Brendan O’connor seems to take the view that it was university educated intellectuals like him, that built America and Europe and kept them free, and will provide them with freedom and security in the future. OH! I FEEL SO PROTECTED.

In fact, it is a lot of the namby, pamby, effiminate, intellectual left wing types with their appeasement and cowtowing to every other culture and country but their own; who champion multiculturalism, who got America and Britain into this mess in the first place. It was the multiculturalism and political correctness that allowed America (and later Britain) to be attacked from within and so precipitated the Iraq War.
Give me men like Russell Crowe’s GLADIATOR or William Wallace(BRAVEHEART)any DAY

I see. So Sharkfin jumps in with a vote for warlords. I didn't actually notice any analysis there.

I'm sure William Wallace would handle the economic crises just fine. Heck, all you need is a decent 5'o clock shadow, a manly voice and a decent battleaxe.

Meanwhile, back in the real world where black and white have been introduced to grey and people realise that the term intellectual doesn't have to signify left-wing academics, the train has left the station.
Passengers, please leave your ranting polemics against left-or right wing views at the door, or I'm afraid I'll have to ask security to class you as a ranting partisan nut and eject you from the car.

Have a nice day.

Sharkfin
>> "the namby, pamby[?] effiminate [?!!], intellectual left wing types with their appeasement and cowtowing to every other culture and country but their own; [?] who champion multiculturalism [?], who got America and Britain into this mess in the first place.[?]"<<

I don't know if you noticed this but George Bush, Cheyney,Rumsfell, Perle aren't any of the above more like manipulative, immoral,self agrandizing, beligerant, Xenophobic rightwing nutters like the real William Wallace.

>>" It was the multiculturalism [USA?] and political correctness [how?] that allowed America (and later Britain) to be attacked from within and so precipitated the Iraq War"<<.

I think you'll find the US involvement/manipulation in the middle east and support for oppressive regimes in the name of profit self interest might have had more to do with it than PC or Multiculturism.

>>"Give me men like Russell Crowe’s GLADIATOR or William Wallace(BRAVEHEART)."
The real William Wallace was in reality an internecine bully/thug was caught by the Romans after 2 years, dismembered and his body parts were sent to different parts of the the the country. His achievement... nothing! The Vikings (they were simply meaner, nastier and more bloodthirsty)later did over his part of Scotland.

I would recommend you read a bit more but wait...that might turn you into a (see your quote).

I'm stunned to learn that 'Weary" Dunlop, Nelson Mandella, and their ilk were (see your quote).

Next time you're sick remember it was one of these (boo hiss) intellectuals who discovered/developed the cure. In fact the same goes for just about everything from canned food to shelter were developed by these namby, pampy intellectuals ( but they weren't exclusively left wing though).
Who needs fact when you have opinions?

Turn Right Turn Left-
“The term intellectual doesn’t have to signify left wing academics”

I agree wholeheartedly, a lot of the supposedly educated intellectuals on the right side of politics weren’t smart enough to make sure the banks were properly regulated either. William Wallace couldn’t have done any worse than some of them.

I believe the only reason Australian banks had some regulation was because the politicians got a fright when Christopher Skase bankrupted Victoria; but it still didn’t make them smart enough to realise that the banks could bring down the whole economy and should never have been privatised in the first place. I remember sitting at the family dinner table and saying exactly that to my family when it came over the news that they were going to privatise the banks. It should be written into the constitution and be understood in the world community that the banks should never be left unregulated because in fifty years times when they forget all about this it will happen again.

You asked for analysis of this article -:It proposes the idea that Sara Palin appeals to anti-intellectuals, this therefore suggests that anyone who votes for Sara Palin is non intellectual (or not very smart) because she is a real down home American loyalist. I disagree. I think history will prove that the loyalists were right and not as lacking in intelligence and foresight as some who think only they are capable of intellectualism think. I am responding only to the thrust of what this article says about Sara Palin, and her down home American loyalty I really havent heard that much about her.

I think there is a risk that the Republicans could get in simply because the carpet-advertising by Obama could give voters a stomach-ache from surfeit.

It is time that the cost of US - and some other -elections was cut down to economically bearable levels.

It's not the anti-intellectualism that bothers me, it's the extreme, fundy, right wing,lunatic religious zealotry that makes her appear stupid and not to be using her intellect. Actually, it's more of an anti reason and rational thinking than intellectual. Palin probably has brains, it's just her thinking and judgement is clouded by faith.