refugees and migrants to Australia talking about what democracy was, and how they appreciated being able to express political opinions without fear of imprisonment, torture or death, I felt proud. One man simply said that he felt safe in Australia.

Although the trip was a commercial flop, it was a personal success.

Next week, I'll talk about another example of what a superb democracy Australia is. For now, I'd love to hear about your successes, your triumphs and your feelings about democracy.


See the full set of Loathe Your Neighbor book tour photographs here.
https://www.facebook.com/david.a.cairns/media_set?set=a.10200645452394670.1073741832.1111123911&type=1

The World Revolves Around Me

It doesn't actually, nor could it, and neither should it, but there are times when I wish it did. For example, if the world, or even Australia revolved around me, the Prime Minister would not call the federal election until after I have visited Parliament House, and watched Question Time in the House of Representatives.

I have planned a trip to our national capital, Canberra, on August 22. Canberra is a great place to visit, and, according to locals, also a great place to live. I've been there many times. It's only a two and half hour drive from my home on the south coast of New South Wales. I love going to Canberra but this trip is going to be different. This time I am going by myself, so I can take my time and do exactly what I want to do. I'll be visiting the Museum of Democracy in the Old Parliament building, the Australian War Memorial, and I was going to Parliament House for Question Time.

The problem is that when the election date is announced, and it will be soon, parliament will be dissolved. Ergo, not only no Question Time, but also no members of parliament in the House. They'll all be busy campaigning in their electorates.

What about me? Stuff the election! I want to see some action in the House. Alas, I may be disappointed. However, I'll still have a good trip because I'll make the most of the opportunity. And that my friends is what life is all about: making the most of whatever opportunities present themselves. We may not get exactly what we want, but we can be thankful for what we do get it, and enjoy it.

When have you made the best of a less than ideal situation?

Rulers of the Commonwealth

Fifty four independent countries belong to the illustrious intergovernmental organisation known as the Commonwealth of Nations. It is not a political union, but an organisation through which member nations with diverse political, social and economic systems, treat each other as equals even though they are plainly not. Via various government agencies the member states seek to promote democracy, human rights, individual liberty, rule of law, free trade and world peace. There are 2.1 million people who are citizens of Commonwealth nations and just over half of them live in India.

Interest in the Commonwealth of Nations peaks every four years when the organisation's most visible activity occurs. The Commonwealth Games are seen as the poor relation to the Olympics, and achievements by athletes at the games are considered by many to be less noteworthy because the Games do not feature all the best athletes in the world competing. Significant absences include Europe, America and of course, the soon to be economic ruler of the globe: China. There is less competition, fewer events and less interest which leads to the cyclical debate about the relevance of the Games. This discussion was brought into sharp focus in Delhi recently due to overblown concerns about possible terrorism, and inadequate or incomplete facilities.

Personally, my only gripe with the Commonwealth games is that because Channel Ten hosted the television coverage in Australia, I missed out on two weeks of Neighbours. Otherwise, it was great, especially because Australia is plainly the ruler of the Commonwealth in relation to sport. We kicked butt in Delhi. It was Australia first in the medal tally and daylight second. There was very little equality on show at these games. It was the Masters of the Commonwealth universe crushing the feeble minions from the rest of the nations. We didn't win everything but only because we didn't compete in everything. We must have let the others win so as to not humiliate them. Although we like to win, we also show great sportsmanship: wrestlers throwing fridges out of windows, boxers mooning judges, and cyclists flipping the bird to them.

We have no competition in sport, no equal (in the mighty Commonwealth of Nations - please don't talk about the cricket), our economy is the strongest, and our political system is superior. The biggest scandal in politics is the Federal Opposition Leader claiming the Prime Minster was playing dirty because she invited him to visit our soldiers in Afghanistan with her. We champion free trade and are the epitome of flourishing democracy. If countries had middle names, Australia's would be peace.

With all this is mind, I propose that, following the expiration of our current monarch, Queen Elizabeth (may she live long and prosper,) Australia not only become a republic but also the ruler of the Commonwealth. According to the London Declaration, the head of the Commonwealth of Nations is a symbolic position which does not have to filled by England's ruling monarch. Try this on for size then, President Kevin Rudd, Lord of the Commonwealth. (I foresee Julia Gillard remaining Prime Minister by the way, otherwise she could do the job.)

We'll see all you loser Commonwealth nations in Glasgow in 2014.Go Australia!

The Ignorance of Democracy

There will be a federal election on August 21 in Australia where voting is compulsory. The perennial debate surrounding the apparent contradiction between the concept of democracy and the mandatory call to 'have your say' never gets satisfactorily answered, but who cares. Where is the tidal wave of opposition to this imposition which forces people to vote when they either don't want to, or they do not give any thought to how they use their vote? Is this a decision which the citizens of Australia take seriously?

People might spend three weeks on the purchase of a new car. Perhaps months or even years on the huge choices involving the purchase of their first home. There are women, and men, who probably spend more time thinking about what they are going to wear on any given day than they have done in their whole adult life, considering who to elect as Prime Minister of the country. Generally speaking people do not invest time in the decision making process come election time. There are a number of reasons for this.

Some, as already mentioned, simply don't care. Some can't see the point, either because they see very little difference between the major parties or because they live in a safe seat. A seat which has always been held by a particular party is unlikely to change hands. They believe that after they vote, nothing will change, and more often than not they are right. Even at the national level. Changes in government rarely result in massive changes to the lives of ordinary Australian, and thank God for that. Change happens very slowly in Australia even when the need for change is universally recognised and urgent.

Even if we do care, and we do want to vote, most of us will not find the time needed to because it does not seem worth the effort. Investments are made readily when a good return on those investments is, at least a possibility. What difference will it really make if I spend an hour a day for the entire election campaign researching and ruminating on the issues?

What do we know about the policies of the parties and their representatives who woo our votes with the fervour of teenage boys chasing girls? What do we know? What can we know? If we want to make an informed choice and properly consider the issues, where do we find that information? Not from nightly 'tabloid' news programs which include the half hour of alleged real news. Not from sound bites on radio news bulletins. Not from propagandist advertisements on television, radio and in newspapers. Not from commentators like Alan Jones and Piers Ackerman who have made axe grinding an art form. Not from our politically savvy friends who spout the ideas of others in convincing monologues. The nature of this problem should be clear to the reader by now.

To get to the truth of political spin and sloganism you have to dig deep, and that requires an investment of time which most of us unwilling to make. It is imperative that we use the brains God gave us and make up our own minds.

Here are two suggestions: Firstly, watch full interviews with politicians on television programs like the ABC's 7:30 Report, or listen to them on the radio where again the ABC, on programs like AM and the World Today, offer some very enlightening content. This way you will hear what the politicians have to say in context, and how they respond to questioning. Secondly, research the issues on the world wide web. When in doubt, Google it! Make an informed choice Australia.

In my 24 years as an adult, an Australian citizen by birth, a proud Australian, I can recall very few decisions made by our government which have radically altered my life, and none at all that have messed it up. Life goes on, we vote for politicians because we have to but we want to believe their promises, we want to believe in the system. We cherish the concept of democracy but ignore the practice of it. I think we want to believe that our vote will make a difference. We cling to this hope even though it seems to fly in the face of reality. The absolute rubbish we are bombarded with nowadays is appalling in its superficiality. I need only offer one example: 'Turn back the Boats'. The fact that the arrival of illegal immigrants by boat to Australia is a major issue in this Federal election is a damning indictment on the intelligence of our democracy. It's embarrassing!

Do Australian's take their right to vote seriously? Generally, no, they don't. What about you? Use your freedom wisely.