Andrew Bartlett highlights some proposed changes to electoral laws.

Suburban Scrawl: Our Great Economy:

The Howard Government likes to give the impression that they are fantastic managers of the economy. Yet, since they got in power back in 1996, foreign debt is up 144.6%, credit card debt is up 188.8% and household debt is up 281.2%.

Stuart posts the figures that support the percentages mentioned here. Every bloody time I see Costello get up there and talk about the stable economy, the voice inside my head always responds with “yeh, on the back of record debt”. Now I have the stats to back it up…

I take all of these types of polls with a grain of salt, but… apparently the respondents to a recent poll (of 1,000 ppl) believe the country is “less fair”, but that Howard has managed the economy well.

Although the economy has been strong under Howard’s watch, one could argue that Howard has ridden a wave created by previous Labor governments, and that he is killing future economic growth through attacks on education and research and development (particularly in the alternative energy sector).

Interesting poll, nonetheless. Given Howard’s poll-driven nature, I wonder if we’ll see any changes in policy? Nah - probably not…

John Quiggin: Unemployment: forgotten, but not gone.

John Quiggin on the AWB saga (in part). On the Government’s ability “not to know” about the bribery:

Indeed, looking at the things they didn’t know, it’s testimony to their organisational ability that they could manage to know exactly what they needed not to know, without ever being told.

Well, the OzPolFeeds thang I set up a while back is now dead. But this site does look interesting [via Andrew Bartlett].

The Bartlett Diaries: Pre-Traumatic Stress. Andrew Bartlett has changed blog home, and has written this must read post. As a citizen I feel angry too about these laws and the processes underway.

I can only imagine what it is like for a politician of Andrew’s background to sit through it as well, feeling powerless to stop them despite being an elected representative - supposedly the post in our democracy that you can make changes happen. Is it any wonder that people don’t want to get involved in politics?

Across the front page of the SMH this morning “Wave of Terror sweeping across the globe”. They go on to list the bali bomber death, the blasts in Jordan, etc. etc. One small omission: the 26,000+ people that have died in Iraq as a result of miltary intervention. A war which involves our own defence forces.

“Oh but that doesn’t count as ‘terror’”. Why? “Because it’s the military, because we are ‘liberating’ Iraq”. Such a twisted view of the world that can live with 26,000 deaths abroad, but speak of “horror” and “terror” when we lose “our own”. Until we wake up and realise this, the terrorist threat in Australia, and the west, will continue unabated.

Meanwhile our Prime Minister is pushing anti-terrorist laws described by one NSW politician as being a quality to make Hitler smile. And our democratic devices (namely the Senate) have been put on a leash and, without a Liberal back-bench revolt, will be passed into law. So who are we bringing “democracy and freedom” to again?

The PM has his coup. Front-page headlines proclaiming an “imminent” terrorist plot has been foiled. I had to scan four pages and five articles to uncover what suspected all along:

The Federal Government’s decision to rush counter-terrorism laws through Parliament has been vindicated by the police raids resulting in the arrest of 17 people, the Prime Minister has suggested.

…But police sources said that the raids could have gone ahead without the amendment rushed through Parliament last week.

"It was going to happen anyway," one source said.

"We already had the powers and we believed the threat was becoming imminent, so we had to act on it regardless."

This little tidbit, however, is not emblazened upon the front page, or the second page, but the first mention occurs in a lesser article on the fifth or sixth page of the print paper, 9th in the online edition this morning.

Disappointing, but entirely expected. I can’t help but think that the media are complicit in bolstering Howard’s stance by not clearly identifying this more prominently in their lead articles.

Still, I’m glad that at least the issues are being aired.

Andrew Bartlett: Politically and morally corrupt government and Displaying my seditious intent - Urging disaffection against the Commonwealth Government. Must reads…