The last couple of years have been tough for President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party. In late 2010, they suffered a shellacking in the mid-term congressional elections. Republicans have been energised by their successes, while many Democrats have grown disillusioned with the Obama administration.

- By Dr. Michael Fullilove

Margaret Thatcher is a woman who divided opinion fiercely. That a film could be made about her which attempts so obtusely to transcend political divisions just goes to show most people don’t take their politics seriously enough.

- By Cass Wilkinson

Earlier this year, Kaila Murnain visited the United States to watch Presidential politics up close and personal. This is her account from the frontlines of the Republican and Democratic campaigns.

- By Kaila Murnain

Lionel Bowen was a man whose integrity shone forth as clear as the noonday sun. I had known Lionel Bowen since 1958.
I have never heard a single person of any party have a bad word to say about him. He was the personification of a gentleman. He had four great loves in his life. His first was his family. His second was his Catholic faith, of which he was a staunch adherent. His third was his beloved Labor Party, and his fourth was his Irish heritage. They all meant so much to him.

- By Johno Johnson

Nobody could remember the last time that a Labor prime minister had moved a motion amid a sea of delegates in the middle of the conference floor.

- By Troy Bramston

Should economic growth be a Labor goal? Federal Member for Fraser, Dr Andrew Leigh MP, presents a definitive answer: yes.

- Dr. Andrew Leigh

Elected to the Victorian Parliament after one of Labor’s worst defeats, Steve Bracks won an election when Labor had been written off. Sam Dastyari talks to Steve Bracks about his eight years as Premier and his recent work protecting automotive manufacturing. Sam began by asking Steve about taking power.

- By Sam Dastyari

Election night 1995: In the Opposition Leader’s poky office in Macquarie Street. Bob Carr sat alone amid stacks of media releases, wondering if seven years of relentless campaigning had been for nought. It was a revealing contrast to his jaunty, defiant public claim to the nerves of a u-boat commander. The truth was only a few busloads of votes stood between Bob Carr and political oblivion as a washed up, two-time loser in the relative backwater of NSW politics while his friends Keating, Brereton and Richardson had enjoyed stellar Federal parliamentary careers. However, thanks to an astute marginal seat campaign, and Labor’s brilliant recapture of its heartland electorates in 1991, Bob’s fears were needless. His 10-year reign as the longest continuously serving Premier of NSW had begun.

- By Carl Green

The atmosphere in the Legislative Council – red, crumbly yellow, brown leather chairs, the spacious jocularity of a London club – contrasts, as always, with the Lower House, whose vomit-green carpet, closefought combat and claustrophobic bare-knuckle vulgarity give off a reek of past disgust, unabated since an Honourable Member deposited a bucket of human faeces on the wig of the Speaker in 1899. “You will soon find a year in Opposition is a long, long time!” shouts Barry O’Farrell at the bunched, defiant, shrunken Labor Party.

By Bob Ellis

We must encourage bold and innovative ideas if we are to rebuild our great Party. Robust and meaningful policy conversations need to be encouraged, not muted, at all levels of the Party if we are to move forward with a vision for NSW and Australia. The big, new and bold articles that follow are designed to stimulate discussion amongst Party members and beyond.