I have just finished Not Happy, John! and was galvanised to leap onto my computer and participate in our democracy as a citizen. I went to the Webdiary site and was disappointed that there was not provision for me to add my comments to the articles which have been published there (like the Your Say sections of The Age).

I wanted to tell John Howard and the rest of the Liberal party that I am not fooled by their brand of 'look over there...' politics (lesbian mothers, gay marriage, flags in schools 'he punched me 15 years ago!') while the real issues are pushed aside. I am tired of being treated like an idiot with the 'WMD', 'they're all terrorists', 'axis of evil', 'it's not really torture' 'no-one told me' spin that they parrot word for word without thinking. I am tired of the lies that no-one is held accountable for, and a media that loses interest after the sound bite fades.

I want to tell politicians to be brave and not roll over a' la the capitulations on Tampa and refugees in previous elections. I want the accounting fiddles and vote buying to be exposed. I want Peter Garratt to be allowed to have an opinion on Tasmania's trees and even to chain himself to one if he wants, instead of the corporate appeasement, sanitised 'offend no one' style of the opposition. I want to be given a whole range of heart felt, off the cuff opinions, not the company line. I want a choice!

And I WANT a voice.

And so...I say it here, and appreciate the galvanising spark of Not Happy John! and the opportunity to speak.