Although circumstances and events can run against each of us for some time, and we can, at times, become quite despondent about life and where the world is going, most of us live with the belief/expectation that, in the end, things will go "right", that "right" will win out, that those who game the system, principally for their own benefit, will be found out, and held to account.
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This was certainly the case this week for two of the most uninspiring, indeed dangerous, global leaders, Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, who were clearly brought to heel, being forced to recognise that no-one is above the law.
The Democrats, who control the US Congress, formally moved to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump for "seriously breaching the Constitution ... betraying his oath of office and America's national security" in his dealings with Ukrainian President Zelensky seeking "dirt" on Joe Biden's son and his business dealings in the Ukraine.
The UK Supreme Court ruled that Johnson had acted unlawfully in shutting down the UK Parliament for five weeks - a unanimous decision by the 11 judges.
Both Trump and Johnson are in denial, essentially ignoring the substance of the claims/actions against them, and are going strongly on the offensive, as if they had every right to act as they did, even if proven to be outside the law. "Nothing to be seen here!"
How silly did our Prime Minister look in his US visit this week, sucking up to the US President as he did on every possible occasion.
How silly did our Prime Minister look in his US visit this week, sucking up to the US President as he did on every possible occasion. Trump led off, of course, by claiming himself as something of a "role model" for Morrison's recent election win - Trump stated that he believes Morrison won because he followed "a lot of the same things" he had.
Morrison rapidly embraced all this, even going so far as to add weight legitimising Trump's trade war with China, by arguing that China's status should be "upgraded" to that of a "newly developed country" in trade and other matters.
I don't know how, or indeed why, Morrison could just sit there like a Muppet, without commenting, during Trump's rambling press conference in the Oval Office, ranging across a multiplicity of issues, many of no interest to Australia, but especially as Trump boasted as to how easily and quickly he could start a war with Iran.
Similarly, I really can't understand why Morrison acquiesced in Trump turning the opening of an Australian-owned plant in Ohio into a cheap campaign rally.
Moreover, Morrison did all this while not attending the UN-sponsored Climate Summit in New York, again confirming our position as a global "laggard" in our poor response to the climate challenge.
Moreover, in terms of the atmospherics of the week, Morrison also seemed to be operating in support of Trump's climate denialism, and of his denigration of Swedish student climate activist Greta Thunberg, and particularly her powerful speech to the UN, especially when he also attacked Greta by warning against fuelling "needless anxiety" among our children about the climate issue.
Really! Morrison simply can't pretend that the climate challenge is not to be taken seriously, or that we can just push it off to future decades. This is simply "stealing" from the future of our children, who will never let him forget his irresponsibility in this matter. Children are right to be worried and anxious, and Morrison's so called Quiet Australians, many of whom are also increasingly worried about the future of their children and grandchildren, will run away from him too on this issue.
It is clearly not in our national interest for Morrison to see himself as Trump/Johnson Lite! He may see it as "clever", as a personal PR exercise, but what he did contributed nothing to good government here at home.
Indeed, Morrison's actions have increased the global risks to our nation, leaving us exposed to mission creep in the Middle East, and the butt of global jokes about our appalling response to climate, failing our national and global responsibilities (especially as the second largest exporter of fossil fuels), while squandering the enormous opportunities to lead on this issue, and as a renewables exporter, costing us billions of dollars of investment, and thousands and thousands of jobs. This has not been a good week for Trump, Johnson, or Morrison.
John Hewson is a professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU, and a former Liberal opposition leader.