I just haven't been able to be bothered writing about the inevitable election result, I suppose. To be honest, it looks like National are for the meantime going to be fairly benign - predominantly because they're keeping most of Labour's policies. Not that this makes it as good as having Labour in - remember it was Labour that introduced the policies in the first place, and they wouldn't be in place if a National govt was in power, no matter how benign.
The other reason I've got a feeling this National govt might not be the disaster it rightfully should be is Key's obvious disdain for Roger Douglas. The ACT Party have come off looking like fools since his bizarre pronouncements on election night (how anyone can reconcile his claims he wants healthcare and education available to all NZers, whilst at the same time saying there's going to be a lot of pain - guess who feels the pain the most, Rog?) - Hide is like an excitable poodle humping Key's leg, despite the fact they're not going to get any of their campaign promises, at all. Hide says he'll stick to his guns, but I guarantee you, he won't do it if it means bringing down the Nats.
That said, if all goes well over the next three years and they get re-elected based on this projection, that is when they'll feel they have a mandate to do what they naturally want to do - which is what we saw in the 1990s. This alone means we shouldn't get too complacent with National's 'Labour-lite' govt over the next three years. Yeah, it might be softer than we're used to seeing from the Nats, but if that's what gets them a second term and the political capital that brings, that's what they'll do.
So while their election win isn't a disaster right now, it still doesn't bode well for the future. Hope I'm wrong.
Spent the weekend down in the 'Tron, hung out with Rob and Jamie (from high school) in the afternoon, then spent the evening with about 70 other Greens/Labour voters and one ACT/National voter (I'll explain soon) drinking, chatting and watching the election at Roz and Geoff's place in Claudelands. Was a dress-up party, there was Pippa as Jeanette Fitzsimons, Matt Stormtroopa as David Bennett (National candidate in Hamilton), Tonamu as Brian Tamaki, Swainson as Don Brash, Geoff as Yasser Arafat (?!) and many more, including of course Roz's hilarious Sarah Palin.
Some random guy dressed up like he'd just been out playing rugby showed up, and we had to take shifts debating politics with him as he voted ACT/National. But as most of thier supporters, he was all slogans and no knowledge, so it seemed kind of silly. I don't understand the right-wing anti-intellectual thing, apart from the fact dumb people are easier to dupe, and left-wing politics is not as simple as the right's 'strip their wealth and lock them up' platform.
Cats are being dicks.
The other reason I've got a feeling this National govt might not be the disaster it rightfully should be is Key's obvious disdain for Roger Douglas. The ACT Party have come off looking like fools since his bizarre pronouncements on election night (how anyone can reconcile his claims he wants healthcare and education available to all NZers, whilst at the same time saying there's going to be a lot of pain - guess who feels the pain the most, Rog?) - Hide is like an excitable poodle humping Key's leg, despite the fact they're not going to get any of their campaign promises, at all. Hide says he'll stick to his guns, but I guarantee you, he won't do it if it means bringing down the Nats.
That said, if all goes well over the next three years and they get re-elected based on this projection, that is when they'll feel they have a mandate to do what they naturally want to do - which is what we saw in the 1990s. This alone means we shouldn't get too complacent with National's 'Labour-lite' govt over the next three years. Yeah, it might be softer than we're used to seeing from the Nats, but if that's what gets them a second term and the political capital that brings, that's what they'll do.
So while their election win isn't a disaster right now, it still doesn't bode well for the future. Hope I'm wrong.
Spent the weekend down in the 'Tron, hung out with Rob and Jamie (from high school) in the afternoon, then spent the evening with about 70 other Greens/Labour voters and one ACT/National voter (I'll explain soon) drinking, chatting and watching the election at Roz and Geoff's place in Claudelands. Was a dress-up party, there was Pippa as Jeanette Fitzsimons, Matt Stormtroopa as David Bennett (National candidate in Hamilton), Tonamu as Brian Tamaki, Swainson as Don Brash, Geoff as Yasser Arafat (?!) and many more, including of course Roz's hilarious Sarah Palin.
Some random guy dressed up like he'd just been out playing rugby showed up, and we had to take shifts debating politics with him as he voted ACT/National. But as most of thier supporters, he was all slogans and no knowledge, so it seemed kind of silly. I don't understand the right-wing anti-intellectual thing, apart from the fact dumb people are easier to dupe, and left-wing politics is not as simple as the right's 'strip their wealth and lock them up' platform.
Cats are being dicks.
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