Who governs this country? I thought that in a democracy we the citizens do. We have universal sufferage to elect members that respresent our interests in Parliament.

In Parliament debates are held and votes taken to decide outcomes and actions.
Not any more. The Prime Minister can decide to go to war without consulting Parliament.

He says it is not war. But to paraphase him: 'It looks like war”, 'Involves soldiers, gun and shooting and bombing”, 'It quakes like war then it is war”.

The Prime Minister is guided or coerced by members of the ‘club'.

The British foreign minister called by to ensure we toed the line.

We have no say in the policies and actions of the club. The USA is not going to heed little old NZ if it is not what they want.

So we send our soldiers into perilous situations to satisfy this ‘club' which has got itself into difficulties by meddling in the affairs of countries for their own selfish profits.

Had the Prime Minister consulted parliament this week, such a motion would have been lost due to the resignation of the member for North Auckland.

It may have been lost because some National Party members might have voted according to their conscience or wishes of their electorate.

When was the last time an MP crossed the floor and voted against their own party? I cannot recall.

Marilyn Waring did years ago and got into trouble but surely this is the object of having representatives for electorates not just parties.

Any list MP with the guts to vote against party lines must know that at the next election they will be so far down the party list they will have no chance of returning to Parliament.

This being the case, we should do away with list MPs and just add the portional number of votes to each motion before Parliament. This would save considerable costs and have very little adverse effect on the debates and votes in parliament.

Also the Prime Minister, when faced with a difficult or embarrassing question, reverts to his Sargeant Schultz impersonation: 'I know nothing”, blaming the failure of his extensive, personally-chosen department to keep him informed.

Going to war is not something that is popular with the general public so let's divert their attention with casinos and yacht races.

Democracy may not be the most efficient form of government but it is the most just we have devised to-date and to see it usurped as it is today in New Zealand is painful and frustrating. Frustration left unresolved leads to anarchy because the citizens feel helpless to resolve injustices by any other means.

P Dolden, Papamoa.