We need to re-establish the principle of personal responsibility, re-affirm the importance of family and community, and turn our back on the politics of envy, where the party that wins is the one that can take $25,000 off a hard-working Kiwi and spread it around to win the maximum number of votes among those who aren't so hard-working.As a libertarian I don't agree with every word (what's wrong with re-affirming the importance of individual freedom?), but there's more meat there than in a whole folder-full of John Boy's mutterings - and doesn't that explain the advance auctions of stolen goods that are our western elections?
PS: I've noticed the commentariat (and John Armstrong) continuing with their false assertion that Brash's direct, to-the-point leadership turned off voters, and with their baseless predictions that John Boy's me-too mush will therefore sweep them in like flies to manure. Let's talk about that when John Boy hits over 49% in a TVNZ poll, which is where Brash's National were just before his ousting -- clearly those voters were never listening to the pundits who told them Brash's directness was turning them off; they were listening to Brash.
RELATED: Politics-NZ, Politics-National, Hollow Men
PC, your post script is spot on. I thought exactly the same while watching Prime's 5.30 news last night.
ReplyDeleteEric watzisname said something about John Key 'expecting to reunite voters alienated by Brash's more controversial views'.
These would be the same voters who flocked back to National at the expense of Labour, last year, I guess.
Still, your run-of-the-mill journos wouldn't want to change the habit of a socialist lifetime and let the facts get in the way of NZ the socialist way they want it, eh!
But if they *really* want 'controversial', I'd give them controversial! It'd make lefties like Den lose their lunch! :)
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ReplyDeleteIm betting 100 honour dollars that Nationals going to drop in the next 2 polls.Any takers?
ReplyDelete"Im betting 100 honour dollars that Nationals going to drop in the next 2 polls.Any takers?"
ReplyDeleteI'll take you on. Not out of the question but 2 consecutive is unlikely. $100 real dollars only.
You may email me capitalist@paradise.net.nz to put your money where your mouth is.
Also as gambling bets are not legally enforceable, both parties will have to give $100 to someone they both trust and at the completion of 2 polls (by the same polling company)the trusted person will give $200 to the winner.
ReplyDeleteI say we give the money to PC as the trusted person.As a trader I will hedge if you like -- a double down or a double up.
I have called your bluff James - don't be a eunuch now.
"I'm betting 100 honour dollars that National's going to drop in the next 2 polls."
ReplyDeleteJames, I wonder. Whilst they deserve to, as a matter of principle (or lack thereof), I wonder if their/Key's plan is to:
a) sop up the large middle vote that I call the soft left who may have stuck with Labour/UF/NZF because of Brash sticking his neck out, and
b) hold onto the majority of the Nat vote as well, ie those whom wouldn't vote any other way, anyway?
In other words, he's just playing politics to do what he has to do to get elected.
Or am I giving him too much credit and/or being overly optimistic? :)