GET HOWARD OUT Hello all, Firstly, I will start by saying that if you have ANY interest whatsoever in federal politics and are as desperate as me to vote Howard Out, then read on........ Secondly, I am one of a group of people (a few solicitors and representatives from a variety of community-based and non-governmental organisations) who have decided to organise and run an awareness campaign throughout this election, which is NOT attached to any particular political party, but that is designed to keep social and human rights issues on the agenda for this election and is ultimately aimed at removing John Howard - based on what we perceive as consistent and blatant breaches of human rights standards. Now for the detail......... Idea / Purpose: to reinforce and raise greater awareness of social and human rights issues in the 2004 election. Therefore, the purpose of the strategies outlined below is to encourage people to vote against returning John Howard as Prime Minister. - ie:

This week's Nielsen Bookscan non-fiction results are in...and NHJ has roared back into the Top 10, resting at Number 8.

PLUS, for democratic freaks and lovers of web brilliance, check out this.

Margo, I find reading NHJ really difficult. At the end of each chapter I slam it down and walk off steaming, only to come back to it in a couple of days. You remind me how angry I was about the war and many other things.

I don't just want Howard out of office. I want revenge. Of course this is absurd as I won't even use fly spray at home. Maybe that is the problem. The meek aren't managing so well at inheriting the Earth. Lying rodents seem to be doing pretty well though.

I've become active in politics for the first time ever, not that I have any faith in Labour which is the only alternative we have at present. This system of government is a crock. There has to be be a better way of finding the right people to run this country.

Last night I finished reading Not Happy, John - thank you! Lately I've been feeling so depressed and frustrated with politics in this country particularly when I watch or read the news. I vote for the Greens but sometimes think what's the point of voting at all?

It's not all doom and gloom - I feel that I can do my bit in a small way through my job as a history teacher by engaging the kids in discussions about politics etc and that is definitely very rewarding.

Although I found your book depressing in places (because I feel so much anger towards Howard et al) it has inspired me to not give up so easily! One of the most useful sections of the book is the list of websites - I've just been to nothappyjohn.com and your SMH Webdiary so I will definitely visit them on a regular basis and further my education on these matters.

This reminds me that I found your section on Pauline Hanson very interesting because I am exactly the type of person who was quick to rip h

I bought NHJ today. I was last reading 'The President of Good and Evil: The Ethics of George W. Bus'h. It made me depressed and angry. NHJ also is making me angry, but in a good way. Although I live in a safe Liberal seat, I will now try and contribute in direct action to get rid of Howard.

Hi Margo. Just a short email to say thanks for writing your book 'Not Happy John!' The issues you cover form the true basis for deciding our next prime minister and our future.

I was stunned by the events surrounding the Bush visit last year, and I keep saying to myself that Australians can see through the veneer and total disrespect of alternate views shown by this government. Then it hits you again. How can our prime minister neutralise the Greens? Simple - keep calling them a bunch of 'tree huggers' and continuously use the term 'looney' when referring the green's policies, reinforcing old stereotypes and ending any possible meaningful debate.

Here's a letter of thanks to Margo, of which we receive many, but for one reason or another Margo insisted be a blog

Hi Margo

Thanks very much for the 'Not Happy John' stickers - we are on a campaign of sticking them around Fremantle. In fact we recently went to see Germaine Greer at UWA and gave her one which she said she was going to stick on her Avis rent-a-car.

It's amazing how much energy your book has helped to create. Thanks

Emma

If you are a fan of what Howard and Nelson are doing to Australian Education please disregard this. If you have had enough, please help us to spread the word of www.dearjohn.org by forwarding this page to other academic and letting students know about this site.

Dear John was initiated by young Australian designers interested in how, in these post-political times, they could motivate their peers to defeat Howard in the upcoming elections. From the beginning the site set out to explore new communication strategies for engaging young people in conversations about politics. Although united by a common agenda to defeat Howard, the designers do not push which party to vote for, but use free downloads of t-shirt transfers, screen savers, badges and stickers to get young people sharing and talking about socio-political issues.

Central to the idea behind Dear John is the notion that networked communities will use the internet, email and mobile

Dear Margo

Read your book with zest. If there are later editions, please correct Harry Heidelberg (Page 365) where he says Murdoch started at the Advertiser in Adelaide. It was of course at The News in Adelaide.

Best wishes
Phil Robins

Time to Go John! film night

Dear Margo

We are inspired by Fahrenheit 9/11. We are exasperated and angry Australian filmmakers. And we have come together to create a feature length film of short documentaries, animations and political satires exposing the life, lies and crimes of 'honest John's' government.

Time to go John! The documentary that reminds you of the nightmare John Howard wants you to forget.

Fundraising opportunity for Not Happy John campaign. The Not Happy John Campaign can run an easy to organise fundraising film night screening this exciting and pertinent new film. There are two ways to do this.

Method 1 - Community Theatre Screening
Many community centres/libraries have a 'video projector'. Simply attach your home DVD player to the projector and voila - you have an instant film night.

Method 2 - House Party
Organise a fundraising dinner/cocktails/luncheon and screen the DVD on your home TV to the group attending the event.

Y

Excellent site for people in Wentworth.

www.turnbull-last.com

On Tuesday 7 September 2004 both major political parties jumped up and down about how each of their tax policies will give tax relief to low income earners.

Now, what happens to pensioners who don't receive enough income to pay income tax directly, but pay tax indirectly through the goods and services tax (GST)?

Our pensions increase according to the CPI, but we cannot control the price increases in supermarkets and places where we have to buy food and get other services. These prices go up and up, and our incomes don't but as the cost of everything goes up, so does the amount of GST on everything.

Result? Pensioners are losers yet again! Is anybody offering relief? Are pensioner bodies screaming their collective heads off??

Not a murmur from anyone at all!!

Greetings from Far North Queensland! I am in the seat of Leichhardt which is safe territory for the PM. It was a seat that went Liberal in 1996 and has remained so ever since. I don't see a lot of Liberal disaffection here but there most certainly is back down in Sydney. In Wentworth, it is most certainly the case that people are Not Happy, Malcolm! The Turnbull - King stoush will be particularly interesting to follow.

I've been saying for a long time that Howard tends to 'piss on the core while buttering up the marginals'. I'd guess that most Liberals in Wentworth are relatively moderate in a more traditional Liberal sense. Turnbull doesn't in any way represent the Liberals of Wentworth. It will be very important that all true Liberals vote for King to send a message to the hierarchy that it's not OK to steamroll locals. Besides, independent 'conservative' candidates (eg Andren and Windsor in NSW) are usually better behaved and more ethical than the 'real' thing.

Today's local papers are carrying a story that the Ryde City Council, which covers most of the Bennelong electorate, is upset at Andrew Wilkie's signs and plans to take them down. Now while his signs were put up early, under State Environmental Planning Policy No 60, temporary signs 'for' a 'political .. event' do not require council approval if they are displayed no more than 28 days before the event, so if the council touches such signs after Friday, it will be they who will be breaking the law.

I have spoken to the Mayor, and he tells me that they interpret 'for... a political... event' to mean it has to advertise the event. They are on very shaky ground here, since 'for' is a term of wide import that can import anything relating to the event, and the constitutional right to freedom of political speech would weigh in favour of a wide interpretation.

Nevertheless, the Mayor has said he will be instructing his people to take them down and if we want

I just finished your book 'Not Happy, John' and very quickly wanted to say thanks to you for having the courage and conviction to write it. I have never been politically motivated or involved but have increasingly become disenchanted with the way our democracy and society has headed over the last 8 years. Your book was my first step in taking a more active role in our democracy. I will continue to get more informed, more active, and further involved.