Saint Ruth
December 23rd, 2004 at 9:47 pm by David FarrarNo Right Turn highlights an interview on Scoop (those people who started the fake SIS story, and think Bush stole not just the 2000 election but also 2004 and probably 2008 also) with some Don Brash stalker who calls himself a Brashologist. It really is hilarious and worth a read.
But what I enjoyed is NRT comparing Ruth Richardson to Satan. Personally I always think of Ruth as Saint Ruth because she did more than any other person to stop the NZ economy collapsing. People forget that the projected budget deficit in 1991 was a massive $5 billion and increasing. And debt was so high that a few years of deficits at that level would have had a permament vicious circle of interest on the debt making it impossible to get to a break even budget.
So Ruth did what had to be done to save the NZ economy, and she did it well. The deficit shrank, and after less than a year in office the economy turned around.
NRT and others go on about the awful benefit cuts. Well if they were so awful, why have Labour to this day refused to reverse them? Because they know deep down they were the right thing to do.
No tag for this post.
December 23rd, 2004 at 10:58 pm
The link is incomplete, DPF
Vote:December 23rd, 2004 at 11:14 pm
With respect to shedding light on the economic theories behind the policies of Ruth and Roger I can recommend a very good 6 hour doco series.
Commanding Heights is an excellent analysis of globalisation and the battle for ideas that took place between Milton Keynes and Vaclav Hayek during the 20th century. I inferred after watching this that Hayek was Roger’s inspiration. Keynes and Hayek were competing economists. Keynes was biggest in their lifetimes however Hayek is responsible for the market-driven globalist approach we see today. Keynes policies were the ones in force during all the crap we saw between WWII up to the 70′s oil crisis. In rode Reagan, Thatcher and Roger, et al and the rest is history. Well worth the very small price on DVD. The website also has the complete series for free viewing, if you enjoy watching a 4″ inch screen.
It’s a PBS doco, very high quality, wish TVNZ would screen it, hope someone from Prime is listening. Roger this year became the fourth recipient of a prestigious Hayek prize I’m not sure of the details. Series is written by Daniel Yergin who also did a very interesting & successful series on the foundations of the oil industry, available in Ponsonby VideoEzy’s video doco section.
The Commanding Heights website front page says:
“The purpose of this site is to promote better understanding of globalisation, world trade and economic development, including the forces, values, events, and ideas that have shaped the present global economic system”.
Look it up. Well worth it.
Vote:December 24th, 2004 at 12:33 am
The benefit cuts shook New Zealanders’ complancecy that the State was some bottomless pit that could just keep pouring money down the welfare plughole. But there is much unfinished business in the welfare area. Ruth tried but she got drowned out by comments like baby snatcher etc etc.
Vote:December 24th, 2004 at 8:43 am
ztev? ztev, where are you?! Gosh, I hope he is alright.
Vote:December 24th, 2004 at 8:50 am
I would think that one could compare the current administration to Satan more than one could compare any National government.
Vote:December 24th, 2004 at 8:57 am
With an election coming up and a surplus of Michael Moore-ion proportions, surely you miswrote, Gaz, and Satan ought to have been Santa?
Vote:December 24th, 2004 at 9:43 am
can i strongly endorse the commanding heights advert above. It has interviews with Hayek and others, explains how western thought moved through keynesianism to monetarism, and interviews just about everyone who mattered. It also demonstrates that Reagan DID have his ducks lined up right – for those who remember the doddery old git, this doco shows him taking his opponents apart as Governor… muchly recommended.
Vote:December 24th, 2004 at 10:57 am
Ruth Richardson realised it wasn’t right being able to get more from the benefit than from wages. But the approach from the left is always emotive. The poor and vulnerable paid for the economic changes while the rich got richer.
If I have the statistics right since 1990 we had the highest GDP increse for 1 year under Richardson – 6%.
She did put peoples’ backs up because she wasn’t a good communicator. She came over as dogmatic.
Vote:December 24th, 2004 at 12:48 pm
Ruth produced the only negative %GDP for the nineties, often hidden by using the 1992 start date for economic comparisons. I think labours years allready exceed the GDP growth in nationals 9 years in office and could well be double that of national after labour has had its first 9 years.
The deficit’projection’ you talk about was of Ruths own making, the economic policies she began before Xmas in 1990 produced the severest recession since the 70′s oil shocks
“So Ruth did what had to be done to save the NZ economy, and she did it well. The deficit shrank, and after less than a year in office the economy turned around.”
If she was so great why did national dump her , the real reason was of course she wouldnt allow the tax law changes that Brierleys etc wanted. As she now supports ACT , even they hide her in a wardrobe. I did like her greatest feat though, the switch of spending on those with high disabilities from social welfare to health. So in an accounting trick ‘welfare’ spending dropped by 1 billion and ‘health’ went up by 1 billion. The irony is that it has made her a political pariah. last laugh’s here
Vote:December 27th, 2004 at 7:54 pm
the more I think about it I should go back on the pills to stop the sudden urges I get.
Vote:December 28th, 2004 at 1:42 pm
Very clever, but the zteve is not ztev
Vote:January 4th, 2005 at 10:37 pm
Ah.!Ztev ,I do sooo love your work.There was ol’ sir rog and mad dog’s verminous crew putting the boot into the bottom of the economic heap,but not hard enuf for the facsist cunt’s that infect this blog,no,so bring in ruthless,fly her on the concorde,and really shred those poor SOB’s,flay them,to death ,it was all their own fault they lost their job’s,not globalisation,and their marriages, and their houses,and finally their self respect.Most of the arse holes posting here are beneath contempt,nay spit,they are contemptible cretins.
Vote:January 4th, 2005 at 10:38 pm
Ah.!Ztev ,I do sooo love your work.There was ol’ sir rog and mad dog’s verminous crew putting the boot into the bottom of the economic heap,but not hard enuf for the facsist cunt’s that infect this blog,no,so bring in ruthless,fly her on the concorde,and really shred those poor SOB’s,flay them,to death ,it was all their own fault they lost their job’s,not globalisation,and their marriages, and their houses,and finally their self respect.Most of the arse holes posting here are beneath contempt,nay spit,they are contemptible cretins.
Vote:January 4th, 2005 at 10:39 pm
Ah.!Ztev ,I do sooo love your work.There was ol’ sir rog and mad dog’s verminous crew putting the boot into the bottom of the economic heap,but not hard enuf for the facsist cunt’s that infect this blog,no,so bring in ruthless,fly her on the concorde,and really shred those poor SOB’s,flay them,to death ,it was all their own fault they lost their job’s,not globalisation,and their marriages, and their houses,and finally their self respect.Most of the arse holes posting here are beneath contempt,nay spit,they are contemptible cretins.
Vote:January 5th, 2005 at 8:29 am
What fool of a fuck paid you $180k per annum Red Fred?!
Vote:January 5th, 2005 at 10:29 am
Red Fred – language like that directed at posters is unacceptable. Please desist.
Vote:January 5th, 2005 at 11:15 am
Isn’t it amusing that the same people who deride the centre-right posters with mindless abuse are the ones that feel compelled to keep posting when they know that their comments are not wanted or appreciated? Do they not know how to set up their own blogs?
Vote:January 5th, 2005 at 12:32 pm
can Red fred tell us how it is that 90+% of people made redundant in the reforms of the 80s and 90s are now financially better off and have better lifestyles today? Why is it that the lefties blame the capitalists for the demise of tic-monsters (someone who has everything on tic)?
Vote:January 10th, 2005 at 1:26 pm
DPF I have been abused roundly ,soundly and deservedly,It’s O.K. my motto is if you connot take it do not dish it out.Vigorous debate is very healthy,I will try not to stoop to abuse again.Jolly bad form to lose ones rag no matter the provocation,You can take the boy out of South Auckland,but you cannot take the S.A out of the boy.
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