Pure Poison Podcast #10 – Australia Day
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The Pure Poison Podcast arrives early this week as Dave and Jeremy take a look at Australia Day.
You can download the podcast, find it at the iTunes music store, subscribe to the feed in iTunes or stream it online at our podbean page.
Fantastic to hear you guys celebrating the good things that the progressive style of thinking have brought to Australia. Universal health insurance, public schools, compulsory voting, having a national broadcaster. All things that contribute to our enviable way of life. Sadly, at various times, even in the present – conservatives have argued against and sought to undermine them all.
Right wingers are uncomfortable with egalitarianism (except, as you pointed out, on those occasions that they use the terminology of egalitarianism in defense of their own priveleged position). And when you think about the ugly side of patriotism, the jingoism, the appeal to false nationalistic triumphalism – which end of the political spectrum gives rise and seeks to promote most of that rubbish? The sort of crap we’ll hear in abundance on right wing talk radio this week? Yes, the conservative side.
Progressivism has made Australia the enviable place it is to live. But let’s not just preserve the good things, but commit also to a more progressive country. Getting more progressive MPs into parliament, a (much) more progressive media, and generally uphold and promote the good name of progressivism against the daily slurs from career ideologues in the media, some of the more toxic of whom form the focus of ongoing attention here at Pure Poison.
Dammit, left out compulsory voting!
Great podcast as usual guys.
Funny isn’t it cupppa, so many of the things that make this country great are the very things that “patriotic” conservatives rail against.
Duncan,
Yes, it sticks out like dog’s balls. Who are the real ‘unAustralians’?
Have you noticed how right wingers are usually the first to accuse others (usually progressives): “You’re unAustralian!”
Projection – that is, the tendency to project onto others their own bigoted motivations, behaviour – is something conservatives excel at.
Attacking the Right or the MSM might make you all feel better, but Labor will not win with anything like its present leadership, policy formulation and implementation processes (usually under “advice” from the decadent Sussex Street crowd), and communications strategy (still, as far as I can tell, in the hands of the focus group magicians who got them where they went at the recent election).
A lot more people than usual voted informal at the last election; I would take a significant bet that most of these were people (like me) who have voted Labor all their lives. I never thought I would get to the point of not being able to vote for Labor. Having done it once, I certainly thought I would never have to do it again, but unless a miracle happens – and soon – that looks pretty much like it will be at the next election also. You would all be better off to stop venting at the Right and the MSM, and turn at least some of it on Labor itself; it has become a disgraceful shadow of its former self.
“You would all be better off to stop venting at the Right and the MSM, and turn at least some of it on Labor itself; it has become a disgraceful shadow of its former self.”
First time visitor, I take it, Jim.
Jeremy
Yes; I have played the game in fractious and fraught engagements for a long time, and had a few wins, but this is something else. Labor needs help (even of the tough love kind), not howling at the moon.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/terry-mccranns-column/fast-broadband-equals-fast-rates/story-e6frfig6-1225993941709
Terry strikes again!
Cudchewer,
I read that this morning and wondered why they even pay Terry for that rubbish. I am sure there is some software on the Interweb that could provide similar commentary: input what Labour is spending money on, out pops some sort of negative economic effect.
Unfortunately, Terry can’t see into the intermediate future at the benefits that these initiatives will provide. Either that, or he is ideologically driven to write what he does. (Or he may be just shit scared of loosing his job if he doesn’t tow the company line!)