o sung wu,

u might not be across all the issues however your commonsense more than makes up for that. You seem to have a fairly good grasp on human nature and weakness which puts you in front of many academics kidding themselves that they somehow 'know' best. Even the simpliest of minds can see that 'academia' since abandonding logic by and large is a failure. They have produced self serving pollies rather than serving pollies. Even the uni in Adelaide gave Gillard a top job ( I suppose in teaching how to be a poor PM). Somehow voices like you are silenced which is tragic to say the least. I agree with Banjos assessment of you. 'I find your views interesting and practical.'

runner says in agreement with Banjo -

(regarding o sung wu) "I agree with Banjos assessment of you. 'I find your views interesting and practical.'"

Me too...o sung wu is polite and genuinely interested in other views.

Jolly good show!

Me too...o sung wu is polite and genuinely interested in other views.

congratulations Poirot we can agree on something.

Yes, runner, it seems we can.

: )

Good evening to you all - RUNNER,POIROT, BAZZ and BANJO...

Thank you all for your kind words and your support, something I value beyond more than anything else you can imagine !

While it's true, with many issues and topics, I've a less than average knowledge or appreciation of the many intricacies and technicalities confounding many of our economic advisors and political strategists. I do understand, most are trying vainly to prevail over the myriad of economic difficulties facing our country today ?

However, I do believe I've a reasonable handle on what actually motivates and drives our politicians today ? Simply it's power ! With power one can achieve most things the venal human heart aspires to ? Power, can bring wealth, influence, position, even title. Further, real power can even subvert and debase the very law itself. Such is the immensity and magnitude of real 'power'.

There's but a gap, the thinness of which, a mere cigarette paper may not pass, is the fundamental extent between a politician and a master criminal ? Both crave power, and both seek it, by any means possible ?

Their complex salary package, enumerable allowances, rental and retirement benefits, unfettered use of a 'self-drive' C'wealth (funded) M/V, together with free fuel and periodic servicing. Priority arrangements always exists, whenever there's a need to fly, naturally, at the pointed end of the aircraft ?

And best of all, the right business contacts to be made. Even the humble 'back-bencher' can avail themselves of the many opportunities of linking-up with a 'Captain of Industry', any of which are keen to develop a close relationship with a MP ? All this is a result of conferred power.

I guess my suspicious and dubious disposition is an unintended consequence of over 32 years of being a copper ? The product of which is an inveterate, misanthropic nature ?

Thank you all for your valued contributions.

O Sung Wu,

I enjoy reading your comments as well. Re your last comment: I believe that all those perks for the the politicians that you have listed serve purposes beyond enriching the politicians who vote for them. One is to attract greedy, amoral people into politics, people who will be eager to do the bidding of the rich and powerful in exchange for personal advantage. The other is to coopt people who cannot be corrupted. A new politician from a middle or working class background acquires major investments to protect and expensive new hobbies with new friends to go with them. He soon ceases to identify with the people who elected him.

One solution that might be worth a try is changing from elections to sortition. Our politicians would be selected by lot and not elected.

http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/matt-hall/sorting-out-sortition

Bad people would still end up in Parliament, but it wouldn't concentrate them there as the present system does.

Sortition was widely used in the Athenian democracy

http://www.stoa.org/projects/demos/article_democracy_overview?page=all&greekEncoding=