Random Politics

[Nothing]

You know, if you don't have any money, that's not as easy as it sounds like it otherwise might be.

[_Incubus_]

Originally Posted by Nothing

You know, if you don't have any money, that's not as easy as it sounds like it otherwise might be.

It's not difficult when you have a union credit card....

[doppelgänger of someone]

Julia looks half way decent in a white suit. Lose a bit of weight (or go for liposuction to save time), and me putting on the beer goggles, then it is game on. Helen Clark, on the other hand...

[StN]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger of someone

Julia looks half way decent in a white suit. Lose a bit of weight (or go for liposuction to save time), and me putting on the beer goggles, then it is game on.

It has now been revealed who you are the doppelgänger of...

[doppelgänger of someone]

So, um, where do you keep your files? And the backup? And backup's backup?

[cEvin]

Anyone want some free money?

New Zealand General Election - Sch Nov 26,2011 - Prime Minister
NATIONAL PARTY - 1.15
LABOUR PARTY - 5.20

[Saladin]

The creeping threat of socialism!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...and-waterfront

[Golden Teapot]

Is labour even contesting this election?

[crocos]

Excuse me, but who ARE you talking about?

[Ab]

There goes that future cushy list placing for everyone's favorite VP of Young Labour and Labour Party staffer Sonny Thomas. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

[leadinjector]

Originally Posted by Ab

There goes that future cushy list placing for everyone's favorite VP of Young Labour and Labour Party staffer Sonny Thomas. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2011/09/a_public_penalty.html

does it fuck anyone else off when people say shit like "those without sin cast the first stone" in cases like this? yes everyone makes mistakes, being a fucking thief isnt a mistake. he didnt nick 20 bucks from his mums purse here, he stole thousands of dollars and commited fraud. these are not the actions of an honest person. so yes, ill get on my high horse and say good riddance you thieving shitbag >.>

[MadMax]

so, how about that no gst on fruit n veg

[crocos]

*sigh* Just got sent an invite to a Green Party fundraiser (via facebook).

The bands? Yeah, they're alright eh, but not if it means supporting the Greens.

[^BITES^]

Originally Posted by crocos

*sigh* Just got sent an invite to a Green Party fundraiser (via facebook).

The bands? Yeah, they're alright eh, but not if it means supporting the Greens.

Eating all their shit and then leaving promptly would not count as support imho.....

Probably all vegan food tho

[Lightspeed]

If it's a fundraiser that means you probably have to pay to go along...

[crocos]

Originally Posted by Lightspeed

If it's a fundraiser that means you probably have to pay to go along...

Exactly.

Also there is nothing to eat other than what you buy off the bar - it's a fundraising gig.

[Golden Teapot]

This is quite interesting http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10754231 since it creates a bit of a dilemma for green voters. Act will very likely be part of the next government if enough dope smokers vote for them whereas green won't be under any possible future.

[fixed_truth]

imo the small percentage of people who make decriminalization their top voting priority vote for the legalise cannabis party.

Good on ACT for putting it out there, but it's not going to help there support and it'll just fuck off their religious nuts.

[aR Que]

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

imo the small percentage of people who make decriminalization their top voting priority vote for the legalise cannabis party.

Truth.

I like his reasons 'It's too hard / expensive, so we should give up.'

[pervy]

I think this is the first thing Brash has said that I completely agree with, is this the position ACT is taking though? My understanding is that it's his personal opinion on the matter not a party policy.

[Saladin]

Originally Posted by Golden Teapot

This is quite interesting http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10754231 since it creates a bit of a dilemma for green voters. Act will very likely be part of the next government if enough dope smokers vote for them whereas green won't be under any possible future.

If they get in it will be entirely because of John Banks, and there's no way Banks supports this policy so there's no chance of them pushing for this post election.

[Lightspeed]

I guess Key doesn't want the 18 year old vote:

"Go and ask the police officers, go and ask the parents in New Zealand whether they want their 18-year-old child to be smoking a joint before they head off to school," he told TVNZ's Breakfast programme.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...rong-direction

[leadinjector]

Originally Posted by Lightspeed

I guess Key doesn't want the 18 year old vote:

"Go and ask the police officers, go and ask the parents in New Zealand whether they want their 18-year-old child to be smoking a joint before they head off to school," he told TVNZ's Breakfast programme.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...rong-direction

ugh i hate dumb shit like this. if kids want to they ALREADY CAN, and anyone fucking stupid enough to think this is a swell idea wont be thinking about the consequences for being busted. alcohol is legal at 18, doesnt mean everyone shows up to school drunk.

[Ab]

Originally Posted by Golden Teapot

Is labour even contesting this election?

Been wondering this myself. I think they've given up.

[A Corpse]

They now seem to be actively sabotaging themselves via campaign billboards. I don't know anyone who thinks that raising the minimum wage to $15/hr is actually a good idea yet that's what they're pushing here.

[fixed_truth]

Originally Posted by A Corpse

I don't know anyone who thinks that raising the minimum wage to $15/hr is actually a good idea yet that's what they're pushing here.

We're only talking about a 15% increase in the minimum wage, and that's not yet adjusted to inflation. And keeping in mind what economists and research says of the negative effects on unemployment:

(Surveys of economists) Today's consensus, if one exists, is that increasing the minimum wage has, at worst, minor negative effects.[75]

Research from the United Kingdom (UK) suggests that minimum wages may simply have no effect on employment, or that minimum wage effects might exist, but they may be too difficult to detect and/or are very small. In any case, with 64 studies containing approximately 1,500 estimates, they conclude that if there is some adverse employment effect from minimum wage rises, it must be of a small and policy-irrelevant magnitude.(DOL min. wage review 2010)

- then I don't think it's a bad idea. Around 300,000 low wage workers would receive a much needed pay rise and businesses would mostly spread the extra cost among all consumers. Plus Govt. receives extra income tax, GST and reduced WFF tax credit liability.

[fixed_truth]

Keith Ng has some nice election poll graphics over at stuff.

Will be golden when those lefty babyboomers die and the more right-wing youth come through

[A Corpse]

Gah, fucking politics. Bunch of lowest-common-denominator rhetoric spouted by nearly identical self-centred bastards. "Vote for me so I can do what's best for me and mine!".

[aR Que]

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

We're only talking about a 15% increase in the minimum wage

Will i get a 15% pay increase?
No.

businesses would mostly spread the extra cost among all consumers..

Hmm, yes, cost of living going up.
So anyone not on min. wage, will be worse off.

Those not on min. wage = skilled workers.
Have we figured out why our skilled workers are leaving for oz yet?

/knee jerk, fuck off reaction.

[fixed_truth]

Originally Posted by aR Que

Hmm, yes, cost of living going up.
So anyone not on min. wage, will be worse off.

Yeah your $5 burger might go up 5c. But keeping the minimum wage low to increase demand for cheap labour is detrimental in the long run ie higher healthcare and crime costs etc etc.

[Golden Teapot]

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

Keith Ng has some nice election poll graphics over at

If your graphic was intended to contrast my earlier post then is suffers somewhat fatally from a "if you're young and don't vote Democrat then you don't have a heart" problem don't you think?

Those barely out of the nest who have spent a very long time under state and parent control take some time to break free and form their own views of how the world should be. If you like there's an element of Stockholm syndrome to get over.

I'd like to imagine that you were just playing the fool but sadly I know that wasn't the case.

I love today's gut-punch to labour too - some of labour's very dearest voters are getting their houses refurbished by National; something labour always refused to do. This is the right thing to do of course but as always it seems it has taken National to actually do it.

[Golden Teapot]

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

businesses would mostly spread the extra cost among all consumers. Plus Govt.

This is unlikely. Low income people do not buy the same things as high income people. It would be well know that these low income people are all getting a 15% increase in income and so it's a simple matter for businesses to remove this income from them by increasing the prices of the goods low income people tend to buy (so KFC will get more expensive but meals at Soul Bar will stay the same).

There would be a small redistribution affect amongst the rich but it wouldn't trickle down.

As I've posted before it would be better to remove the minimum wage and to relax immigration laws so that those in need from elsewhere in the world could be sponsored to improve their lives through working in home help. The vast majority of people in NZ would be able to afford such help and so a great many people could be helped.

[xor]

Originally Posted by Golden Teapot

As I've posted before it would be better to remove the minimum wage and to relax immigration laws so that those in need from elsewhere in the world could be sponsored to improve their lives through working in home help. The vast majority of people in NZ would be able to afford such help and so a great many people could be helped.

With many people struggling on the minimum wage at present, what effect will removing the minimum wage do for them? Particulary when jobs are already difficult for non-skilled people to find.

[Golden Teapot]

Originally Posted by xor

With many people struggling on the minimum wage at present, what effect will removing the minimum wage do for them? Particulary when jobs are already difficult for non-skilled people to find.

I don't know what "struggle" means really. If lifestyles and expectations are adjusted to be realistic versus the level of income then I suspect most of these issues disappear.

Growing vegetables and getting some community animals reduces food costs to pennies a day. Not buying things on credit means you get productive use of all of your money. Having sensibly sized families means all kids get a fair start. There are just so many things that can be done to make a dollar go a long way whilst having a good life.

[xor]

Originally Posted by Golden Teapot

I don't know what "struggle" means really. If lifestyles and expectations are adjusted to be realistic versus the level of income then I suspect most of these issues disappear.

Growing vegetables and getting some community animals reduces food costs to pennies a day. Not buying things on credit means you get productive use of all of your money. Having sensibly sized families means all kids get a fair start. There are just so many things that can be done to make a dollar go a long way whilst having a good life.

You trollin'?

[fixed_truth]

Originally Posted by Golden Teapot

If your graphic was intended to contrast my earlier post then is suffers somewhat fatally from a "if you're young and don't vote Democrat then you don't have a heart" problem don't you think?

Not really.

"All the evidence we have found refutes the idea that as people age their attitudes become more conservative or more rigid," said Nicholas Danigelis, a sociologist at the University of Vermont. "It's just not true. More people are changing in a liberal direction than in a conservative direction."

Originally Posted by Golden Teapot

This is unlikely. Low income people do not buy the same things as high income people. It would be well know that these low income people are all getting a 15% increase in income and so it's a simple matter for businesses to remove this income from them by increasing the prices of the goods low income people tend to buy (so KFC will get more expensive but meals at Soul Bar will stay the same).

People on lower incomes (first three income groups) spend comparatively less of their income on 'restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food'. If you're arguing that this would change with a tiny price change then I would like to see some evidence of this claim.

[Golden Teapot]

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

People on lower incomes (first three income groups) spend comparatively less of their income on 'restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food'. If you're arguing that this would change with a tiny price change then I would like to see some evidence of this claim.

No my observation applied to all businesses (which is what I wrote too and so this shouldn't be a surprise). My example of KFC was for context.

[Golden Teapot]

Originally Posted by xor

You trollin'?

No.

If you're poor you should grow vegies and fruit trees and buy a cow, chickens, a goat and perhaps a lamb. Infant livestock are cheap and they grow into large quantities of commercially expensive food primarily by getting them to eat grass for a few months.

[fixed_truth]

Originally Posted by Golden Teapot

No my observation applied to all businesses (which is what I wrote too and so this shouldn't be a surprise). My example of KFC was for context.

So like I said, poor people aren't spending proportionately more on 'KFC'.

[Golden Teapot]

Originally Posted by fixed_truth

So like I said, poor people aren't spending proportionately more on 'KFC'.

If you want to play implied versus literal meaning then I chose not to participate. However if you indicate in each subsequent post which interpretation you'd like to be used then I might participate; but probably not because historic experience has proven just how silly you'll quickly become. Have a go though if you like - you may catch me in an extremely tolerant mood.