I’m slightly shocked that our education system (I assume she was educated) produces such people.

JULIA Gillard’s roots may be in the left of the Labor Party, but she does not mind confounding the comrades by ignoring ideology. Last week she stared down ACTU conference delegates demanding she abolish the agency charged with stopping standover tactics in the building industry. And this week she is upsetting Israel’s enemies by announcing a visit to the Jewish state. Good for Ms Gillard. In ignoring fanatics who see people who do not agree with them as enemies to be beaten rather than fellow citizens to be convinced, the Deputy Prime Minister is governing for all Australians, rather loud lobbies with no interest in compromise. Even though Ms Gillard has rolled back the industrial relations reforms of the Howard, Hawke and Keating eras the unions demand ever more. And her plan to visit Israel this month is opposed by those who believe any contact with Israel betrays the Palestinians, that the Jewish state should be treated like a pariah.

Both demands are irrelevant to the way the world works. Australia has always supported Israel’s right to exist and the Labor right in particular has a long tradition of links there. It is entirely appropriate for Ms Gillard to express solidarity with the only democracy in the Middle East. And it is worth Israel’s opponents understanding that Ms Gillard also intends to meet leaders of the Palestinian Authority on her trip, giving weight to the Rudd government’s support for a two state solution. It is all very well for Israel’s enemies to continue their chorus of complaints, to suggest that the Jewish state has brought the terror attacks on itself. For every such allegation Israelis can point to concessions ignored by Hamas and Hezbollah and the terrorists’ oft stated intention to destroy Israel. As Barack Obama made clear in Cairo last week, it is time for all sides to the debate to accept negotiations as the only answer. And in expressing Australia’s support for a two state solution Ms Gillard goes to Israel with a declared position, one that may, in some small measure, encourage both sides to act on Mr Obama’s urging.

And what is the alternative to diplomacy? While it is easy for extremists to rant against Israeli evils, the reality is no other nation in the region has the means to beat Israel on a conventional battlefield. And the Jewish state is far more likely to listen to friends like the US and Australia than to countries which are its inveterate enemies. Just as the ACTU needs to understand the private sector will not go away and should be respected for employing millions of workers so supporters of the Palestinians need to accept Israel. In deciding to visit Israel Ms Gillard is making a principled decision – one in line with Labor Party tradition and Australian practice. In talking of a two state solution she is making a pragmatic contribution to peace. While political amateurs prefer uncompromising ideology, professionals understand that principled pragmatism is as good as it ever gets.

Now I was under the opinion that TheOz’s target demog was middle-class professionals in business, industry & the professions – many of whom do, in fact, hold three degrees: professional, advanced/ second professional & management/professional (usually at masters level). So obviously The Punch isn’t aimed at TheOz’s more intelligent readers – inc. the paying ones (tho that’s probably an oxymoron).

So The Punch is, in fact, pitched at “No well educated people please; we only wants tabloid level stuff”. DOH!

epic LOLs

How do we start a campaign to get rid of media personalities that produce turgid crap as copy?

ANyone see the Daily Show’s vsist to the NYT? ‘Aged news’! lol

http://themichaelduffyfiles.blogspot.com/2009/06/miranda-devine-stephen-fielding-climate.html

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/fielding-changes-canberras-climate-20090612-c61o.html?page=-1