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Shimon Peres leapt up in anger to turn off the TV before Idiot Son had quite finished the speech that proved once and for all that he has no effing idea what he is doing, especially when it comes to the Middle East.

Peres wasn't alone; many Israelis in high positions have denounced the speech as an unwelcome "political assassination" of Arafat that is likely to fan the flames instead of putting them out. But Peres is sidelined these days and the man Idiot could at least have included in his call for removal, Ariel Sharon, promptly crowed and moved his troops into Hebron.

By contrast, the Tel Aviv newspaper Maariv reported that an unnamed senior minister declared Idiot Son should receive the "Medal of Zionism."

Of course, Idiot didn't write the speech, one of his speech-writing advisers did. One of a group of rabid right wing, intellectually challenged nongs who decide who lives and who dies, as long as they're not Umeruhcans.

Yasser Arafat may be a chucklehead but he was democratically elected to lead the Palestinians.

The sheer lunacy emanating from the political leadership in Umeruhca (and everywhere else) is enough to make you turn to Astrology or half-baked conspiracy theories for solace.

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We've called him an "honorary Illiberal" in the past for his Third Way claptrap, but anyone who regularly slings vicious insults at the Coalition can't be all bad.

Now he's gone on record in The Bulletin and on radio calling L'il Dubbya an "arse-licker". On ya Mark! The PM was more concerned with kissing bums and being patted on the head than pushing the interests of Australian farmers, Latham went on to say. "The more I see of them (the Illiberals), the more I hate them. I hate their negativity, I hate their narrowness."

A Labor frontbencher's misgivings about Latham: "There is a character flaw in this guy--he always goes a bit too far," was countered by Carmen Lawrence, who said: "It (arse-licker) isn't a word I would use, but the sentiment is about right. Everyone I have spoken to is deeply offended by Mr Howard's sycophancy in the United States. He appeared like a little boy with George Bush...it was really embarrassing."

We've made some bad calls here at PPF headquarters. One of them was when we said Kim Beazley would be the best PM ever. Instead he turned out to be just as conservative as John Howard, though not nearly as unformed. And we've agreed with the description of Latham as a "right-wing authoritarian zealot". Maybe he's a chameleon with a scarred amygdala, but all we can say is, "Go get 'em, Mark!"

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Natasha Stott-Despoja should have moved on The Collaborator over that letter, but maybe she's too nice. Maybe the whole party is too nice, or maybe they drink too much alcohol-free wine with their wholesome foods. There is a certain Auxiliary Ladies Guild feel to them that prevents passion. They don't have to be mean knife-twisters like the major parties, but they have to inspire passion. Never happens. They waffle. They mean well. Nothing happens.

So Meg will remain like a berserk cell to spread unease and dissent. If the Democrat hierarchy is afraid that her expulsion would see her taking a pack of likeminded Janet Powell's with her, so much the better. They're all basically Illiberals anyway.

How about a trade? (Tim Blair, the leering, wind-up Golem whose sense of humour is reminiscent of too many steins at a bierhalle on Krystalnacht, thinks it's a good idea.) Greg Barns for Meg Lees. No? OK, Greg Barns for Meg Lees and everyone in the party who thinks she did Australia a favour with the GST. No? Then-uh, how about Meg takes all the reactionaries to the Illiberals and the rest of the Dems form a coalition with the Greens. Still no? Status quo then. Flaccid as she goes.

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Dr George Pell becomes yet another questionable Archbishop to gain John Howard's endorsement. Is Howard sticking by Catholic Pell simply to provide the appearance of "balance" for having stuck by his Anglican Archbishop-General Peter Hollingworth? It may very well be, for John Howard never acts from principle but always to place himself in the most invulnerable position. He manipulates and mirrors, but he does not lead. He is a man with a natural talent for having it both ways.

Pell was caught out in 60 Minutes for allegedly attempting to silence child abuse victims. Since then, like Hollingworth, Pell has made a hash of further explanations. Now, while his brethren in America continue to reel from similar accusations and proof, the good Dr has mummed up after his denials.

With the history of child abuse from all Christian denominations and fresh revelations appearing at nauseatingly regular intervals, it would seem that now, more than ever, a royal commission into the matter would be opportune. But no, says our PM, it would merely be a witch hunt.

Borrowing the format of mangled syntax from his boys-own hero George Dubbya, Howard says, "Clearly there was a crime committed by a priest that he (Pell) knew. The implication is that he is implicated in it, that he's linked to it, and that is quite unfair."

Is it? John, thousands of children have been molested by priests over the decades. Isn't that unfair? (What polling is he listening to here? Because John Howard never makes a move without consulting those with uninformed opinions.)

Most of us have come to the conclusion that organised Christianity (all denominations) is in the throes of failure most decadent. Ours is not called the post-Christian era for nothing. For centuries The Church has acted primarily as a privileged business (and, as such, above the law, when it wasn't the law itself) instead of a spiritual institution. The rituals have become routines, with Priests acting as managers, and Bishops CEO's. Under these conditions, the discipline of celibacy is absurd and simply cannot be maintained. Enter the altar boy. How many altar boy jokes have you heard in your life? They are that common as to be part of western culture.

All Christian denominations are falling into irrelevancy. The mystery is gone, the service has become rote. For every dedicated Priest or Pastor, there are a dozen crawling the Internet for porn. For every serious churchgoer there are a dozen who are just killing time, unable to break the Sunday morning habit. And of those at least half support the anti-Christian regime of John Howard.

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John Howard won't call a royal commission into child abuse because he himself is guilty of condoning the abuse of children in his concentration camps. Nor will he be rushed into signing Australia to the International Criminal Court treaty, because he is afraid that in future he and Philip Ruddock will be hauled before The Hague to answer charges of crimes against humanity for his government-approved inhumanity in those same concentration camps.

His excuse is that the national interest or sovereignty of Australia would be compromised. He really means his own skin.

Tim McCormack, an international law expert, begs to differ. Not only would Australia be excluded from negotiations on the workings of the court, but Howard's fears that the court would be used to try "ordinary criminal cases" is unfounded. "This is for people killing masses of people," said McCormack. In short, tyrants.

Australia must sign by July 1 or face joining the United States, Israel, China, North Korea, Iraq, and others as nations with something to hide.

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Alexander Downer is to meet the human rights violating Chinese Governor of Tibet, Guo Jinlong, after pursing his lips and refusing to meet the only man Tibetans care about, the Dalai Lama. So too is the right wing mayor of Melbourne, John So, who likewise snubbed the great Tibetan.

Ah, life is so simple when you're a dollar mongering businessman or his representative in Parliament. While "the Dalai Lama was presented with the International Peace Award from the United Nations Association of Australia at the function Councillor So did not attend, the councillor attended a marketing launch in Southbank." The usual reasons of over-commitment were offered. No such problem, however, with meeting Guo Jinlong next Wednesday. Peace prizes? Who needs 'em. CR So and Little Lord Downer are only interested in trade and its wallet-fattening proceeds.

And anyway, they get a prize for living each and every day of their small lives: The Scum at the Top Award.

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