Are we letting the politicians and ‘ think tanks’ driving us by letting them set our mindsets?
We let them determine the boundaries of our discussions i.e. Even though we all agree that we are all different we allow political marketing expedience to determine that people are either exclusively LEFT or RIGHT. (A hangover of the cold war)

In truth very few of us fall comfortably into either category. Most of us are a mixture of perspectives depending on the issue, circumstances, upbringing and life events.
i.e. The (allegedly) Left still demands the cheapest goods, The (alleged)Right still demand government help/handouts .

To limit our thinking of how we see ourselves and others simply reduces us and them to caricatures. Surely today we need to think out of the ‘two boxes’ for good ideas.

I fail to see how politicians have control of what we think.
I however being from left of center can see the difference between the very left and myself.
And for that matter the very right.
I question how much control politicians have over us.
Yesterdays NSW local government elections have proved to be An ALP train wreck.
Clearly a well deserved one.
Card carrying members walked past unattended ALP stalls and voted other than party lines.
The fact those unmanned stalls shouted unhappiness at a party in ruins can not be ignored.
Rees in my view will win back some support but can not stand still for an instant voters are in control.
Yes we in truth only have two choices, the other is a balance of power thing, but I have faith in most voters.

Dear Examinator,

I admit I am influenced by policies and the
public image of the politicians.

The current PM, Kevin Rudd, is someone I admire greatly.
Why? Because his policies make sense, as
does his plans for Australia's future.

In a lecture that the PM gave to the Sydney Institute,
on 17th April 2008, he stated:

"Great challenges lie ahead of us. Now more than ever,
we need a real debate that transcends the old battlelines
of the Left and the Right of Australian politics.

For many years it has been unfashionable to talk of a vision
for the Nation's future. In fact, some have argued that
framing such a vision is ideologically unsustainable
because Nation's simply evolve as a consequence of the
market forces that shape them.

I disagree because I believe a small country occupying a
vast continent in a region as wildly disparate as our own
has no option other than to plan for its future.

...I believe that as a Nation we need to come together
around clear long-term goals for the Australia of 2020
and beyond. Excessive caution and a fear of failure should
not hold us back.

In fact it has been the absence of such agreed national
goals over the last decade that has seen us waste the
great dividend that has flowed to Australia through
our record terms of trade.

How different it would be now if we had invested the
estimated $398 billion boost to the budget bottom line
in the decade from 2002 into funding a total education
revolution?

But, instead of investing in the future, against concrete,
realistic goals the revenue was consigned to consumption,
both public and private, opportunities squandered, rather
than opportunities seized.

We can either drift into the future or we can take
hold of the future with our own hands to shape
the future, seize the day."

"Abandon left and right
For a vision to unite!"

We all have a chance to vote. Five minuites after the count, some people are not satisfied with the new govt; Left , right , in between , so wat. The decision has been made, thus get on with it. Govt terms are not long. You will have your chance to vote again.

the problem is, olly, you never get to vote for what you want: a green policy, a health policy, an economic policy, etc. you only get to vote for a party in which policies are bundled so that you are necessarily voting against your wishes in some, even most areas.

that is why a democracy is vastly more effective in providing good policy- ten million choosers are always smarter than 5 politicians running a country to get elected again, if your goal is to give people what they think is best.

but it's worse than that: when you vote for a party, you don't really know what policy you're getting. all you're really voting for is ' i think this mob will hurt me less'.

are pollies shaping our minds? you bet. it starts in grade 1, with the books you are exposed to. if your reading is confined to official history texts, you are owned.

the media are complicit as well, their advertisers like stability. the academics often know better, but either buy the national culture from their own childhood conditioning, or protect their careers by admiring the emperor's clothes.

don't worry about it, though. in my experience ozzies are so well conditioned that even a little change is unlikely. just put your head down on the grass and think: "4 legs good."

Foxy I too am happy with Rudd and he indeed is restoring our country and its image.
One day another great leader will follow him from the ALP Bill Shorten.
Even after more state ALP governments fall like over ripe fruit we will see Rudd continue.
But end left vs right?
Sorry within the ALP it will be half a century before that happens.
A fine thought but currently imposable.
Demos while hoping for the impossible is not totally wrong.
We elect party's who sometimes promise one thing and deliver another.
For the first time in my life I did not hand out how to votes in NSW local government elections this weekend.
The coming by elections too will shout a message to my party.
It will be heard and acted on.
Fine idea no factions but even the conservatives have them.
Both good and bad, more bad than good? they are the glue that holds my party together.