Polity by Rob Salmond

Question time is an embarrassment, oh for some intelligence and wit

I put this on another thread but I think it belongs here.

Question Time 17 Feb 2016
Question 11, Denise Roche…

Denise Roche (to the Prime Minister) “Is it humane for babies and children to be detained in offshore detention centers?”
John Key “That would depend on the circumstances they were in but anyway that is the policy….”

So, its OK to have babies and children in offshore detention centers if John Key agrees with the circumstances.
I have just had the misfortune of reading the comments on an article in Stuff as to how to use a fan to keep cool…
Now I understand how we can have a prime minister who knows about nothing but money…

John Key’s a political poker player, and in poker there’s an old maxim about projection. When people are stuck in weak position, they go out of their way to project strength. It’s how you try to get out of a tricky position.

Can't quite agree there. Poker face is more a disinterested, distanced, disconnect, not deliberate. A deliberate attempt to fool your opponent is, in itself, a tell.
Key, as a trader, is more of an iconic sea captain, apparently oblivious to danger but calculating the horrendous odds while appearing relaxed and unfazed.
To many, this can be frustrating, not being able to discern a "hit" on his demeanor.
The trick with Key is to get him angry, that is when you see the real Key. It may present itself as a slight stammer or a softening of the voice in the hope of not being heard but it is underneath that cool calm teflon exterior that the turmoil takes its toll, he has to lie and in doing so loses his grip on reality. His greatest fear is a lack of confidence, confidence in himself and the confidence of his peers.

how to use a fan to keep cool

hey I had never thought of that approach.
more informative that parliament.

hey I had never thought of that approach.
more informative than parliament.

The comments were rather bizarre, like you can’t buy fans anymore and “just fit a heat-pump” .
The kind of depth of understanding and analytical approach that leads to following the the ideas of a charlatan.
But seriously, the attitude that concentration camps are fine and dandy should not sit well on the PM's shoulders.

Sorry to be a pedant, but ...

Rob, your second paragraph has typos in it, presumably it should read:

We've seen plenty of that from him in Parliament already.

And 4 paragraphs up from the bottom, you've spelled behaviour incorrectly.

Please feel free to delete this comment when (if) you make the changes.

Cheers.

This was always going to happen - that National would be pushing through something unpopular at the same time as Labour finally managed to suggest something truly popular, and the ridiculously trivial attention diverting flag debate is finally getting to the point where it's true cost has begun to register. So switching focus either way just isn't going to work. I'd expect Key's strategy now, if he still has any savvy left, will be to try to divert attention to the Green Party/The Far Left. And pray for some headline grabbing crisis abroad.

I’d expect Key’s strategy now, if he still has any savvy left, will be to try to divert attention to the Green Party/The Far Left. And pray for some headline grabbing crisis abroad.

I think his next move will be to get some kind of deal over the children in the Australian concentration camps. (I have thought for quite some time that the situation with the detention centres was deliberately over the top so as to allow leverage in terms of the public attitude to the humanity of both leaders). This will make Key appear to be “Way Ahead” of the Greens and allow a poke at the far left inasmuch as “see, we didn’t have to go the loony route” will play into the hands of the Right.
As for "headline grabbing crisis abroad." all I have to say here is one word... Trump.

Rob, how would it be possible for Key to bluff the media into thinking they were not writing about a policy if in fact they were?

Your theory relies on (1) journalists outside the gallery apparently writing meaningful amounts about a policy but (2) the journos in the gallery not being aware of this, (3) Key gambling on their ignorance by saying something they would be able to check by looking at their own newspapers or websites and (4) Key's false comments apparently then decreasing the amount of coverage the policy gets by deterring gallery journalists (who weren't writing about the policy) from writing it about it in future.

Or are you saying the gallery journalists were writing about the policy but Key's comments are designed to make them forget this and then stop writing about it?

I think the more plausible thing is that, for a $1b+ policy announced in a State of the Nation speech, reversing 25 years of policy, the education thing didn't get much coverage and Key was gloating about this.

HUH? So Key isnt trying to bluff everyone, he's secretly gloating?
Sheez do you not realise how 'off' that sounds?
I'd take that clothspeg off my nose if I were you

The theory only relies on a majority of journalists, and certain high-profile bloggers, being too lazy and/or overworked and/or partisan not to report Key's every spontaneous emission without pausing to do fact-checking.
On past record, that seems a safe bet.

As for "headline grabbing crisis abroad." all I have to say here is one word... Trump.

If Trump or Sanders take the White House, we know what that could mean for the TPPA. And if there's one opponent that Key can't fight, it's the housing bubble if it bursts. Right now Key & Little could be both privately hoping that they're not in charge when it goes pear-shaped.

I could go with Saunders, I think…
But Trump? He may ring the death knell for the TPP but the collateral damage would be horrendous.
Bernie Saunders, on the other hand, in my opinion, has a fly in the ointments chance of taking the biscuit, to mix a misplaced metaphor or two.

But Trump? He may ring the death knell for the TPP but the collateral damage would be horrendous.

Trump is more or less picking up where the infamous palaeo-con Pat Buchanan left off.

verily he is a palaeo-con artist.

I saw a story that in recent polling Sanders beats any Repub candidate and Clinton doesn't. However in the Democrat primary she will beat him so we'll never know. Hopefully he has moved the window a tiny bit to the left.

Surely it can't be long before the supporters of the wealthy few realise that they are not included in the dream?.

When it’s your dream you’re being sold, it can take an entire lifetime to realise that you’ve just been sold, and that it can’t ever be your reality.

That and denial.