I have become a bit more conservative as I've become older, developing a greater respect for diplomacy and liaison as effective tools for negotiated change. I would like to see a government where both conservative and liberal agreed on fundamental issues, and agreed to have a "no go zone" - issues such as race, crime, health, education .. Negotiatiated agreements over such issues would stop the fear and bigotry-based electioneering which some politicians pursue very successfully. It would mean an agreement between all parties for certain social standards to be met.

In Australia we have a former very conservative Prime Minister working on race, refugee and human rights issues, while the current conservative government derides him. We also have supposedly "left" politicians who are far to the right on race issues. Gun control is not such a big issue here - we have no concept of the right to bear arms, its only criminals or farmers who are keen on having guns. The death penalty was abolished years ago.

In Australia those who hold respect for human rights issues are continually vilified as crackpots and dreamers. The media have become such a tool for manipulation of ideas that people need to be taught critical thinking at school. But unfortunately they're not, and politicians have mastered the art of convincing the masses to vote against their own self-interest..