Liz and I have been having quite a few discussions recently about the upcoming election. I enjoy these because elsewhere in my life I find that people just aren't talking about it. Why? Too dangerous a topic? Too boring? Can't be both.
Sure, there's plenty of information being thrown around on the TV if you choose to believe that, but I'm looking more and more online for my information these days and the election is proving no exception.
One of the best sites I've found for providing reasonably unbiassed information is
Counter Spin. Officially attached to
The Sydney Morning Herald, this is one columnist's wrap-up of the goings on.
One of the best things about the net is that it can be a two-way medium, so rather than being blasted at with 'facts' from your TV you can respond in some form, be it a comment on a website, an email, your blog, etc.
I've avoided thus far talking much politics because I, like may people I think, just don't know much about it. I'm a complete cynic and think that all politicians are as bad as each other. If this statement is not true then they just aren't showing it.
Our
twomajor parties spend most of their time slagging each other off (just check our their websites).
Here's a few choice (paraphrased) Howard quotes which I certainly don't mean to imply Latham will get my vote, but might make you think about whether Howard should be getting yours:
As for the Latham interest rate scare, the best of many quotes in response to that I have heard is from the rather well known Geoff Harvey:
"The Reserve Bank and our economy determine what interest rates are, not what John Howard thinks or Mark Latham - I mean that's just political crap."But wait, Howard wants me to
vote for either him or Latham, not any of the minor parties. Am I the only one left who recognises that the only reason 95% of voters vote for either of those two parties is because of inertia? If enough people decided
The Greens,
The Democrats or even the Smoke More Pot party should run the country, it would be so.
So what are (generally) young and disillusioned such as myself and Liz to do? I don't know who deserves my vote at all.
I'm not going to tell you who to vote for. How could I? I have no idea. But whoever you choose, think hard and make it count.