America is on the brink of revolution, and if it goes, Australia goes with it. And about time too.
This is the American Revolution 2.0.
These are exciting times to be alive. Now I know I’ve copped a bit of flack for my love of the Donald. But I’m not backing down. Trump’s been a hero of mine for a long time before he got into politics, and for me, watching him carve his opponents and the media into pieces is pure joy. He’s a master at the height of his game.
It’s like watching Diego Maradona play football.
But I’ve also got to admit I’m feeling the Bern. Suddenly a “democratic socialist” Yoda has emerged as a serious contender.
And I’m loving it.
If Trump loses, I’ll be bummed. But if he loses to the Bernie Sanders, I’ll be alright with that. Either way, it will be a big day for our so-called democracies.
In case you missed it, both The Don and The Bern smashed it in the New Hampshire primaries this week. The way US politics works is that both the Republican and Democrat parties hold a series of votes around the country, state by state, to determine who will be their contender in the Presidential election.
Donald’s win was expected. He’s been dominating the polls for months. But Bernie Sanders’ win (over long-time favourite Hilary Clinton) was unexpected. A shock upset you might say.
And suddenly we’re looking at the prospect of a Trump vs Sanders presidential election. Can you imagine?
Trump and Sanders come from completely opposite ends of the spectrum. Trump embodies capitalism and the American Dream. Sanders embodies egalitarian humanism and helping old ladies across the street.
And so it’s the Trumpenator vs a commie Troll doll. Or it’s Gandalf the White vs the great white Satan. Depends on how you look at it.
And while they might be poles apart in some ways, they’re closely aligned on what for me is probably the biggest issue of the day – money politics.
With self-funded Trump, and crowd-funded Sanders, corporate big-money has been sidelined for the first time in a long, long time.
This is huge.
To me it’s one of the great idiocies of modern life. This idea that you can allow individuals and corporations to donate money to politicians without corrupting the political process.
Its so stupid as to almost go without saying, but somehow we just go along with it. We think it’s ok.
And in Canberra, there are brothels full of lobbyists giggling champagne through their powdered noses.
But maybe we’re about to ‘wake up’ to this idiocy.
Because if two people as far apart as Trump and Sanders can agree on something, then it’s a done deal. There’s no argument any more.
Sanders has been campaigning on this for years. Listen to what Gandalf has to say as he slams his staff into the ground:
The Citizens United decision (a supreme court ruling that allowed donors to PACs – groups that pool money together for campaigns – to be anonymous and unlimited) hinges on the absurd notion that money is speech, corporations are people, and giving huge piles of undisclosed cash to politicians in exchange for access and influence does not constitute corruption.
We know, for example, that the Koch brothers, the second wealthiest family in America, have made public that they and their network intend to spend at least $750 million on politics during this election. This is more money than either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party will spend.
Let’s be honest and acknowledge what we are talking about. We are talking about a rapid movement in this country toward a political system in which a handful of very wealthy people and special interests will determine who gets elected or who does not get elected. That is not what this country is supposed to be about.
And now listen to the Donald, as he shouts into a microphone.
“I will tell you that our system is broken. I gave to money to many politicians before this — before two months ago I was a businessman. I give to everybody. When they call, I give. And you know what, when I need something from them two years later, three years later, I call them. They are there for me. That's a broken system.”
Or from his famous twitter finger:
“Puppets”? Zing.
There is something a little odd about the line: “I’ve bribed politicians therefore I know how corrupt the system is.” But hey, it puts the issue front and centre.
And in the same week, the issue flared in Australia, with Labor Senator Sam Dastyari saying that the Australian political system is “fundamentally wrong and rotten” and that 10 big companies dominate the political agenda.
“Four banks, and we all know who they are – the Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Westpac, and ANZ – three big mining companies, in Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, and Fortescue Metals, you've got your two big grocery chains, and you've got your big telco, which is Telstra. They have an unprecedented concentration of corporate influence in Australia.”
This is the stuff revolutions are made of. The Arab Spring happened because a bunch of countries woke up, looked around and said, Hey! It’s 2011. Why are we still living under dictatorships?
America and Australia might just be about to do the same. Hey! It’s 2016. Why are we still letting big money corrupt the political process?”
Now, I reckon Wall Street and corporate Australia are going to fight it pretty hard. Look for some dirty tricks.
But don’t underestimate the power of the people.
Viva la revolución!
Do you think Trump or Sanders could pull it off? Who has the best shot?
peter says
You are wrong Jon. Sanders was predicted to win in New Hampshire, it’s his political heartland. Ask Sanders how he will pay for his grand welfare promises (free health and education)? As good as they are he hasn’t explained how he will do it. The US system is very different from ours, once elected he will have to get his program through Congress. Best of luck with that. And do you really think the good folk of middle America, home of god-fearing free-market capitalism, will vote for a socialist??
Macca says
They are quite right to fear their God if they don’t support free health and education, because any God I ever heard of would say that in a country awash with billionaires it’s a basic right and not a grand promise. No need to fear a God whose teachings you live true to.
peter says
Free health and education are not free. Taxpayers pay for it in the end. You haven’t explained how Sanders will get his program through Congress let alone pay for it?
Andy says
Come on Mecca, Stop playing the God is a lefty card! The idea that USA is just bursting at the seams with billionaires, who all have the same moral fibre is Monty Burns or Scrooge Mick duck, is to ignore US history and is a gross misrepresentation of the Conservative position when it comes to health care.
Despite what the proponents of Universal health care would have you believe, the debate on health care in the US is not about whether or not we should help sick people. It’s about what’s the best health system to set up that will help the sick.
The Left side of politics in the US believes that the Federal Government is best positioned to control and deliver that Health carein the USA, by using taxpayer money.
The Right side of politics in the US believes that a free market system monitored by, but not controlled by, the states would be the best way to deliver best health outcomes to the masses.
The Right argue that even with the best intentions any service private or public will eventually become bloated, inefficient and corrupt when it’s and monopoly. This is particularly the case when the people tasked to implement the service have no direct accountability to the people they serve on a day-to-day basis.
The Left believe centralised power is the only real way to organise a coordinated effort to deliver “fair health outcomes” to those in “need”. Consequently they feel more than justified to take the property of others under threat of force (that’s what taxation is. If you don’t believe me, try not paying your taxes and see what happens) to achieve there outcomes.
What’s really interesting here is we don’t need to guess at who’s right and who’s wrong in this argument. If you want to see how the US Federal Government Handles Universal healthcare to those in need, then go no further than the US Department of Veteran Affairs.
238,000 of the 847,000 veterans with pending applications for health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs have already died, according to an internal VA document. That’s 28% dead before their applications were even processed. That’s a better kill ratio than any enemy could inflict on them in Afghanistan or Iraq.
VA own internal audit found more than 100,000 veterans had been subjected to a wait of 90 days or more for appointments at medical facilities nationwide.
VA staff at 76 percent of VA facilities surveyed said they had been instructed at least once to Lie and altar appointment data.
This is the perfect example of what happens when government tries to deliver a service without competition. So if the government can’t deliver adequate healthcare to a small part of the population why do you believe that they can do a better job with the whole country?
Andy says
Human Rights are neither basic or complex. Rather they are fundamental to every human being and are inherent to a person at birth and until death.
Such rights are neither given by governments and cannot be taken away by governments. Although they are often violated by governments.
Contrary to Leftist opinion. You don’t have a “right to be healthy”. However as a part of your right to freedom, you do have a right to pursue good health. That pursuit of good health does not extend to violating somebody else’s rights by stealing their property or labour to pay for your pursuit of good health.
ron says
dear jon i apologise…the derivatives debt is not US$800tn..its …hmmm ah..over US$1.2 quadrillion(latest figures to hand) and counting. negative interest rates ..killing the financial system.
USA election..hands down hilary clinton..she is an ‘insider’…the donald.is an outsider (not allowed in lol)
american elections are all b.s…the selection was made months ago by the grey suits. its a farce much like in australia(you know the place?) p.m. gets elected and flies to washington for instructions etc. abbott didn’t follow the lines given./.so heave ho and we get malcolm..the biggest suck up since bob menzies to the brits. cheers ron
kev says
OI OI OI Trump
Paul says
🙂 Obama’s third term!!!
Kathy says
It’s about time that power shifted away from the vested interests, cronies and insiders and went back to the people. This is rife in Australia and anyone who thinks that decisions cannot be influenced by political donations is kidding themselves.
This is rife at all levels of government – Councils, state and federal governments. Just look at some of the decisions made by capital city Councils. Most are so blatantly and openly favouring that protected species within Council, ie. developers, its not funny.
I do hope that it will eventually be a Trump vs Sanders election in the US. It’ll give the big end of town, Wall Street and large corporations the message that they no longer have a friend in the highest office of the US. Of course they will still donate generously to congress and senate members, but it’s a start.
Regardless of who wins, they’ll have to deal with getting their bills through congress and the senate, which won’t necessarily be that easy. Trump might find opposition to a great many of his plans, and Sanders is going to run into the same problem that every socialist has, which is that eventually he will run out of other people’s money.
Now we need to do the same thing here.
Tim says
Trump is an egomaniac who is only looking after himself, not the people of his country. If elected his racist rants against Mexicans, Muslim and Asians will become mainstream politics for the Republican side, and this will only further isolate the US against the rest of the world. Let’s hope Michael Bloomberg runs as an independent to return sanity to the Presidential Office.
John Notte says
Yes I have been following the political arena for decades. At first they promise you the world and when elected they seem to forget about the people that voted them in and set their own agenda.
Tom says
You mean their sponsors’ agendas, methinks.
Most have nothing but happy feelings in their heads, let alone any PLANS for a better national future.
Antichrist says
I dont oft agree with Ron, but here we find common ground. Colonel Sanders is there fulfilling the perception that there is actually a choice for the democrats in their selection process. Sadly Clinton and her corporate shills will, thru immense fiscal firepower, overwhelm Bernie and become the democrats nominee. Trump, is a very dangerous man, an american pauline hanson, and is clearly underskilled and intellectually devoid of the necessities required for leadership of the most powerful nation on the earth. That Jon cant see this, and lauds this troublesome egomaniac weasel of a man, for his media snap bites of drivel and popularist idiocies , is worrying. Trump vs Clinton will be the final result and between these 2 devils , Hilary must surely emerge,or america and the world will rue the day.
Me2 says
Ditto ditto ditto
peter says
Hilarity can only deliver more of the same but without the eloquent speech-making of Obama. Her views on climate change have been analysed as the most naïve and submissive of all the candidates.
Trump another Pauline Hanson? I love auntie Pauline.
Power To Pauline !!
Sanders Payne says
I have never agreed with you so much and to the letter…Very Juicy Jon
Timothy Mytton-Watson says
Your spot on john i loved trump before this election and now Im a full time follower . He is amazing with his ways. Just destroying the media and his opponents like a true leader 🙂
Willy Payne says
Good article with some v. good observations. But if we were to believe mass media that WUNDER weapon of mass distrAction, which happen to be in the hands of those who “elect” the governments around the world (and where they cannot we see war and revolutions) we would have to believe that not only “Arab Spring” was an organic event, but also NYork, London, Bali, Madrid and recently Paris attacks were all caused by islamic extremists. More than that! we would have to believe that there’s no weather weapons, that drug companies have interest in eliminating disease from the planet and the recent mosquito virus has, honestly, mutated by itself and now the whole world population must be immunised ($$$…). Seriously, who won’t agree that the world has turned so rotten that it can only get better?
Hard to predict when that change will come and who will eventually become the next US president, but one thing seems certain, he or rather she would have to comply with the agenda of those whose names do not appear on the 500 list. Unless something t o t a l l y u n e x p e c t e d happens.
Tom says
Re La Revolucion,
The main reason for the popularity and power of the US Gun Lobby is the general fear that the populace would be unable to sustain their revolution against tyranny without the firepower.
Up until now, the people have had no figurehead to fall in behind.
As a community, they are prepared to put up with the occasional (?), school massacre in exchange for the perceived guarantee of self-defense, which being armed to the teeth provides, against the anticipated martial law imposition. The people don’t trust their own local law enforcement authorities to protect them from a desperate Government controlled by Big Business.
This is also why the powers that be have been giving so much (borrowed) money and so many extra powers to community surveillance organizations. They are s**t scared of the possibility of the people mounting an organized revolt. It could be like the Middle East in no time flat!!! Except that this time there WILL be “American boots on the ground”.
The enormous multiplication of cash in circulation due to money printing, without any gold or industrial backing, will inevitably lead to hyper-inflation and recession.
Then, when the liquidity providers see their assets crashing in value, they may call their loans.
The Chinese may have economic problems at home and try to repatriate their money.
These macro pressures could easily cause the USA to tip into bankruptcy and anarchy.
When many people find themselves with nothing to lose, they could easily form their traditional posses and go on a rampage.
Terrorists without a cause.
It’s not a happy prospect, but a world depression is really on the cards right now.
Be cashed up to benefit from the fire-sales!