Alison presents a strikingly clear arguement outlining why the Democrats are as useful to Australian politics as a back pocket on a T Shirt.

Both her and the Greens to a leeser extent, wallow in the luxury that is found in not having to make any decision on matters that count, indeed implementing anything on a national scale and genuinely negotiating with the big boys internationally on anything from Iron Ore to Ironing Boards.

Her lame echoing of that bloody me too nonsense highlights her fundamental misreading of the Australain electorate - we are content, if indeed not smug with our lot - we thought JWH was great but we got bored - we really think the change will help - but it will be business as usual because we like it that way.

Many seats changed hand on a handful of votes - where she is right is that Chairman Rudd beat the Coalition at thier own game - that makes them better politicians only - not a better government.

She is better off aiming her criticism at the electorate who still see the ALP and the Coalition as partners in policy crime form which for the short term it reaps the benefit. Bagging out the winners ( and indeed the Coalition) is a waste time. Tell the voters, coerce , convince and convert them. Either that or bugger off.

We have two parties - the official coalition and the faux coalition betwen the greens and the ALP - conveniently similar to meet the ends we choose, more or les.

I am no fan of the Democrats, but they did go into the 1998 election promising to support a GST. They did not break any election promise in doing so. They managed to get fresh food exempt - a bad policy in my view, but nonetheless what they promised to do. The Democrats must be the first party in history whose demise has been blamed on their cvarrying out an election promise.