Electioneering

I don't think it's any news that the present election campaign has been a complete washout.

Eureka Street rightly points out that both parties have abandoned any pretense to promoting social equity, and entrenching the idea of punishment as the controlling force in welfare policy.  So much for social progressiveness as a positive value in forming public policy.

On Crikey, there are various expressions of the widespread ennui with the way the campaigns have unfolded, and the sheer nuttiness of most of the lobby-level players, such as banking and big mining.  And Crikey has published an E-book about the rise of Julia.

My biggest quandary at the moment is how far below the Shooters Party and other assorted scary groups to put the Liberals, and whether Labour should figure above or below said party of the mad, bad and dangerous to know.

If you thought the leaders debate was a risible farce, try this:




The person representing Family First is completely insane.  I really pity her children, having the world explained to them in terms that only Sir Joh could relate to.  What is it about these inarticulate conservatives that makes them so unreasonable and so slippery?

For my money, the best quote is at 7:36, when Wendy (FF) informs the country that it's a free society, having spent the rest of the time explaining why it shouldn't be so.  And her evasiveness over making a clear statement of the preference flows from a Family First Senate vote is heroically ridiculous.

It's a sad realization that this may well have been the highlight of the election campaign so far.