Dear csteele,

No angels exist anywhere. I have been active in the US Democratic Party, the Australian Democrats and the Australian Greens. I have found that, in general, the more fervent one's beliefs are the more they are willing to cut corners to further their agenda.

Belief justifies atrocity in religion, war or politics.

Unfortunately those who are about such things wind up governed by those who are not above such things.

The Navaho Indians elect their chiefs. Any Navaho who shows a desire to become a chief or tries to get others to vote for him is automatically disqualified. That works in a society small enough so that everybody knows everybody else.

I don't know what can be done to eliminate political dirty tricks in our society.

G'day Kathoc,
I think it might be more appropriate to suggest the Greens are on the nose, having been associated with that dirtiest of words, “Tax”. Whether this causes them to peak or not remains to be seen.
The party on the slide is quite clearly Labor, and I suspect for much the same reason as the Democrats slid.
Since Hawke the Labor party has deliberately downplayed its commitment to any social democrat -or democratically social- principles it may have had, and concentrated on capturing the centre.
Now, it really isn't entirely clear what they stand for, apart from retaining power.
At all costs.
Earlier in this thread, Jon J. made a valid point. We don't vote parties in, so much as we vote parties out when we become dissatisfied with them.
To overcome that bias, an entry level party is going to need a very strong, one line message.
Even “Keeping the bastards Honest” won't cut it, unless the Democrats can clearly demonstrate that they aren't just more bastards.
A strong commitment to restricting parliamentary salaries would be a good start.
I note the Greens made some rather quiet noises in that regard, but don't seem too enthusiastic about making an issue of it, strangely enough.

Dear davidf,

You wrote “I have found that, in general, the more fervent one's beliefs are the more they are willing to cut corners to further their agenda”

Amen to that brother.

It was a pity Natasha's 'New Politics' came during a revolution in the party rather than an evolution. It had merit but could have done with far better articulation.

My claim to fame is singing 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' one night with her and a few others in a Sydney Karaoki Bar in the wee hours. Ah fun times when change did seem possible.

You say “I don't know what can be done to eliminate political dirty tricks in our society.” To me the answer has always been banning party membership of any sort from those want to be elected into our upper houses since most of the 'political dirty tricks' come from party politics.

Just imagine if we took the following literally;

“The provisions governing the qualifications of candidates for election and of senators, once elected, are contained in the Constitution and the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (CEA). The purpose of these provisions is to ensure that the people who stand for, and are members of, the national Parliament are beholden to no-one but the electors as a whole and may therefore perform their duties free from undue external influence, including from the executive government, foreign governments and commercial pressures.”
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/guides/briefno19

Wow!

Imagine defining 'commercial pressures' as lobbyists for big business with their party donations. Imagine defining 'executive power' as the party which holds government. Imagine defining 'undue external influence' including union heavyweights.

Just imagine 'Senate Societies' all over the country where learning and debate were nurtured and respected, where ideas flourished, where principle mattered and our thinkers honoured. Kind of revised Mechanics Institutes. Where we could listen to and support people we thought capable of rising above the baseness of party politics, those not seeking to hold the reins of power rather to curb its excesses, and those, forgive me Kathryn, who could get elected without having to use your skill set.

Dreaming?

Definitely.
But a nice dream.

G'day Grim. Mostly agree with you and where you are coming from. Telecom, with all its reported faults and so called union domination, used to earn the govt something around seven billion per, ditto CBA.
As we look around the world, we can see no evidence whatsoever, of any instance where privatisation has actually reduced costs.
Our gas, i.e, rose 400% immediately following privatisation!
And I can recall a time when your line rental alone, paid for all your local calls, which is where the bulk of small business enquiry and consumer demand is serviced or born?
I strongly disagree with the views of some patently unfriendly political activists posting here?
Who claim to see the left and right squeezing out the middle!
There patently is no longer a left or right in modern politics, just an up or down, or good policy V bad policy?
Good ideas are always worth investigating and perhaps even adopting, regardless of their source.
While it might seem like a political stunt, I think the party could win quite massive and immediate support, if every candidate was to give his or her political promises and or party preferred policy, future vision etc, wired to a polygraph.

[Privatisation could in many cases, be reversed, relying entirely on market mechanisms and better revenue streams? And you bet, that outcome would be universally popular, with the overwhelming bulk of the electorate! Particularly if the commitment to just such an outcome, was delivered wired to a polygraph!
There is, it would seem, far too much dishonesty, never ever weasel words and non core promises; in, win at all costs, modern politics?]

As far as I can recall, only one party member has ever been publicly polygraph tested, with a consequent doubling of popular support, in spite of perceived personal failures; and or, all too human shortcomings, in his past.
I believe the middle ground along with practical pragmatism still exists; albeit, vacated and a place from whence the democrats can rise like a phoenix, from their ashes; and or, Meg Lees perceived treachery!
Rhrosty.