From The Campaign Trail

I have no doubt that as the election unfolds John Howard will find something that he falsely makes out to be terrifying and dangerous. Tampa, Muslims, refugees, fundamentalists, trade unions - he characterises everyone who is a bit different as unsafe, dangerous, un-Australian. And he always picks groups that few people have met and then works on false stereotypes. Like Bush and Blair, Howard is a master of the politics of fear. When legitimacy is in doubt find something menacing, or exaggerate the threat. The politics of fear and division have dominated the manipulation of the Howard years - I expect it again this election! In the meantime good old ABC Radio National has a great program on this topic at: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/stories/2007/2016150.htm and if you really want a challenging night, watch the three part series The Power of Nightmares which is available via Google Video: http://video.google.com.au/videosearch?q=the+power+of+nightmares