Hi pelican,

Yes, it's so hard not to be cynical.

I have no doubt that the next federal election will again be overshadowed by the biggest float as it careers down the main street of election central...that is the "middle-class pork-barrel float"...(it's always a winner:)

Did the UN General Assembly get their vote wrong? Perhaps the overwhelming UN vote in favour of recognition, endorsed by the Australian public opinion reflects the sense that the only way a settlement will move to a resolution over Palestinian boarders will be with the Palestinians seeking redress through the international courts and achieving a court ruling rather than waiting for a conversion by Israel's leaders on the road to Damascus.

its taken a long time but people are finally waking up to the corrupt nature of man despite political persuasions. Maybe a few character checks before elections might help instead of pretending we are surprised afterwoods.

"Afterwoods" Runner have you considered Speech Therapy!

A great stateswoman - Margaret Thatcher, back in 1983 addressed her party. Here is a quote from part of her speech. "One of the great debates or our time is how much of your money should be spent by the State, and how much you should keep to spend on your family. Let us never forget this fundamental truth: the State has no source of money other than money which people have earned. If the State wishes to spend more, it can do so only by borrowing your savings or taxing you more. It is no good thinking that someone else will pay - that "someone else" is you. There is no such thing as public money - there is only taxpayers' money".
We as individuals attempt to balance our finances and live within our means and debt free. Our children will suffer for years trying to pay off the billions of dollars debt which this government has incurred in just 4 years. From surplus to huge deficit at a time when our economy has been booming is surely a sign of complete and utter incompetence and failure by the present government to manage our money wisely. Instead of managing the economy, our money is being wasted on schoolyard style personal mudslinging. What must other government leaders think of us?

I forgot to say Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of England when she made the speech from which I quoted. Maybe some of the younger Forum members are unaware of how highly she was regarded by the heads of other governments, and those who were in her own Parliament. She obviouly never thought gender should enter into her arguments - she was too self assured to feel threatened by anyone. Her title as the Iron Lady was well earned. She did what all good P.M's do - made decisions which would benefit her people and the country as a whole. Never vacillated, and always stood by her decisions. While not everyone agreed with all her policies, she earned the trust of the people. The words in her speech have lost none of their relevance, and should apply to every government in the world, including Australia.