joe.toscano's blog

The Turnbull led Coalition government has declared war on the 8 million Australians (1 in 3) who rely on old age pensions, single parents benefits, disability support pensions, Youth Allowances, Parenting Allowances and Newstart allowances to survive. In a bid to balance the budget, the heroes in the Liberal / National Party government have trained the government’s guns on those least able to defend themselves.

It’s nice, very nice that in less than 12 hours President elect, Donald D. Groper will become President of the land of the free and the home of the brave – the USA. It’s a surprise to some the leader of the free world is a tax evader, a bully, a misogynist and a racist to name a few of his heftier qualities. Let’s not mince words, Donald D. Groper doesn’t, why should we? Forget about fake news, this little oligarch has become President of the land of the free and the home of the brave courtesy of a few Russian oligarchs who instantly recognised a brother in need.

It’s OK!! Don’t worry, be happy. For the purposes of this Thought Bubble, let’s say Australia’s population is exactly 25 million. Currently it is approximately 24.7 million, give or take a few thousand.

You know, and I know, we live in the greatest country on the planet. You know it is one of the most egalitarian countries in the world. For once let’s try to bridge the ever growing rhetoric reality gap that exists in Australia.

Friday 20th January 2017 is a day that will, in time, become as significant to Australians as Invasion Day – 26th January.

Arrogance thy name is the current Federal Cabinet when it comes to people who have lost touch with reality you don’t have to look beyond the Coalition cabinet room. They’re nothing more than a bunch of arrogant cowards who constantly thunder about “illegal boat arrivals”, “welfare bludgers” and a “sense of entitlement”. Nothing highlights their hypocrisy more than the current revelations about the Federal Health Minister, Sussan Ley.

The legacy print media is more powerful than most activists give it credit for. In Australia and substantial parts of the world, Murdoch’s propaganda sheets masquerade as sources of news and non-partisan commentary, if you believe that I’ve got the titles to some land in a mangrove swamp you may want to build your dream home on.

The Indonesian Generals have always seen West Papua as their personal fiefdom. The removal of Suharto, the butcher, as dictator of Indonesia almost two decades ago made no difference to West Papua. Maybe the Indonesian military chief should be offended by the record of the Indonesian Military in West Papua. During the last 50 years over 500,000 West Papuans have died from a population of 1.5 million as a direct consequence of Indonesia’s military takeover of West Papua.

It’s so simple if you're the Chief Executive of the 100 biggest ASX listed companies, making an average $15,000 per day, it’s not difficult making ends meet. If you’re the Federal Health Minister, Sussan Ley, away on taxpayer funded government business (husband in tow as a guest of the Australian taxpayer), when you spot a nice little holiday/investment apartment, you snap it up for $795,000. It’s so simple.

Traditional class analysis has little, if any, practical significance in 21st century Australia. Class in Australia today transcends occupational categories. What class you belong to is dependent on the amount of disposable income you have access to. Most people are aware of the power that is wielded by that small section of society (the one percenters) that own the means of production, distribution, exchange and communication. Most Australians are unaware of the growing power of the 15% of Australians who are a part of the investment class.

Trump’s tweets remind me of Moses coming down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments. Unlike Trump, Moses didn’t have the audacity to claim the Commandments were his, he gave the credit to God.