Posts by Bart Janssen
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OnPoint: Spending "Cap" is Fiscal Anorexia, in reply to Russell Brown,
an ostensible concession
That's the key point. Anyone who believes this is really an ACT policy and not a National policy they were too scared to be publicly admit is their own is too gullible for words.
spineless much
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OnPoint: Spending "Cap" is Fiscal Anorexia, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,
It’s a concession to a party that got 3.65% of the vote.
Huh? The ACT party this term got 1.1%. It's a concession this term.
That the words were present in last terms agreement has no relevance, if the law were passed last term then yes it would be a concession to the 3.65% but it is being passed this term so it is representing the wishes of a party that received 1.1% support this term.
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Hard News: Most Discursive Website, in reply to Ross Mason,
that JC rode into town
I kept reading that as JK
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Hard News: The Next Labour Leader, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
With Hone entrenched as an MP and time to organise, I think Mana will pick up more votes in future elections. Maybe not many, but a few,
Without having any real personal idea of what the Maori voters really think ... one plausible scenario is Mana as the left Maori vote and The Maori Party as the right Maori vote.
This election demonstrated Hone can hold a seat which means a vote for Mana is not wasted. It will be an interesting story in the 2014 election and one that could play a role in which coalition governs. I personally would not be stunned if Mana got a higher percentage than The Maori Party.
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So both of the "ACT required policies" are examples of policies that have failed elsewhere that we are going to repeat in NZ.
Inverse evidence based policy
Moreover anyone who believes that ACT had done the necessary groundwork to have these policies ready to go is gullible beyond belief. These are clearly National policies they were ashamed to call their own and ACT is supplying plausible deniability.
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Hard News: The Next Labour Leader, in reply to Keir Leslie,
it isn’t fair for the Labour party to go after Green votes
That's not my problem with that strategy. I don't care if it's fair. What care about is that it's a failed strategy that is only more and more likely to fail again as folks become more familiar with MMP and the idea that a small party can represent their specific interests.
So I want Labour to stop targeting the Greens (something they have not done much at all) because it will fail.
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Hard News: The Next Labour Leader, in reply to Kumara Republic,
the middle finger
That and the announcement of a pro-mining assoc. minister of conservation today suggests more than one finger.
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Hard News: The Next Labour Leader, in reply to Chris Robertson,
Plant calories are a lot more efficient to produce.
Yup, that's it. You're right Chris the thing that is different about NZ is the water. NZ soils are pretty good, certainly not significantly worse or better than anywhere else in the world. But we have water and lots of it. It's one of the two natural resources that can make NZ rich if we manage it right. That's part of Dr Joy's frustration (I think) with the polluted waterways. We have enough water to produce dairy without polluting we just need to do things differently.
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Hard News: The Next Labour Leader, in reply to Isaac Freeman,
I suspect that if Labour were clearer about its values and platform, it would find itself attracting more people, not fewer.
My hunch as well. But it is a risk that more clearly defining the principles alienates some at the same time as it makes it easier for others to choose Labour ("that's the party that represents me").
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Hard News: Most Discursive Website, in reply to Emma Hart,
only my cat puts more effort and hours into trying to bring about my early demise
Don't be silly, killing you would be too easy. Establishing a state of fear and paranoia while still being cute enough to get steak trimmings is what defines feline talent.