US politics has crawled through the gutter for so long, that it's easy to forget that the country was founded on ideals of freedom & human dignity. 

Or that in the past it has been led by people of character & intelligence. 

There can have been few more excruciating sights than President Bush parading the Israeli and Palestinian leaders before the cameras at the Annapolis summit on Tuesday, clasping their hands, squeezing their shoulders, pushing them together for a handshake and then leaving them to return to their seats like awkward boys summoned to the podium to be congratulated for their efforts at a school prizegiving. 

Brendan Nelson is out of touch with working families on workplace laws. 

The Liberal's extreme and unfair WorkChoices laws pushed the balance in the workplace against working families.  

An internal CIA memorandum has been obtained by Venezuelan counterintelligence from the US Embassy in Caracas that reveals a very sinister - almost fantastical, were it not true - plan to destabilize Venezuela during the coming days.  

Foreclosure filings have nearly doubled from a year ago and more people could lose their homes in 2008, according to a report released Thursday. In October, 224,451 foreclosure filings were reported nationwide, up 94 percent from October 2006. 

The Constitution protects individuals against unreasonable searches, but for this protection to have practical meaning, the courts must enforce it.

from Crikey ….. 

Conservative warriors unite to sink Turnbull 

Greg Barns writes: 

But the most acute threat to the American Imperium, as Hugo Chavez gleefully observed at the recent OPEC summit, is the ever-accelerating demise of the dollar. 

Today’s Liberal leadership ballot could launch the party into war rather than peace, with Tony Abbott's withdrawal from the contest including a pledge of loyalty - and a threat of a later challenge to the new leader. 

"I'm certainly not ruling out a further tilt at the leadership," Mr Abbott said as he admitted his close association with John Howard was a reason he lacked the support of his colleagues. 

from Crikey ….. 

Lifting the lid on GM crops: what is Brumby hiding? 

Katherine Wilson writes: 

The New York Times recently reported that the bushit administration has "scaled back" its benchmarks for political progress in Iraq, instead "focusing their immediate efforts on several more limited but achievable goals."

from Crikey ….. 

The dubious legacy of John Winston Howard 

Mungo MacCallum writes: 

Peter Costello says he ''would not seek nor accept'' a nomination to be the new opposition leader and instead would step away from politics for a business career. 

Australia's longest serving treasurer, who had long dreamed of being prime minister, made the shock announcement in Melbourne today, saying he would stay on in parliament for now and then move on. 

Prime Minister John Howard has rung Labor leader Kevin Rudd to concede defeat after voters deserted his  11-year government in tonight's federal election. 

Mr Howard then appeared at Sydney's Wentworth Hotel to address Liberal Party faithful.