Credit due to Wayne Swan. Our Treasurer is looking more percipient with every day that passes. Not on matters economic necessarily but on evaluating threats to the nation’s democracy. With every day that passes Gina Rinehart and Clive Palmer seem to confirm the Swan thesis about the danger the pair present to a civil society.

And credit is due to Tony Abbott too. He has been cool about the Palmer political ambitions from the day the man said he would seek preselection to stand against Wayne Swan. Now the Opposition Leader has reportedly taken a stand against the bullying attempt to dominate the Liberal Party machine.

The wasteful world.

Those petrol prices again? Barack Obama has opened up a lead again in his contest with Mitt Romney for the presidency.

Perhaps the graph below shows the reason for the Obama decline and the subsequent revival.

One thing that’s clear is that the Republicans who blamed the President when petrol prices were rising have gone rather silent now that they are coming down.

Some news and views noted along the way.