NB my last post was incorrectly addressed to Ludwig (sorry)
it should have been to poirot......

Ahem sorry.

Hey Belly,

What say you open a thread about scrutineering after the polls?

I thought for a moment you already had, but I must have imagined it. Could have sworn I posted to it, too, but the Oldtimers must be getting to me, because I can't see any trail of a discussion about it any more. Musta just sent the post to bed in my filing system by accident, instead.

There just seem to be so many threads about the relative merits or demerits of Julia or Tony, or Tony or Julia, or the Libs and Labs, or the Labs and Libs, that I must have got lost in the matrix somewhere, because blow me down if I haven't found another one.

Hey, I've got it! I reckon some hacker (Jim Hacker?) must have hijacked the OLO index page, and just for fun is putting up different topic titles like the one I thought I had posted to, but they're all really about Tony and Julia, or Julia and Tony, etc, etc, etc. I actually think he may have 'identity-thieved' Belly's OLO userID! Yeah, that must be how he's doing it!

Well, I know how to fix this hacker right up! I'll post off-topic to his damn Julia or Tony, Lib or Lab, love/hate thread!

Belly (the real Belly, that is), you've been on OLO a fair while. Do you think other OLOers would be interested in discussing a bit of online scrutineering after the polls? They could all do it from the comfort of their opinionating chair, couch, or whatever it is that they recline upon while giving the world the benefit of their thoughts.

Do you reckon they'd be in it?

I value your opinion, because I believe you've actually done this important work. Someone has to help keep the bastards honest. Do you reckon they'd be up to it?

My husband feels the same way as Poirot.
He's telling me that he's simply going to
front up on election day, have his name crossed
off the list and hand in a blank sheet.
I'm furious at him.
I agree with Examinator, that it's not a big ask
to select , (every couple of years)
if not the candidate of your choice,
then the Party, that you feel will best run the
country. Surely we all have an opinion on that?

I've voted in every single election since I was
eligible to vote, and I will continue to do so.
Simply because I feel that if I don't, I deserve
someone like Tony Abbott! ;-)

If you do not I will start such a thread after it is over it should fly.
Hasbeen gee you come across as an unhappy person.
Voters who take as much time as you do, think as clearly as you do, are not wrong just because they do not do your asking.
I count both numbers and keep an eye on preferences.
I do not wait for Senate votes but do watch officials, many are pumped up bullfrogs full of self importance.
Yes Ludwig I have voted for a candidate I did not like.
But while we face an uphill battle my candidate this time is better than the sitting member.
Votes will be counted many times after my job is done and I do Help any one in there who needs it from any party.
Do not ever think those who destroy votes are silly they act silly but are the first to complain no matter who gets the job.
Read my posts, I have issues with Gillard ,yet she will re state and act on a sustainable population and like it or not do every thing she can to stop those boats.
More votes can be lost by ignoring them

Examinator “Personally I see the 'spoilers' to be the biggest hypercrites in that they don't have the courage of their convictions to get up off their self indulgent butts to change what is wrong.”

How about compulsory voting was abandoned and those who decide to spoil their vote could stay at home and save everyone else the bother….

Exercising their democratic right not to participate

“Doing nothing is a destructive/ churlish choice.”

But then, so is voting labor

<< Ludwig, how can you say that? >>

Hasbeen, I presume you are referring to my agreement with Poirot that Gillard IS << … pointing our society in a more constructive and cooperative direction … >>

Inasmuch as she has expressed concerns about sustainability and a move away from a big Australia, she has made a very significant change to the up-to-now entrenched and untouchable continuous growth paradigm.

But yes I agree with you that apart from some motherhood statements in the right direction, she has not cut the mustard!

You say;

<< I expect she will be elected, & be an even worse mistake than Rudd, if that's possible. >>

Hmmm. I share that fear. Well, I can’t see how she could be worse than Rudd, but yes, she could well turn out to be a very long way removed from striving for real sustainability or from meaningfully pulling back from rapid population growth and other big issues that really matter.