Governments are prone to rank disingenuity the world over. This Australian government minister would have her subjects believe that it took eight months for her to make "this principled decision."

To: Amanda Vanstone
Re: Your principled decision in the Jovicic case
March 1, 2006

We the Australian people should be reassured to discover that, despite your earlier hardheaded denial that this man's case warranted more subtle deliberation than you had at first persistently and righteously given it, you now, eight months later, have had a sudden surge of moral decision-making ability. That's what you get elected for. Sure!

But please, if a decision needs to be made again, about anything of substance, at all, do feel free to consult someone – some ordinary person who does not possess your divine dispensation to make stupid decisions, insist they're correct, and then eight months later seek congratulation for having "compassion for some cases."

I'm told you're highly intelligent; I trust you can use some of that brain power to designate, designate, designate to someone with perhaps less raw IQ, but with a modicum of moral discernment that can be swung into action faster than in eight months.

Sincerely,