National Thus Far

[Baal]

It's true .....







.... thus far.

[Reformed_Quint]

God chubby irritates the hell out of me.

[Draco T Bastard]

Originally Posted by Ab

It is however almost certainly true.

It may be true but that doesn't mean that he's right.

The simple reality is that competitive markets are far more expensive than monopolies. In some cases such added expense is good in others (health is one of them) it's better to have a monopoly. I'm with Friedman on that score - if it's better to have a monopoly then it's best that it's a state/society owned one.

[Hurtuso]

Originally Posted by ?>Superman

Draco do you shampoo your Leninbeard?

lolz

[Juju]

Originally Posted by chubby

and what im saying is- why no fanfare?
a historic wrong has been put right.

Because we knew exactly what was coming for several months now. It's been talked about to death already (Maybe not necessarily in this thread, but in the general populous).

So... we're in to the second day of lower taxes. How's everyone doing? We coping? Shall we talk about it some?

[Saladin]

I dont get my tax cut till the 15th! What an injustice!

[Reformed_Quint]

Originally Posted by Juju

Because we knew exactly what was coming for several months now. It's been talked about to death already (Maybe not necessarily in this thread, but in the general populous).

So... we're in to the second day of lower taxes. How's everyone doing? We coping? Shall we talk about it some?

~$20 extra a week, will buy an extra box of castlepoint for the weekend. Might buy a tinny instead, yet to be decided, good times ahead though.

[Ab]

Hey, I get nothing!

[StN]

Originally Posted by Ab

Hey, I get nothing!

I call shennanigans - What about Rudd's stimulus packages...

You musta been offered free ceiling insulation?

[gentle]

Originally Posted by Ab

Hey, I get nothing!

We got Liz Shaw, you can have her back now.

[adonis]

Originally Posted by Golden Teapot

I think he hit the nail on the head.

The point you made earlier was that the increase in levies was due to the fact that there's no user pays componant to the service ACC provides. That issue is somewhat separate from the issue of privatisation. Although privatisation would inevitably lead to user pays, it's not necessary to do the opposite under a state monopoly. They're not tied unless you believe that "the left" would oppose the idea on ideological grounds without examining the potential benefits of it, and that "the right" would oppose a user pays state monopoly on similar grounds. A somewhat pessimistic view, but understandable in all honesty.

[Hemebond]

Originally Posted by StN

You musta been offered free ceiling insulation?

National axed it because it was "impractical". Instead National are going to build new gas power plants and heat the whole planet.

[Ab]

He's talking about the Australian Labor government's stimulus package. And as a matter of fact, I probably will take up their offer of free ceiling insulation

[Golden Teapot]

Originally Posted by adonis

Although privatisation would inevitably lead to user pays...

I'll be very surprised indeed if privitisation extends to all of the ACC accounts. Last time it was just he employer's account - I expect it will be the same next time; assuming htere is a next time.

And, as for the big car registration increases that are coming. Why the hell aren;t the big premiums being paid by the big risk drivers?

[madmaxii]

GT - I suspect, that given the past record of ACC, they would find it difficult - neh impossible, to work out who the high risk drivers were.

[ZoSo]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/n...ectid=10565827

Gets better by the day. Systematically destroying Labour's relevance.

[crocos]

Originally Posted by ZoSo

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/n...ectid=10565827

Gets better by the day. Systematically destroying Labour's relevance.

Content of that article = nil

How do you see that as putting even a single nail in Labour's coffin? Of course the Greens were going to have conversations with National. Hell, LABOUR is having conversations with National. It's how ideas are shared and policy formed.

[ZoSo]

Jeez, couldn't you let chubby go troppo in here before making some sense.

Way to ruin it.

[Juju]

I was having a discussion the other day.

What do the backbenchers that weren't voted in by electorate vote (rather by party vote) in the labour party actually do all day?
Seriously, what do they do? They have no power, they have no electorate to look after, they're not ministers. Wtf do they do apart from take shots at National during discussion sessions?

[Saladin]

One would assume they do the same as National list backbenchers..

[Ab]

Well no, because the National list backbenchers are members of a caucus that determines the Prime Minister of the country and decides on overall government policy. They're THE GOVERNMENT.

[Saladin]

Yeah but the opposition backbenchers would also frame party policy - they just don't get to introduce it into law, and instead just use it for toilet paper :P

There's also select committees etc

[Ab]

OK, so John Key has in the space of a couple of weeks

a) sent Helen Clark overseas
b) shuffled Michael Cullen not only out of Parliament but to a position in which he is effectively gagged
c) made Judith Tizard the face of the Labour Party
d) done a deal to gain support of the Greens

The man's got game.

[Hory]

I didn't realise John Key is also the UN Secretary General.

And a "deal to gain support of the Greens" is nothing of the sort, the agreement says the Greens will "consider facilitating government legislation via procedural support on a case by case basis".
They are still going to vote against the Government on confidence and supply.

[crocos]

Hory, I'm disappointed you rose to such an obvious troll.

[Ab]

Greens deal means National back as the natural party of government

In a deal unthinkable pre-John Key, the Prime Minister has reached across the aisle and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Green Party, and has already started work on some joint initiatives.

The deal proposes a framework around which the two parties can work together to develop policy and legislation in areas of common interest.

John Key signed the document with Green co-leaders Jeanette Fitzsimons and Russel Norman today.

Under the terms of the agreement, both parties will retain their independence, and the right to speak on any issue freely. Both parties claim it is not based on any prerequisite policy agreements.

It is not a supply and confidence agreement, but its stated intent is to establish a “good faith working agreement.”

The deal sees the Greens gaining access to government ministers, appropriate departmental officials for both briefings and advice as well as input in to the ministerial decision making process, including cabinet papers.

In return the Greens will be asked to “consider facilitating government legislation via procedural support on a case by case basis.”
...
Minister of Energy and Resources, Gerry Brownlee, will also work with Ms Fitzsimons on the implementation, timing, and funding of energy efficiency measures that the Government wishes to advance. This will include the development of an updated and revised New Zealand Energy Strategy, and the updated Energy and Efficiency and Conservation Strategy.

National has pulled off a coup. Labour is basically a rump now - it has no leadership, it has no policies, and Key has spiked it on privatisation by appointing Cullen to an SOE. It's basically the only party left that doesn't have a voice in government.

A cynical observer (and I'm not one, nosirree) might entertain the notion that what National is doing here is trying to polarise the Green Party into "environmentalists" and "far-left social policy activists", using the former and ridiculing the latter.

[Tranquil^]

John Key strikes me as no more than some dime a dozen pretend politician who can now tick the "be prime minister" box on his list of things to do before dieing. The insignificance of this man will be revealed once he leaves office. A male Jenny Shipley springs to mind.

I personally have more faith in that guy across the ditch with the queer haircut. I wonder if we can organize a swap? Like the whole Steve Price for Russell Crow deal.

[Golden Teapot]

There's the sweet scent of a second term on the air already.

[SpaceCowboy]

can i touch john keys penis as well?

actually, i am happy hes dealing with the greens, but i just hope its not just words.

[chubby]

i dont like the boomers much myself- but stop picking on them already...

DPF agrees, cancelling Cullen Fund rips off NZ

http://www.thestandard.org.nz/dpf-ag...d-rips-off-nz/

[Spink]

cool story bro

[CCS]

Chubby, do you have any original thoughts of your own? Or do you just take all your cues from blogs?

[madmaxii]

He didn't deny it when I suggested he owned The Standard - but yes - he's a fuckwit.

[chubby]

Originally Posted by CCS

Chubby, do you have any original thoughts of your own? Or do you just take all your cues from blogs?

[Hurtuso]

laugh it up fuzzball

[?>Superman]

Looks like he had no real comeback so he instead chose to do the old "lols i'm so just like laughin it off" but really he's crying like a well-beaten foster child from Uruguay.

[Baal]

Originally Posted by Golden Teapot

There's the sweet scent of a second term on the air already.

[chubby]

Originally Posted by CCS

Chubby, do you have any original thoughts of your own? Or do you just take all your cues from blogs?

i do have a few, but your inference that you'd be less of a cunt if i posted my own words is (from experience) a crock, gained over the few years ive posted,and the many ive lurked.
usual pattern.
1. chubby(or other pinko) posts
2. ccs (or other brownshirt) throws abuse.
3. echo chamber guards pitch in.
4. ...........

so whatever....
links turn out to be a quick,easy way to get on your tits. 8-)

(ps- keep the beard, it makes your lips look less girlie.)

[ZoSo]

5. JP or adonis fleshes out chubby's blog regurgitation, chubby realises he really should have come up with that himself. Chubby then pats them on the back and makes some lame comment *again* about no-one on the right bothering to discuss politics with a partisan hack like himself.

[chubby]

nah. i talk politics with plenty of wingnuts(you could almost say it's my job). just none of the 20something lamers that form the core community here.