I brought my family here from what is arguably a third world country.  Now I am left trying to explain to them why the western world seems to be crumbling before our very eyes.  I’d like to take a couple of prime news issues from the last couple of days to illustrate.

Let us first look at that great bastion (so they tell us) of democracy, the United States of America.  In case you haven’t noticed, the good ol’ U S of A is having a presedential election.  There is slight problem: seems there are concerted efforts in certain states to prevent people  from voting.  People are queuing for up to 9 hours to be able to vote.  This is sounding awfully like the elections problems in some third world countries, like Nigeria where the voting papers didn’t turn up on time.

Jezebel.com provides a great detailed article describing the skullduggery.

Husted, in short, is a shit. He has moved to restrict voting hours in counties that typically lean Democratic while voting to extend hours in Ohio counties that tend to lean Republican. When the New York Times pointed out that this was roundly fucked up, Husted signed an order limiting early voting in all Ohio locations, a move that Democratic officials say will disenfranchise urban voters.

That is just ONE example!

CNN.com  follows up with America’s voting system is a disgrace.

Americans worry more about voter fraud than do voters in other countries, because they are the only country without a reliable system of national identification.

In no other country, including federal systems such as Germany, Canada and Australia, does the citizen’s opportunity to vote depend on the affluence and competence of his or her local government.

Hey, Australia rates a mention as having a good system – and we damn well do!  Our choices of candidates to vote for seem a little limited, however!

Here’s a story from the 2000 election.

Like many old cities, St. Louis has not invested in modern voting equipment. Voting delays are notorious. At the scheduled poll-closing time, voters were still lined up throughout the city. Al Gore’s campaign, desperate to win the state, asked a judge to extend voting for three more hours in the heavily Democratic city — but only in the city. A state judge agreed. Republicans appealed, the state judge was overruled, and the polls were closed after remaining open a total of 45 additional minutes beyond the legal closing time.

But the USA is the example of “Best of Breed” democracy, are they not?  No, they are NOT!  Clearly!

I hope Obama wins and I hope he fixes the problem!

Then there is the little matter of Australia’s sexist Leader of the Opposition (LOTO).  Why did he turn out that way to begin with?  After all, he is clearly out of step with the rest of the population, so much so that as I write opinion polls have him so low on the scale of preferred opposition leaders he really should just give up on ever getting back that lost salary component he needs to balance his domestic budget!

News breaking over the last few days makes it reasonably clear his university college is still as bad today as it was back then.  Not only that, they managed to get a third year female student to front for them to assure the public the college isn’t really a training ground for bigoted, sexist future politicians!  She was pretending to be a “fresher” a first year student.  This is the college that doesn’t speak to female students on Fridays and refers to them as “jets” – “just excuse the slag”. Yet, westerners love to complain about the treatment of women by Muslims? Get a grip!  The students of this college awarded a prize, I read today, to a fellow student who raped a woman. The award was FOR THAT ACT.  Oh, very civilised, I am sure.

Insiders report that college rector Michael Bongers has maintained a hardline  stance against ritual abuse.  A Sun-Herald investigation has found     he is not only battling students with a mob-rule mentality,  he has also been  consistently undermined by some of the college’s fellows. Among them are several  old Johnsmen who appear determined to preserve the college’s outdated  traditions.

In  developments yesterday, a senior college source claimed Mr Bongers would  be axed on Monday, stating: ”Some of the fellows feel that certain traditions  are to be protected and that protection means the rector must go.”

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/culture-of-anarchy-at-a-college-in-crisis-20121103-28qvh.html#ixzz2BPuF0oMC

Yep, that would be our LOTO mentality – stay back in the dark ages!

All parents should be withdrawing their children (clearly they aren’t actually adults yet, despite their chronological ages) from this festering cess pool of depravity.

Make your own decision about Tony Abbott’s performance when questioned about his old alma mater.

On a lighter note, Chris Rock makes a pretty funny appeal to swinging white voters!

First world countries? Models of civilisation and democracy? Who the hell are we kidding?  Because, frankly, folks, I’m not seeing it!  That is without even looking at the other major news story in Australia of late, that Australia actually no longer exists!  If you are an asylum seeker arriving by boat, that is.

Related:

• Meet the pride of St Johns
• Pell withdraws support from embattled St Johns College (Update November 7)