Politics Super Thread - keep it all in here

[Byron_Bay_Fan]

It's not widely known, but Howards policy around super and family benefits (baby bonus, FTB, etc.) were actually targeted around the intergenerational issues. More tax payers in the system to support the boomers, the more the burden will be spread. You would have noticed they weren't means tested to ensure there was a wide variety of backgrounds. One he didn't get a lot of credit for was the Future fund to cover the Public service super liabilities which was underfunded.

He knew about the issues and tackled them. Tax decreases, to grow the pie, in a time of prosperity is exactly the right thing to do. Don't forget we actually had a cash surplus at that point.

So, sure he implemented them, but I reckon he would have had the fortitude to roll them back when we didn't have the spending capacity, instead of perpetuating the issues.

He would not have been able to roll back the Iraqi invasion expenses as we are still being asked to send troops now. All the Syrian refugees are a by-product of Iraq, the whole ruddy country is wrecked, the Kurds are revolting - it was absolutely none of our business. Turkey is bombing Kurds etc.. We can't even take nail clippers or aftershave in our hand baggage on aeroplanes anymore. I made a special plea for my tubs of babaganoush a few weeks back on Jetstar and they let me keep it.

 

[hammertime]

It's not widely known, but Howards policy around super and family benefits (baby bonus, FTB, etc.) were actually targeted around the intergenerational issues. More tax payers in the system to support the boomers, the more the burden will be spread. You would have noticed they weren't means tested to ensure there was a wide variety of backgrounds. One he didn't get a lot of credit for was the Future fund to cover the Public service super liabilities which was underfunded.

He knew about the issues and tackled them. Tax decreases, to grow the pie, in a time of prosperity is exactly the right thing to do. Don't forget we actually had a cash surplus at that point.

So, sure he implemented them, but I reckon he would have had the fortitude to roll them back when we didn't have the spending capacity, instead of perpetuating the issues.

He would not have been able to roll back the Iraqi invasion expenses as we are still being asked to send troops now. All the Syrian refugees are a by-product of Iraq, the whole ruddy country is wrecked, the Kurds are revolting - it was absolutely none of our business. Turkey is bombing Kurds etc.. We can't even take nail clippers or aftershave in our hand baggage on aeroplanes anymore. I made a special plea for my tubs of babaganoush a few weeks back on Jetstar and they let me keep it.

The alternative to us aligning with the US is spend even MORE on Defence.

 

[Tim Sheens]

It's not widely known, but Howards policy around super and family benefits (baby bonus, FTB, etc.) were actually targeted around the intergenerational issues. More tax payers in the system to support the boomers, the more the burden will be spread. You would have noticed they weren't means tested to ensure there was a wide variety of backgrounds. One he didn't get a lot of credit for was the Future fund to cover the Public service super liabilities which was underfunded.

He knew about the issues and tackled them. Tax decreases, to grow the pie, in a time of prosperity is exactly the right thing to do. Don't forget we actually had a cash surplus at that point.

So, sure he implemented them, but I reckon he would have had the fortitude to roll them back when we didn't have the spending capacity, instead of perpetuating the issues.

That we will never know, he may well have surprised me. As I lived in the Bennelong electorate throughout his parliamentary tenure, I also benefited from his direct literature to better judge him. We are however aware that it is virtually politically impossible to revive taxes and that part of the super changes at the time opened a June 30 window of absolute rorting of the system. Had they effectively created the same tax cuts, but in the form of moving bracket creep, we would not be trapped in the current mire.

The future fund was a good decision and undoubtedly helped when the GFC hit, but it must be remembered that those funds came from the sale of our gold reserves and the sale of Telstra and not from regular fiscal policy. Their policies made upper and middle Australia happy and able to spend time on their subsidised boats and easier to purchase further housing etc, but did bugger all for infrastructure when the mineral backed coffers were overflowing. A prime example being the Pacific Highway that is still not fully funded.

 

[Tim Sheens]

It's not widely known, but Howards policy around super and family benefits (baby bonus, FTB, etc.) were actually targeted around the intergenerational issues. More tax payers in the system to support the boomers, the more the burden will be spread. You would have noticed they weren't means tested to ensure there was a wide variety of backgrounds. One he didn't get a lot of credit for was the Future fund to cover the Public service super liabilities which was underfunded.

He knew about the issues and tackled them. Tax decreases, to grow the pie, in a time of prosperity is exactly the right thing to do. Don't forget we actually had a cash surplus at that point.

So, sure he implemented them, but I reckon he would have had the fortitude to roll them back when we didn't have the spending capacity, instead of perpetuating the issues.

He would not have been able to roll back the Iraqi invasion expenses as we are still being asked to send troops now. All the Syrian refugees are a by-product of Iraq, the whole ruddy country is wrecked, the Kurds are revolting - it was absolutely none of our business. Turkey is bombing Kurds etc.. We can't even take nail clippers or aftershave in our hand baggage on aeroplanes anymore. I made a special plea for my tubs of babaganoush a few weeks back on Jetstar and they let me keep it.

The alternative to us aligning with the US is spend even MORE on Defence.

We could always decide to build Submarines in South Australia again to save a few dollars.

 

[kevinmcguiness]

i know this is a little off topic but who is also following the jfk files being released today?

 

[Byron_Bay_Fan]

It's not widely known, but Howards policy around super and family benefits (baby bonus, FTB, etc.) were actually targeted around the intergenerational issues. More tax payers in the system to support the boomers, the more the burden will be spread. You would have noticed they weren't means tested to ensure there was a wide variety of backgrounds. One he didn't get a lot of credit for was the Future fund to cover the Public service super liabilities which was underfunded.

He knew about the issues and tackled them. Tax decreases, to grow the pie, in a time of prosperity is exactly the right thing to do. Don't forget we actually had a cash surplus at that point.

So, sure he implemented them, but I reckon he would have had the fortitude to roll them back when we didn't have the spending capacity, instead of perpetuating the issues.

He would not have been able to roll back the Iraqi invasion expenses as we are still being asked to send troops now. All the Syrian refugees are a by-product of Iraq, the whole ruddy country is wrecked, the Kurds are revolting - it was absolutely none of our business. Turkey is bombing Kurds etc.. We can't even take nail clippers or aftershave in our hand baggage on aeroplanes anymore. I made a special plea for my tubs of babaganoush a few weeks back on Jetstar and they let me keep it.

The alternative to us aligning with the US is spend even MORE on Defence.

No, the alternative was 40 years ago aligning with the Non-Aligned Movement so as to help it became a truly strong and effective force in international politics. Post the two world wars and atomic bombs the world had to change but has failed to do so, we are still in the same mindset of bigger and better weapons and all the unnecessary expenditure.
The money wasted on defence etc could feed the world many times I would guess. As well as funding birth control and other health issues.

(http://johnpilger.com/articles/the-forgotten-coup-how-america-and-britain-crushed-the-government-of-their-ally-australia)

 

[magpiecol]

i know this is a little off topic but who is also following the jfk files being released today?

Not me. Nothing new.

 

[Munk]

You have some good stories.

 

[kevinmcguiness]

i know this is a little off topic but who is also following the jfk files being released today?

Not me. Nothing new.

if anyone else is interested there will be over 2000 files released today, although heavily redacted in my opinon. I think it is huge news. Although he slept around i'm a big fan of Jack. Most online organisations are doing live updates

 

[Yossarian]

i know this is a little off topic but who is also following the jfk files being released today?

Not me. Nothing new.

if anyone else is interested there will be over 2000 files released today, although heavily redacted in my opinon. I think it is huge news. Although he slept around i'm a big fan of Jack. Most online organisations are doing live updates

There may be some historically interesting documents. I doubt anything of significance relevant to the assassination will surface.

 

[Byron_Bay_Fan]

i know this is a little off topic but who is also following the jfk files being released today?

Not me. Nothing new.

if anyone else is interested there will be over 2000 files released today, although heavily redacted in my opinon. I think it is huge news. Although he slept around i'm a big fan of Jack. Most online organisations are doing live updates

I think before taking the presidency he had take an oath or something of loyalty to America and not to the Vatican - they did not trust the Irish Catholics for some reason. There is a chance the USA got involved in Vietnam to save the corrupt Catholic president - bad stuff if it is true. On his assassination day it was a declared a holiday at the Sacred Heart Convent School and we were sent home about midday. Bring it on Harvey.

 

[kevinmcguiness]

i know this is a little off topic but who is also following the jfk files being released today?

Not me. Nothing new.

if anyone else is interested there will be over 2000 files released today, although heavily redacted in my opinon. I think it is huge news. Although he slept around i'm a big fan of Jack. Most online organisations are doing live updates

I think before taking the presidency he had take an oath or something of loyalty to America and not to the Vatican - they did not trust the Irish Catholics for some reason. There is a chance the USA got involved in Vietnam to save the corrupt Catholic president - bad stuff if it is true. On his assassination day it was a declared a holiday at the Sacred Heart Convent School and we were sent home about midday. Bring it on Harvey.

what was it like that day at school? I've asked almost all my family who were alive at the time.

I read most people in the US don't believe LHO did it and majority believe it was a group of people.

I've read countless books about the issue and i firmly believe he was the last great US president. He and his brother bobby really wanted to move away from organised crime like what Joe Kennedy did and wanted to break the CIA into a million pieces whilst ending the war in Vietnam. I guess that never happened.

 

[kevinmcguiness]

i know this is a little off topic but who is also following the jfk files being released today?

Not me. Nothing new.

if anyone else is interested there will be over 2000 files released today, although heavily redacted in my opinon. I think it is huge news. Although he slept around i'm a big fan of Jack. Most online organisations are doing live updates

There may be some historically interesting documents. I doubt anything of significance relevant to the assassination will surface.

You're right, there were hundreds of files that weren't released because of a 'security risk'. How could something that occurred 60+ years ago be a security risk?

 

[hammertime]

So Barnaby has been kicked out + 4 others. Man this is a massive waste of tax dollars.

 

[Tim Sheens]

So Barnaby has been kicked out + 4 others. Man this is a massive waste of tax dollars.

All because their parties have/had inadequate procedures in place. Apart from that already expended and with the by election to come, the decision to not stand Joyce aside, particularly from his ministerial roles, could prove very costly indeed.

In the meantime, we have drugs and guns potentially flooding into our country following funding being cut to be diverted to things such as SSM surveys and multiple energy reports that are rejected by a few powerful climate deniers.

 

[Pawsandclaws]

Hopefully while Barnyard is on the interchange, the opposition can seek a RC on the banks. Also provide some relief for our lowest paid.

 

[Yossarian]

Hopefully while Barnyard is on the interchange, the opposition can seek a RC on the banks. Also provide some relief for our lowest paid.

Or get the ROC wound up.

 

[Byron_Bay_Fan]

Not me. Nothing new.

if anyone else is interested there will be over 2000 files released today, although heavily redacted in my opinon. I think it is huge news. Although he slept around i'm a big fan of Jack. Most online organisations are doing live updates

I think before taking the presidency he had take an oath or something of loyalty to America and not to the Vatican - they did not trust the Irish Catholics for some reason. There is a chance the USA got involved in Vietnam to save the corrupt Catholic president - bad stuff if it is true. On his assassination day it was a declared a holiday at the Sacred Heart Convent School and we were sent home about midday. Bring it on Harvey.

what was it like that day at school? I've asked almost all my family who were alive at the time.

I read most people in the US don't believe LHO did it and majority believe it was a group of people.

I've read countless books about the issue and i firmly believe he was the last great US president. He and his brother bobby really wanted to move away from organised crime like what Joe Kennedy did and wanted to break the CIA into a million pieces whilst ending the war in Vietnam. I guess that never happened.

In Catholic nuns' schools we celebrated St Patricks Day etc not Anzac Day etc. or national days. JFK was sort of a Catholic hero due to the Cuban Missile Crisis in taking the atheistic commos on and defeating them. It was not known at the time the the West would withdraw their missiles stationed in Turkey aimed at the USSR as part of the deal. Everyone was sad except us school children who did not mind going home early at all. It was a bit silly when thinking of it now with all the guns in USA and the president goes around without a bullet proof glass dome.

 

[hammertime]

So Barnaby has been kicked out + 4 others. Man this is a massive waste of tax dollars.

All because their parties have/had inadequate procedures in place. Apart from that already expended and with the by election to come, the decision to not stand Joyce aside, particularly from his ministerial roles, could prove very costly indeed.

In the meantime, we have drugs and guns potentially flooding into our country following funding being cut to be diverted to things such as SSM surveys and multiple energy reports that are rejected by a few powerful climate deniers.

Mate, no offence, but you really are one-eyed.

 

[Tim Sheens]

So Barnaby has been kicked out + 4 others. Man this is a massive waste of tax dollars.

All because their parties have/had inadequate procedures in place. Apart from that already expended and with the by election to come, the decision to not stand Joyce aside, particularly from his ministerial roles, could prove very costly indeed.

In the meantime, we have drugs and guns potentially flooding into our country following funding being cut to be diverted to things such as SSM surveys and multiple energy reports that are rejected by a few powerful climate deniers.

Mate, no offence, but you really are one-eyed.

Fairly well, yeah, though I give credit where due and you are welcome to point out where I may have been wrong on any recent points. I actually thought I was agreeing with your above point on waste and just adding context, not thinking that with your previous posts that the process, rather than practices or lack thereof, may have been your problem.