Click here to listen or download this interview (mp3, 7.5 MB )

Guest: Australian politician, Sophie Mirabella, Liberal Party of Australia.

Topics covered included …

• Why be a politician? To give a voice to the majority – who are under-represented and treated with contempt by the ruling left-wing elites.
• Journalists see themselves – and are significant players, influencing public debate. But overwhelmingly from a left-wing, collectivist position.
• Sophie Mirabella’s passion for policy development.
• How does a politician win votes and stay in power whilst not wrecking the country?
• The problem with bureaucratic advice, politicians absolving themselves or responsibility for consequences of bad policies. Politicians can lack the intellect to grasp policy consequences. Then there are the usual human flaws and failings.
• Corrupt politicians can last for ages, yet one who makes an innocent error is taken to the cleaners.
• Sophie has copped flak from the media, mainly because of ideological differences.
• Press gallery in Canberra as an “in club” who consider themselves participants (activists), not just reporters.
• Journalists bred by leftie/collectivist Universities.
• Lack of diversity of opinion across the media and academia.Media busily pushes left-wing barrows rather than examining facts.
• Sophie comments on her boycotting of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s fraudulent Sorry Day event. Why didn’t more Liberal and National Party members join in?
• Predicts disastrous future effects on Australian Aborigines of the Rudd “Apology”.
• Issues: Anthropogenic Global Warming? The science is NOT settled. AGW, as a hysteria that’s taken on a life of its own. There are politicians on both who actually do not accept AGW, but go along with it, anyway. Scientists with alternative views being ignored.
• Issues: Carbon Tax, Carbon Emissions Trading: They stem from very flawed premises. Implementation will have adverse effects on economy and on industries. Sophie says of Emissions Trading: “It’s not something I would have instituted,” but believes it will now happen, and that she can not prevent it.
• Issues: The American alliance. America as the leader of the Free World. Most significant cornerstone of Australia’s foreign policy. Australia is a key ally. Despite Labor’s anti-American ranting and raving, they end up supporting the American Alliance. We are in the midst of a worldwide clash of cultures. United by a common hate – the United States – the left aligns itself with the “Islamo-fascists.”
• Disturbed by anti-Americanism amongst today’s youth.
• America’s great tradition of vigorous debate continues and is one of the most exciting aspects of America, in Sophie’s personal experience. Praise for American think tanks. When it comes to debate and discussion, no other nation compares to the USA. America stands out.
• Regarding Australian think tanks, Sophie Mirabella says there is “extraordinary room for improvement.”
• Issues: Israel. Strong supporter. Considers Israel a speck of light amongst the darkness. Israel as a very convenient whipping horse. The depth and scope of debate that occurs within Israel, isn’t found in neighboring states.
• Recommended reading and favorite political leaders. Ayn Rand, a favorite. Also: John Stuart Mill, Thomas Paine, Milton Friedman. Politicians: Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.
• There are no heroes in politics.
• The shunning of non socialist or communist thinkers at University when Sophie was a student and activist.
• Issues: Flat tax? Supports a flatter taxer system. People are better able to decide how to spend their money, than government is.
• For limited, smaller government.
• Receiving the Melbourne Capitalism Award™ 2008 by Sydney Kendall.

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Click here to listen or download this interview (mp3, 7.5 MB )