Brenton, at 22:43 on May 21 1996, you wrote to Bill Grimsley...

BV> I heard him say that the legislation was drafted so that it *must*
BV> revert back to the previous level.

BG> I also heard him say that there would be NO new taxes, and Rod
BG> reckons that he also promised that existing taxes would not be
BG> raised.  Yeah, sure.

BV> I don't think he was anticipating 35 people being shot in Tasmania
BV> either.

Just because Tasmania happened to have say twice its annual average of gun
deaths in just one day, IMO that's no excuse for the positively draconian
knee-jerk reaction seen in Canberra.  But I won't pursue the point, because
I know you agree with them.  Pity that 3 or 4 million others don't though.

BV> Personally, I'm surprised that the media haven't kicked up a
BV> stink and tried to wind everyone up over it. It was probably some
BV> bloody idiot in the media that proposed the buy-back scheme in the
BV> first place. It's obvious that the country is being run by the media.

And why not?  Rupert, Frank, and Conrad have been trying for ages now.

BV> All you've got to do is not pay any attention to the media for a few
BV> days or weeks. Ignore it. Then when you've totally lost track of
BV> what is happening in the world, listen, read, and watch. You'll soon
BV> see who is running the country and it's not the government.

Pardon my ignorance, but I thought that under a democracy, the people ran
the country, with their elected members representing their wishes in
Canberra. 

BV> It is unquestionable that the majority of people in Australia would be
BV> very happ to see a total ban on *all* firearms and I think that John
BV> is right with what he is doing. 

Sure, majority rules and all that, but whether or not you personally
dislike guns, just remember that once the law is passed, it will likely
never be repealed, regardless of the govt in power, so when some armed crim
breaks into your house, rapes your wife and murders your kids, you can
spend the rest of your life considering how different things might have
been if you'd kept a rifle in your wardrobe.  Paranoia?  Perhaps, but
hundreds of Australians each year would disagree with you.

BV> I wouldn't even be surprised if he was hoping that they try to block it in 
BV> the Senate. Could you imagine it if they did. He'd shut up both houses af 
BV> parliament and would be voted back in with such a large majority in both 
BV> houses that he could do anything. Including a GST.

I agree that he'd likely be returned, but I'm not convinced that it would
be with an even bigger majority.  3-4m honest gun-owners would see to that.

BV> I really don't think he would try to mislead us on that as it would only
BV> blow up in his face later.

BG> ROFL!  When has that ever stopped a pollie from making a complete cunt
BG> of himself (or herself, as the case may be) ?

BV> True, but I think that John plans to be around for the long haul.

They ALL do, Brenton.  Pity about the reality though.  :)

BV> What I *am* concerned about is the precedence that it now sets.
BG> Like the 3x3 petrol tax, you mean?  9 years and counting...

BV> No. More like, "Oh, no probs. We'll just raise the Medicare levy",
BV> whenever they need to slip in another tax that isn't a tax.

Agreed, and I don't think it'll be the last time either.

Regards, Bill

--- Msgedsq/2 3.20