I have a real problem at the moment.
Do I vote for the Jonkey, the Nats?
Or do I vote for the Gofer, the Labourlites?
Of the minor parties; ACT has self-obessessd on the occupiers; Winnie the Pooh has ressurrected for the third time; the Greens have taken a jump to the left; Maori will lose their Mana with the departure of Pita and Tariana; Tamahere is making a joke of the idea of mana; the rest are just lost in the wilderness.
The problem is this.
The Nats have not done anything that drastically changes the economy, personal rights or the general state of society. In other words, they have not done much atall at all. That is something that they want to change. After spending three years borrowing in excess (well in excess) of requirements for reasons that were hazy at the time and incomprehensible now they are now suggesting the sale of assets such as power supply utilities so that the proceeds are available for a National Infrastructure Fund.
I guess that makes as much sense as a long-haul carrier selling half his truck so that he can buy a car for the wife.
Labour has just one problem. The Gofer. He sounds too much like an earnest scout master trying his hardest to sell raffle tickets in the local pub. They have a new team. The old guard left with absolutely no regard for succession, or for the continuity of ideas. Bring Back John A!!! The ideas that have come forward thus far have merit. Well, there is only one that has not originated in the powerhouse of the FOL. The Gofer is right about one thing; the minimum age for national superannuation MUST increase to 67, and I would bring the idea forward by about ten years for what he is promoting. Give him credit for what is, so far, the most realistic policy plank put to the electorate.
The rest can be discounted. Totally. I can't even raise the energy to consider Maori for a protest vote. I know the Tai Tokerau Labour candidate and he is not a bad chook. The Nat candidate similarly, with the proviso that he has to support the sale of state revenue earning assets.
Indications at the moment are that public support is on the side of retaining MMP. This is a good thing. I am not going to lose sleep (yet) on that quarter.
Next weekend is for friends; the Monkfish and co have opened their door. Good food, good wine, good company; three that just can not be beat.
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1 comment:
Ho...jolly good comment there, Prob!
The Gnats have never, read NEVER, had any earth-shaking policies of their own. They resort to the tired old mantras of BB (beneficiary bashing - conveniently forgetting that their main voter base are beneficiaries, oops sorry, superannuitants), The Economy and so on back from Mouldie's time.
The Jonk is all that the Gnats have...he of the supercilious smile, the polytetrafluoroethlyene carapace, the rolling eyes and the ubiquitous billboard presence. The Binglish comes across reasonably well but of course is billighted by being Finance Minister, always an odious bod in the public's eyes.
So, with tired old policies and a less than inspiring team lineup, the Gnats shouldn't really garner much in the way of votes. But they most likely will be the next Government, because they will do the right thing and knight Ritchie (if it was in their power they'd beatify the guy), clobber a few solo mums, and keep the super age to 65.
They won't deserve it.
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