congratulations to the American system.

I am trying to get ASIS off my trail by saying nice things about the Americans. But seriously we can all learn from the respect shown by US President Bush who acknowledged that Democrats were patriots too and that both Republicans and Democrats wanted to do good things for their country - it was just that they disagreed on the implementation.
PM Howard would choke if he ever had to say that about anyone in the Labor Party or the Greens. As far as he is concerned he is the only real patriot and this is the reason why we should vote for him. When he and Keating faced off with the Ch 9 guy in 1996, what's 'is name - the bloke that did the Don Bradman interview (Mike?) ah no, now I remember Ray Martin, who asked him why should people vote for him, Howard says "I love this country" - as if Keating or Bob Brown hated it and wanted to betray us to the Kiwis.
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel and to knock your opponent's patriotism has got to be as low as you can go. Would that we could take on some of the political grace demonstrated by the Yanks. "I hope you're a Republican," Reagan quipped to his surgeon who was operating on his assassination wounds. "Today we are all Republicans," the surgeon replied. I too say "God Bless America" for giving the rest of us these examples of good political grace.