Child violence, gay rights and the worlds oldest profession needed to be addressed. These are not some trends that labour invented. Brave good social policy is needed. Keep it coming. Social engineering has been practised by the church and christian governments in europe for hundreds of years and we’re still shaking off its slow social fascism. It’s logical to demand some corrections especially if you are directly impacted by those draconian conventions.

Thank you Lee, finally someone gets me. I pick from the best of left and right. Why wouldn’t you. ..and yes, both ruling parties are pedestrian and uninspiring.. One is a conservative slow dinosaur (labour) and one is the default party of retro Pakeha with bankers running their economic policy(Nat). Being a conservative I vote conservative but would like a lot more choice.

“maintain the reigns of power AT ANY COST. (uppercase added)

This is what was said in the original post slightlyrighty . The policies you talk about from labour , while unpleasant to you and other are not policies of the power hungry but merely standard first world centre “slightly left” legislation. Nothing outrageous in a modern political sense but slow.

But I agree with you brother, the middle class is suffering. Labour haven’t delivered and the National Party failed that class throughout the nineties and look to have no better ideas now.It’s a bummer.

also If cost wasn’t an issue to Clark she would be pumping that surplus into as many “swinging voter” special interest groups as she coud find. ‘At any cost” is emotive language.

August 30th, 2007 at 10:44 am
“Both Muldoon and Clark seem to be wanting to maintain the reigns of power at any cost.”

That’s why Clark went for the very populist idea of tax cuts right, hey and what a vote winner the anti smacking law was and the civil union power play probably won them the last election.. duh! C’mon pal your commentary is lazy.Leadership is a skill and amazingly a “must have” political prerequisite to being prime minister, who would have thought.

“The social engineering and social justice policies are not having a desired effect.”

Social engineering, why did they ever start teaching that course at university? Apparently the government want more gay people by 2050.

JJ.

Helen Clark gave us Interest free student loans, middle class welfare in WFF, and now wants to suppress dissent by the travesty of a bill called the EFB. Let’s not forget the theft of $800,000 of our money to get herself re-elected, and the subsequent retrospective legislation to cover this. If this is not power at all costs, what else is?

After 8 years in office, people are still struggling. The poor are still poor. The most vulnerable are still vulnerable, and yet Helen Clark would not even acknowledge they exist! (Until one of them dies when the power is shut off)

The middle class, if they have a house are struggling to keep it. If they don’t have a house, most of them can’t afford one now.

It is this emphasis on Social Policies at the expence of the practicalities of life that will be the death of this government.

“Hmm, interesting. DPF, you do lead a busy busy life! If it’s not too rude to ask further, what exactly does your temporary assisting at National Party HQ actually involve?”

Well Robinson what do you do at Labour?

but it is not primarily political, mainly IT focused

Bwaha! Anything to do with emails?

Heh. COuldn’t resist.

That’s why Clark went for the very populist idea of tax cuts right, hey and what a vote winner the anti smacking law was and the civil union power play probably won them the last election.. duh! C’mon pal your commentary is lazy.Leadership is a skill and amazingly a “must have” political prerequisite to being prime minister, who would have thought.

“The social engineering and social justice policies are not having a desired effect.”

Social engineering, why did they ever start teaching that course at university? Apparently the government want more gay people by 2050.

Mate, I think you’ll find our salaries are “waaaaaaaaaay” to low. It’s called financial engineering and it’s sucked a lot of energy out of this country. That’s the engine that needs immediate tweeking.

Robert Muldoon, in being a strong leader, was able to operate in such a way that his failings in regard to economic policy were not fully realised until after he left office.

The parellels between the National Government of that day and the current labour government are striking. Labour has a leader who is relying on the strength of her leadership while policy comes second. The social engineering and social justice policies are not having a desired effect. Child and infant mortality is up. The economy is starting to turn. Those in poverty are not being assisted out of it.

Look at how she swooped when the Muliaga family suffered it’s tradgedy.

But Muldoon and Clark are driven by Ideologies, albiet different ones. Both Muldoon and Clark seem to be wanting to maintain the reigns of power at any cost.

We Know how far Muldoon went. How far will Clark go? Is the EFB an indicator of this?

[DPF: I can't answer that sorry, but it is not primarily political, mainly IT focused.]

Just outta interest what do you do in those 80 hours?

[DPF: With local body elections looming, the polling side of things is non stop at the moment. On top of my main line of work, I also have a significant amount of public policy work for InternetNZ, work as a Director of .NZ Registry Services, my very temporary assisting National Party HQ as they are between staff, three articles (non political) for newspapers, campaigning against the Electoral Finance Bill, dealing with 200+ e-mails a day and oh yeah the blog. I am going to be very very happy when my hours reduce]

the key/muldoon match is much closer/funnier..

and as tane noted..

’tis indeed scary how the lines on their foreheads..are a perfect match..

and..of course..for those wondering..?..there are keys’ glowing words of admiration for muldoon as ‘a strong leader’..

(o-err….eh..?..)

phil(whoar.co.nz)

1) We have got to stop censoring words, that ‘s very fucking stupid. Even redbaiter would agree surely. Cunt has mutiple meanings now, educate yourself.

2) We’ve got to keep evolving the language you ol cunt. Censorship is bad.

3) Everyone takes drugs, nicotine junkies, caffeine addicts, the sly aspirin user but old timer feel free to let your teeth rot and colds kill you if you really want to go straight.

Yes, I suspect that you do have experience of these drugs you speak of.

That really is not a nice turn of phrase.

I don’t do drugs of any sort. I’m curious about the second sentence above though, do you speak from experience?