Do you not forget our survival is based on our compliance with
bigger nations? We are dependent on the international community.
But that does not mean our politics shouldn't develop, still it is
in the interests of the major economic players for PAP to stay in
power.
Do you seriously believe that LKY will base our survival by
complying with any bigger nations ?
LKY has shown that even as much as Singapore may depend on
the international community, he will not hesistate to put his own
political interests before others.
The Major Powers have "accommodated" LKY ways
even as much as these goes against the grain of the
values professed by the Major Powers - as our
immediate neighbors have shown themselves to be less reliable in
this strategic area in their overall global political
view.
Nature and nurture business in what sense?
You did mention that "nature playing a part in society"
?
My question is are we heading back to the "nature and nurture"
business again ?
Has the SDP not been taking this task to awaken the
conciousness of the largely "kiasi and kiasu" Singaporeans ?
Is the citizens fear due to the "class interests" - or is the
fear deliberately created by PAP to divide civil society, and
dilute the efforts by focussing their attacks on the more
active ones, so as to heighten the price to be paid for
social actions ?
It is a worldwide phenomenon, not only exclusive to Singapore
and the PAP. Most recent elections around the world have seen a
dramatic decline in the number of electorates taking part on
election day. So why are people refusing to vote? They are
downhearted and don't believe real change can come into existence
as long as the major parties continue to represent big businesses
and not the ordinary people. Just look at Obama and his popularity,
probably one of the fastest drop in approval ratings any US
president has ever seen. Go deeper into politics and one realises
it's the same with almost every country, very much monopolised.
Do you seriously believe that there
is worldwide phenomenon in political apathy ?
You should revisit the recently held ‘2009 Elections in Indonesia where a total of
121,504,481 Indonesians cast their ballot papers’ (*1) and
with a ‘Population of 240,271,522 from age 0 to 65 years
and over (July 2009 est) (*2) - this will represent
a political participation of about 50.57 per cent of
the Total Population.
The recently concluded ‘Japanese 2009 Election saw a Total of 70,244,972 voters
which represented a 69.28 per cent turnout’ (*4) and from
a Total ‘Population of 127,078,679 Japanese – from 0 to 65
years and over (July 2009 est)’ (*4) - this will represent
a participation rate of 55.27 per cent of the Total
Population.
Comparing the election results of the two larger countries to
the results of the 2006 Elections conducted in Singapore - the
‘Total Votes accepted was 1,123,000 out of Total
Voting Electorate of 1,222,884 from an electoral roll of 2,147,840
citizens’ (*5) and when compared to the Year 2006 ‘Total Population of 4,401,400 Singaporeans – from 0
to 65 years and over (July 2006 est)’ (*6) - this
represent a dismal participation rate of 27.78 per
cent of the Total Population.
The lack of political participation in Singapore is by
PAP's deliberate design, and not by any wilfull acts of
disinterest from Singaporeans.
The drop in Obama's popularity over certain political
issues compared to the high percentages during the election is by
no means any accurate measure of the citizens' overall attitude
towards Obama's job performance.
At the present, it is against the interest of the GOP to help
Obama to achieve the must touted Health Care Reforms, and the GOP
has sown confusion by creating falsehood and scare mongering in the
Health Care debate.
If you work on the basis of polling - it is best that you take
heed of some who are more familiar and wiser to this American pass
time - "The only poll that matters is the one taken on Election
Day".
Is that your idea of governance and equality? Is it not for the
parent to nurture every child to the best of their ability. After
which are you saying the smartest kid should get all the riches in
the world and the least able one miserable scraps because the
current socal-economic system dictates that? How miserable when
social life becomes a competition! Shouldn't the economic system
evolve to meet the needs of everyone and not profits for the tiny
few elites? When these kids grow up, with varying abilites, aren't
they still dependent on one another? Again, I emphasize needs.
What's the point of having 10 cars when i only drive one.
Governments should also provide free education and healthcare as a
right for all.
A parent can only do so much to level the field within the
Family, and help the weakest child to cope with the
weaknesses and face the competition that everyone has to face
in order to survive.
Is life not competitive even in the social arena ?
Does the current social-economic system dictates that or is that
not innate in the competitive evolution that bring out the best in
each homo sapien ?
In a Family that is closely knit, should the
kids not support one another - is this not obvious in
your family ?
Is there any relevance with your analogy of having 10 cars when
you drive only one ?
Why have cars at all in the first place when the public
transport system is so super efficient ?
Is it not due to the fact that some have too much money and need
to satisfy their own personal needs to seek fulfillment more then
simple needs of having only one car ?
Are you suggesting the leveling of needs to a common
denominator for all homo sapiens and expect everyone to have
simple needs only ?
An economic system to meet the needs of everyone and not the
profit for a few elites ?
Who decide what or whose needs to be met first ?
No doubt something has to happen, but that is where the politics
of the opposition come in. I want to change, yes, but why should I
vote for any opposition party if it does not represent my class
interest. I do not have to repeat myself, same strategy with
different tactics changes nothing. This is where I must warn the
electorate, if you want change make sure your interest is
represented. Do not blindly vote, not
for the PAP nor for the opposition if your interest aren't taken
care of! If no alternative exist, think very carefully
before voting. It take some guts for the construction of new
opposition parties that addresses not only the class issue but
foreign policy as well. Only then might the ordinary citizens in
Singapore experience genuine change.
If everyone votes only for personal interest and not for the
larger interest of the community - are you not sabotaging the
overall efforts to change for the better ?
Is your principle not similar to the PAP's way of dividing
the group to their selfish individual interests, so as to
achieve easy victory ?
The alternative is clear - it is either the existing darkness,
or the propective brightness - should we be satisfied with
a continuation of heavy dark grey ?
The Class issue is a state of mind that divide peoples according
to their interests, their needs, and their goals.
Your stand is merely to propagate the status quo irregardless of
the future - it is fortunate that Nelson Mandela did not have you
in South Africa under the same circumstances -
as your required "Class issues" remains even when
Apartheid has been overthrown for more then ten years.
Are the South Africans better today or under the discriminatory
conditions fo Apartheid ?
Should they have maintained their status quo then and not
overthrow the Whites and their Apartheid politics, and wait till
Nelson Mandela and his ANC find a acceptable solution to your
"Class issues" ?
Did I not say it takes a concerted international effort? That is
why a huge undertaking (many international parties are at it) is
required to bring down capitalism and rebuild another economy based
on social principles.To meet the needs of the people not profits
for the tiny few elites. Most people are sick of wage slavery. "I
work so hard all my life, constantly exploited by my company and
boss, but I still struggle for a decent living." mindset exist in
the ordinary and they are not wrong.
Based on your principle that when certain issues
are not clearly resolved, one should not take any actions. and
if Free Market is imperfect and concertedd international effort
must be made - should we not ask ourselves who should take the
first step to correct the status quo when the pre-conditions and
its outcome is unclear ?
Bring down Capitalism and rebuild another economy based on
social principles ?
What do you have in mind ?
The last clearly understood term about "social princpled
economy" was also known as Socialism according to Marx
principles.
Has it really become more vulnerable or does the breakdown in
world capitalism a bigger contributing factor? Incumbent ruling
parties around the world are faced with the same problems.
The breakdown in World Capitalism was as much due to
the inattentiveness of the various governments lack of
supervision to the capitalist system.
This is evident in the hands off approach of the ignorant White
House cowboy -George W Bush - to the callous ways he
allowed Greenspan to conduct businesses with the Financial
Institutions that led to the global financial meltdown.
Is the Capitalist System broken for good and cannot be
reinstated ?
With its ability to allow energetic enterprise to thrive it
certainly has a lot of mileage left compared to Marx's socialist
levelling of the classes.
This is where I entirely agree. Oink, oink. LKYist state.
However there is more to politics than meets the eye. PAP do have
strong alliances with bigger nation states and for their own
political interests, will want thisstatus quo to remain.
It is not uncommon that the soul has been sold to the devil, and
a pact made for the interim convenience and purpose.
Big yes! What resources do we have on our own? Don't forget our
export oriented economy is very dependent on world consumers.
Is it not the human ingenuity, energy, creative, and
resourcefulness that is primary for many countries ?
What is the use of some countries that is endowed with resources
but remain in poverty ?
Research and objectivity in politics is very important. Too many
people take the mainstream media as unchallenged facts. Forumers
interested in politics should not indulge themselves in identity
politics; apply scientific analysis to history and human affairs is
a fine start to better understand this world. Big brother is
watching but don't worry PAP apologists, I have no ulterior
motives.
It is not the PAP apologists that we should be worried about -
one should be extra sensitive and extra wary towards those who
are defeatist with unclear principles, and push their ideas to
demoralised the population at large to accept the status quo.