right wingers are much more likely to think first and foremost of the policy's impact on themselves and their immediate family."
Jon J,
You've really got that back to front, just look at the unions.

Roses1- you said "It's increasingly clear that many of the rich and most of the very rich got there by mainly by luck, inheritance,(e.g Gina) swindling, deception or a combination thereof."

Really? Name a prominent wealthy person who you know simply swindled or lucked their way to the top? Its clear you have zero understanding of what people have to do to succeed at that level. You don't seem to understand that it takes a lot of ability to do what Gina Reinhart has done.It seems you believe people are rich because they are evil and lucky and you are not because you are good and unlucky. Seriously?

Hasbeen,

I believe you have every right to use the public system.

I was merely pointing out the hypocrisy of you saying to Roses:

"...Then as a lefty you'll expect my taxes to pay your doctor for you.....Lefties are very good at spending other peoples money in their chosen area, where the right are much better at saving their money, & paying their own way."

Hasbeen writes: "...if you have forced me to pay for a public health system, don't expect me not to use it. That really is hypocrisy with a capital H."

I look at it more as common decency.

I earn enough to not need the public health system, so I don't use it. But I'm still happy for my taxes to pay for the health care of those who can't afford private health. There's nothing socialist or "bleeding heart" about that, it's just part of living in a civilised society.

The thing irks me the most about the Right, is the fact that so many of them would quite happily see our public health system abolished for a fully americanised one. One where those who can't afford health care are sent home to die or left with a second mortgage after a life-saving operation. That's not just wrong, it's downright evil.

I have complete faith that the Coalition will one day realise this dream. It's their final frontier. But I won't feel sorry for you're average rightwing suburbanite bogan if they wake up one day, only to find that they've lost all access to affordable healthcare just because they didn't like the fact that Labor restricted where they could fish, or because they don't like those funny looking people invading our shores.

Fishing restrictions and boat people won't seem like much of a problem after you're told that the excess after the car accident you were in will still be in the tens of thousands.

AJ Phillips,
I have lived through the Joh era in Qld & let me tell you we had free health, dental etc. no death duty & all worked well. Then Labor got in & the rest is history. Don't preach to me about left vs right. The Left is constantly harping on about democracy & education when really they're building an Ineptocracy & dumb-down our kids.

Tony Lavis; very witty Tony; a picture of Bush to prove the right are stupider than the left; yeah right; which one of these is you:

http://www.zombietime.com/hall_of_shame/

Are you in there Poirot?