re: john howard, page-27

kempeman re: john howard kempe, I see where you are coming from, though not neccessarily agreeing with everything you are saying. I too have spent a large part of my life observing Oz from afar and rather than blindly accepting that it is the greatest place on earth, have been able to put it through the seive and are able to separate the finer points from the rougher. One thing that concerns me, and it shows through your posts as well, is that Australians place to much importance and reliance on the government. I recall returning here in the 80's and it seemed that the word "they" was the most popular word being spoken by everyone, "they" being the government. It seemed that "they" either needed to do something, or had done something wrong, or hadn't done something, it was all "they", "they", "they", and it really grated, having come from living in a poorer country with little government support and certainly no welfare. Whilst we like to consider ourselves an independant and resourceful people, the reality is just the opposite, we have become totally dependant of the government for guidance and support, and in the process have given up taking responsibility for our own lives. Nobody like to fail, but if someone is always standing there to make sure you don't, we are not going to work as hard to avoid falling through the cracks, but worse, it demeans the value of not failing. I congratulate you on your decision to go overseas, and hopefully the wealth you find there will be repatriated back here to help support the lifestyle we have all become accustomed to, because it is becoming increasingly difficult to sell our other products overseas to bring in those funds we all need.