The Tightass Australian Budget

I'm all for a spending cutback, but I wil never EVER forgive Tony Abbott for feeding Australian car manufacturing to the wolves. There are many ways the industry could have been saved, the most obvious being a switch to more CKD builds like the holden cruze and dropping the dead horse commodore and falcon to focus on family suvs.

Australia was one of only eight nations in the world that could build a car from scratch. The huge technological advantages that gives us in lots of other areas too will be missed.

a reply to: Rosha

I have twice weekly Dr visit and large script counts and may loose my home as well if some budget things pass Senate.

So the first ten visits to your Doctor require a co-payment, after that they are free.

Your large script numbers are covered by the Safety Net and you should be on that right now so that should not hurt you.

May loose your home, over a $70.00 co-payment ...... yea right.

I spent years raising my three children as a single dad and on a pension. Tis not that hard and quite frankly, I really want to be in the work force. We must get Australia out of this hand-out mentality it is sliding into.

We are better than that.

P

originally posted by: markosity1973
I'm all for a spending cutback, but I wil never EVER forgive Tony Abbott for feeding Australian car manufacturing to the wolves. There are many ways the industry could have been saved

I disagree, I think the rots going to claim another couple of companies before the next election.

Truth is, we ''Australians'' are too damn expensive and feel we are entitled. We're also expensive to do business in.

Manufacturing will disappear unless we start manufacturing something other nations aren't. We cant compete with oversea's markets anymore.

The Car industry, mainly Holden and Ford are victims of not molding along with society! V8, V6 and large Australian passenger cars were in decline because of cheap, reliable and stylish alternatives from abroad! Plus they were so damn expensive off the production line, wages were a large part of that!

Ford and Holden had the opportunity to use their billions over the decades to create the worlds first alternative energy vehicle, they didn't and remained slaves to the Oil companies and ultimately a cheaper option came along.

How about Qantas? I imagine the costs of maintaining that many aircraft must be astronomical. Spare parts, highly trained mechanics and engineers.. the over heads for an airline must be massive. Qantas cannot compete with budget airlines. Australians would rather pay $99 and fly for 4 hours on jet-star than pay $327 on Qantas for the same 4hours route.

No more assistance packages to companies that are balls up in debt and make losses year after year. If your company cant compete and is creating financial difficulty it needs to be culled.

originally posted by: pheonix358
a reply to: Rosha

I have twice weekly Dr visit and large script counts and may loose my home as well if some budget things pass Senate.

So the first ten visits to your Doctor require a co-payment, after that they are free.

Your large script numbers are covered by the Safety Net and you should be on that right now so that should not hurt you.

May loose your home, over a $70.00 co-payment ...... yea right.

I spent years raising my three children as a single dad and on a pension. Tis not that hard and quite frankly, I really want to be in the work force. We must get Australia out of this hand-out mentality it is sliding into.

We are better than that.

P

Three whole years hm? Well you must know it all and be quite exhausted by now then. Just fyi, my medications are already one third of my income as some are not PHB indexed and are now set to rise in cost over 10%. The safety cap you speak of does not apply to me. More, this is not just about money or even about who is and isn't working for what, though if it were, well, as I have worked every day of my life just to stay alive and worked most of my adult life until last few years albeit it for pittance and have paid full tax to a country that my grandfather and brother died to preserve but owing to bureaucracy wont even let me vote, I have some investment beyond money in this horse race and every right to be a tad depressed that their sacrifice against imposing tyranny is now being pissed on from a great insulting height.
It is clear to me in the intent projected though your statements that you are still " in it", still a victim playing their game doing their budget cementing work for them and I'm not going to go there with you and I cant get you out. I can only mirror back to you your own words and say yes, yes you ARE better than that and in the mild hope one day you will come understand the terms erroneous debt and blanket capacity more effectively and compassionately, I will just leave it there.

be well
Rosha

a reply to: Rosha

Three whole years hm? Well you must know it all and be quite exhausted by now then.

No I said,

I spent years raising my three children as a single dad and on a pension.

You want to twist some more of my comments? Jeez!

Why can't you vote?

P

originally posted by: Agit8dChop

I disagree, I think the rots going to claim another couple of companies before the next election.

Truth is, we ''Australians'' are too damn expensive and feel we are entitled. We're also expensive to do business in.
.

I disagree. Germany is also very expensive and yet they produce cars that are far from cheap and highly desirable. Australia could do the same, but GM and Ford kept the brands on a leash

As for Qantas - that should be fed to the wolves. I was a travel agent for a few years and they were the most arrogant and unhelpful airline of all to deal with. Air New Zealand went bust after the Ansett debacle and they learned some massive lessons in humility after a govt buy out. They have gone on to become an industry leader in innovation and customer service now. Qantas could learn a thing or two from them.

originally posted by: pheonix358
a reply to: Rosha

Three whole years hm? Well you must know it all and be quite exhausted by now then.

No I said,

I spent years raising my three children as a single dad and on a pension.

You want to twist some more of my comments? Jeez!

Why can't you vote?

P

No, this is exactly what I meant. No twisting. I meant that you spent these years living at the poverty line and now dont? In my sons language all I can say is "whoopty do", welcome to the club of millions who've done the same! There are children in Australia right now that have not eaten today. People who have not had the good fortune to raise themselves yet or may never be able to. Do you wish a medal ? You obviously then have the capacity TO work and that is wonderful, so perhaps be grateful for that then instead of denigrating of those who cant, as this capacity like any other, can be removed at any time in an instant and you are once again 'those people' in an instant. I know this firsthand.

To not be on poverty line now, you would similarly have had access to services, had your civil and human rights upheld, had social status of some form, not to mention intellectual, physical and social support structures and everything else you needed, provided for you as help ups, by the last generation who DID sacrifice their lives for you who this government is now pissing on. Even if you did not make access yourself, did not need them or refused them what was not directly given to you, remained within in arms reach for you, whenever you needed them.

This support on offer for you to do as you have done isn't something I resent about you, I resent only it is not available for *everyone* . This supportive mindset, collaborative effort and even CO_OPERATIVE social environment, rather than blood throat capitalist ethos of brutal competitiveness, it is exactly as it should be in any decent society. It is this very support that is going now though, and the energy and hope and vision that lent itself to it is also fading fast.

Before you doubt, do think about it, that you must have had these things there in your world in order to be ABLE to improve your lot in life at all and get yourself ' all by yourself' off the poverty line. And good for you for making most of them, just dont forget where they all came from and take note of what wont be there now for your kids as they grow up and fall on hard times as you did. Its not just about the money and service, it is what stemmed from people in their hearts that made that possible. As you forgo sacrificing what really matters, in pursuit of your individual personal gain, remember that. Shooting for broke, you might even try to remain mindful there are other, more insidious forms of poverty. They need rising from as well.

Why I cant vote, is none of your business.


Rosha.

Instead of zealously sending Australia's most vulnerable into abject poverty, which WILL happen as a result of this years farce of a budget, how about doing something about the tax loopholes that allow Australia's ultra rich to pay no tax whatsoever? Just a novel thought....

www.smh.com.au...

The latest tax statistics show 75 ultra-high-earning Australians paid no tax at all in 2011-12. Zero. Zip.

Each earned more than $1 million from investments or wages. Between them they made $195 million, an average of $2.6 million each.

The fortunate 75 paid no income tax, no Medicare levy and no Medicare surcharge, even though 60 of them had private health insurance.

The reason? They managed to cut their combined taxable incomes to $82. That’s right, $1.10 each.

God forbid we do anything to make these people pay their fair share though, it seems many would rather zealously send Australia's most vulnerable into abject poverty than piss off the rich people.

the following is my opinion, some of this information may be incorrect;

I live in Tasmania (Australian state), the state of things down here is very grim indeed. There are less jobs going than people seeking work, and the jobs on offer are mainly manual labor i.e timber companies and part time work at shops. I would like to write a little about how this affects me personally.

Being an unemployed person aged 23, this effects me.
As someone with high-functioning autism, simple tasks for me can be very difficult or impossible. I don't have any 'friends' currently, as the ones I was close with have hurt me deeply and I no longer talk to them. I'm trained to work in hospitality (for some stupid reason) and I've had several jobs that have unfortunately ended for me in that industry. I can do the job, but the social aspect of the job is very difficult for me. I'm currently looking for work, but my self confidence in interviews is already low, and I fear that a sudden influx of job seekers will all present better than me and I won't stand a chance.

I've been living with my partner, a young mum with 2 children from a previous relationship, and we have been engaged for about 5 months now. She is lovely, my only real 'support network', and is probably the only person that could ever put up with someone like me, though she does struggle herself with depression and anxiety. Not having experience with kids has meant that every day is a challenge, just keeping an eye on them, trying to help them grow and learn takes a lot out of me. I enjoy it very much, but I find it difficult to imagine leaving them everyday to go to work as a slave in a career that will lead me no where, just to earn enough to scrape by. Call me a bludger, call us welfare junkies, we were doing the best we could.

My passion and talent is being a musician, but that is very difficult here, as I'm a folk/americana artist in a society that wants to hear pop covers at the local bar, so that dream is looking pretty dead. I was doing a music TAFE course this year (as that made me eligible for welfare payments while studying), but it included traveling 3 hours travelling time. I ended up not being to afford the petrol, as well as the tedium of the travelling, so I've dropped out. It was the only music course on offer in the area that I live. As far as doing some other course or attending university, I was one of those that cruised through the school system and then got spat out the other side with no real idea what I intended to do in the future. If I were to attend university, i would have to move away and live close to campus, find work to provide enough money to support myself through school, which i would find very difficult to hold down. I have attended university after I finished school, but I dropped out due to pressure (under pressure I shut down) As well as not knowing what I would want to study, there is no guarantee of a career at the end of the degree. I like to consider myself an intelligent person capable of using my brain for my career, rather than perform manual labor. Perhaps this makes me a snob, self-entitled, call it what you will. I don't want to be a slave, I want to use my talents and intelligence to contribute to the world, and the only way I can see that happening to is to attend university.

There are no real career openings here other than the police force (which I've sadly been considering) or the military (which I would not be able to enter). I've watched a 'genius' friend of mine become stuck with a supermarket career, become alcoholic and suicidal as he sees no future for himself. I fear the same for my future. Forgive my ranting, I just feel that these circumstances are relevant to the issue, and I know that I can't be the only one. I want to work, I want to put myself to use, but I fear I won't be hired, and if I am, it will be for a 'career' that will slowly erode my passion for life.

Due to these circumstances, the impending federal budget, and my anxiety about the situation, I left my partner today. I'll never be able to afford to marry and raise the children properly and give them the life that I was given by my parents, and I just can't live with that. I don't blame the current 'government', their hand has been forced into this position by their masters. I just wanted to share this human story. If you've followed me so far, thank you for your time.

Divide and conquer.

For those who still think this budget 2014 is only about 'cracking down on welfare' I point you to this list. ( below)

What you may not see at first, is that included on this list are several agencies that in some way have until now acted as a 'check' and 'balance' to the rising of a right or left wing dictatorial or/and fascist government, one who may abuse power while in government. When this is placed into context along side Morrison's recent announcement he will now bring to bear an uber " Border Force" agency, aka Dept Homeland Security, make no mistake that cuckholded as he is to the IPA, Tony Abbot leads Australia deeper into a fascist reality that by the look of it, is surpassing even the capitalist pogrom. With the IPA already dictating government policy as blatantly as they are, this budget and recent cuts will, if unchallenged, cement the means and methods of social destruction of a type and nature evident in the UK and USA today.

This budget is not just about your money. This is an ideology change, not just a shift from left to right, a complete shift in the morality/shape/nature of our governance and our national direction.

The planned restructure of both public service and government agencies that has been proposed along side this budget, and as reported by David Crowe in The Australian, is expected to save the government just $470 million over four years. This is a relative pittance that could have easily been drawn from continuance of either carbon or mining taxes at any time or a less than half a percent rise in mining rents. These cuts are petty and vindictive, they are unnecessary and illuminate the nature of the intent that carries the ideologue and agenda behind the Liberal party's rise to power very well.

This isn't like the old days, simple matter of lib-lab or left or right wing stouches balancing each other out over time..this is new.
This is force. This is severing the other wing altogether. A bird cant fly with one wing and a bird that doesn't bleed to death and can, can only ever keep going round in circles.


A complete list of affected agencies, first published by The Australian, is :


To be sold

Defence Housing Australia
Royal Australian Mint
Australian Hearing
Australian Securities and Investments Commission file registry
Medibank Private

To be abolished

Abalone Aquaculture Health Accreditation Workshop
Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation
Australian Renewable Energy Agency
Australian River Company Limited
Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee
National Water Commission
COAG Reform Council
Independent National Security Legislation Monitor
Prime Minister’s Indigenous Business Policy Advisory Group

To be folded into Departments

Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
Health Workforce Australia
General Practice Education and Training Limited
Australian National Preventative Health Agency
Grape and Wine Research
Wine Australia Corporation Selection Committee
Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency

To be merged with other agencies

ComSuper with Commonwealth Super Corporation
Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Classification Review Board
Migration Review Tribunal, Refugee Review Tribunal, Social Security Appeals Tribunal
Office of Australian Information Commissioner to be divided among Australian Human Rights Commission, Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Commonwealth Ombudsman, Attorney-General’s Department
Back-office functions to be combined at National Archives, National Film and Sound Archive, National Gallery, National Library, National Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Old Parliament House
Functions of Private Health Insurance Administration Council to be folded into Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Australian Regulation Authority
Merger of National Biosecurity Committee with Australian Weeds Committee, Biosafety and Biosecurity Working Group, Pests and Disease Working Group
National Competition Council folded into Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
National Blood Authority with Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority
New Health Productivity and Performance Authority will combine Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Independent Hospitals Pricing Authority, National Health Funding Body, National Health Performance Authority, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Already being abolished

Social Inclusion Board
Australian Animals Welfare Advisory Committee
Commonwealth Firearms Advisory Council
International legal Service Advisory Council;
National Corporate Wrongdoing
Antarctic Animal Ethics Committee
Advisory Panel on Marketing Infant Formula
High Speed Rail Advisory Group
Maritime Workforce Development Forum
Advisory Panel on Positive Aging
Insurance Reform Advisory Group
National Policy Commission on Indigenous Housing
National Children and Family Roundtable
Prime Minister’s Council on Homelessness
Pulp and Paper Advisory Group
National Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Council
Centre for Workplace Leadership Advisory Group
National Council for Education for Sustainability
National Sustainability Council
Procurement Consultative Committee
Climate Commission
Energy Security Council
Independent Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports
Pharmaceutical Benefits Pricing Authority
Co-ordinator General for Remote Indigenous Services
National Gambling Regulator
Climate Change Authority
Clean Energy Finance Corporation
Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission

The Prime Minister’s Indigenous Business Policy Advisory Group and Co-ordinator General for Remote Indigenous Services is now listed to be cut.

Immigration and refugee bodies are also facing changes, with the merging of the Migration Review Tribunal, Refugee Review Tribunal and Social Security Appeals Tribunal.


Not to mention, the " Infrastructure conjob" : Source and the con-job of the introduction of co-pay and so, the end of universal health care - we pay 1.5% levy for this service - aka they were never 'free' Dr's visits in the first place.

And lastly, Labor senator Penny Wong Cuts for Cubans speech/ "what he really said when he said that last night" : Link

Language is a tool for concealing the truth.' [George Carlin]

This isn't just changing what we do or how much or what we spend. This is changing who we are...if we allow it.


Ro

Russia is looking pretty awsome right now.Can we have a referedum to join?

funny, iceland seems to have got it right
(according to a bunch of top economists even)
which is why none of the other countries are doing it that way

a reply to: hellobruce

According to that page it is a Corporation, initially the legal framework was set up by the government and employed non-elected officials chosen by the government of the day. It does exactly what the Reserve Bank in America does, according to those pages you linked to. It is not a Government owned and run operation. It is a privately run Corporation, that controls our financial theatre.

Is this the start of wealth redistribution ...... by the organ grinders .
very worrying , some of the facts are not yet entirely clear , like does not matter 100,000 or 10,000 you still lose family tax b , which is your kids money , so its kids that lose as well. very sad for Australia looking. 1%
Please excuse the sloppy writing I have been crook and yesterday was totally exhausted thyroid and flu crap can't go to doctors until I get the 15.00 we already pay for a visit until about 10 days time and does that mean it will be an extra 5.00 on top of the 15.00 sad and tired.

First the Good News. This abortion of a budget will not get past the Senate thanks to good old Mr Palmer and his supporters and "The Greens".
Mr Rabbit will then call a 'double dissolution' (a new election) whereby many independents will lose their seats but Mr Rabbit's Government will be sent back to the political wilderness (where it belongs) and some common sense will prevail.
Bill Shortens Labour Party will surely learn by their own horrible mistakes (and Mr Rabbits) and get down to some hard cold facts in reducing our debt.
The 89.9 million dollars allocated to the search for the missing Malaysian Airlines Jet Liner would have paid every pensioners co-payment for a period of one whole year - charity begins at home.
Could someone please explain to me why Australia is spending billions and billions of dollars on Defence and Military White Elephants like Submarines and Fighter Planes when, to the best of my knowledge, there is no other Nation on this planet that has the slightest intention of invading us? Anyone contemplating taking over this Country would hightail it back to their own Country when they got their first Utility Bill in.
Mssrs Rabbit and Hockey are right in reducing overseas aid but should stop it all together as we need the money for our own.
We have no jobs, no accommodation, meager hospital facilities and meagres education facilities yet continue to bring thousands and thousands of unskilled people into the Country every year. WHY?
Our Automotive industry has all but gone along with our cattle, farming and fruit growers.
We are now told to "Work till you drop" and that way all your superannuation goes to the Government who may or may not remove the Gold Card from ex-politicians troughs but pay themselves obscene wages and superannuation as well as giving each other 'plum jobs' as overseas ambassadors to Never-Never land so they don't have to spend any of it.
The Australian Prime Minister, in charge of a Nation of 20 million people, receives an annual wage that is more than Barrack Obama's. WHY?
Yes folks, the "Land of Milk and Honey" has well and truly gone down the gurgler thanks to a scheme that was designed by a genius but unfortunately is run by the best idiots the Labour and Liberal Governments can produce.!

Depression fading..anger rising.....organizing...marches are on..thought I'd post for anyone considering to fight a good fight.
I'm not sure if this post will be in breech of T&C, if it is mods, please remove with my nod and understanding.





Facts are there, but Joe Hockey, cuckold of the IPA and uni maths fail, knows better






But they did do just this and even now too many Australians, unthinking, are denying it, ' no they didn't/wouldn't/couldn't ' and rather than make the effort to think, are drowsily buying back into the media spin. Their media tactic is there, but its subtle and sadly already gaining ground. See David Koche's interview with PM this morning for an example, keep a double speak checklist handy. He sits there pretending to decry and hound him but then never asks a real question and starts agreeing with him on key points he KNOWS are outright falsehoods. Know what you are watching , learn how to watch it so you dont get suckered in.




I've found the only defense against their kind of spin is fact. Get some, verify them, commit to keep repeating facts one more time than they talk lies even if your hair turns blue and your shoes wear out and ppl call you names. This isn't about just you anymore, its your kids kids we're fighting for now. Hold your ground or face the land grab.




Every time they lie, speak a truth. Keep it simple. The truth always is.




To lead instead of follow, don't let yourself be drawn into partisan or sectarian arguments, not even with the guy at the shop, its a snare back into a circular dynamic THEY control... a boot is a boot is a boot is a boot. Simple.





You can join in the effort to get them out of government and hold ALL parties to account. If you can, get up and March...if only to let the ones who will suffer most know you are out there and fighting/standing up for them. Despair kills more than hunger.

Marches are being held every cap city this Sunday 18th #bustthebudget and #marchinmay for details
Confirmed march in Melbourne: Sunday, May 18, 2pm, State Library.

And thank you to those that will and do march...you're marching for me, tas, a lot of us here too.

Right now we still get to choose our outcomes....it's not so far gone here as in other places and our population is still small and awake enough that means we do have a hope to drag it back from the abyss and draw a line.

So... Iceland or Greece? Which direction is it to be? YOU decide from here on in.

Best to all.





Ro

Bill Shorten/ Aussie opposition Budget Reply Speech in full here.

LINK


Well said.....imo..ymmv..et al.

Ro

a reply to: Rosha

I cant stand Shorten, Albanese's the man for the job! with Turnball as his deputy!

Shortens weak. He's on the take cause he doesn't bother hitting where it hurts. he dances with a monotone voice!

We're going to spend $50billion on roads.
Our military expenditure is $122billion over 4years

there's your debt recovery right there. Can the both of them for 2 years! freeze wages, introduce tax hole covers so the rich corporations don't avoid paying their share of tax! Make university education cheap and of a high quality so in 15years your youth are highly trained and prosperous.

a reply to: Agit8dChop

Before the reply I have to say, I love your nick grins..is that a lamb chop?

For me its pretty simple, I dont get a vote but I am made subject to whatever you guys vote for. So I have a stake in protesting what I feel are injustices not just for my own status but within the system of politics itself. My children's future is what matters to me most, as my children will have a vote and so it is important to me that I work to ensure the political process, if we must have it, has integrity and that the capacity to influence the process remains present for them. That's my priority in this, not labor/liberal, I am choosing to put principles before the personalities.

Imo, if anyone is immature enough to actually trust a politician, they're doing themselves and their country a disservice. It is not even a question of lying or telling the truth, it is just a matured awareness that despite their best efforts, sh*t happens. A Liar Liar the movie kind of thing, which basically means that telling the whole truth all the time leads to insanity and at times, security issues. Sometimes promises WILL be broken..this is a reality of all of our lives and we have to accept that to a certain degree in the systems we create to support them, but even then, this support of flexibility begins only if it is due to NECESSITY that the promises need to be broken. In this budgets case, that necessity is simply *not* there and lies are being told to try and sneak in a national ideological change under the back door.
It is a coup...and it is so blatant and obvious, I cant help musing that maybe that was intended.

Even so...and regardless of if you respect them or not, like them as person and are a devotee of what they have to say...as a citizen politic, to trust them is to undermine the very process that supports them and you, and the politician - citizen interaction. Not trusting them, is your responsibility!

It doesn't mean you are or have to be mean or bad spirited, it is an acceptance that mistrust like everything has two sides and worked well and carried with honor, it just keeps you alert to signs of disease, corruption, manipulation etc.. so you CAN act as a citizen to live up to YOUR responsibility in the process and be a voice to what you notice, be heard when you notice it and do so without compromising any allegiances or beliefs OR the integrity of the political process itself.

It also ensures politicians themselves stay alert, remain fully aware they ARE being watched by aware mature and committed public of acute collaborators in the actions of democracy, people just like them, who are invested and prepared to give them room, but also are committed enough to make input on e v e r y single decision if necessary and to keep watch e v e r y day of the year for decisions that step over the line of a given mandate.

We know already that belief is an action not a concept. So to me, believing stoically or religiously in any cemented political position or person, is quite self defeating and ultimately political system defeating too, as politicians, politics and the process it evokes, are all drawn from and co-joined to the human condition and the human condition changes on a daily sometimes hourly basis. We have to grow up, set standards we can achieve and be clear on what we will not accept. The groups the IPA et al are led by want an end to this kind of political process....and it is up to us to keep saying or start saying NO, if we really want to have self governance a reality in our lives on any level at all.

So ultimately, it's not about who you like or dont, or even party politics...effective democracy is about you knowing what you as a person stand for personally and what you are not willing to stand for. It's making an active decision to stay involved, be willing to act, and to stand your watch as others stood watch for you, its a threefold process, not for lazy people.

In the end, by action or inaction, our shared values will determine the who what where and how of our political systems. Especially here in Australia where people are not backwards in speaking their minds and resoundingly, Australians are rising up right now against the value systems of corporate oligarchy en mass being shoved at us from on high. THAT'S whats most important about this entire thing as far as I am concerned..the rest, is the pony show....join in or not as you like....but we wont have a pony show at all if the process is removed from our hands.

Abbot is trying to do just that ( imo) and that is what I am standing in defiance of. It is OUR process..OUR country..not his...not theirs. That isnt some nationalistic fever either as I know Aussies are often wasteful asses that do need a kick in the ass ...it is just an awareness, a full awareness of the consequences of Abbots audiological manipulations, and ideological push.

Liberals have made mistakes, Labor has and will mistakes, mistakes aren't the problem, the problem is keeping the capacity to fix them in OUR hands and not in the hands of others who do not have yours, mine, or any groups best interests at heart.
To me this is our national version of " The British are coming " moment, a call to action, and I am standing, albeit a bit wonkily, to say just that and say not on my watch buddy!

Sorry its so long...I need to learn to say things simply and I'm still venting ..apologies.



Ro.