Church and state in NSW

Another shared religious right/Tea Party/ neo-con propaganda tactic was recently taken to new heights by Sarah Palin's Got you in the cross hairs campaign against US Democrats who voted for healthcare reform. The use of Palin's hysterical hyperbole (reminiscent of Australian shock jocks on the topic of refugees) to whip up mass emotional reactions against the Democrats has been linked to the assassination attempt on US congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford.

Let's just keep an eye on them all

On the eve of the NSW election, we should take note of the US experience with the religious right and Tea Party movements.

While our societies are very different, and the replication of either movement is unlikely, the elements exist in Australian state and federal politics. There are conservative Christian politicians in both arenas who make no secret of the influence of their faith on their political decisions, and of their desire to exert a great deal more influence over society than they currently manage.

There are right wing Christian activists who seek to have enormous power over society and culture, and who support and work through religious right politicians to implement legislation based on their beliefs. The ingredients are present. La possibilité existe.

Fix the roads, dammit!

What has been most interesting about this election is the rage I've heard expressed whenever I've asked people what they're thinking. Perhaps it's just the people I know, but almost everyone has expressed frustrated fury at both major parties. Even life long Labor supporters have lost themselves in angry rants, and the despair at a lack of a substantial alternative is palpable. "I don't want to talk about it!" has been a common cry.

I've hardly been able to bring myself to take any notice of it at all - so thoroughly fed up am I with the shenanigans of all concerned.

My personal fury is provoked almost daily when I risk life and limb on a particularly horrendous stretch of the Pacific Highway that I have to negotiate to get to anywhere from the village in which I live. I know complaining about the roads is dull and boring, but Mother of God, try driving a one-lane highway that's covered in patches like asphalt band-aids, while up to twenty b-doubles bear down on you at speeds that you know they won't be able to control if you have to slow down to avoid a kangaroo at dusk.

Now if the religious right would take a crack at fixing that they'd be doing something useful. But apparently God isn't that interested in the state of the NSW roads. It's not considered a moral issue in heaven or on earth.