While most of us, even those like me who are political junkies want it over ,some do not even know it is on and they too have a vote.
A group of school girls asked on radio answered in strange ways, some one is running against John Howard arnt they?
Who has not heard some one who understands nothing about it?
We are told about 8% are not yet committed ,the rest have made up our minds, that number has a few who do not understand the reason we have elections.
Just think 5 more weeks! bet very few do not share my view it will be good to have it over no matter what result.
Did however get a [biased] kick out of old John referring to a crowd in his electorate as Mr Speaker!

old john is getting old. kevvie went from 15 to 50 in about 2 weeks, is only beginning to get caught up.

the election is of trivial importance, we'll keep trundling along toward environmental catastrophe whoever wins.

schoolgirls who don't think elections are worth learning about have it right, even if by accident.

smart ozzies go into the professions if they want money, science if they want challenge, and overseas if they want to talk with peers. so politics is a craft here, like carpentry only not so honorable. little wonder 'more of the same' plus tax cuts is all it takes to be prime minister.

i blame it all on wat tyler: putting himself in sword's reach of king henry was not only dumb, it extinguished any hope for democracy in british society. since then, genetic selection has made brits inclined to curtsey or tug their forelock in the presence of their 'betters'. failure to do so was fatal.

this history manifests itself in the dumb acceptance of 'them' being in charge here in oz, in spite of any amount of evidence that pollies are crooked or incompetent.

GDay Belly. Of course many children are not going to really know or care about the election. But it is hard to imagine that any eligible voter in the country doesn’t know about it, even in the most remote Aboriginal communities.

As for not knowing enough about the candidates, parties or policies, well that’s a different story entirely. Probably half the population doesn’t have an informed view….and probably half of them don’t give a rat’s arse about the whole business. Come think of it, probably three quarters of the population hardly gives a hoot!

And then amongst those who do have a reasonable idea, a fair portion think that neither is really worth voting for and that they will be voting for what they feel is the less of two highly flawed entities, or choosing not to vote for either by putting in an informal vote, or worst of all, specifically not voting for either of the major candidates by casting their vote for one of the minor candidates and not realising that under our disgusting compulsory preferential voting system that their vote will filter down and count for one of the major candidates; exactly where specifically don’t want it to count!!

Ultimately, the number of people who cast a vote will be very different indeed to the number of people that actually support that candidate. The winner will receive genuine support from only a tiny fraction of the community.

The whole business is a foul mess, in desperate need of major reform.

Woops. The second last paragraph should have read;

Ultimately, the number of people who cast a vote for the winning candidate will be very different indeed to the number of people that actually support that candidate. The winner will receive genuine support from only a tiny fraction of the community.

Ludwig no contest DEMOS however I can never agree with you, well yes it would be good to have better rulers but a whole government of independents?
My point however stands, some do not in fact know anything about politics.
Some believe me, have told me they hope Labor wins because they can not stand Kevin Rudd!
I think we can agree most will be a bit pleased to see it over and gone.
In my case old bloke Howard gone.

Finally, the Election has been announced. What is interesting is that the man who has been described as our best Prime Minister is crumbling. John Howard seems to have lost his grip. But, instead of letting go, he's holding on for grim life. When he tries to tell voters he is excited about staying in politics - but only for another year or two - he sounds unconvincing. When he hopes those same voters will be 'kind enough' to re-elect him, he seems a frail man pleading for another win just for the record books. Using fear, as a political ploy - won't work anymore. This is not the Menzies era.
People want - hope - a future that will guarantee - job security,
medical care, education, and a non-nuclear agenda. John Howard will be remembered as the man who didn't know when to go ...

Gday foxy, well in some ways a return to the Menzies era may be just what the people want.
That true old fox valued accountability and a few of Howard's cabinet would be gone if serving under him.
I invite others thoughts on DEMOS and the idea we are worse of for party politics.
I truly fear fragmentation of Parliaments world wide, some country's appear to be basket cases forever because of such practices.
Howard is gone, no rabbit out of his hat this time only about 8% of us are not already committed.
It would take almost all of the non committed to go for the old fellas old ideas to turn this election.
Medea experts are giving the debate to Rudd I can see why Mrs Howard is unwilling to let old John have another two.

Belly, I remember the last time Jo Bjelke-Petersen was re-elected in Queensland in the 80s. We all thought he was far too old for another term and had practically no chance. Everyone I knew thought that anyway. He was a lot older and of far more obvious senility than Howard is now.

So don’t Howard out.

I’ve got very strong feelings on how I’m going to vote. But I still wouldn’t say that I am committed to that vote. I’m receptive to what Howard and Rudd have got to say and I’m willing to change my vote if either of them can somehow convince me of that (currently I feel that neither of them deserve my vote).

I reckon it is the same for many who think that they are committed to voting in a certain way. I bet the potential swinging vote is much greater than 8%.

Lets get in on record I think I have an understanding of Australian politics.
And have zero doubt Rudd will win, in a mini landslide.
Why? passing for policy's the conservative fear and lies are not policy's.
I suspect both party's will regret not spending that tax rebate on health schools water and yes training future generations.
But the horse called self interest always wins, both party's lacked the guts to return that money via services.
Hold me accountable, understand many who will vote do not understand the AWB scandal, climate change turn around by Howard, and a host more but Rudd will win.
Believe me! the unions in charge thing is rubbish!, not now not ever will Rudd let that happen.
Howard had a chance to smear Rudd and took it.
Search however for your self the complete turn around John Howard is doing on Iraq, climate change and what ever else he can steal from Labors policy's.
Those who remember know Sir Robert Menzies did the same quite often.
On the record Kevin Rudd will win, and do a very good job.

Bugger! That confounded missing word syndrome strikes again. Correction to my last post;

Don’t COUNT Howard out!

So what happened to the ‘count’?! It was there when I sent the post. Frrrrk!!

Belly,

“On the record Kevin Rudd will win”

Yeah most likely.

“and do a very good job.”

Now that I seriously doubt….because he’s basically just gonna be a Howard imitator.

What do you think he would do significantly differently that would result in an overall assessment of him having done a good job at the end of his first term?

I would like to side step that one Ludwig, but truth has value.
I am on record both as a Rudd detractor and supporter, I held high hopes for Bill Shorten, still do.
Rudd convinced me to switch from a great bloke Kim Beasley, he has turned my party's head in the right direction.
He has my total support now and forever, he however will not restore union power in the workplace.
He by good government and actions that seem not Labor ones , by the time he leaves office have restored the ALP name in financial management.
He indeed is a financial conservative at just the right time for the ALP.
He will indeed act on climate change and Iraq ,yet strengthen our ties with America not weaken them.
I could go one for pages, it will take place , but what do you expect of a renewed Howard government?
Are any of his pledges non core promises?
How many more flip flops like climate change can old John do while charging Labor with not having a policy?
Let us return to Rudd how is he doing 12 months after he takes office and he will be liked by even more.

Enter the Clowns:

Here we go!..Here we go again!...(You can sing along to it if you want to!)....the good old-fashioned rhetoric espoused by the two major contenders in the (yawn!) forthcoming Federal Election.

The bombastic and ill-conceived promises of exorbitant expenditure by both of the hopeful combatants, using the well-worn adage of "Mine is bigger than yours!"....(Q: How can you tell when a Politician is lying?...A: His lips move!)...and by the way, that wasn`t a worm, it was a snake coming from each of their mouths!

Well Possums (Ostriches) I have some really bad news for you all out there in Droughtyland,...all of those promises, if they are kept, have to be paid for out of the Public Purse, which means that on top of the rapidly escalating food, fuel, housing and other commodity items,....the inevitable sure-fire way to gather the extra revenue required to fund them all, will be the increase in the GST levy from the current 10% to between 15% and possibly 20%, ...which will bring tears to your eyes!

If only we had the chance of electing to Leadership, a politician who had just one ounce of "intestinal fortitude", we may just possibly see a genuine effort to curtail the present outrageous and totally unsustainable level of indebtedness that is leading the this country down the road to ruination!

Envisage the future!....Australia with depleted mineral resources and no farmers to produce food!

Everybody wants it ALL now,...but nobody will want to accept the responsibility when it all goes bad!

cuphandel I see nothing in your post that convinces me you know better than anyone else.
In fact I do not quite understand your reference to clowns.
Can it be you truly think elections by the majority are flawed because your views remain those of a small minority?

John Howard can you spare me a minute? just though I might share a few thoughts with you.
What say you give that international climate change group a call? join.
And workchoices do you ever wish you had thought it out better?
Say one national system based on the NSW model?
And maybe harder laws and fines for unions who step out of line not death sentence's?
No doubt AWB could have been better handled, but how can we clean that up?
Something big John me old mate thats what you want.
How about a snowy river type thing?
Recycle flood waters, or much of it inland?
The old fella tough bloke is not working John the after election debate will be cruel.

Belly:
I do NOT think that it would be worth my while trying to convince you of anything!

"Leesten vary carefully,....I shall say thees only once!"....

"Clown":
1:a performer, especially in a circus, who does comical tricks and actions
2:a person who is always behaving comically.

As for your statement that I voice the views of a small minority,..I would suggest to you that if your antiquated system of "Compulsory Voting" were to be abandoned, then we would see the real statistics of just how many people are genuinely interested in recording a vote, instead of the countless numbers who just place a mark upon the Ballot Paper simply to avoid a fine.

If you weren`t so calloused in your political thinking, then you may realise that these major parties make mileage out of the disillusioned "Donkey" voters and the like, who realise that when it comes to real choice, it is simply the choice between "Cancer" and "Aids",...either one is going to stuff you in the end!

There are a LOT of people out there who want to see a complete change away from this tired old "traditional" system and would like to opt for something different, something that is not propped up by money, power and equine excreta!....I too have a dream!

Cuphandle get a grip on that ego, it is needed.
You want me to think most people who vote do not understand why.
You have an idea so say it is the right one, and devalue all others.
You assure me many want another system than democracy yet fail to explain why they have not worked for it.
Like many you give little credit to the fact this election can only be won by the teams fighting it.
Howard's worn out old fellas vs Rudd's.
the result just must be one or the other.
After the election many will blame voters for the outcome.
A few like your self will claim an inner knowledge, Even questioning the voters right to think differently.
You are however quite right , it is unlikely you could teach me anything.

Belly:
"You can lead a horse to water, but you can`t make it drink!"
In your case, you will surely perish from thirst!

You say the major parties will "battle it out" to determine a winner!
Yes, they will "battle it out", but in the process, waste many hundreds of thousands of dollars,.....money that SHOULD be spent on more worthy causes, such as Health, Dental, Roads, ad infinitum!.....You just don`t get it do you?...these vain, self-serving hypocrites are interested in one thing, and one thing only, and that is attaining the power of "Leadership", at which point no doubt the memory buds relating to the previous promises to the electorate will suddenly evaporate into thin air.

Electoral promises are generally "lies" fashioned and aimed at sucking-in a gullible and trusting public, in an effort to deceive and thus achieve victory, the winner being the biggest and most convincing bull-artist!

I say again that the days of the big party domination are morally over! We need a system that will allow small but honest candidates to have equality of chance of election to government, instead of it being restricted to the "manificent" money-tree backed moguls.There seems to be a flourishing mentality in Australia (and other countries) that ONLY a successful and well-heeled businessman is acceptable as a "possible victorious candidate"....Businessmen have one major aim in life, making profit to improve their own particular lifestyle,....they generally couldn`t give a hoot about the rest of the world as long as they are doing well!

Don`t get me wrong again!....I am not against "businessmen" in general,...just against them being elevated to the office of the leadership of the country. Regardless of what a lot of the "experts" may say,....running a country is NOT the same as running a big business!....there are a lot more human issues involved AND the CEO and his Board of Directors should NOT be allowed to vote themselves massive salary increases, at the expense of the "shareholders" (the citizens of Australia!

Cuphandle you want a world that will never exist.
It must be pointed out we have had so many small party's some full of hope , all failed.
Why?
Your views and theirs failed to get the support of voters.
Search the history of other country's, start with Italy, see the result of Parliament filled with many different views.

Belly:
It is because of people like yourself, with such calloused views that the political situation and the world`s population is condemned to continue down the road to totalitarian enslavement, with the "select" minority at the top of the heap, and the majority "excretaffucating" at the bottom!

Keep on salivating as you fondle your Shekels, ....or whatever else it is that turns you on!