IMO - there is no doubt that the Trump show has put people off...

IMO - there is no doubt that the Trump show has put people off to a degree - they don't want to repeat the idiocy they are seeing in the US

Marine Pen and co have begun to temper the rhetoric because of it weeks back - they don't want to be seen as looney as he is

it will be interesting to see how she goes.

It is hard to measure how much damage Trump did to Hanson - but, Wilders is probably easier to gauge - but, still only rough.


What major parties and liberal thinkers have to grasp is that these right wing extremists do have something to say and should be heard --- mainly people stopped listening to any of it - and, that was a mistake IMO -

things like PC did and have gone to silly lengths - what did I see the other day in Britain somewhere - it was suggested that the term 'mother' should be dropped because it offended some different gender carer - or some crap -

my god - any wonder some political views don't start reacting forcibly to that sort of garbage.

What we are seeing with the Trumps and Wilders and Paulines and Marines etc. is just a reaction to lack of common sense.

The worst thing is to have the pendulum swing wildly the other way - but, a dampening is sure needed.

I honestly think that governments would recover a lot of power if they acted decisevly on things like when you get new immigrants or asylum seekers or such - that commit crimes - that they should just really be shown the door - end of story.

They should not be put in the position to feel that they 'have' to commit crimes in the first place of course -- like when we took away the ability for asylum seekers to work or get benefits --------- I mean, really -how bloody stupid was that - a new person in a new country - so, give them nothing and don't allow them to work - for gods sake - how were they expected to get food and board etc? How else could they exist without begging or pinching stuff.


On the other hand we have some that commit violent crimes - and, yet - they are still walking the streets --

one has to be kidding - they should really be gone from Australia by the next morning - even if they can't be returned to where the come from - then, somewhere else away from Australia -- any rock in the ocean will do IMO.


So - yes, I see a backlash to what is happening in the US - but, I also see why people are pissed off - and, we should do something about that - or else we allow the pendulum to wildly swing the other way - which, IMO - will not be pretty.

Pinto