Hard News: Last Words
203 Responses
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Hebe, in reply to
Not at all, if you want your vote to be a protest vote against National not Labour. I would vote for a stinking pile of poo if it would get rid of National, they are Cuthullull's little helpers.
Voting for a "minor" party is not a protest vote period. My interactions with Labour people in general election mode has always given me the impression that most (not all) Labourites regard MMP as an aberration that will eventually go away, and they only go along with it as much as they must until FPP is restored. Which is why the Greens may well within a term or two be the second-largest party in Parliament.
And why do I have to be left to be Green anyway?
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Isaac Freeman, in reply to
A vote against Labour is as good as a vote for National and these people are dangerous.
This is the part I think is a mistake. There's no box on the ballot paper for "against Labour". Neither are there sections for "Left and "Right". Each party has its own values, policies and culture.
I voted for the Greens because their values, policies and culture better matched what I want from New Zealand than any other party. I'd like them to do whatever works to advance their values, policies and culture. Despite the history, I think they'd get further working with Labour than National, but if that's not an option I'd rather they work with National to get something small achieved than sit on their hands for three years.
As far as I can tell, Maori Party voters feel the same way, as do New Zealand First voters, United voters and Conservative voters. Back in the days when ACT had discernible values and policies, I'm sure they were the same. I don't know enough about Mana yet, but if they're serious about getting things done they'll also work with whoever can advance their causes in whatever political environment they find themselves in.
Thankfully, Labour is capable of recognising this reality in practice. I find Winston Peters' politics odious, but I'm glad Helen Clark was able to form a government with NZ First, because I preferred that outcome to having Don Brash as Prime Minister.
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Hebe, in reply to
+1 Well put Isaac Freeman.
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Isaac Freeman, in reply to
I think Labour, being a broad organisation has some people that don’t realise they have to earn every vote, and a lot of sincere capable hard working people who do.
Yes, quite right. There are some great, sensible and sincere people in the Labour Party. I'm heartened when their voices are heard.
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izogi, in reply to
Instead, a badly flawed process may well see Carmel Sepuloni – one of a handful of MPs picked out as the face of the party for the opening broadcast – out of Parliament because her list place isn’t high enough. Others behind her, like Jordan Carter and Kate Sutton, have no show.
If it's acknowledged as a mistake within the party, I've wondered if we might still see a stack of senior Labour resignations within the first year after the election. Labour messed it up back during that phase before it pulled itself together somewhat, but it's still not necessarily too late to let in some of the newer talent. It may create some irritating by-elections.
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My vote for the greens is not a vote against Labour, nor is an explicit vote for the Greens - like last time it's a vote to pull the general Left further left than Labour
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Closing addresses on radio in background. Can't be arsed with any more of it at this stage (and I *like* politics).
Russel Norman just said unequivocally that a vote for his party means opposing asset sales. Sensible stuff from a few senior Labour MPs before that. And I survived interminable smugness and bursts of the Feelers to get that far..
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Rich of Observationz, in reply to
I'm thinking that a lot of the list positions are reward for supporting Goff. If another one of the old guard gets in as leader (or they wierdly decide to stick with Goff) then the same thing will be perpetuated.
The only hope for them is to break the cycle and get a leader that actually cares about more than maintaining their position.
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Kracklite, in reply to
+2
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thegirlstefan, in reply to
the TV One order seems different- Labour then Nats so far
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also, what's with Key's diction in this piece? I know he struggles with Maori pronunciation, but in this broadcast he is channeling an elderly in-law of mine after he's had a few rums and his dentures start slipping.
Sacha,did you have to endure the Feelers in the radio format?
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Joe Wylie, in reply to
. . . bursts of the Feelers . . .
Rock snot.
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Sacha, in reply to
endure was the operative word, yes. every couple of minutes to break up the smugtalk.
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Sacha, in reply to
To be fair, his government has hugely reduced that practice - at the expense of unimportant things like homecare for the elderly.
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Party vote: Green in hope that they will pull whoever is in government leftwards.
Electorate vote: Burns. Chch central was very close last go around and there's no one better who has a shit show.
Referendum: keep MMP. My first voting experience was in Ilam in 1993. 'nuff said
Referendum #2: STV I'm all about proportionality.
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On TV1 John Keys dreadfully filmed monologue singlehandedly won the worst video of the year award. Appalling. What are they playing at! 1/10
Labour production values wonderful, range of speakers, clear past successes and future intentions. Credible persuasive and watchable. 9/10 -
Key's so-called presidential leadership style doesn't bug me so much. And what Labour voter didn't feel the same way when Helen sailed in to power in 1999? Voters love strong leaders.
But, golly, I despise his tendency for suppressing fundamental & relevant information, passing his selfish agenda under urgency, and crashing over the top of his interviewers with condescending, bombastic, non-answers.
Talk about Muldoon style soft-fascism.
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Remember people. Don't Vote Drunk.
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thegirlstefan, in reply to
If I remember the same approaches were used in the Opening Addresses. Any were equally criticsed/praised. Any thoughts as to why it didn't affect poll results?
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Last Wednesday night. Simultaneously feeding self, kids and working. Phone rings. Fuck me, it's the Prime Minister, in his best radio, Branson-interviewing, shock-jock voice:
"Hi! It's John Key here just calling to remind you to vote on Satur ..."
John Key on automatic voice message. No *almost* about it. I gagged on my pasta.
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A big vote ... of appreciation for some wonderful prose in the early afternoon by the likes of JamesW, Kracklite, DeepRed and some of Craig's perceptive and often non-partisan insights.
I want some of what you lot had for lunch!
Voting tomorrow, after golf, for:
Greens
Sue Bradford *
MMP
STV
subject to change
* It is my belief that she would be one of the most approachable and committed electorate MPs when it comes to representing her constituents interests. -
Hebe, in reply to
If I remember the same approaches were used in the Opening Addresses. Any were equally criticsed/praised. Any thoughts as to why it didn't affect poll results?
National's one is calculated to have that home-made, down-home party-of-the-people look rather than the big-city-big-cash-and-big-cameras look. ie: "don't be scared of us little people we won't hurt you" (vulpine grin).
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Ok here's how I'm voting tomorrow (given my massive eighty comments or so makes me such an opinion leader on this site).
David Clark - Dunedin North is blessed in being a safe Labour seat, and with Pete Hodgson's retirement at least there will be some new blood.
Labour - I had thought about voting for New Zealand First as a spoiler against National, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.
MMP - we don't have an upper chamber, supreme legislation or a head of state who can veto, so proportional representation is the only way to temper the excesses of parliament.
STV - I was going to vote for FPP, thinking it would lose a second referendum, but I don't want to give it any legitimacy. STV is the pick of a poor bunch.Anyway, enjoy your democratic rights tomorrow. It is still a wondrous thing to freely select our government in this fashion when so many in the world can't enjoy the same thing.
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Any thoughts as to why it didn’t affect poll results?
Some of his supporters are rich, so act out of pure self interest. Although, plenty of Labour voters also vote from the wallet, rather than the head or the heart.
Green voters tend to be more mindful of society as a single system. If they are self interested, it is more out of a sense of shared well being, than individual well being.
I also met one woman in the supermarket queue who flat denied that Key would sell assets. Which suggests either ignorance or lack of trusted alternatives. I think Key finds support amongst a very conservative social set: people who don't like generation gaps, social or sexual deviance, etc.
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Islander, in reply to
+1 (except I vote in Te Tai Toka & will vote party-wise, Green.
Voting system? MMP all the way-)
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