What was in my postal box today

The May edition of The Monthly had arrived today. In what promises to be the stand-out article, Judith Brett compares the upcoming election with the one in 1949, and what it would mean for the Liberal Party's tactic of attacking the ALP's economic credentials:

“People are better informed about politics and more interested, and so fewer need a party to guide their political opinions and actions. They can find their own way through the issues, and make up their own minds about how to vote. Not only will such people have deaf ears for the party’s traditional rhetoric, but they may well be offended by it as an insult to their intelligence and take it as evidence that the party has little new to offer.”

Yes, people can make up their own minds, but what will be the deciding factors?

Besides Brett's piece, first glances at the magazine, and the blurbs on The Monthly website, promise some other pretty amazing sounding articles and features, including Helen Garner on Raimond Gaita and Richard Flanagan on timber giant Gunns's involvement in state and federal politics (hence the luminescent green cover). I hope I have time to read it this week.