I am a patriot.

[den]

I love this country. love the people and most of their attitudes, I love the animals. I even love the dryness of the Aussie country-side.

I just can't stand the fucking Government.

Comments

[hopeforyou.livejournal.com]

I just can't stand the fucking Government.

Yep. I know whatcha mean...

I love my friends and a lot of people here. I love the animals and our gorgeous national and state parks -- Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Grand Tetons, Rockies, Niagra Falls, Smoky Mountains -- the whole fucking lot. And I love the wide variety of weather and climates.

I just can't stand the way things are run, either. No social medicine for basic things. Not enough support for education but plenty for other programs. I could go on, but I won't...

[http://users.livejournal.com/crossfire_/]

Over here in the US, we have a sucky government mostly because nobody votes except extremists, so nobody but extremists get elected. This goes all the way down to the local caucuses, resulting in situations like the last presidental election, where we got to choose between Tweedledum and Tweedledee the Wonder Dummies. Is that what happens in Australia?

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

Going to vote is compulsory here. Whether you actually vote or not is up to you.

Our current choices are The National Party (pro-Farmer, Conservative), The Liberal Party (Right wing conservative, pro-Bush, pro-Monarchy, pro-Corporation) and the Labour Party (Weak socialists). There are also Greens, Democrats, Independants.

The Nationals and Liberals(read Conservatives.) always form a coalition to retain power. Labor are always elected on good intentions, then stopped by the national defecit, a hostile Senate or such.

The last election, Liberals (read Conservatives) were voted in on a "Keep The Pending Flood Of Refugees Out." Of course all the Bogans fell for it. I'm still angry about that.

[http://users.livejournal.com/crossfire_/]

Thanks, Den...that was very interesting.

Do you folks directly elect your leaders, or do you have something akin to the Electoral Collage we have? And, these various candidates for the various parties...are they chosen using a caucus method?

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

Each electorate has a member from various parties contesting it, and when they win they get a seat in parliament. The party with the majority of seats wins and the others become The Opposition. This is why the Liberals and Nationals form a coalition: they combine the seats they win.

The leader of the party that wins becomes The Prime Minister.

Oh, and election campaigns generally never run for more than 6 weeks. 8)

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

I don't think anyone really likes their government. They're a bunch of politicians, bureaucrats and lawyers...

[tygermoonfoxx.livejournal.com]

I hear that!