If Hillary Clinton becomes US president, then what should Bill’s title be?
President’s consort, instead of the consorting president.
Margaret Wyeth, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
• The first lady’s man.
Josh Beer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
• Casting agent.
Richard Orlando, Westmount, Quebec, Canada
• If Hillary Clinton becomes US president, then Bill Clinton really is passed-in president!
John Johns,
Hallidays Point, NSW, Australia
• President Emeritus
Bruce Cohen, Worcester, Massachusetts, US
• Hillary’s has-been.
Joan Dawson, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• The first bloke.
David Isaacs, Sydney, Australia
• Bill who?
Harvey Mitchell, Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia
• Groom of the stool.
Roger Morrell, Perth, Western Australia
Poetry of the galaxy
Is there a God of the multiverse?
There is actually a pantheon of such gods. Among them, the ones I most worship are Robert Burns and Pablo Neruda.
Terence Rowell, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Yes, Shakespeare.
Gillian Shenfield, Sydney, Australia
• Yes. She is God the Mother and, like all women, she is skilled at multitasking.
Ursula Nixon, Bodalla, NSW, Australia
• Some would say there are many, but I’d back there being none.
Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia
Sold to the highest bidder
In this era of monetising everything, why can’t we sell our votes?
In terms of classical economic theory, individual votes represent a unique commodity. While they can’t be sold directly, at least not under our western pseudo-democratic system, they can certainly be bought. Ask any politician, in particular those from the major parties.
Every election is a mock auction, where the promises on offer are rarely if ever fulfilled, the only winner being the successful political party. The pitch is aimed purely at greed and self-interest: we can offer you a short-term gain in your living standards, while our opponents will not only break all their impossible promises, they’ll also rob you blind along the way.
And we fall for it, every time, apparently unable to collectively perceive that the auctioneer, regardless of his or her political garb, is effectively simply a naked thief.
Noel Bird, Boreen Point, Queensland, Australia
• Because there is no real value to it. The recent history of our so-called western democracies illustrates this fact.
Lajos Valyi, Whitby, Ontario, Canada
• Because there’s no hush money in a secret ballot.
Murray Campbell, Brisbane, Australia
• Are you sure we’re not?
Graham Thorburn, Woollahra, NSW, Australia
The truth is out there
What does the truth look and sound like?
Ah, that’s the problem. It usually looks quite transparent and sounds unexciting, and is so easily ignored.
Kris Misselbrook, Samouillan, France
• No one I’ve ever met.
Malcolm Campbell, Brisbane, Australia
• We don’t know because it either lies concealed or is concealed by lies.
Sunil Bajaria, Bromley, UK
Singing in the reign
Why are we saving the Queen, and from what?
Her mystical status translates into healthy revenue for the English treasury. We are saving her from oblivion, and ourselves from transferring our diamond dreams from Buckingham Palace to the tinsel of Hollywood.
Mary Garnett, Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada
• From force of habit, generated by our common inability to comprehend the world as it now is.
Philip Stigger, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
There can only be one winner
What if push comes to shove?
It would be a pushover.
Anthony Walter, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Any Answers?
Why is inconsequential chatter or gossip known as rhubarb?
Martin Butcher, Blantyre, Malawi
What should one do when all hope is lost?
R De Braganza, Kilifi, Kenya
Send answers to weekly.nandq@theguardian.com or Guardian Weekly, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, UK
