The real class war if there is any, is that being trotted out by the manifestly mendacious greens?

Is there no end to the (forked tongue) political posturing of these folk, whose only goal seems to be to maximize the number of seats they can win even if that means deserting so called (left wing) core principles to preference the coalition in marginal labor seats?

Simply put, very few traditional blue collar workers would ever vote or join traditional job destroying green?

But some of the trendy inner city latte sipping, apartment dwelling, white collar workers just might?

I believe one of the takeaway messages of this election must be? How much better the coalition did, when the last time the coalition beat Labor in Victoria; a Victorian party leader with both character, courage of conviction and back bone, stated much to the chagrin of the greens, that the liberals were not for swapping preferences with the highly manipulative greens.

It occurs to me that the true democrats in the coalition could just put a stop to these patently massaged, manipulated outcomes, [that in truth defy the real expressed will of the voters,] by simply refusing to do preference deals with the greens.

Who promise an unattainable world in the safe and secure knowledge they'll never be asked to deliver, given they'll not win power in their own right or in coalition any time soon!?
Alan B.

I would question the statement that: "The Prime Minister thinks."

Sure, he thinks deeply about further increasing his monetary fortune and further big-noting himself.

He has shown clearly in a matter of a few months that he has little ability to deal with major issues or to lead.

He dithers around like a menopausal Aunt rewarding the elite, greedy pretentious group that infest the Big End of Town!

Malcolm is not what he claims to be.

I take issue with the author over the oft-repeated verb "earn".

Wealth acquired as payment for PERSONALLY creating goods and services is earned.

Wealth acquired through investment is earned, but not by the person who acquires it. The wealth invested has been created in almost all cases by others and not the investor.

Some return of wealth to the "lifters" whose labour has actually earned it could be effected by a rebate (up to 100%) on taxes paid for wealth acquired by the taxpayer as remuneration for personally creating it ("personal exertion").

Taxpayers whose wealth is acquired by gaming the market ("leaners") should carry the entire burden of taxation to fund the cost of maintaining the nation and building its assets including its productive enterprises and its social services.

Wealth-creating activity includes not only employees' work but all activity which personally creates goods and services. Investment creates nothing - merely allocates with a view to acquisition without earning.

As for budget surpluses, surpluses generated by flogging off the nation's assets are merely fake surpluses. This would include the "surpluses" claimed by the Howard/Costello government through plunder of public assets by privatisation and by sheer piracy such as selling off the nation's gold bullion reserves for some $5 billion or so.