A lot going on in this post. It would make a good summary of the larger picture internationally of the covid mess.

It was a very similar result to the federal election - both major parties lost support, but LNP lost even more than Andrews' ALP.

It's clear that the media is heavily invested in the 2-party system and does its best to prop it up by never reporting on any of the independents, even though they won 40% of the primary vote. We're talking about the lowest primary vote for the major parties in history but never a word in the media about that - i guess to reduce vaccine hesitancy or some such crap.

Independents got 40%? That's astounding. It's way ahead of what's happening in the US, but then so many people in the US have just given up entirely.

Andrews' delivered a few more entrants into his 'World's most risible man' highlights reel along the way - the best of which came in the debate - talking about his draconian, CCP-style response to Covid in which Andrews set a global-record for longest lockdowns whilst having people arrested in their homes for opposing his radical crackdown on freedom. Paraphrasing:

During Covid, I was prepared to make the tough, unpopular decisions to keep all the citzens of this great state safe. Leadership is a not about doing what is popular, it's about doing what's right.

This is a bit off-topic, but with regards to the fake two-party system (which is really one corporate party), Biden recently struck down a rail strike.

This exemplifies the extent to which there is only one party in the US, the Corporate Party.

Shortly following Biden's statement, outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced her chamber will move this week to take up legislation requiring rail workers to accept the tentative deal and denying them their right to strike. Without a contract deal or congressional action, a strike could begin early next month.

All they wanted was sick days. Sick days.

For a start, lockdowns were wildly popular in Victoria (and other states). Having whipped people up into a state of constant fear and vilified (a) anyone suggesting Covid was caused by the experts & (b) the vaccine/lose-all-my-freedoms hesitant, Andrews succeeded in creating a Danimal Farm mentality. Under this mass-formation psychosis, the more jackboot the premiers became, the more popular they became - a fact that was lost on none on them - it spurred Andrews onto setting the above mentioned lockdown records. At the height of it, Andrews popularity was in the 80% range - that's by far the most popular he's ever been - it's an insane level for one person in a democracy - naturally that is going to go to your head and drive you to become even more fascist-like. We've mentioned this before, but a key point that both Orwell & Huxley made is the 'mob-mentality' that serves as driver for totalitarian regimes. That 80% is the key number - once you've got that then you simply round up the rest - ban/jail them.

That's right. Go against the grain at your own peril.

Entrant 2 comes from Andrews victory speech:

Andrews: This (Covid) was a one-in-100 year event and because of the tough decisions that we made, and … the fact that Victorians stuck together … we went out and got vaccinated. Because vaccines work.
As a community we were not, as some would say, divided. We were instead united in our faith in THE science.

Firstly, Covid was a lab-leak event caused, then covered-up by THE Science.

Secondly, the vaccines didn't work - let's not forget that AZ was the only vax administered in the initial roll-out - it's now banned coz it doesn't work & the adverse-effects were too dangerous. The others supposedly worked for a few months - none of them work against Omicron. The only thing that ended the pandemic was the milder strain of Omicron.

Funny, I got the J&J initially, then a booster, free from the US Govt. Then they quit giving it because they decided it wasn't safe enough. Now, if I want a booster, I'd have to get the other type. No thanks. I'm not anti-vax, I'm just careful. I am around covid positive people all day, every day in enclosed spaces. I was sitting with a kid just last week within 16 inches of his face as he coughed all over me as I showed him shit on his computer. Then three days later he tested positive. This shit happens every week for me, literally. We've all been exposed to this virus. It's everywhere. So what. Get a vaccine when I've had kids literally spewing this shit in my face for the last year? Why? I've gotten the best vaccine possible already! Spit in my face!

Thirdly, we're not united - we're divided - like never before. Andrews, quite deliberately, achieved this state by whipping up hatred for anyone questioning the experts re the origin of Covid, the War on Freedom, & the vax-hesitant.

Divide and conquer. Oldest strategy in the book.

Fourthly, Faith in THE Science, which he trumpets as his big achievement, has been the most dangerous sociological development i've witnessed in my lifetime. Science is not supposed to be a religion - science is not a matter of Faith! It's no coincidence that the cultural stranglehold held by THE Church has now been replaced by THE Science. It's used brazenly to spread lies & vilify/ban anyone questioning it - when questioning is meant to be a core pillar of scientific endeavor.

That's right! The new religion. Just as we couldn't question the priests, we can now now question the scientists. Fuck them all.

Interesting, isn't it, that somehow humans managed to survive for hundreds of thousands of years without priests or scientists.

At the end of the day Andrews probably won the election by promising to spend his way out of Covid like a drunken sailor - which means even more Belt & Road projects for Victoria sponsored by the CCP - which means even more entanglement with the CCP. It's no coincidence that Andrews Covid power-grab/crackdown on freedom is straight out of the CCP's playbook.

That spending is also what's causing our current round of inflation. It must be nice to be able to print money.

A lot going on in this post. It would make a good summary of the larger picture internationally of the covid mess and also of the last hundred and fifty years.