electioneering

Like almost everyone I have spoken to, I am a disheartened, disenfranchised voter. I see the upcoming election as the worst one of my life, and possibly in the history of this country. For the first time, I am being forced to choose between two parties that essentially represent the same ideals. Gone are the days where the Libs looked after business to the detriment of workers rights. Gone are the days of the ALP protecting the worker, supporting the union movement, leaning slightly to the left. At some point, while I wasn't paying attention, both parties transformed into one in the same - vying for the vote of bogan Australia. The breeders from the outer suburbs - two cars, two plus kids, anxious about boat people threatening their capacity to live in a McMansion and consume like Paris Hilton would if she were a bogan from the suburbs. Worried about their children being exposed to the dangers of the internet, bullying, obesity, but think it's the government who are responsible for protecting them.

One party wants to censor everything and couldn't manage a thumb up their own arse. The other party wants to go back to the good old xenophobic days of J Ho, and cancel the one and only good thing to come out of an entire term of ALP rule: the NBN.

It's fucking depressing.

So what do you do? Well one positive thing to come out of this is that I now have a much greater understanding of how voting works in both the lower house and the senate. I understand preference voting and how the left over votes are distributed. I have a very clear understanding where all the major parties stand on a wide range of issues (thank you internet) and I even have my own how to vote card thanks to belowtheline.org.au.

Still, as I mentioned elsewhere, it's like being forced to choose between cancer and cat aids. My only hope is that the greens can win Melbourne (i'll try and help with that) and hold the balance of power. Perhaps then they can act as a filter and a representation of urban dwelling left-leaning intellectuals (well mostly). Surely if that is all I can hope for, then there is something broken in our political system? It's not like I have extreme or even fringe views on most issues. I just wish our politicians stopped pandering to John Q Bogan and acted a little more progressively and with more humanity.

Regardless, come this saturday we're fucked.