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It's election day tomorrow - I've already voted via postal vote, as I will be at work. Remember: vote for whoever you want. No vote is a wasted vote in a preferential system - vote for your independent or minor party of choice, then whichever of Labor or Liberal you despise least. Don't forget to put One Nation or Family First last (those unlucky souls in electorates with both have a hard choice ahead of them).
As for Senate voting, either vote below the line (yes, I know it's 65 numbers to fill in, if you're Victorian) or check out your preferred party's preference deals before voting above the line. Last time, Labor did a preference deal with Family First (conservative, gay-bashing lunatics who would probably be considered mainstream in the US) to keep out the more popular Greens - this meant that Labor voters were surprised to find that their preferences in Victoria elected an ultra-conservative Family First senator (who polled less than 1% of the primary vote) rather than a Greens senator (who polled over 4% of the primary vote). Be careful with your vote!
I used to hand out how-to-vote cards for the Democrats, so I'd say this would be a sad election for me, as they're probably going to get wiped out, but really they only have themselves and their stupid in-fighting to blame. I'd much rather have a few Greens holding the balance of power, thank you very much!
How to convince the politically uninterested to not vote for Howard:
Co-worker: I usually vote Liberal because I'm a capitalist, but Kevin Rudd is much cuter. I suppose you'll be voting Labor.
Me: No way, Labor are too right-wing for me. I'll be voting Green and wishing there was something further left. Really, Labor and Liberal are pretty much the same*.
Co-worker: Really? Oh, I suppose I'll just vote Labor then, because I like Kevin Rudd, even with the earwax thing.
Today, I dropped a heavy steel stapler on my boob, squashing my soft, tender flesh between the stapler and the desk. It was very painful. If John Howard wins tomorrow - even enough seats to form a minority government - that's how I'll feel in my soul.
*except that the Liberals are pure unrelenting small-minded evil, and Labor are just blase popularity-whore centrists, of course.
As for Senate voting, either vote below the line (yes, I know it's 65 numbers to fill in, if you're Victorian) or check out your preferred party's preference deals before voting above the line. Last time, Labor did a preference deal with Family First (conservative, gay-bashing lunatics who would probably be considered mainstream in the US) to keep out the more popular Greens - this meant that Labor voters were surprised to find that their preferences in Victoria elected an ultra-conservative Family First senator (who polled less than 1% of the primary vote) rather than a Greens senator (who polled over 4% of the primary vote). Be careful with your vote!
I used to hand out how-to-vote cards for the Democrats, so I'd say this would be a sad election for me, as they're probably going to get wiped out, but really they only have themselves and their stupid in-fighting to blame. I'd much rather have a few Greens holding the balance of power, thank you very much!
How to convince the politically uninterested to not vote for Howard:
Co-worker: I usually vote Liberal because I'm a capitalist, but Kevin Rudd is much cuter. I suppose you'll be voting Labor.
Me: No way, Labor are too right-wing for me. I'll be voting Green and wishing there was something further left. Really, Labor and Liberal are pretty much the same*.
Co-worker: Really? Oh, I suppose I'll just vote Labor then, because I like Kevin Rudd, even with the earwax thing.
Today, I dropped a heavy steel stapler on my boob, squashing my soft, tender flesh between the stapler and the desk. It was very painful. If John Howard wins tomorrow - even enough seats to form a minority government - that's how I'll feel in my soul.
*except that the Liberals are pure unrelenting small-minded evil, and Labor are just blase popularity-whore centrists, of course.