Monarchy

Now that it appears that the Liberal party has something approaching sane leadership ( Malcom Turnbull) it is time for the Republican issue to make a return. In this light the program Monarchy on ABC TV is so far an exercise in monarchical propaganda ; the problem is not so much the quality of the program ( it is very high) it's the way the discussion is framed : the focus should be on the development of democracy. Unfortunately there is no Webchat feedback as there is on the Channel 4 website. There is one positive from this framing : as the conclusion of the program is absurd ; the triumph of a ridiculous institution, the causal inevitability of monarchy outlined in the show must be false. By similar argument the arrival of more and more democratic forms of government is accidental.

Couldn't say it better : La rongeur est mort

Richierich on the Phillip Adam's blog ( the numbered points are mine)
"the Liberals must repudiate Howard and his 11 1/2 year debacle as PM of Australia, if they ever want to be taken seriously as a political force ever again. The Australian people have spoken and they have emphatically rejected this despicable political opportunist and his team of hacks. No one should feel sorry for anyone of them in the slightest.
1.They ruthlessly manipulated situations to suit they’re (sic) needs,
2. maligned opposing viewpoints and speakers,
3. stifled debate,
4. lied consistently and without remorse,
5. subverted the political process and
6. knee-capped the public service.
In terms of contribution to this society, the opposing ledger is blank. Confine them to the dustbin of history as they so rightfully deserve. Let us now move forward. Justice does come to those who can wait."
Each of these numbered threads deserves a chapter in Howard's political history not to mention a chapter on his racism and his burning of the Liberal party. The Nicholson cartoon says it all " So long suckers".

The Australian now censoring its blog

To compound the Australian's woefully biased election coverage it is now excluding certain posters.
Two posts of mine failed to get into its blogs yesterday : one to Phillip Adams and one to Caroline Overington. The one on Overington's referred to her attempt to influence the result in Wentworth ( the baton has now been handed over to Salusinzsky ) . Overington's understanding of polls is extremely weak and the line that the election is close is nonsense, though this line is parrotted by more than one journalist. Why the Adams post was not included is behind me ; basically I agreed with Adams with two additions : Howard's use of lies as a modus operandi and the exclusive role of self interest in Howard's politics.