my only consolation is that, since we don't have any political control over our lives in this clayton's democracy, you lot can only talk.

this has psychological benefits to you, and certainly benefits the nation, as i am sure our nation's leaders don't monitor this site for guidance.

murdoch and dubya between them keep johnny on the phone enough, that however much he would like to satisfy the heartland, he's just too busy satisfying the important people.

"the venue for the APEC meeting was decided years ago."

And?

I haven't said anything about whether APEC is a good or bad thing in itself. As I said before, the proposed topic is the effect an attack on the APEC meeting might have on the election outcome.

Obviously, if the election had already been held before the meeting, the meeting couldn't have a retrospective effect on the election. Nor would an attack on the meeting.

Unions and the shadow cabinet don't have anything to do with it either, unless of course they organised the timing of the meeting to coincide with bad poll news for the government, which I seriously doubt.

"APEC should probably be ditched as an organisation anyway - it's good for a laugh over the shirts but little more. Labor will not be able to change that and will, in the end, have even less influence in regional affairs."

No need to be so glum Communicat. Maybe Labor will come up with nicer shirts that make the region feel more inclined to cooperation than it's been for the past decade. You just never know.

Chin up old fella. I've been barracking for the losing team for more than 10 years now and I know how depressing it is. Hopefully my side will have learned from that and this war of Australians against one another will be over soon.

A very strange post, from a rabble rouser, prone to being on the edge of hysteria, who does not even supply his real name.

I think we can pass the test on that one chain smoker.

I'm not sure which of us is the rabble rouser Sahra, but I have my name in my tag.

If anything, this discussion looks at any hypothetical response to APEC rather than APEC itself. The danger that the response from the left is the desired effect that John Howard wants. Including the racism from the other side.

The thread is in response to junkmail and emails from leftist and green groups trying to rally people up to anti-APEC meetings.

Somone raised the costume photo they have to do. You know that they will all wear gum tree green Akubra Hats, Dry-as-a-bone overcoats, and tan pants with RM Williams boots.

Bush will say that this is the most comfortable costume he has ever had to wear, and will keep pulling Howard in for the photographs, Howard will be forced to smile. Howard will be stuck with Bush, and that could be the fun of the meeting.

"Same thing with terrorism and if they are too stupid to see that then dont bother yourself trying to explain it.
Remember we all did nothing about Hitler.
You would have thought they may have learned from that." (Quote:PALIEF)

Oooooooh!, how right you are. When Hitler invaded Australia he set up home over the back fence. WELL!....what a carry on;-stomping around the garden day and night chanting: Aussie!,Aussie!,Aussie! Mein!,Mein!,Mein!. Truly, you can only take so much of it.

..............and that Eva Braun woman,...what a hussy!....

Agreed Bronco Lane.