Dear Prof

Just letting you know that this thread is still active and your observations are appreciated.

I feel the urge to unburden myself, because there's no fool like an old fool.

I became a member of the Labor Party for a while, in order to join the fightback against the Kennett Government's excesses (as I saw them). Job done, I went back to sleep. With the wisdom of hindsight of course, I am beginning to realise that that regime change was effectively no more than a game of musical chairs.

Since so many of the (then) new Labor members were naive, possibly genuinely idealistic, how on earth were they so easily absorbed into the status quo? It's got me tossed.

I really needed Chavez, but all I got was Bracks and Brumby.

I wanted a little more common-wealth and the joy of new ideas, but all I got was more poker machines, bitumen super-highways, rule by entrenched financiers and planning by their entrenched vulture consultants.

I wanted the opportunity to contribute my experience, but all I got was commercial-in-confidence and PPPs and contractual secrets and GM crops - and "b---- off, because we know what's best for the money-men is what's best for you".

- so I have to admit that it's all the same And like I said at the start, there's no fool like an old fool.