Jeez Dennis you write like one of those elites that Professor Flint keeps warning me about.

"Better dead than elite" and "Beware the elite under the bed!" sort of thing.

Gallows humour aside I congradulate you for drawing the comparison between Nixons Southern Strategy and whats been going on over here.

Do you think though that Labour and especially Kim are obsessed with emulating Howard's small target strategy used by him during the Keating election?

I am sorry but I see howard as a congenital liar, a thoroughly divisive deceitful politician. There is no doubt at all that he purchased the last election. He had his compliant bagman running around this nation with a bag full of bri- er sorry money to help worthy Australian people. This man is disgusting and I speak as one who was raised as a liberal voter and who has voted liberal more than any other party. Maybe unlike my fellow country men/women I cannot be bought and as well I can see howard for just what he is. numbat

Numbat, I'm sure that Dennis agrees with you. He's not in any way pro-Howard - his point is that if the ALP don't understand Howard's strategy and related changes in society, they will be unable to devise a successful counter-strategy.

Solgenitsin wrote about how groups of decent people can be socialised into doing anti-social things to their captives in the Russian Gulags. Its been the way with the Coaition government; Mr Howard promised high ministerial standards when first elected; now standards are appalling, the buck doesn't stop anywhere. The last election showed how the Liberals would stoop to any level to win the last election; meanwhile Latham was winning it for them.

Mr Howard has stated several times that he will govern for everybody; he doesn't offer the appropriate exclusion phrase "as long as your an empoyer." The proposed IR legislation is patently designed to work against working people. There are already AWAs that have been shown to be patently against working peope; eg Bakers Dozen.

While the Coalition may be at its' zenith at present, the large majority coud very well become unmanageable in the long run. The cynical manipulation of the electorate cannot be continued for ever, also.

Since when did John Howard say,"It is was alright to dislike Muslims?"He ,like most of us have disagreed with their religious philosophy and barbaric laws,but there was never any suggestion of racial or religious vilification.

John Howard is doing right what most of the politically correct don't have the courage to face,i.e all cultures aren't equal because of the process of evolution,and we have to be selective about whom we invite,or become like the depravity from which they are escaping.We will all then, have a no win situation.

Why are the left so idealistically stupid?

Dennis,

Exceptional analysis.

Forget all the politics students - this is worth a read for it's non-aligned neutrality even though I hear a hint of Howard dislike.

I am not sure I accept fully the analysis on how the ALP should face Howard but I do agree that the "l"iberals of which I am one are Labor's worst enemy.

I think this GetUp! website will prove once and for all that the "l"iberals are simply stirring up support for Howard.

Britain needed Thatcher to have Blair - I suspect the IR changes could help Labor's electoral position in the long run - so long as they don't remain hostage to Unions. Oops I just fell into that "politics student" trap.

Bring on ALP primary pre-selection as a means of creating better candidates with more of a finger on the suburban and regional pulse.

Brilliant stuff,
Corin