Posts by Craig Ranapia
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
I had to chuckle at the interview with Tariana (presumably recorded last week, before the AGM) on Mana News yesterday, in which she explained that her party only had an 1100-vote majority to overhaul to roll Parekura Horomia and claim an additional seat.
I remain of the view that that's the real reason the AGM statement accused Horomia of failing his people and called for his resignation. I don't think even they seriously believe he was in a position to reverse the police operation.
D'oh... His majority was actually 1,900 and change - but it might have been cut on paper with boundary changes. And he only took Ikaroa-Rawhiti in the first place (beating Derek Fox) with a majority of 695.
Still, I don't think it was strategically a bad move on the Maori Party's part. Parekura is a perfectly amiable man - networked up the wazoo naturally - but I've heard that he's not the most effective campaigner around. If he was Nanaia Mahuta - with her family connections in Tainui - it might not matter so much. But, IMO, one thing the MSM has never quite got their heads around is that the political relationship between Labour and Maori has been rather more complex, and ambivalent, for a long time than conventional wisdom would have you believe.
If nothing else, it's going to fascinating watching how Labour and the Maori Party play it out over the next year - because they've both got some delicate, and risky, strategic decisions to make.
-
But seriously Craig: do you really believe the Maori Party's written claim that the police operation is an attack directed by the Labour government against all Maori? Don't you find that even a little bit crazy?
No I don't - it's extremely crazy, but I don't think Clark's own comments quoted by Weston are particularly helpful, except to insert herself into the kind of partisan posturing she should have left to Peters and Sharples. And I'd previously given her a lot more credit for keeping an appropriate distance as Prime Minister.
Half the problem with this, IMO, is that when there's a lot of speculation and little in the way of publicly available evidence on the table of course conspiracy theories are going to fill the void. I just thought Clark hasn't played this with her usual dexterity, but what do I know?
I'll put it this way, Russell, after the SIS semi-gaffe whoever suggested John Key be very, very quiet has earned a big gold star on their next performance review.
-
Though when you look at Mitt Romney - who can't tell the same lie about his record as governor of Massachusetts twice in a row - they may have a point. Getting him loaded - and keeping him there - might be a very good thing indeed.
-
and seems to piss off and embarrass the national republicans which can't be a bad thing
OTOH, to most of those folks I suspect being a Republican in California or New England means you're only a joint away from turning into a Satan-worshiping lesbian Commie anyway. :)
-
I've taken to boring my friends with explanations of how I was wrong about Arnie after all. He's actually been good value as California Governor.
Well, folks tend to forget you don't get terribly far in California as a Republican running from the theo-con hard-right. If my memory serves Schwarzenegger is the only Republican who holds state-wide office, and the Democrats have held substantial majorities in both houses of the state legislature since 1970. Even by the low standards of American electoral gerrymandering, the last round of redistricting was pretty blatantly worked to protect incumbents of both parties.
-
Trev may be an easy target but I think its easy to lose perspective amongst the breathless and holier than thou tone taken during such discussions.
Weston:
Members of my extended family killed by napalm: Nil.Members of my extended family killed by molotov cocktail: Nil.
Members of my extended family beaten to death by their husband after years of physical, psychological and sexual abuse (this was back in the day when you couldn't legally rape your wife): One.
Members of my extended family, whanau and community screwed up in ways you cannot even begin to imagine by 'boys being boys': Too bloody many.
While I'm sure it's not an implication you intended to make, I damn resent any suggestion that I'm taking a 'holier than thou' cheap partisan shot over an issue I have very personal reasons for taking extremely seriously; let alone Clark and Peters' apparent line that if you have any questions about these so-called terror-raids you're some terrorist-cuddling May-owri radical who wants to turn New Zealand into a racist hellhole. Especially when the latest Herald-Digipoll on the same page as the story you've quoted, might well suggest Labour and NZ First have good reason to engage in a little cynical politicking of their own.
I'm very comfortable with my perspective, thanks. What I'm much less comfortable with is Labour, NZFirst and the Maori Party picking this issue for their electoral bitch-slap fiesta.
-
And her dad has revealed what tipped into hard drug use: marriage. Clearly, the authorities should look at banning that.
I'd be more inclined to section the people who didn't convince Winehouse that this is a really, really bad idea:
She recently announced that she will be collaborating with the Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty, who is notorious for his drug addiction and run-ins with the law.
Because if you're an addict with an eating disorder - and perhaps even try not being tabloid fodder for a bit - hanging around with Kate Moss' manorexic junkie ex is the way to do it.
-
After National MPs had implied David Benson-Pope was a kiddie-fiddler?
Oh come on, rodgerd, Mallard's been a good little attack dog - and amply praised and rewarded for being so - long before Benson-Pope or Judith Collins even entered Parliament. The one grain of sympathy I feel for the man is this: Last week he was praised as Labour's go-to shit-kicker, now Clark is in this morning's Herald talking about his undergoing "anger management and stress counselling."
I couldn't agree more - one of the best bits of advice I got in therapy was the importance of separating myself from people and situations that just weren't positive influences on my mental health, sobriety and temper. It wasn't easy - and it sure pushed me all the way out of my comfort zone - but it seems to have paid off.
Surely, Mallard's built networks over the years that could help him find a career where his 'anger' isn't encouraged and rewarded until it's politically inconvenient.
-
I wish the PM would stop adding oxygen to the faux flames too.
Well, more to the point, I wish the PM would have a good hard think about the notion that abusers flourish when they're surrounded by people who are either in total denial or active enablers. While (IMO) the explicit message of the IT'S NOT OK campaign is to challenge abusers to own their own shit, there's the other (and equally important) side of the equation: it's not acceptable for the rest of us to look away, minimise or make excuses for what they do either.
-
How about ... you can't defend the honour of a non-existent woman, so the PM's recent explanation holds even less water?
Or the PM's spin holds no water at all if she's alluding to the woman who secured this grovelling retraction and apology from a Sunday newspaper that has a track record where Sharons are concerned.
Last ←Newer Page 1 … 1136 1137 1138 1139 1140 … 1235 Older→ First