Atticus Finch versus the CEO of White House Halliburton Inc. That's how the Vice-Presidential Mass Debate between John Edwards and Dick Strangelove looked to me on Wednesday morning my time. Edwards will be president one day, maybe 2009, maybe 2013. Cheney is president now. He is the most powerful vice-president in history, and certainly the most evil (with the possible exception of Spiro Agnew). I scored it to Edwards but hey, I despise Cheney too much to be objective.
It's three days out from the federal election. The most likely scenario at the moment is that John Howard's Liberal/National coalition will be returned with a reduced majority. This must not be allowed to happen.
The campaign has degenerated into a policy auction, as each side tries to out-trump the other. It's significant, though, that Latham appears to have Howard on the run with policy decisions, as he has been doing since about February. Medicare is one example, Tasmanian forests will be another with an announcement expected from JWH later today. The outrageous exchange of costly policies is a bit sickening, especially as we can expect that none will make it through Parliament without massive alteration, dilution and compromise.
It got short shrift in the mainstream media on Monday, but the "End the Lies" rallies were well attended across Australia on the weekend. Great coverage from across the country on Indymedia.org, including links to an excellent photo gallery of the Sydney demonstration. - Rick
"End the Lies" Australians rally against the conservatives
http://www.indymedia.org/or/2004/10/111957.shtml
Sierra Leone: Lesbian Rights Activist Brutally Murdered
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/10/04/sierra9440.htm
The government of Sierra Leone should bring to justice those responsible for the brutal murder of FannyAnn Eddy, founder of the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association and a lesbian rights activist known across Africa, Human Rights Watch said today.
