There were some intersting findings ‘Those up to age 19 years were more likely than any other age group to be concerned about the price of petrol’! Wow! That’s like finding ’15 year old boys were more worried than any other age group that they would die before they lost their virginity’. But I digress…

Young people almost always struggle to keep up financially, unless they come from a wealthy family. This is virtually by definition because wealth is create over time something which young people haven’t obviously experienced as much of as older people.

OK another angle…a capitalist demoncracy by definition only works if there are relative variances in wealth distribution…even Jesus saw this. What you are talking about is needing the equal opportunity to create wealth. My experience is that there is no other country in the world that provides a better range of opportunities to create wealth for someone who is wants it. And there is no other country in the world that better cares after the disadvantaged, if they want to be looked after.

So blame Howard if you want. But I remember being 17 years old and unemployed when Bob was in charge and unemployment went up and up to 12% and I couldn’ get a job for 6 months despite three interviews a week (and even daily showers didn’t help). Now, all I see is businesses begging for workers (it’s the only thing holding back the growth of our business) and anybody who wants to earn a living, can.

Or you could blame Paul now that he’s retreated from the cut and thrust into his world of pithy sound-bites. After all, he deregulated the financial services industries and introduced those super funds (through which you are the shareholders in the rapacious banks).

The one thing not dependant on age or economic status though is – intellectual rigour independant of political bias. Embrace it, it makes a much more compelling and persuasive rhetoric.

There, I feel better now!

Shalom!