Ad campaign no basis for election
?"
That Adman Abbott's message has reached Ettalong is clearly demonstrated by Colin Williams' forum contribution (Peninsula News, 29 April).
He starts with a high-minded reference to Aristotle and then moves rapidly into the doctrine of the good life according to Adman Abbott and his friends in the press.
It is clear that Abbott's message is getting through.
To quote Williams: "It is widely accepted that Julie (actually Julia) Gillard and her government has (sic) established itself as the worst government to befall Australia...massive debt, loss of control of our borders" and so on.
He then said: "they have been found guilty of lies and cannot be trusted".
This message, however garbled, has now become a "widely accepted fact".
In conclusion, Colin Williams said, vote Gillard out and Abbott in.
That is: Gillard bad, Abbott good.
All of these above points can be discussed, and are contestable, but that is not the point of my letter.
My question is, how can we elect a new government based solely on an advertising campaign?
Or to loosely quote George Orwell's pigs: "two legs bad, four legs good".
Email, 30 Apr 2013
Chris Moe, Bensville