John Howard has swept to power due, in my opinion, to the public's lack of the ability to think effectively about the issues confronting society.

Our parliaments should be institutions where the many complex problems confronting us are analysed and solutions sought. Instead they are places where confrontation rules and simple ideological solutions to these complex problems are adopted by the party with the numbers without any real analysis.

The only answer which I can see is to include the teaching of the skills of clear thinking beginning at an early age. This would counteract the practice of making decisions relying on gut feelings and ideology based on immediate self interest. The only people who seem to understand how people make decisions are the advertisers, marketers and 'spin doctors'. They use their knowledge not for the benefit of society but for commercial or political advantage.

The idea that clear thinking is a skill, which needs to be developed is describ

If the dates on the reader's reviews are accurate, there haven't been many submissions since the Howard government was returned. Either that or those that have been submitted have been culled for some reason. Too rude?

Maybe some spirits have been broken. Well, buck up. I keep being told to accept the umpire's ruling. Howard won, get over it. Get on the train or get off the track. No.

Surely one of the frailties of Democracy is also one of its strengths; that the majority, if majority truly rules, can make anything acceptable. If the majority of Australians voted to imprison children then that is what would happen. In a society sufficiently prepared by spin and fear anthing becomes possible. Does it make it right? If the majority feeling in South Africa was pro-Apartheid, does it make Apartheid unassailably right? No.

I will not accept the decision of the umpire and I consider myself a patriot for it. Some things believed by the majority are wrong. It was true historical

When Howard tries to implement his agenda of privatisation, industrial relations 'reform', welfare 'reform', an aggressive and world-destabilising foreign policy, allowing the woodchipping of Tasmania's forests, etc, etc, it is likely that many who did vote for Howard will start to have second thoughts about the choice they made last Saturday. (If they don't then we are in for a very grim future, indeed.)

If popular opposition does emerge, Howard will no doubt employ, to the utmost, as he has done before, the argument that he has a mandate to do whatever he likes, except, perhaps to reverse the direction the earth spins on its axis.

However, if at that point the Australian public can be reminded of just how blatantly he abused his positon of incumbency for at least the last 12 months, and how almost the entire news media backed Howard to the hilt, abandoning their responsibity to give accurate and objective information, then perhaps the 'mandate' argument may not sta

Howdy from a WAlien.

We in the west are doubly disconnected from the federal process - by historic distance and now by the sydney-centric blinkers of John Howard's regime.

Geoff Prosser has distinguished himself as my federal member by only appearing publicly to hand out money and never appearing whenever integrity/ethical/planning issues are under scrutiny. His slick little advertising 'Southwest News' liftout in the local rag (which rag managed this election to avoid a single headline on a single issue - great achievment even if negative) was the first to publish the fuxed photos of kids overboard pre the last-but-one fed poll. And his office was right on track this poll with more than 3 letterboxings about fiscal dangers of non-coalition voting, together with two nice big advertising splashes about 'security' and 'homes' - whatever those words mean these days.

There has been no opposition to the Prosser line around here for too many years.

So when I got a copy of

Now that it is already starting to fall apart - I think this is a record - 3 days - it is vitally important to keep an active watch and track everything as much or more than before the election. Today for starters we have in the Fin Review - Costello backing down rapidly on the health of the economy, we have Treasury confirming sale of Telstra will cost taxpayers and that Labor was right (surprise!), and that Medicare SafetyNet is costing a fortune already....the chickens are already coming home to roost...may they s**t all over the Coalition and their supporters in particular.

In the mean time, get involved NOW, join your party NOW, speak up NOW, write the pollies NOW ... do not give up! The battle for the next election has already begun.

Your idea of a multiple independants promoting common principles of democracy is (I believe) the ONLY way to fix the huge dilemma that we face as a democracy. I have always voted the Major Parties last for that exact reason.

The title of NHJ is the reason I bought it. But in reality the problems that face our democracy would in no way be over if Johnny got kicked out. It would have been nice to see him punished for Iraq and Im still coming to terms with the disapointment and frustration.

Yes our media laws and senate would probably be safe for a while but if Big Party Liberal can do it then Big Party Labour can do it too. For a long time I have refferred to them as the Liberal/Labour Party. They are in real terms, idealogically, the same Party.

Another party built out of old parties would probably end up the same too because that is how people and power work together. A Network of Independant candidates could one day gain power to fix the holes in our democracy with

Hi, fellow cracys,

I guess by now you will have realised that when Noam Chomsky said years and years ago that 'the truth will be known but it won't make any difference' he wasn't kidding. The election result is a glaringly obvious indication on the lack of impact of any attempts to unseat Howard. Not that I am a Howard fan, far from it, anyone who tears out the heart of a nation and replaces it with Stocks and Bonds is suspect.

However, I would like offer you some general observations. Firstly, the idealistic notion that Protest marches and anything resembling a public display of dissent belong to the mid 1960's, the time was different, so were Politicians. A lot of people laid it on the line so to speak, risked their lives in the process and involved presonal issues(like being drafted) It would be fair to say that now, in the 21st century, Idealistic Protest Marches have become mere childrens toys and need to be left behind if you wish to become more effective. The Sun Herald

For those of you lucky enough to have a 'Not Happy John' sticker on your car, just add the word 'Still' above the 'Not' on the sign.

Better still if you have a brightly coloured or iridescent marker.

It's just a small way of continuing the fight but it all counts, as we suffer another three years under the Howard style of banana democracy. It will serve as a constant reminder to others who see it in carparks everywhere that you saw the light in 2004 (and earlier but they won't necessarily know that!). Time will move inevitably on, and as the Howard banana democracy sells our children's futures (as they inevitably will), your car sign will be a beacon to light the darkest hour!

I am going to take a break from political activism for a bit but will get stuck into it again. As Hugh Mackay said if Labor wants to get back in again in 2007 they have to start their campaign from today onwards. And so will we. We need to become 'average voters' and tailor our campaign. Issues like truth in government, compassion, looking after the more deprived etc do not resonate with them.

What I have started doing is to compile my very own database of likeminded people I meet. My latest on my list is my dentist! That way we can call upon a bigger group to help out. We started our own grassroots campaign here in Lindsay a few weeks ago but there were only 5 of us. We leafletted on The Truth about Interest Rates and the Economy. There was a slight swing against the Libs but not enough!

But all is not lost if Kerry wins next month so fingers crossed!

Cilla Tey
Mulgoa
Member of the Doctors' Wives Club.

So many emails of despondency, but so many more of 'Right! What can I do?'

I've been an activist for fifteen years. It started in forests in NSW, and though the grassroots campaign against the NSW forestry commission was hugely successful, I had to face off the limitations of the movement, which was largely 'hippy' or whatever. (Caveat: the experience gave me an enormous respect for some of these 'hippies').

Then I went to the city, and was forced to face the even huger limitations of what I've come to call the anachronistic Left, who seemed to always occupy the centre of activist space.

What I'm getting at is I have never before seen the apparent beginnings of a movement like I am witnessing now. This is the activist movement I have always dreamed about - real people, from the middle, with everyday values of decency, and who do not have an ideology for a brain.

At the same time there is an incredible cross-fertilisation of views where such wasn't happening. The politi

After Saturday night, my wife and I have had a change of heart. It is clear that we have been swimming against the tide, and it is exhausting, so we have decided to stop worrying and learn to love the Liberal party. To do anything else, it seems, would be un-Australian.

My wife is to quit her job at the Wilderness Society trying to save Tasmania

Any chance of listing the promises made by Howard and then noting the action/nonaction in keeping/breaking them?

We need to monitor this, and his lies, so that we can readily discuss Howard's shortcomings out in the community.

Congratulations on the work you have all been doing. Hope you, in particular, Margo can recharge the batteries over the next few weeks.

As is now apparent to all, we have failed in our aim to dislodge the Howard Government, both in terms of dislodging the Liberal Party and in terms of dislodging John Howard from Bennelong. More seriously, it seems that Howard will control the Senate, either outright or with the help of Family First. This is, to those of us who mourn the loss of our previous acceptance of diversity and difference, a nightmare scenario.

We now have to accept that certain past issues are now dead issues, politically. The voters of Australia have had their chance to have their say against actions in Iraq, against actions against refugees in the past, and against some other issues. They decided that either they agreed with those actions, or simply did not care. If, as seems likely, there is another Bush-led aggressive war in the next few years, the blood will be on the hands of those supporting Liberal this time, but as far as the Iraq war is concerned, while Howard may some day face war crimes charges,

Margo, I said in an earlier review that you were singing to the choir. I didn't realise what a small choir it was. I fear that we now have nowhere to go.

If Mr Howard gets control of the Senate, it will be the end of any effective opposition to this government.

I feel like emigrating.

Hamish: I truly hope not too many people emigrate because we have a lot of work to do yet.

You're right, especially about the Senate. But democracy is not dead yet, and when the chips are down, well, Ozzies don't give up.

The further assault on our democracy has started, just a day after the election, as anyone who has read the news can see.

It is particularly highlighted and recognised in some of the more 'intelligent' postings to Margo's article 'New era dawns for an Australia in Howard's image'.

It's interesting that our 'Prime' Minister, has entered into an alliance with Family First, who seem to be totally at the opposite end of the spectrum to his policies. Oh don't the wedgies hurt when your not prepared for one, Family First?

I'm glad I'm always 'commando', relying on supporting garments I have found, leads to lazy muscle tissue.

It surely was a landmark election in Australia's history, but I guess this government won it and now they can 'OWN' it for the next 3 years.

Watch out for the big global curves coming which will alter the scope of things. All those hip pocket voters are losers anyway: America