Justified Corruption
August 27th, 2006 at 12:39 pm by David FarrarChris Trotter in the SST basically admits that Labour has acted corruptly with its pledge cards. However as Sir H reports, he justifies it as the price of social peace.
This is an incredibly dangerous attitude. It is the view that so long as we think our side is better than the other side, we are above the law. It is in fact the same view that led to the downfall of Nixon.
Related posts:
- Corruption and Morality
- The corruption of the Clark/Peters Government
- Parliament TV blog
- A justified coup?
August 27th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
NO ONE (other than Jordan Carter) seems to be saying anymore that Labour innocently made a mistake. It is all “yes we are corrupt but no one cares” or “yes we are corrupt but we had to be”. On Agenda yesterday, Lisa Owen, Mike Moore etc had the discussion based on the assumption Labour stole money and is corrupt and then talked about what might be done. This is progress of sorts. No the right just has to make the case why corrupt governments must be thrown out – by direct action on the streets if necessary.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
Trotter’s article is the most arrogant justification of the Left’s manipulation of democracy and the rule of law in New Zealand yet.
He needs to be careful talking about a breakdown in social order if Labour hadn’t been re-elected. If the corruption continues, a breakdown may occur regardless. And he and his ilk may well find themselves as the targets.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
Trotter’s article is the most arrogant justification of the Left’s manipulation of democracy and the rule of law in New Zealand yet.
He needs to be careful talking about a breakdown in social order if Labour hadn’t been re-elected. If the corruption continues, a breakdown may occur regardless. And he and his ilk may well find themselves as the targets.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 1:00 pm
Toby1845- the point is, there SHOULD BE a breakdown in social order if Labour tries to pass retrospective legislation legalising its crimes, and if it is not sacked by the GG for doing so. The public must take to the streets and overthrow Clark under those circumstances. This is why, hopefully, Labour backs down.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 1:18 pm
And it’s also delightful to see that Trotter isn’t only a cheerleader for corruption, but happy to play the ‘vote for us, or the niggers will revolt!’ card he’d roundly (and correctly) pur scorn on if it came from the right. Think about it, Chris – it seems to be that pale pink MSM pundits talking up race war are more of a threat to social cohesion than any National lead Government or tiny Christian fundamentalist cult.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
To paraphrase the old song:
You can tell a man who votes Labour
Vote:By the dictator he favours
And the pig got up and slowly walked away
August 27th, 2006 at 2:18 pm
In addition to people saying “the public must take to the streets” we also need people who are willing to actually has to do it.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 2:30 pm
Had no idea that Chris Trotter is such a fuckwit.
He’s doing himself a disservice by not opposing corruption. How can anyone every take him seriously again!
Hope you’re reading this Chris – he’s a political junkie after all.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 3:26 pm
All this really proves is that the left hold their blind ideology and faith in their leaders much more highly than their principals. We all know this is true so don’t be surprised.
If HC had half the intelligence she claims she has then why has she made so many stupid blunders in her political career. Paintergate, speedergate, Doonegate, Parkergare, Benson-Popegate, pledgecardgate, the woman is just stupid – don’t believe her self made claims that she has a high intellect.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
Well, I just hope the next Donna Awatere-Huata or wannabe Nixon out there is taking names and archiving the defence they’ve just been handed by the Labour Party and apoligists. Taking my partisan hat off for a moment (and with apologies for sounding like a stuck record), I do believe in political karma. While it’s convenient for the left to ethically dumb down at the moment, there are some of us who aren’t going to be too sympathetic when they try to raise the bar they lowered in the first place.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
“The public must take to the streets and overthrow Clark under those circumstances. This is why, hopefully, Labour backs down.”
haha, this is the funniest thing i’ve read for a long time. Like the Nats are the people’s party or something. they are the puppets of New Zealand’s richest take a look at this little gem. National’s cabinet ministers are the high class whores of the business round table.
http://www.elections.org.nz/parties/donations_summary.html#gen0
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 4:09 pm
phillipjohn
Even if that were true, at least the people that give the money do so willingly, and can afford it. Taking donations from the rich is a lot more honourable than taking donations from Unions that took the money as part of a fee from the lowest paid workers in NZ.
Taking from the poor to give to the rich is not a good look !
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 4:36 pm
Trotter’s article is the most arrogant justification of the Left’s manipulation of democracy and the rule of law in New Zealand yet.
He needs to be careful talking about a breakdown in social order if Labour hadn’t been re-elected. If the corruption continues, a breakdown may occur regardless. And he and his ilk may well find themselves the targets.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
Sorry about the multiple posts everyone. I was getting a series of error messages.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 4:42 pm
The Unions receive tax payer funded “grants” from Labour Govt policy. I’m currently tracking down how much funding they have actually received in public funding, and then how much in turn they immediately hand back.
phillipjohn, the public taking to the streets needn’t be interpreted as an endorsement of National, but simply that they will not stand for corrupt government practice, irrespective of the flavour of government, and particularly when the likes of Chris Trotter suggests such corruption is fine providing it is to keep a centre left government in power, irrespective of how voters might vote.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 4:51 pm
What everyone in the Labour and National parties are missing is that NZ’s economy, and indeed the world’s, is about to head into a deep recession due to rising oil costs. The central focus of government policy should be shifting away from oil to renewable resources to cushion our landing. Yet only the greens and the Maori party seem to have any conviction when it comes to this issues. That isn’t to say that National and labour don’t know about the near coming of peak oil, they just choose to ignore it because they know that preparing for it now will be unpopular with voters.
For instance On April 18, when questioned about the government’s response to the increase in oil prices, Ms Clark said: “I’m sure it is causing concern in every country because everyone is on the receiving end of the same phenomenon. Which is oil prices [are] very high, because we’re probably not too far short of peak production, if we are not already there.”
Similarly, on the 15th of April Don Brash was recorded as saying “But the real issue last week was about bio-diesel and the world running out of fossil fuels. That was the point of the photo op, and I went there to make that point, it is the world walking the plank frankly, not Don Brash”.
New Zealanders right across the political spectrum need to put pressure on our leaders to work towards an economy less dependant on fossil fuels. We have the chance now to protect ourselves against some really painful times, so now you know there is no excuse.
To educate yourself about these issues visit the following web sites.
http://www.oilcrash.com/
http://www.theoildrum.com/story/2006/5/2/22318/01508
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 4:52 pm
Howcome its “corruption” if someone supports labours spending during the election but if a leading National MP suffers no consequences for pushing someone down the stairs just for saying something he didnt like and if another leading MP was actually really found ‘guilty’ of attempting to influence the course of justice. All of whom are backed by the National party and DPF . Note too that DPF supports lawbreakers who are caught speeding , feeling that its a ‘waste of police resources’
You are either opposed to law breakers or you are for them. Lets be clear you are only opposed to labours law breakers while Nationals are allways the victims of petty officials like local police inspectors or the Solictor General. Just checking back in your archives, and Gerry gets off the hook since he ‘wasnt a cabinet minister’ and it was only a ‘private prosecution’ and Guyon Espiner was being defamatory but note Gerry NEVER sued.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 5:52 pm
McPhee:
Seriously, you need professional attention for you S&M obession with Gerry Browmlee – as for “no consequences”, would a member of the fact-based community like to remind McPhee that no retrospective legislation was passed to grant any MP immunity from prosecution?
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 5:56 pm
the nats staging street protests
ha ha ha
why dont ya’s just reform your red squad and get them to do it for you ?????????????
get the batons out again
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 6:14 pm
“The price of social peace”..
Good grief…!!! How blind can our so called “political commentators” get. The real price of six years of government by Helen Klark and her acolytes is unparalleled social destruction.
1) Thru pandering to Maori, they have created racial divisions in NZ that never existed before.
2) By means of the scam of “multi-culturalism”, (by far, the majority of immigrants vote left) they have created dangerous cultural tensions that are completely new to NZ society.
3) By means of welfarism, stealing from those who don’t vote Labour and dolling out the proceeds of that theft to people who will vote Labour, they have perverted the electoral process so badly, the well of democracy is poisoned for decades.
4) Also by means of welfarism, created an underclass dependant on government that is a massive drag on NZ’s international competitiveness.
5) By means of cronyism, ie expansion of government “services”, massively increased the number of NZers paid from government coffers. An action that is like item (4) above a massive drag on our efforts to be competitive in international trade, and another attack on the democratic process.
All of the above events, occurring only as a result of the left’s insatiable greed for power, will have a seriously negative impact on NZ’s future development. I doubt any government has ever been as socially destructive as the Klark/ Labour gang of power crazed political gangsters. “social peace”. Pffft.. What absolute fucken bullshit.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 6:34 pm
After careful consideration, and I’m no Nat, it would appear there is afterall, a vast Left Wing conspiracy.
I’m kidding, just exorcising a little thought crime.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 7:17 pm
” I doubt any government has ever been as socially destructive as the Klark/ Labour gang of power crazed political gangsters.”
Too bloody right, RB. The bastards pay mealy-mouthed lip service to “democracy” while doing their best to destroy it. Because they’re driven by the old, tired and discredited Marxist crap that the likes of Mugabe and Castro still worship.
Vote:Never mind that it doesn’t work. Never has worked and what’s more has resulted in the deaths of millions, starvation and the destruction of functioning societies–THIS time we’ll achieve our Utopian vision.
The left and their apologists in the media and academia are a pack of lying, thieving unprincipled parasites, living off the fruits of hardworking people they treat with utter contempt.
Now watch the useful idiots, fearful of their dole payments or government cheques spring to the defence of the unspeakable….
August 27th, 2006 at 7:58 pm
How can you compare Helen to Nixon?
Nixon was far more honest. And better looking to.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 8:41 pm
Social peace??? Is the Labour Party now going to blackmail New Zealanders – vote for us there will be civil unrest. We will see about that.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 10:02 pm
What will Chris trotter do if the government gets the big A. For what it is worth I think he is in dream land . There is no doubt he can spin a story, if only we were good little socialists and shared all our wealth to thoses that belonged to a union life would be so sweet. This man lives his life believing everyone should be equal or the poor should be the first to get welfare. I think he is back to front, wealth comes before welfare.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 10:14 pm
Keith you need to stop the frothing and get a grip. Mugabe, Castro, Helen. Why stop there. Stalin and Hitler are the obvious analogies and the Holocaust the example we should be heeding if we continue to tolerate the intolerable which is this current regime that Helen leads. God, to be in academia or even better to be one of the media. Personally I’d be begging to be part of the left. Clearly they are not only better looking, they also have more fun, have better role models and a much better grip on reality….and I suspect get a whole lot more sex.
Vote:August 27th, 2006 at 10:31 pm
Hmmmm, if was good enough for Tim Selwyn, perhaps we ought to bring redbaiter’s posts to the attention of the police?
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 2:22 am
Trotter’s argument shows an appalling contempt for democracy, and with an attitude like that, you have to wonder why he thinks we bother with elections at all.
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 2:38 am
Trotters comments surprise me, if we are honest he is the last left supporting commentator to actually join the chorus to justify Helen Clark’s theft of taxpayers money.
To his credit at least he held out a few months longer than the rest before convincing himself the shit burger he has been fed actually had meat in it.
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 6:56 am
” Personally I’d be begging to be part of the left. Clearly they are not only better looking”
Vote:Oh yeah….Cindy Sheehan springs to mind..and Helen is sooo hot….
August 28th, 2006 at 7:41 am
the left just tend to be younger, otherwise I’d say there are a couple of other effects that would make the right slightly better looking on a age adjusted basis.
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 8:44 am
We’ve had this argument before. The right in general is better looking because they look after themselves better and are more successful and just all round winners, whereas the left…
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 8:47 am
She is trying to raise money from her supporters in a letter. Raising old scare tactics. Why does she bother. She can just take money from the Treasury as she did last time.
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 8:52 am
Suggest you write open letters to your local MP via letters to the editor asking individuals to justify their own position… here is mine to the ODT…
Dear Editor,
Our current government is using incredible levels of spin and confusion to justify actions that would not be acceptable if done by the general population.
The use of taxpayers money, more accurately described as public funds or even better my money, for personal benefit and gain, and to assist
in retaining positions of privilege is unacceptable if not verging on corruption.
I for one would welcome Dunedin elected representatives explaining in your paper why these actions should be seen as being legally and morally
acceptable to their electorate.
Skip the defense of “we did not know the law” you should have known the law. More importantly ignorance of the law is not a defense available to
your voters.
Don’t say the rules have changed, you were forewarned by the Chief Electoral Officer, which was acknowledged by your party President Mike Williams, and the documentation refecting this is in the public arena. Your voters do not have the luxury of ignoring public officials if they dont like a ruling.
Do not confuse Exclusive Brethren electioneering, that while abhorent, was at least legal and they at least used their own money to promote their veiwpoint. Not
public funds, not your voters taxes.
Perhaps however explain your position on validating legislation and more importantly when this facility will be available to the wider public. At present your voters
cannot change the law for self benefit if they break the law.
If calling for increased public funding of political parties then please at least commit to a referendum at the next election. Rather than continue to spend
public funds on a self serving position your voters deserve to decide how you spend OUR money.
So just explain honestly how you justify the actions and position of your party on the abuse of public fiunds. This will allow us to understand why you should be
Vote:treated any differently from anybody else in Dunedin and Otago
August 28th, 2006 at 9:17 am
New Zealanders should be saved from the evils of voting.
Why just think of the social unrest if National get in, it would be just.. oh.. unthinkable. My Chardonnay turns to vinegar just thinking about it.
So for the good of all, the benevolent Lairbour party will remove the encumbrance of voting for the good of all.
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 9:25 am
Tintin – helping the illiterate right write their own letters…
and as a great example of “our case is different” we have
“Do not confuse Exclusive Brethren electioneering”….
My drinking game rules for this one only apply to DPF but I willaward myself a sip for this.
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 9:51 am
Ah, but who will be paying for the drink?
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 10:05 am
Noddy – I think Tintin is right to make the distinction – it is a clear distinction in reality, and it is only in the spin of the left that they are somehow equal.
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 10:05 am
The long suffering NZ tax payer – who else Big Ears? Cheers.
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 10:07 am
fUNNY that the left (Noddy) DARE complain about literacy.. since they have gained social and political ascendancy education standards have become abysmal, as “socialization” (indoctrination) has become the paramount objective of schooling.. As for recent developments on Field, what a farce the enquiry must have been if a third rate TV program brings a greater result. “Enquiry” under Labour has just become a euphemism for “cover up” and the Nats need to come up with some EFFECTIVE STRATEGY to deal with this kind of deceit when the “enquiry” into rates takes place.
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 10:13 am
“”The public must take to the streets and overthrow Clark under those circumstances”!
So who will be there, well there are the 20 or so of you who post here, possibly some of the exclusive brethrin could be persuaded to turn up and, er, thats it!
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 11:31 am
Well Sonic, with National polling at 45% I reckon that would be a few more than 20. Unless you are convinced that there are only 44 voters in New Zealand.
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 11:39 am
Oh go on, call a demontration, that would be so cool.
Vote:August 28th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
How can the exclusive bretheren be electioneering ???? ……… who were their candidates ?
And who made a liar of themselves on the telly caliming to have no knowledge of what the god botherers were up to in the election?.
good to see the natianals feeling that the election was stolen though.
Kinda makes up for all those times the nats got in with less votes cast for them than labor
Vote:August 29th, 2006 at 11:05 am
The reason why Helen Clark is still in power is because–via the way she expresses herself–she never fails to say 3 critical things.
1. I know exactly what I’m doing.
2. Everything is under control.
3. I will take of you. (that’s the most important)
Her blatant election-winning corruption is a chronic assault on her political front – good! We should be rid of her next election.
And relating to Chris Trotters comments relating to the acceptability of corruption, he should take a look in the mirror and realise he’s looking at Hitler and Co – all these sorts of people believed it was ok to be corrupt in the name of a “higher” I-know-best ideal.
Vote:August 29th, 2006 at 11:05 am
The reason why Helen Clark is still in power is because–via the way she expresses herself–she never fails to say 3 critical things.
1. I know exactly what I’m doing.
2. Everything is under control.
3. I will take of you. (that’s the most important)
Her blatant election-winning corruption is a chronic assault on her political front – good! We should be rid of her next election.
And relating to Chris Trotters comments relating to the acceptability of corruption, he should take a look in the mirror and realise he’s looking at Hitler and Co – all these sorts of people believed it was ok to be corrupt in the name of a “higher” I-know-best ideal.
Vote:August 29th, 2006 at 12:38 pm
Sorry, No.3 was supposed to be ‘Take CARE of you.
Vote:August 31st, 2006 at 9:00 pm
Note to Chris Trotter.
Our Parliamentary Democracy , for all its frustrations, is a very precious jewel in an unstable world. Don’t mess with it.
Suggesting that corruption is OK (for any political party) is a disgrace.
Vote:Labour has to put its hand up, apologise to the citizens of NZ, pay it back and make sure this never happens again.
June 12th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
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Vote:June 12th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
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Vote:June 12th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
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Vote: