Despite the widespread cynicism attached to politicians by others, it is often said that we all have the interests of the country at heart. This is usually followed up by something along the lines of ‘we only disagree about the best way to get the best outcomes’.
I have even used similar phraseology myself because I actually believed it. However, I can no longer say that I do.
The evidence that the welfare state is not sustainable, that higher taxes stifle creativity and that the nanny state saps personal responsibility is overwhelming. The ongoing European debt crisis shows just what the ultimate outcome of pursuing these philosophies will be.
Europe has sovereign debt defaults, widespread civil unrest and prime ministers and Cabinet members installed by the bureaucracy rather than the people. Despite what the authoritarian Eurocrats say, the crisis is a long way from being resolved. My bet is that Greece, Portugal and Spain (and perhaps others) will ultimately be removed from the common currency.
Despite the perils of such slothful policy measures, the same sins are now being committed against the Australian people. As the average family struggles to make ends meet, the government looks to those that are actually succeeding to help them balance the books.
The pursuit of the successful by government means that fewer will actually decide to pursue success for themselves. This is the peril of socialism. For as Margaret Thatcher famously said, the problem with socialism is that eventually you “run out of other people’s money” to spend.
And make no mistake; we are enduring a socialist government. This is a government with a Marxist heart that believes they can make better decisions about your life than you can.
It wants to insert the wisdom of the ruling political class into every kitchen and lounge room around the country. If you are one of the brave few who pursue financial self-sufficiency, you have become a target to help prop up the lazy and indolent spendthrifts – and they are just the ones in government!
We are right to question how we arrived in such a circumstance. Whatever happened to the culture of self-reliance, having a go and helping your fellow man? When did the entitlement mentality take hold?
In reality it has most likely been a product of a succession of governments that have sought to prop up their electoral popularity through the voters’ hip pocket.
Successive elections have become a veritable auction of nanny state programs and government power grabs. Like the proverbial frog on the stove, we are slowly being boiled alive, seeing our freedoms, hard-earned money and personal sovereignty evaporating away.
Our national sovereignty is also disappearing under myriad treaties, agreements and UN determinations. This is the same path that European nations embarked on with the ill-fated European Union.
However, Australia does have one great advantage: it is not too late to reverse the decline.
To do so effectively, rather than just slow the pace of decline, will take more than just an election. It will take an enduring commitment to political principle and courageous advocates within the parliament, the media and the business community to spell out some hard truths.
The size of our government and the array of wasteful programs are neither sustainable nor compatible with the future of a prosperous nation.
The longer that our national leaders refuse to acknowledge that fact means the likelihood of making the change becomes ever slimmer.
Thus if our politicians were really committed to achieving the best outcomes for the country, they wouldn’t be pursuing the same failed policies that have wreaked such havoc in Europe. Instead they would be embracing the ‘less is more’ agenda that can deliver a bright future.
But don’t hold your breath. This government has repeatedly shown that self-interest rather than the national interest is driving their agenda.
Cory Bernardi is the author of seven books and has been a member of the Australian rowing team, a publican, an investment portfolio manager and spent nearly 14 years as an Australian Senator.
