Cracker by Damian Christie

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Cracker: RIght On.

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  • Matthew Poole, in reply to BenWilson,

    ACT could have been history if only a few thousand Labour voters in Epsom could look past traditional tribal enmity to the big MMP picture.

    In 2005, yes, since Hide's majority was very much smaller than the Labour/Green candidates' votes total.
    In 2008, not a chance. Rodney's majority in 2008 was, from memory, larger than the total votes cast for all other candidates. It was definitely larger than the total votes cast for everyone other than Worthless, and that number included the votes of people such as myself who did vote tactically to try and get the National candidate plus a vote for a more-palatable party.
    You can't blame Epsom's Labour/Green voters for Rodney dragging in the Zombie of Parliaments Past and the Dead Baby.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Bevan Shortridge,

    Hide has resigned as leader. Brash coup positive for ACT, for NZ. Apparently.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 122 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi, in reply to Andrew E,

    Hopefully the nails will prove somewhat more effective.

    It's notoriously difficult to hammer that last nail in when you're pinning yourself to a cross, but I have faith that Phil Goff will manage it with his usual grace.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew C,

    This time around, same thing. Good publicity, you could argue, having your new leader declaring his intentions on every media outlet available – even ‘Perigo’ FFS. But from the outside it makes the fringe right look fractured, compromised, messy. We’ve seen the uncertainty, the machinations – will it be John Boscawen or Hillary Calvert who plays Judas – all play out.

    I dont know, I sort of like how its fully out in the open and transparent. All those behind closed door back stabbing coups just made the players seem nasty and sneaky and underhand. This seems kind of clean.

    Auckland • Since May 2008 • 169 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Steve Withers,

    I've always wondered why anyone would vote for ACT. I'm still wondering.

    I actually know the answer to that because I have a friend (whom I really still do like) who can't abide National for it's soft and spineless approach to economics in NZ. Act is almost right wing enough in their economic position to satisfy him.

    Obviously our political discussions are .... interesting.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    I actually know the answer to that because I have a friend (whom I really still do like) who can’t abide National for it’s soft and spineless approach to economics in NZ. Act is almost right wing enough in their economic position to satisfy him.

    A guy I went to school with is (or was, I think he's moved on to local politics) a speechwriter for a few folks in ACT. As a kid, he was a young pakeha with upper class parents, obsessed with Nazis and WWII.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Fascinating politics. Brash's nine-to-noon interview helps to make sense of this, but not a lot.

    Will be interesting to see how Key handles this to avoid bleeding votes to ACT without increasing total support for the centre-right. I still think Brash has low-value electability. His legendary "not mainstream NZers" pissed a lot of people off across the spectrum.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • HORansome,

    Anyone reading Kiwiblog on this? You should; John Ansell's breathtaking optimism that Brash will be PM after the next election is, well, gloriously mad, and it just gets better with every comment he makes.

    Tāmaki Makaurau • Since Sep 2008 • 441 posts Report Reply

  • BlairMacca, in reply to Paul Williams,

    Will be interesting to see how Key handles this to avoid bleeding votes to ACT without increasing total support for the centre-right. I still think Brash has low-value electability. His legendary “not mainstream NZers” pissed a lot of people off across the spectrum.

    I wouldn't be too sure, Brash did come within a breath of winning. I had family members who loved him, thought he was a straight up honest guy. And they aren't your run of the mill right wing looney. Which scares me. He could tap the racist vote very easily.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 208 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Damien, you probably know more about Auckland than I do, but I don't fully buy that Epsom is safe for whoever NACT decide to endorse.

    There are going to be some Epsom voters who were happy with the Hide populist agenda and are going to be less happy with Brash. There's also been three years for the Lab/Green voters to twig to what's going on and vote tactically for National (although even if they all did it isn't enough to overturn the National vote).

    What would be smart would be for Labour and Green to denounce this electoral gaming and withdraw their candidates in favour of an independent right-of-centre figure. (Dick Hubbard?) That candidate might garner enough votes to displace Hide.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to HORansome,

    I read it to; couldn't resist asking if that'd be pre-election or not. Ansell's a little mad in that I've-seen-the-future-but-you'll-not-understand-it kind of way.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to BlairMacca,

    Blair, there is a risk that National will move closer to the centre to try to capture more votes. I’m of the view that National had to do this to win last time. But look at the commentary from the likes of Ansell over at kiwiblog, he sees Brash’s coup as the begining of the end of Key’s National.

    Why this fixation with bloody Epsom??

    Brash has now provided a safe home for every Nat with a brain and a conscience. Believe it or not, there are quite a few of those. They’ve been dying for somewhere to flee to, and now they’ve got it.

    National supporters now have a clear choice: The Cheesy Fake or The Real Deal? When they see this clearly – as even they will in seven months – the little traitor’s halo will shatter as quickly as it formed.

    By November, the Scaredy Nats will be rocked back on to their Bill English Memorial Rump of 20%, while the party that embraces their founding principles will deservedly be on 40%+.

    Laugh away, but you slowcoaches didn’t see this coming, did you?

    Get this man on TV quick.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Paul Williams,

    There are going to be some Epsom voters who were happy with the Hide populist agenda and are going to be less happy with Brash.

    Isn't it Banks for Epsom?

    A Harley Davidson Street Aye Specialist.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Raymond A Francis,

    I am interested in the claim that Brash is a racist
    His position is that he is not; he just believes everyone is equal which is hardly a racist position.
    What ever, it sure scared the bejesus out of the Labour government (or maybe the polls did!) who then took a couple of giant leaps to the right with the dropping of policies that were to designed to help Maori and of course the Foreshore clusterfuck
    Certainly his speach did brought a racist response from Labour but does that make him one?

    And just before you label me racist I have always been in favour of those policies and allowing Maori to take their quite valid claims to the proper Court

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler, in reply to Raymond A Francis,

    I am interested in the claim that Brash is a racist

    Danyl has a very succinct summary of the argument here. PLUS we get to play Race-Based Policy Bingo in the comments!

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell, in reply to Damian Christie,

    @Paul - I think Act would always win Epsom though wouldn't they?

    Actually my assumption is that Rodney's brand is so tarnished this time around that there's a good chance that they wont - and as a result the right would lose all of ACT's party votes - hence the need to bolster them up and keep those votes live in an MMP world - of course getting rid of the silly threshold would have the same effect

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to BlairMacca,

    . Which scares me. He could tap the racist vote very easily.

    Oh, and remind me who’s not ruling out getting back in bed with WInston Peters if that zombie apocalypse happens? Hint: It’s not Key. Throw in the visceral hatred a good chunk of Labour has for the Maori Party, and I predict we’re going to be hearing a lot more high-pitch brown-necking from Shane Jones while Goff goes pandering to Waitakare Man. It’s not as if Labour has anything to lose.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    It is certainly proving to be a valuable means of driving traffic to your site, using whatever populist bingo cards you choose.

    Meh!

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Clint Fern, in reply to Raymond A Francis,

    His position is that he is not;

    The same position taken by Pauline Hanson and Nick Griffin.

    While Brash is plainly not as extreme as those two, is as just as convincing in the "I'm not a racist but..." stakes.

    Nelson • Since Jul 2010 • 64 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    His position is that he is not; he just believes everyone is equal which is hardly a racist position

    And ignores all the data which shows they're not. Not in terms of health, education, employment etc. So now what? Any number of indicators shows a significant proportion of the nation's citizens are not enjoying the same standard of living as others. Will flat tax, welfare cuts and asset sales fix that?

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • jb,

    Or simply change the name from ACT to APO, the German acronym for Extraparliamentary Opposition.
    Which is exactly is what's going to happen

    a.small.town.in.germany • Since Jan 2007 • 86 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Will flat tax, welfare cuts and asset sales fix that?

    No, and neither will screaming “racist” at anyone who suggests that the Maori seat may just have outlived their usefulness. You know, like we somehow managed to get past the idea that only property owners over the age of twenty-one with penises were competent to vote.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Not scream Craig but pointing out that there's more than a hint of racism in Brash's public statements over a number of years.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Anyone else here thinks the Maori seats may have outlived their usefulness?

    I personally do not so think: the system has changed (and bad cess to Labour for indirectly making this happen) but the southern Maori voice needs to be heard in our Parliament...

    (it is inclusive of Moriori/Rekohu people - there is genealogical & oral history evidence that the Moriori, of full Polynesian descent, left the South in the 15th century.)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Mikaere Curtis,

    Anyone else here thinks the Maori seats may have outlived their usefulness?

    Craig has a mortgage on that. Given that all Maori have the choice of dis-establishing the Maori seats by voluntarily transferring to the general roll, can't we let the market sort this out ? Instead, Craig, Brash and others would rather get out the Stick of Paternal Coercion and remove them without some much as a "by your leave". Why convince when you can override ?

    @Raymond A Francis

    His position is that he is not; he just believes everyone is equal which is hardly a racist position.

    If you believe this, then can you please explain why Brash was happy for only Maori owners of title of the F&S should be treated differently from existing owners ?

    As Paul Williams says, when you have being Maori as a salient indicator of negative outcomes in terms of education, health, and crime is it actually being racist to recognise this factor relevant to policy settings ?

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report Reply

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