I fear for Australias future

[Valkie]

Will never happen while our grubberment is owned by multinationals and foriegn grubberments.

And we are owned.

Mal Frazer was one of the last instigators, selling out to the US so he could gain control by getting Whitlam sacked.
howard the coward, drove home the last nail with his subjugation to the US machine.
The disgusting little turd even tried to remove the PBS so that US drug companies could charge us millions for a few simple drugs, but he was thankfully defeated.
But he did manage to allow the US to chase and screw money from every other source.

May he suffer in hell for eternity for what he has done to our country.

[sprintcyclist]

I see taxes always increasing. At some point, government needs to tighten IT'S belt. I have a different perspective and a different situation, but it's pretty universal that once taxes are increased, they never seem to go back down.

Term limits, a balanced budget amendment, and replacement of personal income tax with a national sales tax would suit me. I'm tired of having my paycheck monitored and being threatened with prison if I cheat on my income taxes.(even by accident)

I'd love to see America withdraw much of it's military unless the countries who are benefiting from our stability are willing to pay for our protection and it's also in our best interest. I'm not an isolationist, but that and stopping almost all immigration until we have assimilated our current "crop" are what I would like to see.

I'd also like to set all tariffs equal to what other countries charge for our goods. Preferably zero.

We need to do something to get off of this track to socialism and ever increasing government control over our personal lives.

I hear you

[brian ross]

I see taxes always increasing. At some point, government needs to tighten IT'S belt. I have a different perspective and a different situation, but it's pretty universal that once taxes are increased, they never seem to go back down.

Haven't successive el Presidentes given "tax cuts" to the tax paying populace of the US?

Term limits, a balanced budget amendment, and replacement of personal income tax with a national sales tax would suit me. I'm tired of having my paycheck monitored and being threatened with prison if I cheat on my income taxes.(even by accident)

Yes, I've never understood why Americans are forced to pay their taxes, themselves, rather than as we do downunder have the employer pay them for you, automatically from your earnings. You can then claim back various entitlements when you submit your tax return at the end of the financial year. You receive these in the form of a "tax return" once your tax forms have been checked.

I'd love to see America withdraw much of it's military unless the countries who are benefiting from our stability are willing to pay for our protection and it's also in our best interest. I'm not an isolationist, but that and stopping almost all immigration until we have assimilated our current "crop" are what I would like to see.

Well, the US protects countries 'cause it is in the US's interests to protect them, Tex. Don't assume that US protection is always desirable or needed. The US does many things because they are ultimately beneficial to the US, rather than other countries. As for migration, are we talking about legal or illegal immigrants here? I would have assumed that legal immigrants are expected to work once they arrive in your country and receive little or no benefits. Is that correct? Are you confusing legal migrants with illegal migrants?

I'd also like to set all tariffs equal to what other countries charge for our goods. Preferably zero.

Despite all the talk that many Americans like to claim about believing in free trade, the US rarely practices it. We have, downunder, effectively zero tariffs on all goods. Tariffs make your domestic industries lazy, they don't need to compete. If they cannot compete, they should not, according to Capitalist theory, exist, right?

We need to do something to get off of this track to socialism and ever increasing government control over our personal lives.

There is nothing wrong with socialism. Your country practices it (badly) today and it works for the most part, Tex. What is required is for your government(s) to become more efficient. At the moment they waste squillions on supply services, often badly. What is required is for people to stop fighting the inevitable creation of a state which serves the people.

[Texan]

I see taxes always increasing. At some point, government needs to tighten IT'S belt. I have a different perspective and a different situation, but it's pretty universal that once taxes are increased, they never seem to go back down.

Haven't successive el Presidentes given "tax cuts" to the tax paying populace of the US?

Term limits, a balanced budget amendment, and replacement of personal income tax with a national sales tax would suit me. I'm tired of having my paycheck monitored and being threatened with prison if I cheat on my income taxes.(even by accident)

Yes, I've never understood why Americans are forced to pay their taxes, themselves, rather than as we do downunder have the employer pay them for you, automatically from your earnings. You can then claim back various entitlements when you submit your tax return at the end of the financial year. You receive these in the form of a "tax return" once your tax forms have been checked.

I'd love to see America withdraw much of it's military unless the countries who are benefiting from our stability are willing to pay for our protection and it's also in our best interest. I'm not an isolationist, but that and stopping almost all immigration until we have assimilated our current "crop" are what I would like to see.

Well, the US protects countries 'cause it is in the US's interests to protect them, Tex. Don't assume that US protection is always desirable or needed. The US does many things because they are ultimately beneficial to the US, rather than other countries. As for migration, are we talking about legal or illegal immigrants here? I would have assumed that legal immigrants are expected to work once they arrive in your country and receive little or no benefits. Is that correct? Are you confusing legal migrants with illegal migrants?

I'd also like to set all tariffs equal to what other countries charge for our goods. Preferably zero.

Despite all the talk that many Americans like to claim about believing in free trade, the US rarely practices it. We have, downunder, effectively zero tariffs on all goods. Tariffs make your domestic industries lazy, they don't need to compete. If they cannot compete, they should not, according to Capitalist theory, exist, right?

We need to do something to get off of this track to socialism and ever increasing government control over our personal lives.

There is nothing wrong with socialism. Your country practices it (badly) today and it works for the most part, Tex. What is required is for your government(s) to become more efficient. At the moment they waste squillions on supply services, often badly. What is required is for people to stop fighting the inevitable creation of a state which serves the people.

Tax rates change but so do deductions. Trump lowered tax rates and increased general deductions, but eliminated a lot of other deductions. I paid about $500 less in taxes than I paid the previous year. State property taxes always increase and hordes of toll roads have been built. And Texas has much lower taxes than most states.

Socialism is for the lazy. I could do much better if I provided my own retirement and any other benefits I get from the feds. The 10th amendment is completely ignored. Most federal programs should be handled more efficiently at the state or local level.

[brian ross]

Tax rates change but so do deductions. Trump lowered tax rates and increased general deductions, but eliminated a lot of other deductions. I paid about $500 less in taxes than I paid the previous year. State property taxes always increase and hordes of toll roads have been built. And Texas has much lower taxes than most states.

I am against toll roads. I pay taxes. They should be sufficient to build roads with. If the corporations paid their taxes, I'd be happier.

I believe in maximising my taxes as well. That way I make sure that those who need support from the Government have sufficient funds.

Socialism is for the lazy. I could do much better if I provided my own retirement and any other benefits I get from the feds. The 10th amendment is completely ignored. Most federal programs should be handled more efficiently at the state or local level.

I suspect part of the problem is that there are too many levels of government. I prefer a two-tier federalism (elimination of the state level) instead of a three-tier system. That way we have local governments that mean something and are more than adequate for the tasks facing them.

Socialism is not for the lazy. Socialism is for the sensible. It ensures that everybody who needs help receives it freely and equably. Capitalism just rips off the poor, the needy and feeds the greedy.

[Black Orchid]

Socialism encourages a lack of motivation in people due to lesser rewards. It also gives government too much power and promotes abuse within the government. We have enough abuse in government already and, in Australia, few who actually want to work FOR the people.

[Nicole]

Socialism is not for the lazy. Socialism is for the sensible. It ensures that everybody who needs help receives it freely and equably. Capitalism just rips off the poor, the needy and feeds the greedy.

And you don’t vote greens and claim to be a centrist. FFS!

[Texan]

I’m all for helping the disabled, but the lazy can starve as far as I can care. States are much more efficient than the feds. Our 10th Amendment states that anything not specifically assigned to the feds is the responsibility of the states or individuals. That is completely ignored by the feds here. We have state and federal redundancy and it is expensive. I think over half of our federal budget is wasted on programs that should be handled by the states. The US is over 10 times the size of Australia. They can’t do anything efficiently. Even Texas is bigger than Australia. California has 40 million people.

We agree 100% on toll roads. The only reason I use them is because my company pays the tolls.

[brian ross]

Socialism encourages a lack of motivation in people due to lesser rewards.

Depends if you believe money is the only thing that motivates people, Black Orchid. I prefer to believe that people can be motivated by their concern for their society and their fellow human beings, far better than what mere money can.

It also gives government too much power and promotes abuse within the government. We have enough abuse in government already and, in Australia, few who actually want to work FOR the people.

I think you're mistaking Communism for Socialism, Black Orchid. Australia was what, the third most Socialist nation in the world in the 1970s? Israel was the most Socialist nation, India, second. We did not suffer any of those things, neither did the Israelis and the Indians.

We have turned our backs on Socialism much to our detriment. Capitalism has destroyed Australian society. Everywhere you look, people are complaining about the way in which the power generators and distribution systems have been privatised. People are complaining about how the Telecommunication systems have been privatised. People are complaining basically about everything that has been privatised. You have, everybody has.

I say we bring back Socialism. It worked before and it can work again.

[brian ross]

I’m all for helping the disabled, but the lazy can starve as far as I can care. States are much more efficient than the feds. Our 10th Amendment states that anything not specifically assigned to the feds is the responsibility of the states or individuals. That is completely ignored by the feds here. We have state and federal redundancy and it is expensive. I think over half of our federal budget is wasted on programs that should be handled by the states. The US is over 10 times the size of Australia. They can’t do anything efficiently.

I suspect that is because the US is poorly organised - far to decentralised and inefficiently organised, Tex.

Even Texas is bigger than Australia. California has 40 million people.

Bigger?

The land area of Texas is - 695,662 km²
The land area of Australia is - 7.692 million km²

Looks to me like Texas is a substantially smaller area, Tex.

The Population of Texas is - 28.7 million (2018)
The Population of Australia is - 24.6 million (2017)

Population wise we're are roughly equal.

We agree 100% on toll roads. The only reason I use them is because my company pays the tolls.

Toll roads are of the Devil, mate.