Fascinating. Who would have thought that runner would have valid input -aside from the alternate view of evolution and basic physics- on the political scene?
Once again Pelican is the soul of reason, and Houllie is the legitimate scoffer, but what else has been accomplished?
Objectively, "Juliar" has copped far more than she deserved (remember "children overboard" and "never ever" and "L. A. W. Law"?)
I would like to propose the "Barbie Principle". Not original, I know; it has been used in ads.
But let's, for the sake of argument, take it literally.
Suddenly Rudd's back on the menu. Why? Because he got shafted.
Who would you invite to your Barbie? Someone who would chip in, or someone you couldn't trust to shaft you when your back was turned?
Why do we accept different standards for our representatives, than we accept for our friends?
Would anyone argue that our representatives are incredibly unlovable?

http://www.smh.com.au/national/redneck-politics-abbott-accused-20110916-1kdz8.html
Good morning to my fellow travelers in the land of Insomnia.
I have had my first brief dip in to the waters of our news reporting.
Maybe I dream, I could still be sleep but no.
The link, it reminds me of ten threads maybe ten times ten.
Insulting hurtful unfocused threads and posts.
Telling us how awful these men are.
Yet?
I live near both, know with no doubt both once had the strongest support.
I am reminded, my claims our country's politics's at a low point.
Reminded too of my thread trolls, how we are charged by one from our most biased news media out let we are not Representative.
History from a view not cluttered by self interest, may look at us unkindly.
But I have hope,truly,that Australians can sort the truth in the long term.
Next week Tony Abbott if he supports the Greens walks out on a cardboard plank.
A very big fall is a possibility.
He is risking wakening public opinion to its interests.

Respect, a quick look at the mob surrounding Minister Bowen today reminds us of this thread.
I wanted to be there, to confront the ugly mob, let events take their own direction.
His family, any politicians family deserved better.
I wanted too to be able to confront lunatic trade unionists in the 90,s who broke windows in Parliament house.
Notice something about minority's?
How prone they are to violence , to abuse those who do not agree.
To even stop posting here because it is pointed out nearly nine to one do not agree with them.
Note too the numbers of women screaming in todays group.
They are the first to decry violence if it suits them.
No respect today for majority/them selves and their victims.

Lexi,

You've got to wonder why we're being led to distrust and fear our National government, this mood among White Australians didn't come out of thin air it's been manufactured.
According to Rob Oakeshott it's all pandering to "Redneck Politics", maybe if us White people with necks red from toiling in the sun actually had political representation we'd be a bit more tolerant.
The myth of the "Easy Going Aussie' is a joke,truth is most of us are only about as tolerant and reasonable as your average Taliban. White Australians are just fed up with egalitarianism and, to the extent that they are politically aware fall into two camps, Right Wing Fundamentalists and on the Left, Deep Green Fascists.
The WW2 generation set out to destroy White Australia, this is a fact, they talked about it constantly, trouble is that they turned their backs on their own kids who then spawned my generation who were raised largely free from indoctrination and slipped back into the "bad old ways" of having White babies and holding a reinvigourated concept of Blood and Soil.
The boomers can't govern, they have no spurious claims to moral authority like their parents from the "Greatest Generation" did, we don't respect them because they're not respectable, hell their own parents wrote them off.

Good Morning, Jay of Melbourne.
An interesting post indeed, the hardest thing for my generation (born just before the end of WW2), is to see respect of all things worthy fly out of the window. At one time we, as kids, were told never to discuss Politics and Religion at a social gathering. To have respect for our elders, whether or not they deserved it, they were elders, and that was the criteria. We had good manners drummed in to us, younger people used to stand up and relinquish their seats in order for a more senior person to be seated. We thought nothing of it, it was all part of the social mores. We were not goody two shoes, it was part of our raising.
There is nothing wrong with strict parenting, provided it doesn't go overboard. But today, it seems that every one is a social individual, and thought for others doesn't exist. We see that everyday, with people getting drunk and either glassing others, driving whilst under the influence with passengers in the car, speeding, doing drugs, breaking and entering and much, much worse., I hope this present day attitude dissolves soon, and people become aware, that we all have to share the burdens of the day, both good and not so good. "Luck" doesn't happen, the harder we work the luckier we become, it is also very satisfying. I cannot in truth say "bring back the old days", I hope that things will cycle again, I guess by then I will be pushing up daisies.
Cheers, NSB

Hi Lexi,
I enjoyed your insightful post, I cannot add anymore to it. There has to be a huge clean up of morals and media, (although they are not all bad these days), but between the aforementioned and the wolves (aka roving reporters), it is no wonder that people are scared of things (ergo the carbon/mining taxes) these ridiculous adverts on TV with people moaning that they will never be able to survive because of these taxes, are not silly, they have been scared into not understanding things. One would think that with most people owning or having access to computers would research the rumours, and probably realise that there is no need to be scared. I am very bemused at the social behaviours these days, and lack of understanding.
Have a wonderful day Lexi
NSB