Thank you for this insightful observation , of the hope inspired by People Power , and the
disillusion that can so easily follow.
At this time of the 50 year anniversary of the Dismissal of Gough Whitlam and his visionary government it is interesting to compare aspects of the two men . Whitlam , with so much to repair and provide for the future for ALL Australians , became an obsessive target for Conservatives and their assisting media to be rid of this Labor government which in their view had NO right ever to be in power . The view of the Republicans and Democrats in America is the same . Anyone seen as slightly to the left of a Nazi is regarded as a Communist .
I have just finished reading Virginia Haussegger’s inspiring book , “Unfinished Revolution “ . Not only “ Women’s Liberation”
is slipping backwards , but timid policies of the Labor government as they grovel to America’s dictates are threatening our very democracy and sovereignty . As Gough said , “It’s Time “ once again .
I understand that Mamdani's team were unusually effective at reaching voters, and that the US' complicity in the Israel Genocide is unusually effective at encouraging campaign volunteers and voters to try something new (from the stale bipartisan duopoly for genocide, for US imperialism, and for more Neoliberalism). I understand that his energy & charisma are unusually strong, like Zack Polanski's. So this particular wonderful result appears an (indicative of more) outlier, with the limited influence of Local Government, rather than the medium influence State, or the high influence Federal office/powers.
If Israel's Genocide hadn't remained so disgustingly blatant for 2 years, many more voters likely would have accepted the anti-Islamic slur campaign. Progressivism appears to come and go in waves, and obviously the tide's going out now, even if (like Climate Destabilization) the mean tide is ever rising.
The compassionate and Human Rights and Anti-War movements are still rising, but there are a lot of hateful, violent, ignorant voters antithetical to this decency, and already enjoying incumbency of their representatives. So its never been a more important time for the 'apolitical' masses to discover what they really love and care for, and what they're willing to kindly lend a hand (even just for a few hours a week) to protect. It's double down or fold time at the politics poker table ladies n' gents!
A key factor in political change is the character of the leader and how they project their beliefs.
There is also the "time and chance" factor, as Ecclesiastes noted, and Jacinda Ardern discovered through her instinctive response to the Christchurch mosque killings.
Albanese was badly burned by the loss of the Voice vote, and has shrunk his ambitions, playing it safe to appease the oligarchs. He could have challenged the loss and tried again with a different cast of promoters, explaining the idea properly and appealing to Australian decency.
Despite the absence of charisma, he stays because there are currently no serious challengers.
Leadership requires presence, oratorical talents and the ability to relate to all sections of society. These are skills of great rarity and need to be combined with the courage of conviction based on facts. Who do we have in the Parliament (maybe David Pocock in the future) with such qualities?
Thank you for this insightful observation , of the hope inspired by People Power , and the
disillusion that can so easily follow.
At this time of the 50 year anniversary of the Dismissal of Gough Whitlam and his visionary government it is interesting to compare aspects of the two men . Whitlam , with so much to repair and provide for the future for ALL Australians , became an obsessive target for Conservatives and their assisting media to be rid of this Labor government which in their view had NO right ever to be in power . The view of the Republicans and Democrats in America is the same . Anyone seen as slightly to the left of a Nazi is regarded as a Communist .
I have just finished reading Virginia Haussegger’s inspiring book , “Unfinished Revolution “ . Not only “ Women’s Liberation”
is slipping backwards , but timid policies of the Labor government as they grovel to America’s dictates are threatening our very democracy and sovereignty . As Gough said , “It’s Time “ once again .
I understand that Mamdani's team were unusually effective at reaching voters, and that the US' complicity in the Israel Genocide is unusually effective at encouraging campaign volunteers and voters to try something new (from the stale bipartisan duopoly for genocide, for US imperialism, and for more Neoliberalism). I understand that his energy & charisma are unusually strong, like Zack Polanski's. So this particular wonderful result appears an (indicative of more) outlier, with the limited influence of Local Government, rather than the medium influence State, or the high influence Federal office/powers.
If Israel's Genocide hadn't remained so disgustingly blatant for 2 years, many more voters likely would have accepted the anti-Islamic slur campaign. Progressivism appears to come and go in waves, and obviously the tide's going out now, even if (like Climate Destabilization) the mean tide is ever rising.
https://www.risingtide.org.au/pb2025
The compassionate and Human Rights and Anti-War movements are still rising, but there are a lot of hateful, violent, ignorant voters antithetical to this decency, and already enjoying incumbency of their representatives. So its never been a more important time for the 'apolitical' masses to discover what they really love and care for, and what they're willing to kindly lend a hand (even just for a few hours a week) to protect. It's double down or fold time at the politics poker table ladies n' gents!
A key factor in political change is the character of the leader and how they project their beliefs.
There is also the "time and chance" factor, as Ecclesiastes noted, and Jacinda Ardern discovered through her instinctive response to the Christchurch mosque killings.
Albanese was badly burned by the loss of the Voice vote, and has shrunk his ambitions, playing it safe to appease the oligarchs. He could have challenged the loss and tried again with a different cast of promoters, explaining the idea properly and appealing to Australian decency.
Despite the absence of charisma, he stays because there are currently no serious challengers.
Leadership requires presence, oratorical talents and the ability to relate to all sections of society. These are skills of great rarity and need to be combined with the courage of conviction based on facts. Who do we have in the Parliament (maybe David Pocock in the future) with such qualities?