"Alan" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:04:42 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:

For this election, we do have a few sources that are better than we've had
in the past. And the instant feedback to the politicians doesn't hurt,
either.

Do you really think that will make any difference ?

It may. The whole thing is in its infancy, but it seems to have already
influenced the campaigns. Their reaction time is now being measured in
hours, instead of days.

...politicians
only think of what will affect their snout and what they can get out
of the trough.

The point is that they're being scrutinized to an unprecedented degree, in
unprecedented ways.

The press traditionally has gone fairly easy on the candidates in major
elections, reporting on what they say and do and leaving it to the opposing
candidates to deal with the questions of exaggerations and misleading
statements. They'd run editorials, but, in the midst of a campaign, you
wouldn't see much real scrutinizing going on, and never a relentless
scrutiny like we're seeing on the major newspaper blogs and sites like
FactCheck.org

Now we're seeing some of the candidates' flip-flops and deceits exposed --
often with video -- before they've gotten back on the plane to go to their
next stop. It must be driving the campaign directors absolutely insane.

What effect it will have this time is an open question. The new media are
just beginning to show their potential effects. But it's a harbinger, I
hope, of what is to come.



Our darling Kev received a report, commissioned by the previous
govt. in March about the plight of us pensioners and has sat on it. It
was uncovered by the Freedom of Information Act. Dear Kev has said
he feels for us pensioners, he could not live on the pittance we
receive and is not going to do anything until February 2009 at the
earliest, when his confirmation report is due. Give him a couple of
months at least to think about it, more time to draft legislation,
time to go through parliament and we may get an increase in time for
Christmas 2009.
MP's last pay increase was more than my full year's pension

Fortunately I have separate income and only receive a part
Centrelink pension so I am better off than those who rely solely on
the age pension and I do not find it easy. I would not like to be
renting or paying off a mortgage as a pensioner.

Our Kev is concerned with his Carbon Offset tax and how much he can
rip off everyone in the name of the environment. Pay the tax and you
can pollute as much as you want, raise prices to compensate for the
tax (+ profit) etc. etc. etc.


Click! Whinge mode off for now.

Alan

Given the way the system works, and has worked for most of our histories as
representative democracies, anything that gets the facts out will be
welcome. Let's hope it leads to an improvement. It's becoming harder for
politicians to hide.

--
Ed Huntress