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.
  

Those of us who believe another world is possible have work to do, but we've always had work to do, and it's the same work tomorrow as it was yesterday. We can take some time to point, laugh and worry about what comes next. I'm a child of the 1980s I'd be lying if I didn't pretended that I'm not scared of Roger Douglas. But none of this changes what matters.

* 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.

Not many thoughts on the US election

Paul Henry (more than once) during today's TVNZ US election results:

96% of black voters voting for Barack Obama, that's huge who could have predicted that

Well everyone, ever. Gore got 90% of African American votes, Clinton and Kerry 80 something percent. I'd never seen Paul Henry in action before; the way he manages to combine racism and ignorance is painful to watch.

I was grateful whenever TVNZ cut to anyone but Paul Henry. Even though CNN's election wonks asked weird ass questions: "What are white women doing?" I was watching the election coverage at the time while eating Whittaker's dark almond chocolate, but that may not be a universal experience of white women.

And in other news I had $50 on this election and won. Which has put me in a good frame of mind about the American election. Not that I hate democratic presidents any less. But I have decided to have some hope for the crowds who have been waiting in line to vote, and turning up at rallies in massive numbers. That when the world that they're dreaming of is not delivered from the white house, at least some of them will educate, agitate or organise.