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BlogsBarrister and declared Independent Candidate for Warringah (Neil Francis Francey)I can't believe how closely my views are reflected in 'Not Happy, John!' and in the elements of the ''Not Happy, John!' Campaign', being views that prompted my decision to stand as an independent candidate against Tony Abbott at the forthcoming election in the seat of Warringah (as is apparent from my website).
this books taps into my anger at the injustices served upon the Australian people by John Howard (Cath Barratt)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.
Finished the book-not happy with the chapter written by the Lib (Rod Power)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
Getting creative over democracy ()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.
Going after Saint Tony ()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.
Take a step towards your own creative light... (Robert Bosler)This is not just a book. This is a document nailed to the hall of Australian history.
Censorship ()A very interesting piece of news has just crossed my desk.
Margo Kingston at Dymocks Sydney in August (Letitia Davy)Letitia Davy at Sydney Dymocks advises:
57 years old, bearded, tubby, short, needs reading glasses (mike puleston)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?)
On the up ()In the new edition of Australian Book Review (August edition) the bestsellers for July come from Readings in Melbourne and Imprints in Adelaide.
Journalism's challenge ()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.
Sex for democracy (CILLA TEY)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!
Your timely book gives me hope... (Harvey Porter)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.
Our House? (David Chapman)I found the book to be much more enlightening than I expected. I found the portion regarding Howard
Angry Outsiders' are Not Happy, John! ()Michelle Grattan writes in today's Age newspaper about the upcoming political campaigns of former Liberal Party President and John Howard confidante, John Valder, Andrew Wilkie and Brian Deegan.
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