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 on Saturday quoted the Sun TZU - The art of war, where the introductory sentence states - The art of War is the art of deceit.' Say no more...

Secondly, I happened to come across, by accident, a gathering of what appeared to be the great unwashed in Newtown, a gathering of Andrew Wilkie, the Greens and what I took to be the last refugees from Woodstock. Again, any approach based on this level has to be heading for failure. Great stuff in the seventies and eighties with it's Swansong ending in the SpingBock tour, but those times have gone. A greater sophistication, professionalism and strategic approach is called for if you want to be effective. Does this sound Burgeois? perhaps, but look at who you are dealing with.

Thirdly, and finally (phew) I would suggest that the Labor party take a three year sabbatical, have som time off, travel, see the world, relax, and come back refreshed. I see no point being in the front line taking damage if the Australian Public has effecively stripped all the power from the Labor party. Being as they are now, ineffective and impotent, I see little positive action in their exposure on a daily basis to the battering, haranguing and abuse that will come their way, or at best, a freezing out and mild amusement from the Coalition.

The best outcome for the Labor Party would be to dismantle, rename, rebrand, change their Party Name to something more marketable, drop the Labor image, an image that reeks of 1950's dock strikes, sweaty armpits, Industrial Unrest and 'hard yakka' and get something more appealing up on the board. If Latham wants to leave the past behind, there's a good start.

I see no real purpose in being in opposition for up to 18 years, it would have to have a negtative impact on their attitude, philosophy, future outlook and self esteem. Take a break, break it all up, reshuffle and come back when ready. Sure, the argument will be that long stretches in Opposition have happened before, but that was a different time, politicians still had a heart. The times of Geoff Whitlam are over, his Politics, strategies, tactics, are no longe viable, and, like so many of his ilk, belong to the 20th Century, and with one foot still in the 19th.

As for Andrew Bartlett presenting himself like a stuck pig in a butchers shop (the image of Bungi Jumping), what kind of election result did he expect?

Enjoyed your book.

End of rant

Good Luck