THE US ELECTION
In the early 1930s, German industrialists supported Hitler because they thought they could control him. Their experiment blew up in everyone's face. Now, in the United States, the wealthy right wing supported neo-conservatism because they realised it would give them great monetary wealth. But this has blown up too, because the resulting social disruption has brought on the danger of an erratic Donald Trump presidency. The only hope is for President Hillary Clinton to implement the policies and practices of greater equality which are promoted by Bernie Sanders.
David Rose, Hamilton, NSW
Low voter turnout will send a strong message
Like, I think, most reasonable people, I do not want to see a headline saying "Donald trumps Hillary" this week. I am sure he has some reasonable supporters who cannot bring themselves to vote Democrat, so will vote Republican in spite of the candidate. If the voter turnout is very low, the two parties will realise that the standard of their representatives is so poor, something fundamental is wrong with their model. I believe Hilary Clinton would lose against a halfway decent competitor. However, Donald Trump is so offensive that the Republicans may well have blown their chance.
Peter Dunne, Brighton East
Fasten your seatbelts for President Trump
Can I let you into a little secret (Editorial, 6/11). Nobody in the United States is paying the slightest attention to what we in our wide, brown land have to say, do or think about what has been, for months nothing but a toxic slanging match. I am going against the tide in confidently predicting "The Donald" will get the top job. I have believed this ever since the gun crazies of the National Rifle Association endorsed him. The Chinese have a morbid saying, "May you live in interesting times". The next few years will certainly prove to be so.
John Quinn, Avoca
If Clinton wins, expect more of the same
The great experiment of American democracy lies shattered by rampant capitalism and, if Hillary Clinton wins, it will be business as usual, only worse. So it does not matter what Donald Trump says or does. And do not assume Americans are too dumb to know what they are doing. The more outrageous he is, the more he becomes the weapon to smash the rule of the 1per cent. Collateral damage? Unguided missile? So what? You have got to destroy first in order to rebuild. Democracy took blood, sweat and tears to establish in the first place and it is coming back to the Unites States.
John Laurie, Newport
The forgotten voters are taking their revenge
Historian Niall Ferguson observed that after previous economic depressions, voters sought "political payback". Millions of people in the United States, Britain and Australia feel betrayed by the parties whose policies allowed the GFC to happen – but neither punished the financial hustlers who caused it, nor protected those who suffered the most. Now that it is time for change, or at least revenge, a messenger is needed. Who is talking about fixing capitalism so that it works for ordinary people? Jeremy Corbyn, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump and Pauline Hanson.
David Mackay, Macleod
It is so good to say: "I am an Australian"
Dear Liberals, the reason why we have a social welfare net is to avoid a Donald Trump. Dear Labor, the reason why we temper social change is to avoid a Donald Trump. I am so happy that I am an Aussie.
James Moseley, Rosanna
What makes a leader?
I found John Silvester's piece, "Art of persuasion" (Naked City, 5/11) very enlightening, despite his imbibing of pinot noir to assist in his deliberations. What is leadership? Is it power, celebrity, image or speaking in public, a lot, but without evidence to support your contention?
I teach leadership at university and I try to help students see that it is not all it is cracked up to be. They tend to listen to the loudest voices and they tell me the likes of Richard Branson and Rupert Murdoch are great leaders. I am hearing about Donald Trump in the same way. To me, they are simply businessmen who are good at self-promotion.
Silvester shows us people who have made change for the better, who quietly work on important matters, who are polymaths, who struggle for justice. He also shows us that influence can be negative, or rather, he demonstrates that anti-social actions can lead to positive outcomes. I will show this article to my students.
Dr Kate Dempsey, Brighton East
But they're our titles
So the big four banks have destroyed the paper land titles they hold for 1.6million Victorian mortgagees, forcing property owners to use a bank-owned electronic transaction system (BusinessDay, 2/11). And they did not ask us, the property owners. It sounds a bit like book burning. Did no one think of these as historical documents and a back-up to the electronic system which may well be stored on a cloud server in the Nevada Desert? It is feared the new system will cost more for consumers and could lead to the privatisation of Victoria's land titles system. There goes the joy of discovering a house title in the bottom of great Aunty Elsie's drawer.
Barbara Hoad, Elwood
We all contribute
Often there are news reports about welfare recipients. I am on a disability pension, through no fault of my own, and apparently everyone who works and pays tax is helping to support me. What is never mentioned is the fact that for nearly every dollar I spend, some is returned to the government's purse. For example, GST on almost everything I buy, my rates and bills, and cigarettes (that is a big one). Everyone pays tax in some form. But I cannot do a tax return to claim anything back, of course (although my partner does one). I would not want to "double dip".
Debra Green, Redan
Refugees can give back
The proposed law banning refugees sent to Manus Island and Nauru from ever returning to Australia is not in the public interest. Our export industries depend on a regular intake of international students and backpacker agricultural labourers.
Offshore, the refugees are an untapped resource. Many are educated professionals who have risked their lives for freedom, peace and prosperity – values that Australia holds dear. If we must deny them citizenship in the interest of deterring people smugglers, let us at least take care of them and strengthen their skills for endeavour in third countries. We may want to welcome their return, as we did world renowned Australian/Iraqi orthopaedic surgeon Dr Munjed Al Muderis.
Thea Calzoni, Brunswick West
Normalising gambling
I am troubled that the final day of the spring racing carnival was devoted to introducing children to the sport of horse racing which, of course, exists for the main purpose of gambling. We have strict laws to prevent children from entering gambling areas of clubs and casinos. Why is it good policy to introduce them to horse racing? It is a myth that it is all about the love of good horses and a gala day at the track. Remove the gambling component and it would cease to exist. Scratching the surface of this "sport of kings" reveals "colourful characters", race fixers and odd money launderer. Dressing impressionable children in their best "fashion in the field" outfits does them a disservice.
Lance Sterling, Burwood
Half a million dollars?
If Moira Burke (Letters, 4/11) thinks that Penfolds 2012 Grange at $850 a bottle for sponsors' patrons in the Birdcage is excessive, then surely the reported fee of $500,000 paid to Usain Bolt, as a guest of Crown (The Age, 4/11), is obscene. Am I the only one who just does not get it?
Tony Healy, Balwyn North
Joyous celebration
No doubt the owners of Oaks-winning, rank outsider Lasqueti Spirit will cover the cost of jockey Brenton Avdulla's $1000 fine for his extraordinary celebrations. If not, we should kick start a fund for him because his bow to the crowd was the highlight of the spring carnival. It even surpassed his all the way victory on the 120-1 shot. I will be happy to throw in the first five bucks.
Paul Shapiro, Doncaster
Talking about death
"Last rites" (Good Weekend, 5/11) was an informative article but it is a shame it did not include data from Victoria, most relevantly about community palliative care nursing services. I hope, and believe from experience, that these are considered more than peripheral in the lives of patients who choose to die at home and in the lives of their families. Yes, dying is a good topic for all ages to discuss
Jackie Hosking, Williamstown
Seeking power security
Josh Frydenberg must think we are fools. At the time of the SECV, decades ago, there would have been strategies for how clapped out Hazelwood would be by now. When it was "privatised", what were the terms and conditions? Was it just the sale of Hazelwood, or the sale of the requirement to supply electricity using Hazelwood?
If it were the former, then its owners can walk away when they consider it cannot continue as a viable enterprise. If the latter, the owners would have had to make provision for the continuation of supply by planning appropriate upgrades.
It is too late now to argue about what should replace Hazelwood. The design, procurement and build would take many years. Who is responsible for ensuring the security of our power supplies? Our "leaders" have been so intent at sniping at each other, they have taken their eyes off the ball.
Bert Bland, Boronia
Seeking political vision
My family are Gippslanders and we empathise with the Latrobe Valley's power workers. Last year, I and others invested our superannuation money into a solar energy fund with the aim of developing new solar projects and likely to return 6per cent per year. Two weeks ago, our fund manager told us it was so difficult to get solar investment established here that the funds were being sent to the United States, where there is regulatory certainty and similar returns.
Hazelwood and South Australia are the sorriest examples of shambolic political policy. State governments hell bent on climate change outcomes without plans, federal governments more interested in point scoring, and a national electricity market mechanism that is outdated and without accountability are the problems. We need sensible targets, energy security and a regulatory regime which is supportive of energy investment. People are willing to invest but the politicians are not willing to lead.
Peter Cooper, Eaglemont
Seeking caring leaders
In September I visited the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg. I cycled around the beautiful, clear lake, Barwalder See, with its beaches and boat harbours. I enjoyed nature, fresh air and the recreational facilities. The lake used to be an open-cast coal mine and now attracts many tourists.
On the other side of the world, Hazelwood is symptomatic of the failure of Australian politics and the economic elite. The Coalition and Labor, with their 19thcentury approach to our economy. Coal magnates and energy companies making huge profits and ruining Australia's beauty. The Greens, with their naïve and insensitive push to close the coal industry. Other leaders who do not understand that a nation and economy cannot be run with religious conservatism or like a fish and chips shop. All sides of the political spectrum are out of touch, and ordinary people, like those in the LaTrobe Valley, suffer.
Stefan Mummert, Mount Waverley
A very odd situation
The situation regarding the squatters in Collingwood (The Age, 3/11) would not have occurred if the state government had not left the houses unoccupied for so long. It bought my home in Ballarat Street, Collingwood for the East West Link, and rented it out, almost two years ago. Why were the Bendigo Street houses left vacant? Was there an ulterior motive?
Mary Fenelon, Doncaster East
Blame, the Aussie way
The Aussies losing 10 wickets got 86 runs on the second morning. What is it this time? Doctored pitches? Curators who make hometown pitches? Sweltering heat? It must be something... surely it cannot be that we are hopeless. The adoring public may find that hard to swallow. The endless complaints about the conditions when the players travel seem a bit hollow when they lost 5-0 in South Africa recently, and now collapse in Perth.
Rowan Jayasuriya, Balwyn
AND ANOTHER THING
US election
If Clinton wins, things might improve slowly. If Trump wins, they'll get worse quickly.
Bob Cowley, Broadview, SA
I'm not heartened by witnessing the world's greatest democracy in action. Then I look at ours.
Bill Burns, Bendigo
Will the world end Trumped-up?
Penelope Buckley, Kew East
I've been trapped in Trump: The Horror Movie for at least a year. Can I uncover my eyes on Wednesday?
Tony James, Battery Point, Tas
Politics
Why will refugees get priority for accommodation in Eltham ahead of homeless people who are sleeping rough?
Duncan Cameron, Parkdale
Welcome to the refugees. Let's share the lucky country.
Margaret Skeen, Point Lonsdale
Churches/charities which harboured abusers and now refuse to join the compensation scheme should lose their tax-exemption status.
Margaret Barrett, Carnegie
Churches should be taxed to fund sex abuse compensation.
Peter Bragge, Blackburn South
Josh Frydenberg, Hazelwood is gone but wind and solar will light your heart, and provide more jobs.
Lorraine Bull, Morwell
Cricket
Steve Smith might have been thinking, benefit of the doubt. Aleem Dar, quite rightly, didn't have any doubt.
Ian Dale, Rosebud
Two words of advice for the cricket selectors regarding their obsession with Test all-rounder Mitchell Marsh: James Faulkner.
Ian Maddison, Parkdale
Malcolm Knox's article, "Young stars breathe life into old game" (4/11) was sports writing at its best. Would that all obituaries read as well.
Bill Freeman, Buckrabanyule