Well, why the need for opinion?As I said a while ago,"Experts know all about the pieces, but no one knows how they fit together."

HENCE WE HAVE THE NEED FOR PUBLIC OPINION!

well i need an opinion urgently if anyone wants to help me:
do you think WA parliament reflects the will of the people accurately? (in reference to the state election)
pleeaase people
thanks

Numbat,rodents have an uncanny way of surviving, time and time again.Be careful ,you might be relegated to the "Cyclops order of power without perception"
Politically,John Howard can think in many planes at the same time.It has nothing to do about your moralising or mine.To effect economic and social change,you have to remain in power, stretching the bounds of your own credibility,and then,and only then, can real change occur.
This is why we have had such a long period of economic growth.

Perhaps opinion writers are just trying to make a living - putting their children through school, pay the bills and pay for their private health insurance.

Really, if you don't like opinion don't read it (although obviously you know about this site).

Your point could be made about any amount of other people who do something for a living.

Why all the novelists writing fiction, why all the actors making movies, why all the sales people selling widescreen tvs, why are the fast food companies selling burgers.

Because there is a market for it and people buy it.

The opinion makers work hard at their job, they do research and then they formulate an opinion which some people will agree with and some won't.

It may surprise you but many people in Australia actually like to debate what is going on and a lot of the arguments will be based on opinion not all cold hard facts. Try going into any pub in Australia on a Friday night or have a beer with tradesmen on any given weeknight.

t.u.s.

And if everyone is so concerned about the truth being disregarded by the evil newspaper journalists, nothing is stopping you from doing a bit of sniffing around yourself and writing some stories. Really it can't be that hard and you won't have Mr Murdoch breathing down your neck (because apparently he is in contact with every journalist in the world telling them what to write).
If you come up with a juicy story exposing a lying politician (or a lying snowman) the papers would love you for it and may even pay you money for it.

t.u.s.

Irony sweet irony.