G'day. If you feel like it, wander into Dymocks bookshop at the corner of Hunter and Pitt Streets in Sydney next Tuesday, August 3 between 12.30 and 1.30pm, when I'll be hanging around to sign books and have a chat. And if you want extra stickers, I'll bring the few I've got left to hand over. I haven't had a chance to publish the manifesto of John Valder - one of the blokes behind the 'Not Happy John!' group - but will do so next week. Crikey's national affairs editor Christian Kerr filed this wonderful report yesterday on the launch of Brian Deegan's campaign to unseat Alexander Downer in Mayo. It was in the subscriber only daily email sent by crikey.com.au. Worth the money, I reckon.

While the Americans have chosen a (wise) fixed-term system, our election is yet to be called. It's surely about time Australians think about implementing a Constitutional change towards a more mature democracy. How many of us would love to dispense with the on-going guessing games being waged by our media over John Howard's mind? Will he or won't he call the election in September, October or perhaps even after the November 2 American election?

Today, a small selection of writers and themes occurring in the US over the culture wars and the politics of John Kerry. Many of these discussions provide interesting food for thought here, especially for those arguing towards a strengthening of a two-party system. Is Latham truly the only option? And how much do we really know about him? As NHJ argues, thinking beyond an ALP/Liberal dynamic is central to the future of a healthy democratic system.

First up, a website).

With attention already directed toward Howard in Bennelong and Downer in Mayo, why not make it a Trifecta and knock off Abbott (who denied the majority a republic) in Warringah. For that matter, let's make it a Quadrella and include Ruddock in Berowra. We would then be a long way down the track of reclaiming our democracy and true 'liberal' values.

NHJ! Good luck, mate. (See the NHJ!-Blog for more.)

Great book Margo! I am only halfway through the book but I feel my rage growing as I read each chapter. In the eyes of many, John Howard is far from being the statesman-like figure he imagines himself to be. I believe he will be remembered as being the most divisive Prime Minister in our history - one who has scant regard for the democratic process, the very process he puports to uphold and protect. I am appalled by the continued assault on those journalists who dare to be truly investigative rather than toeing the 'party' line. I am angered by Howard's continued use of pejoratives in order to demonise those who dare to criticise him. I am furious that he seems to have hoodwinked the majority of the electorate.

I only hope that enough of us can 'maintain the rage' for long enough and in great enough numbers to see 'regime change' at the next election.

Margo I finished your book finally. I previously wrote when I was up to the chapter on John Dubya Howard's attack on charities. The chapter written by the economist ex-patriate left me a little flabbergasted by the way this self -confessed lib cannot break the mould of its trend-setters. It is fine to express a point of view, but a view should not contain a lie. This guest writer of yours was going on about companies going broke (HIH, Ansett etc) due to its directors. In the next breath he stated that Kim Beazley's 'black hole of 1996 for $8 billion almost sent Australia broke. This is such rubbish especially coming from an economist. The facts are that the economy was going through its cycle at the time the libs won in 1996. The deficit was no big deal as it was self-correcting as history shows. If this writer is going to keep making the same cheap shots about Labor's black hole then, he and all Libs should know that when Labor won in 1983 the budget deficit was $12 billion dollars

For quite some time now, I've been noticing a number of American citizens determined to spread the message of taking back their democracy seriously wounded in the last years. Novel ways of communicating is the key.

Some write books, some blog, some simply spread the message to friends and family.

But some create wonderfully artistic interpretations on the web. This is one such creation.

It's about the last US American election and the fraudalent removal of voting records in Florida. It's fun, powerful, visually striking and exudes anger. More importantly, however, it's about motivating people to stand up and not let the mistakes of the past happen again.

Words in the presentation are from Greg Palast, author of The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, and one of Britain's best investigative journalists.

How about people creating something simi

Neil Francey, Independent 'small l' Candidate in Tony Abbott's NSW seat of Warringah drops by with a review of NHJ!, poking all-interested potential voters to his rather flash website hub.

Have a swizz around his cyber-empire and check out Neil's democratic pitch - especially if you're a north-shore local who's fed up with Mr Abbott's arguably less-than-honest brand of 'Honest Politics'. NHJ! readers will be bemused to learn that, according to MK, the AEC has (apparently) now decided to drop the whole AHPT Trust fund pursuit. (Keep an eye on Webdiary for more on this soon; I haven't checked out the AEC website yet myself, so if anyone's got more on this, let us know.)

Meanwhile, cheer yourself up by having a look at Barrister Neil's legal work on health and tobacco issues. His campaign slogan

This is not just a book. This is a document nailed to the hall of Australian history.

Author Margo Kingston's 'Not Happy, John' is a snapshot of the national moment. We needed it. Our country's children will be able to look back on this moment and see whether we learned, which path we took.

For all the effort taken in writing it, and for all the damage it uncovers, there is cause for hope. We must view this work in that light.

I am hopeful in that now that we have been given this gift of knowledge, we can each in our own way take a step towards the light. That it exists is cause for hope. That it is charting is tremendous cause.

You go girl.

And thank you.

Personally, my first impression is that this book is eminently readable. That surprised me, because I held with trepidation the nature of the subject matter, and wondered silently if I could as a citizen play a role in its understanding. No problem, the book rollocks along and the comple

A very interesting piece of news has just crossed my desk.

Amazon.co.uk has reportedly barred the release of a controversial book on the relationship between the Bush family and the House of Saud.

House of Bush, House of Saud is, strangely, currently available at bookshops around the UK, but Amazon is claiming legal issues is forcing their hand.

Never let it be said that Amazon stocks every book.

Letitia Davy at Sydney Dymocks advises:

'Margo Kingston will talk about her new book Not Happy, John! which burst onto the Dymocks top ten in its second week. Have a glass of bubbly with us, as we defend our democracy!

Wed 18 August @6pm
424-426 George Street
FREE event but bookings essential

Contact Letitia Davy 92309013, or letitia.davy@dymocks.com.au

NHJ! (JR): Be there, or be square.

Margo you're a bloody ratbag - spawning a 400 page rant that hardly takes a breath in its merciless gallop through the tatters of John Howard's grubby reputation. Any sensible journo of your experience would have taken a comfortable job with Murdoch by now...... Thank God you didn't. Keep on trucking, you mad bastard! (And why can't women be mad bastards too, in the best traditional Aussie meaning of that expression?)

In the new edition of Australian Book Review (August edition) the bestsellers for July come from Readings in Melbourne and Imprints in Adelaide.

NHJ is number 2 at Readings & number 1 at Imprints!

Once again, thanks for all your support.

Today sees the national release of Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. A box-office record-holder and explosive shot to the heart of the converted and undecided, the SMH's film reviewer, Paul Byrnes, writes an interesting review.

He praises the film, generally, though points out that, 'Moore's standard of proof is sometimes too low.'

One of the more interesting areas, related in many ways to NHJ, is when Byrnes comments on the role of the journalist - and how they are constantly failing in their task.

Key quote:

'The job of an intelligence service, as we have been told a lot recently, is to speak truth unto power. At times, this is also the job of the documentary film maker, but Michael Moore inverts the role - he's an intelligence service for the rest of us. That is why he is a hero for the young.'

'Journalists are supposed to do this too, but I think one reason

I read in last Saturday's Icon (SMH 24/7) about the Carbon Defence League's plan (warning: For Adults Only) to remove George Bush. Conservative voters will be offered sexual favours in exchange for signing a pledge to vote for anyone but Dubya. I wonder if we can trust these voters? One may end up being screwed twice!

I gave it some thought but decided against starting something similar here so I will continue with my sticking NHJ stickers all over Jackie Kelly country. Thanks to Margo I have some which I have stuck in railway stations, cinema toilets and supermarket carparks. (BTW, Margo and John Valder were inspirational in Springwood last Sunday.)

NHJ! (JR): Cilla - there are about a thousand smarty-pants comments I'd love to add to that idea...but my wife would kill me. Be warned BEFORE YOU LINK, folks - when Cilla says the 'fthevote' website is 'adults only', she ain't talkin' about an archive titled 'Preliminary Notes For In

I have despaired about John Howard ever since he was my local member in Lane Cove (before he gerrymandered Bennelong and thankfully gave me some sanity in Ted Mack). If Howard has a vision it must be terribly short term and he must not be planning to live in the society he is creating. Prior to his election as Prime Minister he and his henchmen (particularly Peter Reith) destroyed the 1988 referendum (which he has probably regretted judging by his fairly recent comments about 4 year terms), he white-anted Hewson who would have given us a far fairer GST (Hewson promised to make it revenue neutral), he gave time to Pauline Hanson to build a party in not replying to her maiden speech for weeks (58 days?) etc etc - I thought I was alone in seeing my beloved country being divided and our democracy trampled by Howard. You have made me optimistic again.

I will have to start buying the SMH. Thank you, again and again Margo.