General Election 2011. Politics, Anyone?

Election, 2011.

Anyone wanna talk politics, or mention concerns or agreements with proposed policy announcements and statements from our various political parties?

Got any idea on how and where your votes will go? I have my Party Vote worked out, but an Electorate vote is a lot harder because I don’t support the incumbent and that person is going to take the seat by a country mile, even without my vote.

Asset Sales seem like a intrinsically bad idea; you sell off and forfeit the future income stream from dividends returned to the country by SOES and the like, for a one off payment that is but a drop in a vast and quite empty bucket.

The Public Service is going to take another huge hit, and I suspect that will impact on every one of us, one way or another. Especially in the area of provision of social and other services. Will National decide that its reelection is a public vote of confidence in Education for instance, and bulldoze away all effective and rational opposition to NCEA?

How many more hospital wards are going to be under resourced, unable to provide timely essential services including mental health? How many more wards will close, or bed spaces become unavailable?

Life and existence on any sort of welfare benefit is about to become a lot more stressful I suspect and if anyone reading this is old enough to have been an adult during the Jenny Shipley-led second-term National Govt, you might well have cause to feel worried too.

What do you think about the assorted ‘leaders’ of these parliamentary parties?
Act scares me, but maybe it will disintegrate if it looses Epsom? Winston worries me mainly because he is Winston and I think he’s a dissembler par excellent. Phil needs to remember what it was like back in his Norton Commando-riding days, and lead his pack, not wobble along behind still on trainer wheels. John terrifies me – a National led second term coalition government will not look after the people, it will look after a few. Unions will be hit hard, as will the folk they represent and if you think your individual standard of living and measures of ‘happiness’ will increase with John back, I think you’re going to be let down badly. Neither Tariana or Dr. Pita intend completing the full three year term of the next government, and I’ve not seen much on the emergence of future leaders yet. Hone lost any claim to personal Mana when, at the time he first refused to swear allegiance to The Queen, his Korowai, a feather cloak, fell from his shoulders as he walked into The House. I’ve never seen such a thing and if that didn’t give him a message from his tupuna, nothing will. I don’t think that calling on Minto or Bradford will add much to Mana either. Dunne? I’d prefer him gone – a one MP Party allied to the far right is not a lot of help to the majority of the country, I don’t think.

Don’t forget too, there is a Referendum as part of the 2011 General Elections. So you will need to consider it, as well because you have to make a choice. List MPs and MPP or not? I read a news article about one List MP who has been in Parliament since 2005. I don’t recall ever having heard of that person before today. What have they achieved in two full terms in Parliament, other than getting a not too bad sorta wage etc? Dunno, but there are several List MP’s I’d not heard of – I had a look today to see who was there. Crikey.

Should a List MP become a Cabinet Minister? That person has no ties back to a specific electorate which might or might not be a personal advantage, but it is yet another barrier between that MP and real folk. They are there because they are good party supporters etc, not because a large group of people deliberately and specifically chose them and voted them in in preference to another individual.

Aotearoa NZ seems to position itself as a predominantly ‘Christian’ society. Well, you’ve seen them in action for a few years now. Who do you reckon is the ‘better Christian’ out of Phil Goff and John Key? Does religion matter in our politics? Whom would be more likely to unreservedly ‘Swear on a Bible’ that something was the truth and nothing but? John or Phil?

Paddy.

Crap. I hate being right about Politics and our beloved central government politicians, hopefuls, and others.

‘Disability policy a tough sell for Barry’
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10763015

Wow, a National Candidate, who fails to really answer on very specific Disability – related questions. What a surprise, eh? I don’t think we the mad and otherwise unwell folk will do well from her being in any form of National-led government.
Then of course, there is this particular joyless announcement;

‘Key reveals major benefit revamp’
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5888609/Key-reveals-major-benefit-revamp

Where are these Jobs we may be forced to seek out? They so rarely exist, especially in smaller communities that local employers are going to be reduced to being ticket punchers, to prove somebody has asked them for paid work. I’m sure that will be a huge help to all concerned.

How does anyone here feel about today’s National Party policy releases on our welfare and benefits system? I didn’t hear anything about more help for Food Banks and other voluntary welfare orientated groups.

Paddy.

Damn it, just deleted my very large post. I think I'll redo it to tomorrow.

But I will say I have been quite impressed with Phil Goff's performance recently. He tore John Key a new one in the leaders debate and was also quite impressed by this:

Benefit proposal blasted

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/5893589/Benefit-proposal-blasted MATHEW GROCOTT Last updated 12:00 02/11/2011

“Labour Palmerston North candidate Iain Lees-Galloway called the welfare plan "a scheme Jenny Shipley would be proud of".

Remember, you read it hear first. What did I say in starting this Thread?

‘Life and existence on any sort of welfare benefit is about to become a lot more stressful I suspect and if anyone reading this is old enough to have been an adult during the Jenny Shipley-led second-term National Govt, you might well have cause to feel worried too.’

Paddy.

Hello its been a while but I felt I must write in response to Paddy and Doc's comments.

As an RN working in Mental Health, witnessing the cuts first hand (no pun intended) there are 56 beds threatened with closure and no replacement for them. That's 56 folk now facing a brick wall.
Not to mention the nursing and allied staff positions lost and closed.

I agree with Doc in that Phil Goff did come across as a "man of the people" sort unlike the smiling assassin John Key.
Where do we sign up for the lessons in Mandarin Chinese?

Just so we know how to speak to our betters.

Martinexx

This has been taken down due to Election day rules. As I am a member of my party it is illegal for me to plug that party on election day. I will return this post after election day is over. Remember to vote as this election is truly important.

Paddy, re who is the better Christian between Key and Goff. Well, Key is Jewish, although I don’t think practising, and Goff appears to be secular. Personally, as an atheist, I couldn’t care less who is the better Christian as I don’t think it matters. I personally think that religion has no place in politics and that people should keep their religious beliefs to themselves. I worry about the situation in the USA with religion playing such a large part in decision making there, so hope that NZ stays away from’ Dark Age’ politics where religion once again rules the roost.

Paddy, re asset sales, they are nuts!!! Why does National seem to constantly have this overwhelming desire to cut into the goose that lays the golden eggs? By selling off assets, even a percentage of those assets, you sell off those profits also. Government is hospitals, schools; it is the very infrastructure that everyone relies on. By selling this infrastructure off and losing those dividends the whole suffers. We should be using assets such as electricity providers to lift the standard of living of all New Zealanders, because once they are sold, they are gone from any further control, just as the dead goose lays no more eggs.

Paddy, re Nationals purposed welfare reforms, crazy shit really! I like the Green's and Labour's approach to welfare. Education and apprenticeships are a bloody good idea. Easy access into training with adequate support is vital to a positive future in my mind. Schools need to become the social centre of our community so that our kids get a positive and supportive environment at least in one place. Kids should be well fed at school so that they have energy enough to learn and behave. Education is a whole life process and should be available for anyone at any age.

Welfare should always be there for those who need it, but can’t be a hole that is majorly difficult to get out of. The sick should be provided a dignified standard of living; the unemployed should be encouraged into positive growth that will lead to worthwhile employment that benefits society. Welfare should include health and education as foundational to the wellbeing to the individual. Imagine it Paddy, a world where personal growth is not restricted by the greed of others, but wholly encouraged by Government.

Paddy, MMP has issues that need addressing. But these are small and easily fixed. MMP is the best of the systems on offer. MMP has seen a greater degree of diversity in parliament, and seen far less of the dictatorship style governance of the FPP Muldoon era.

Paddy, re list MP's becoming Cabinet Ministers, I have no problem with it. When one votes for a party, they also vote for that parties list in its published order. If one does not like the list then one should not vote for that party. Electorate MP’s represent the interests of their constituencies. Epsom interests are represented in parliament by the Epsom MP, as Wigram is by its MP. A list MP has the function of placing skilled people who might not otherwise get into a position where they can enter parliament and make a possibly valuable contribution to NZ. Many of our best Ministers of the last 10 years have been list MP’s, such as Michael Cullen.

GR basically said what I was going to say, just with less swearing at national's retarded plan to sell of state assets

Selling of any more state assets will probably end in disaster for the country.

And borrowing more will not cut down on debt

Guerrilla Roach wrote:Paddy, MMP has issues that need addressing. But these are small and easily fixed. MMP is the best of the systems on offer. MMP has seen a greater degree of diversity in parliament, and seen far less of the dictatorship style governance of the FPP Muldoon era.

Well said! Viva la MMP.

On borrowing, the simple facts: In New Zealand we pay a certain level of tax on various things, which go towards the cost of all those other things that we as New Zealanders love to have and rely on, like health care, education, prisons, police, the military, and so on... Now, the type of services New Zealand has and the ways in which these services are instructed to run, directly result from the amount of resources going into them.

We have in New Zealand exactly what we have paid for by the way of quality of service. Moreover, we have to borrow just to have it as it is now. We as a society of people have collectively decided to not pay for anything better. It is seen as anti competitive, anti growth, for people to have to pay for these services even to the standard that they are now. So we muddle on complaining about ACC not covering this or that, mutter to the side at not being able to afford to see the Doctor, and so on....

Furthermore, the majority of New Zealanders are mortgaged and have borrowed to the hilt to maintain this ever growing lifestyle. Houses, boats, just to pay the bills; we Kiwi’s will borrow for anything and do. The private debt in New Zealand is humongous. We spend as a country masses more than we earn, and on top of that, we spend it mostly on things that profit those overseas. ‘Cash or plastic Sir?’

The environment must suffer also for this need to grow, to have more and more.... Our rivers are in an appalling condition, but we dare not do anything in case Fontera loses out and we fail to support the economy. We will likely destroy this countries environment by the time we realise we have nowhere else to live. Why is this growth so important when it costs so much?

And what is actually meant by growth? What actually grows? Cities grow, farms grow, people grow, the economy grows, populations grow too, and grow and grow...then pollution grows, debt grows, inflation grows, and grows and grows. We must have more and more, of what?! Who is actually benefiting from all this economic growth? Well, it so happens that John Key gave those who are benefiting a wonderful, growth growing, tax cut. So why is growth so great?

Well the people in charge say the money that lavishly adorns the coffers of those darling rich folk eventually trickles down to us plebs. Yes that is right New Zealand they spend some of that money back into the economy and it trickles down into our wallets. So we have given these guys a much needed extra few grand and they will reward us handsomely with their trickle. Sure beats the hell out of full ACC cover and cheap Doctors, gosh only knows why in the hell I ever wanted any of that.

User pays, and pays, and pays, the losers can’t afford to pay, the middle laments the cost involved with paying, and the rich just pay as they like. But paying is paying, and who pays is indeed the question. What I believe is that a comprehensive and smartly thought out tax system would provide better services and in turn populate this country with citizens who are willing and able to advance us into a cleaner, safer, wealthier and far more comfortable place in the sun.