The mutant descendant of the 1980s and the 1990s - fun
I'm not relishing the new government, but I don't relish the old government, or any government. I'll write about how I voted and why, and also a bit about why National got so many votes later. But now I am focusing on the horse-racing parts of it:
- Ikaroa-Rawhiti was the competition of scumbag* Clint Rickards apologists. The advantage of an election when you hate both candidates this much is that one of them has to lose. So ya boo sucks to Derek Fox.
- I think the union movement is well rid of any union leaders who are aiming for parliament. So I'm glad to see that Carol Beaumont is in, even though she didn't win Maungakiekie, but I do wish they'd take Helen Kelly as a job-share type thingy.
- I have now been arrested with a member of parliament. Chris Hipkins the new MP for Rimutaka was arrested with me (and 74 other people) on the steps of parliament over ten years ago. Although it was ridiculously close. If Labour can't get decent margins in Rimutaka then no wonder they're completely fucked (more on this in response to Deborah
- I find it useful in elections to focus on the people you hate who are losing their jobs. This is very cheering, as Winston Peters, Ron Mark, Harry Dynhoven, Gordon Copeland, Philip Field, and a whole bunch more Labour and NZ First MPs are now unemployed.
- The best moment of the night was when it looked like Dunne might not win Ohariu and take his hair off into the sunset.
- None of this takes away from the fact that someone whose name rhymes with Doger Rouglas exists, and will be having a say over other people's lives.
* Of course scumbag isn't a particularly useful way to distinguish politicians. But both Derek Fox and Parekura Horomia are individual scumbags even without whatever they do in parliment; I don't like abusive men and I don't like slumlords.
The vote count is interesing. National increased its vote by about 60,000. Labour's vote declined by about 200,000. Mos of those votes didn't go to National. Some went to the Greens and the rest appear to have stayed home.
ReplyDeleteMaia hates a lot or people. You should read a years worth of her posts...ouch
ReplyDeleteI think it's an activist thing. I've meet a few of her ilk in my time and they struck me as obcessive, hate-filled and intolerant.
ReplyDeleteFrightening people indeed.
Can I ask what the protest on the steps of Parliament was about?
ReplyDeleteIt was against University fees and the proposed introduction of "education vouchers" in New Zealand, wasn't it? The one in 1997 where the cops went nuts arresting people for no reason?
ReplyDeleteActually Roger Douglas doesn't want to have control over your life...thats something lefties and fascists want....ACT is the LEAST interfering of the parties in Parliment....they just want you to be free and prosper....got a problem with that?
ReplyDeleteOnly slumlords ?
ReplyDeleteSlumladies are just as bad. Although to paraphrase Bob Jones, no one forces anyone to rent anything/anywhere. Needs must I know, but no one needs to stay a victim of ratbags...
James, well said.
I don't quite understand what a solo mum benefits from voting right. Particularly if the pregnancy wasn't planned (let's say that was caused by her parents having the freedom to send her to any school they wanted, and that school had the freedom to not teach contraception). She doesn't have the choice to take time off work because there wouldn't be paid parental leave. She also doesn't have the choice to risk leaving the job because he pays her next to nothing (with there being no minimum wage and all), and anyway, if she did the employer would be free to fire her for not having sex with him under the 90 day probation period, and she wouldn't have the choice of appealing it.
ReplyDeleteShe doesn't have the choice of leaving work because the DPB has been cut significantly, as have all benefits. Obviously, there's no Working For Families to help out. But on the contrary, once she gives birth, she has no choice but to leave work because she can't afford a babysitter, and even if she can sort out some day care, her boss has the freedom to deny flexible working hours, meaning that a daycare centre is not a choice for her.
If she does somehow manage to stay employed, she may very well get fired because the pregnancy has taken its toll on her body and mind, and she is now underperforming; her boss is free to do this. Also, she can't get another job because other employers are free to deny her a job simply because she's a woman and therefore has the possibility of getting pregnant; not to mention their reluctance to hire someone with a dependant and no one else to help out with that child.
So there's freedom here, but it's not hers. There's choice, but not hers. I can't see what options she's had, and how voting for the write will help her be free and prosper.
The right will help some people get more options; they'll get the freedom to limit others' choices.