Covid – my final word
My latest doggerel has just been published for the wider world by The Conservative Woman
The Tories' little bunfight
This sordid little soap opera which is so entrancing for the mass media really sums up almost everything which is wrong with our present systems of government. I am now working up my RHINO non-political “political” project – see below. Perhaps some readers may want to comment, support or become part of this emerging project. It's time somebody somewhere came up with new ways to reform/revamp what I have called the six pillars of the apocalypse. The world which Gates, Schwab and the WEF are working for is not a comfortable prospect!
VOTE RHINO
Use your vote to make a difference
Use your vote to show you care
Use your vote to share your dreams
Use your vote to “Just Say NO”
THE TIME HAS COME TO USE YOUR VOTE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Fact – Public trust in politicians is at an all time low
Fact – The multiple challenges facing our civilisations are at an all time high
Fact – The institutions that created these problems are not the ones that can solve them
Fact – Casting a vote for the “least worst” candidate or deciding not to vote will change nothing
Fact – We urgently need a positive way to use our votes to “Just Say NO”
Ordinary People have had ENOUGH
We are fed up with broken promises. We feel we are running fast to stand still. We are tired of seeing slick political hairstyles and perfect TV teeth. We are sickened by the flagrant unfairness of conspicuous consumption. We are tired of misleading fear-mongering propaganda from mainstream media. We are frustrated by empty sound bites and short-term decision making.
All around us we see unfairness, waste, pollution and ecological decay.
We are frustrated because our votes seem to make no difference. We are frustrated because we live in a sea of worthless political rhetoric where words come “cheap” but nothing really changes. We are frustrated because everybody can see that there are many ways we must change the way we live – but these changes will never happen with our present political and economic systems.
CHANGE WITHOUT REVOLUTION
Many times in the past we have seen civilisations convulsed by revolution when public frustrations have boiled up into violence and civil disobedience. We can already see the seeds of such behaviour with movements such as “Occupy” or “Extinction Rebellion”. Striking workers and rising inflation are further signs of a deep malaise.
When our present “democracy” gives us no possibility of showing our frustration through the ballot box it is no surprise that civil society resorts to protest and ultimately violence.
YOUR “RHINO” CANDIDATE IS YOUR CHANCE TO SAY “NO”
Our governments don't want to give you a chance to say “NO” on your ballot papers. Special rules make it impossible to vote for None Of The Above (NOTA). This is what people have called the “democratic deficit” which limits your choice on the ballot paper to the least worst candidate. Now we have registered the RHINO party with the Electoral Commission you will be able to vote for a RHINO candidate who has promised to stand solely as a way for voters to “Just Say NO” and will take no part in any of the existing institutions of government if elected.
REGISTER HERE IN NAME ONLY (R.H.I.N.O.)
Why RHINO? The concept of RHINO first appeared in Canada about 15 years ago. The powerful grumpy RHINO is at the same time under threat but will ultimately be hard to stop. This seems to be a fair reflection of the power which a NO vote could and should have. The image of the Rhino makes a striking (and different) logo. The colour of RHINO is gold – a colour which is warm and optimistic. The ethos of RHINO is positive and life enhancing. The aims of RHINO are truly radical but founded in a belief that the first priority must be a creative debate about how new institutional forms can be explored.
The Six Pillars of the Apocalypse! We need urgent and pro-active debate about these!
Populist Democracy
Short-term decision making and having those in power who “most want to be in power” are the main characteristics of a system that has failed. The universal franchise (every one has the vote) with “first past the post” elections at 4 or 5 year intervals is a relatively new experiment in the government of nations. It's been going for about 100 years now and is in complete contrast to the original Greek idea of “democracy” - the only “elections” the Greeks had was to rid government of the most disliked politician. Contrary to what Winston Churchill is famously quoted as saying “democracy is NOT the least worst form of government”. The Greek form of democracy was almost certainly better and we now see “citizen's assemblies” and “sortition” being tried in several different countries.
Free Market Economics
This system for setting prices goes hand in hand with consumerism as the inevitable partners of populist democracy. The market is not “free” in any real sense because it always bends to suit the biggest participants (whether they be nation states or global corporations). The price mechanism based on supply and demand (tempered by the power of monopolies) does not give sensible signals to consumers in terms of what is good for the planet they live on. The costs of pollution and the impact on the Earth's great commons – oceans and air – are not factored in, nor is the need to RATION scarce resources.
Bank Money
Almost all the free world's money is created and managed by commercial banks. The banks do this to make profits and they (not the community or government) are the main arbiters of where new investments should be made. National governments try to influence this process “at arms length” to manage inflation and employment for electoral reasons. The latest moves to replace bank money by Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) will be the biggest single change in the relationship between citizen and state since the present banking system was established over 300 years ago. There has been very little public debate and even less public understanding.
Corporate Greed
Most of the important activity on our planet is dominated by the actions of a relatively small number of huge corporations. The prime motivation of these monsters is profit. They use their economic power to manipulate politicians and enhance their own positions. Their special legal status gives them a dominance which is dangerous for planetary wellbeing.
Out-dated Religion
For thousands of years religions have been the basis of effective “rules for living” in all our various human civilisations. People knew what was right or wrong long before we had Parliaments, laws or police. These rules were enforced by a God (or Gods) and developed and interpreted by a priesthood (a shaman or witch doctor in some cases). Modern society is in a muddled state today because the revelations of science and the power of modern technology have effectively taken over the need for belief in God (or Gods). We still have powerful remnants of old established religions but the dominant view seems to be that humans themselves have become like gods. Our society now goes into crisis mode when all and any unthinkable totalitarian policies may be imposed when dominance of our technology is threatened by natural forces (such as a virus or global warming). Paradoxically all this is happening when scientists themselves are struggling to cope with their own new realities of quantum theory, complexity and relativity.
Our Billionaire Sociopaths
It seems we have a new and entirely “out of control” non-democratic force for change in the world. Out money system has given power to un-elected business people whose influence now exceeds both corporate and political power. They profess to be philanthropists but their influence is now far reaching and certainly not always benign.