Up _ _ _ _ Creek Without a Paddle!

I simply don't understand why politicians are so shallow, so self-serving that most of their actions in office are marked by their own perceived legacies, rather than what is required for the people whom they represent. Don't worry about our failing health and education systems, just spend billions on roadways that will help some local poli in the coming elections. That sounds fair enough doesn't it?

The Australian governments of the last several years have slowly but surely lost the plot, both state and federal, and from the people's perspective, we are losing our standard of living, losing industry and jobs to foreign ownership, and simply suffering from bad policies from which we will suffer the ramifications for decades.

What does a country need to be successful in world markets. 1/ Education: without it we can never be competitive in world markets nor be innovative in areas of growth that can sustain the future economy. 2/ Healthcare: If we do not take care of our people, both the young as those carrying the weight of our future, and the old as those who sustained our past, what possible future do we have?

So what have governments done to protect these two vital necessities? They are tearing them both to shreds, cutting funds for both to the point of utter disaster. While the state government of South Australia mismanages the new Royal Adelaide Hospital: blown out budgets, time delays, impossible systems and a plethora of problems that should never in good management exist at all. And in the end, the health system is at critical point with diminished funding. As I said before these ambitious projects are more about who built them politically, that about why they are being built.

Australia is facing a black hole, with Asian labor destroying our own manufacturing industries,

overseas commodities undercutting our local producers, and jobs at their lowest ebb, who is going to drive the innovations that could save our long term economy? Just think of all those brilliant minds out there who can't get into university because of the costs and lack of placements.

It's about time someone put a blanket on these self-serving, self- maintaining politicians who earn ridiculous amounts of money and for some, just to sit in parliament of a few sessions, say nothing, contribute nothing and still earn what most of us couldn't even dream to earn. There's no control beyond themselves; and how can you trust any of them. I Certainly can't.

Politics is becoming a joke, and dare I say, becoming like it is in America. Now that's frightening! We, as the people have barely any influence other than a single vote, which right now gets us nowhere, whoever we vote for. Where have all the eloquent, trustworthy, honorable public servants gone? Got me !