Posts by Idiot Savant
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We'd better start checking out the United Future list. "Kelly who?"
Number 3 (possible MP if they boost their vote) is current party president Denise Krum.
Number 4 (ditto) is former national MP Graeme Reeves. I'll do a Hansard on him to see if he said anything stupid during his short time in the House (I need to do a trawl through that era anyway to dig up some info on member's Bills).
Number 5 is Selio Solomon. No idea, sorry.
Number 6 is former MP Murray Smith. One of the fundie kooks.
Number 7 is Neville Wilson, no idea either, other than that he used to work for Habitat for Humanity.
Number 8 (which is probably as far as we need to go) is PN candidate Frank Owen. A farmer.
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Thank god, or whoever, this smokescreen is dissipating and we can start looking at what really matters, the election (Our Election, not that other one in that country that's about to go down the gurgler)
And speaking of which, as part of the NRT / In A Strange Land programme to enlighten Australians, I have a big piece on what national might do here.
(Sorry, couldn't resist the plug)
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It really does beg the question. <i>WHY?!?</i>
The desire to go full term, without a messy last-minute breakup, coupled with the need to retain what may be a crucial ally in post-election coalition negotiations. But even then. I don't see any need to be so vocal about it. They may be forced by expediance to snuggle up to a scumbag (and forced again if we voters are sadists), but they could at least be honest about that fact rather than pretend to enjoy it.
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"Come to NZ and experience the thrill of testing dairy farm runoff"
"You're soaking in it!"
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And speaking of which, it looks like Franks isn't the only bigot in the National party...
Can someone call and tell them that we've living in the 21st century, not the 20th?
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..or maybe that plan has been shelved in view of the current crisis.
Yeah, right.
National's meta-policy is all about looting the state for the benefit of their donors and cronies. tax cuts for the rich are an important part of this. And if they get to saddle government with debt and cripple its ability to engage in equality-promoting social spending in the future, then all the better as far as they're concerned.
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I'm looking forward tot he return of The Pretender. It was the best comedy onNZ TV last election; hopefully it'll be as good this time.
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Ask them what the purpose of copyright is and how long they think it should last. Basic, but illuminating.
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The indicative referendum was between FPP, MMP, the Single Transferable Vote (STV), Supplementary Member (SM) or Preferential Vote (PV), but blowed if I can remeber the finer points of the latter two.
SM: MMP, but with the party vote only affecting the proportionality of the list seats, rather than the whole of parliament. Fairer than FPP, but not by much, and why go halfway? But National seems to like it, because its the worst of both worlds - all the flaws of MMP, and none of the benefits. Contrary to their claims, the Royal Commission didn't like it.
PV: Australian-style preferential voting in single member electorates. Better than FPP, but still not proportional; flaws perfectly illustrated by last weeks Western Australia state election, where WA Labour got 36% of the vote and 48% of the seats, the Greens got 12% of the vote and no seats, and the Nationals got 5% of the votes and 7% o the seats.
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MMP while fairer does give parties that got under 5% more power that the loosing party that 35%-40% of the voters supported
Hardly. it gives them exactly as much power as they can negotiate for. And if National bothered negotiating, rather than pouting and whining and stamping its foot whenever it didn't get its own way, maybe they could get some of it too.
(Seriously. National has let opportunities to assemble majorities and amend legislation to suit itself go begging. If they're that stupid, then I say fuck 'em)