(Brent P)
No one on usenet needs to defend their point of view, and it would be a waste of time and effort to try to do so.
No one is tracking "every movement of every citizen" here, and doubt very much if it is happening there either.
It is, of course, theoretically possible, to an extent, if a government wanted to do it, but what would be the point?
Do you really think your government is that interested in your movements? Why should they be? If they cannot even catch persons, criminals, illegal immigrants, etc. what would you be doing that would make you so interesting to them?
Why should I try to justify anything to you or anyone else for that matter? Everyone has their own opinion on a multiplicity of issues.
Again, as have written before, have lived for decades in both the US and Australia, and I have no doubt which one offers the most freedom.
However, perhaps we value different things in different ways. I don't worry about the universal health care system here...but I would certainly miss it if returned to the USA.
I have no control of what is done there, am just telling you and others on the group what is done here. I've never heard of anyone being searched in a random breath test stop, even if arrested for being over the limit. Nor does the highway patrol have a "drug dog" at hand.
All they basically want is to see your license and get a breath sample.
Not true. :-) The Australian government, like any government anywhere, is capable of doing some pretty silly things.
In which case, they would pull you over after a glance at your license plate, and wouldn't need to catch you on a breath test. From memory, the little scotchlite reflective stickers are different colors for each year so they don't even have to look very closely.
The system is a bit different here. When register the vehicle they send out a decal about 3 x 4 inches which goes on your windshield or drivers side window. The date, month, and year are prominently displayed.
No idea. I very seldom even bother to watch broadcast TV, and I don't bother with a satellite feed to provide additional channels.
I doubt it.
No, I sincerely believe that. Show me where the US Consbreastution, or any other law, establishes it as a "basic right". The government maintains a system of public roads and highways and has the right to protect the safety of citizens using them. Therefore they have every right to demand that road users meet license requirements, keep their vehicles in good repair, have third party insurance, etc.
If you, personally, don't want to meet these requirements, then you can ride a bicycle or a horse which requires no license or insurance. However, you will have to wear a safety helmet. :-)
Suppose you had been hit by a $50 junker driven by a teenager and the car was his only buttet. What good would it do you to sue? Sure, you might be able to get a judgment against him, but there is no butturance that you would ever get any money from him.
A matter of opinion. I believe it is a matter of the government wanting to protect people resident in Australia, and not wanting someone to be a load on the health care system if they don't have to be.
A mechanic cannot be expected to inspect a vehicle without charging a fee for doing so. Why should the taxpayer cover the charge? Most Sydney residents don't really need a car, the city has a good bus, ferry, and electric train system.
Sydney isn't like Los Angeles, after all. :-)
But they don't do this. The standards are widely known, and you don't have to have them fix the problem. You can do it yourself, or take it to a friend, or another garage, or whatever. When it is fixed, you bring it back and it pbuttes.
If you want to think so, don't let me discourage you. :-)
Posting from misc.survivalism
Cheers,
