So we're heading up to an election (can you smell the pork barreling yet?), I'm planning on running as an independent for NSW in the Senate election, but I thought I would see what other people thought about the smaller parties and independents.

Do they have a place?

Are there too many?

Would you run if you had the chance?

from, or to?

why go into politics when the brothels are crying out for limber bodies untroubled by morality?

but if you don't care about your reputation, and are not afraid of the industrial disability known as politician's rictus, and are untroubled by the prospect of telling lies in the presence of objective evidence to the contrary, or...

c'mon- you're joking, right?

Umm no I'm not.

I would have thought that the cure for a rusted on two party system would have been more participation by the population rather than less as you seem to be calling for.

au contraire, mate.

but joining a bandit gang is not the way to beat them.

start a citizen action group to bring democracy to oz, and i'll be in it. but it'll just be you and me, and it needs 100,000 to do any good. the british heritage of submission is just too strong. even admitting something needs to be done is beyond them.

"she'll be right" should work for another few years, glad i'm not raising kids tho'- howard's mob has shown there is no protection from fascism in oz culture, the next lot will develop from there.

James, I am sure that your intentions are truly honourable but what do you know about the integrated system of law we are expected to have under the Australian Constitution.
I recall another senator who got elected by default after the decision of the HighCourt and he also thought he new it all. He spent the first three years running around the country chasing fairies, rainbows and State's rights but failed to realise that the States only have statutory Rights provided by their Constitution if it is not in conflict with the Australian Constitution.
I don’t totally agree with DEMOS either but one point I don’t go along with is we should start a citizen action group to bring democracy to oz, we already have it here we just have to recognise how it exists and how to have it implemented.
DEMOS is correct in saying that joining the bandit gangs is not the way to beat them and creating another like entity is also destined to fail due to the absolute control of the electoral registration process of reregistering gangs as Qld One Nation is discovering that reregistering under the amended Act may not be that successful.
Neither gang want any opposition as there is a lot of money and power tied up in this power sharing arrangement.
Howard's mob has shown there is no protection from fascism in oz culture, the next lot will develop from there. No not quite correct they already exist in the States as fascist regimes and they are fully developed, all they have to do is change their address.
I suggest that you very closely at the legal system, as apposed to judicial system, provided by the legal-profession in the States and which is also used and taken advantage of by the Commonwealth when prosecuting alleged offenders, local dissidents or objectors for breaches of the agreements entered into with them.
One agreement that comes to mind is the terms and condition of the 130,000 page agreement that you entered into when you made and signed the application for a tax file number

Dan, could you please define exactly what form of "fascism" you think is in operation in the states? Mousillini's italian fascism? Hitlers Socialist Fascism?

I'm sorry, but I don't see fascism at play in the states. I see ineptness, a little corruption and the everyday grind that is confrontational politics, but there aren't any brown shirts or black shirts goose stepping down the streets.

Yes there is plenty I don't agree with, and many things that I think are dangerously close to damaging our democracy (the anti-terror laws and the governments application of them for a start). However the people have a choice, whereas in a truly fascist state, they wouldn't.