Free to speak again
Stephen Franks is back blogging after National’s internal rules prevented him from doing so during the candidate selection process. The rules are to prevent what he calls “Clinton/Obama style fraticide” which is a great way of illustrating it.
Stephen hits back at distortions of his position on issues such as the Prostitution Reform and Civil Union Bills, and defends classicial liberals against what he labels collectivists who has stolen liberal clothing 
Grant Robertson has also welcomed Stephen to the contest, and says he is looking forward to debating values, issues and policies. He says it would be good to hear Stephen’s views on National’s policy to keep core public service numbers constant for the next three years.
This might be the first ever contest where both major candidates blog. It will be great if we do get some useful discussions going between blogs.
March 22nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I do not know what is meant by core public service. I assume people providing essential services will be kept and even expanded – namely, teachers, doctors, nurses, police, the armed services and intelligence services, social workers. But the rest will be cuts I assume by centralising management especialiy in the Health Sector where the DHBs could be dissolved into 4 regional Health Boards.
March 22nd, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Franks was always a conservative in classical liberal drag — just not very good drag. He always had an excuse to be on the wrong side of a bill when it came to social freedom. That he tried to make his excuses sound liberal doesn’t make him a liberal.
March 22nd, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Having just read Mr. Robertson’s blog, I have to ask, how is it that leftists seem to have cornered the market on the same smug superiority that used to be the property of door knocking bible bashers?? As for his views on the public service, IMHO predictably craven, motivated by the left’s customary obsession with political power at the expense of public good, and can be summarised as “the more public servants, the more votes for Labour”.
March 22nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
“Franks was always a conservative in classical liberal drag”
Thanks for that opinion. As worthless as it is, its the expression of such thoughts that often makes the reading of blogs so randomly amusing.
March 22nd, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Is ‘classical liberal drag’ a transgender sartorial style which shows a bit of cleavage, on the understanding that if you want to touch, you have to pay?
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Core public service itis just looking after your people at a fundamental level and it means NZ residential control of our Assets
March 22nd, 2008 at 4:37 pm
“Free to speak again” Oh yes, many do wish that, who live in China.
As far as blogging goes, I think Internet sledging is like ballet, except there’s no cool loud music, no choreography and the dancers smack into each other.
March 22nd, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I wonder how many polititcians read these blogs. It must be depressing sometimes as there is very rarely any agreement on any issue, left or right. I suspect many would have stopped reading the blogs a long time ago, either that or they have very thick skins. Anyhow it’s good to see Stephen Franks back, of course many will never agree with Stephen but that is life. But when you compare someone like Stephen to someone like Di Yates it’s a bit like comparing caviar to cowshit.
March 22nd, 2008 at 7:28 pm
yous joke dude,
slideshow
they always watch so carefull,
them old politician
them just out on a junket junket now
now is the time to revolution
March 22nd, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Hello? Is this thing switched on?…. i give you comedy gold, and you just ignore it? fine. Be like that.
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:08 pm
I think the “conservative in classical liberal drag” was meant to indicate how he wanted to amend the Human Rights to grant people the freedom to discriminate against gays, the unmarried etc…but not married people and heterosexuals http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2005/03/but-who-voted-for-it.html
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Redbaiter asks “how is it that leftists seem to have cornered the market on the same smug superiority that used to be the property of door knocking bible bashers?
Happy to oblige Reddy! It’s a combination of superior intellect and greater moral worth.
Not to be confused with the superiority complex that gives rise to smugly superior questions such as the one that you pose, and which is defined as “a subconscious neurotic mechanism of compensation developed by the individual as a result of feelings of inferiority.”
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Gosh Pete, that reads in a way that makes it appear as if the author (you) thinks its an example of truth and reality, when in actuality, its just the worthless opinion of yet another boring brain damaged socialist.
Franks is merely someone with a series of opinions that run counter to approved leftist orthodoxy. Therefore he must be ridiculed and marginalized. Its the same old jackbooted Stalinist thugs on the same old cultural Berlin wall, duty bound to gun down anyone who’s threatening to scale it.
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:27 pm
tim barclay Add karma Subtract karma +0 Says: March 22nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm I do not know what is meant by core public service.
Happy to help Tim. They’re the ones in the public service departments that keep government going. They also tend to live in Wellington Central, which I mention only as a service for those whose appreciation of irony is underdeveloped and who may have missed the subtle jest made by Grant Robertson.
They aren’t those underappreciated and underpaid teachers, doctors and nurses whom you mention, and who I am glad to confirm are not targeted.
Just between you and I, I think National’s onto a good thing here, except in Wellington Central, but that doesn’t matter because of MMP. They can start with Treasury…
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Redbaiter: “Franks is merely someone with a series of opinions ”
Reddy, Can’t see where I mentioned Franks, but then, you’re so clever you can clearly see this even though I can’t.
Could you please have a little more pity on the unfortunate brain damaged and tell me what Franks means by “Clinton/Obama style fraticide”? I’m so poorly educated, give or take a few university degrees, that I’ve never come across the word “fraticide”. Many thanks.
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:29 pm
“I’m so poorly educated, give or take a few university degrees,”
I already knew that. Your half education sticks out like dog’s balls.
“Can’t see where I mentioned Franks,”
He’s the politician this thread is about and also the same politician that your buddy Grant speaks so smugly and condescendingly about. Read the initial post once or twice, and the stuff on Robertson’s blog, and you’ll probably pick it up.
Fratricide. Like Suicide. Patricide. Matricide. Its from an old language the Romans once used. (the Romans, from Rome, you know. History and all that. Stuff they taught before you were ‘educated’.) I mean, you’re not so fucken infantile as to be attempting to score on a spelling mistake are you?
March 22nd, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Fratricide is killing a brother jafapete. They use it sometimes to describe “friendly fire” incidents in those military units that are in active duty.
March 23rd, 2008 at 8:19 am
The word is ‘fracticide’
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:32 pm
jafapete……Wellington Central is a socialist gulag, had’nt ya noticed……Helen gave you the red pill