Make-work don’t work
The Maori Party wants the dole abolished to be replaced by work schemes. It’s a bad idea but it’s not too far from […]
Wouldn’t you be embarrassed if…..?
I have to declare – yes, I am an urban liberal. So I would be embarrassed if a member of my family said […]
A matter of trust
The Youtube debate was a bit of a let down to me because TV1 chose to play the least penetrating questions, allowing the […]
Nat vs Nat on National policy
National wants to introduce a 90 Day no work rights period for new employees. Now, in the face of very strong opposition to […]
The Standard line: Showerheads
So, you’re talking with someone about politics and they say something really dumb and wrong and you know it’s wrong but you don’t […]
Advice
Labour has made two serious mistakes in their campaign today. One was specifically rejecting a policy to take the minimum wage to $15 […]
Lying to win
A narrow victory for Key in tonight’s TV1/Youtube debate. A forum where he could repeat his tired slogans to his heart’s content suited […]
Fact checkin’
Live fact-checking of the debate. Key: The unions supported National’s position on Kiwisaver. Lie: The unions do not support National’s plan and never have. […]
Video: TV3 on Key’s campaign day 2
Media coverage of the campaign is coming thick and fast – a helpful reader pointed out this excerpt from TV3 on Key’s day […]
The Standard line: ACC
So, you’re talking with someone about politics and they say something really dumb and wrong and you know it’s wrong but you don’t […]
Labour chickens out on $15 minimum wage
Labour, why do you do this to me? One day you’re announcing neo-Keynesian policies to help us through the coming recession, then you […]
Every reason for Key to blitz debate tonight
It is still possible to follow the news without encountering politics at every turn – but it’s getting harder. And the journalists are […]
Wrong time for short-term thinking
National’s Nick Smith has announced that they would cancel the $1 billion fund to insulate New Zealand houses, which the Greens won as part of the […]
Down with literacy
A crusade on illiteracy, surely. Um, I’m not sure we want to entrust these guys with improving language skills. [Update: true to form, […]
Confident or foolish?
So, you’re one of the 900,000 Kiwis who have so far signed up to Kiwisaver. You know that you get $1000 on signing […]
The problem for National in fewer than 100 words
OK – they are not my words. I could do it – but then again I really liked what Gordon Campbell wrote: The […]
Daily Show on Fox
Jon Stewart looks at some recent clips from Fox News on the American presidential race. Just incredible.
‘Give me warning next time’, Key whimpers
While Key was blathering on about who-cares-what yesterday, Clark announced a radical and forward-looking economic stimulus package. Now, Key is having a cry over […]
Universal allowance – Labour joins rest of Left
Good to see Labour joining the Greens and Progressives with a universal student allowance policy. It has been a crying shame that many […]
Working our way forward
It was inevitable that the focus of media coverage of Labour’s announements yesterday would be the deposit insurance, it’s a good self-centred middle-class story. […]
Labour takes bull by the horns, Nats left standing
One of the first rules of politics is don’t set yourself up to be snookered; don’t position yourself in a way that your […]
Crash and burn
Guest Post: The Road to Lonsdale Street – Part 1
You’re going to love this story. Pay attention, you’ll need patience and concentration. It’s got the lot – lies, conspiracy, fraud, theft, and […]
Tories still bigots at heart
When I saw this guy using the guise of a Youtube debate question to attack Clark on her appearance, I felt sorry for […]
A real economic plan
One of the things that has pissed me off about MSM political analysis lately is the constant repetition of the idea that cutting […]
Authorised for the Right…..
From the campaign launch, I got this photo, and decided that I’d put it up for the skulkers complaining about the EFA. For […]
Labour – too popular
Labour is too damn popular! I’m at the campaign launch and the place is full. There are a couple of hundred of us […]
Live: Helen Clark launches Labour campaign
Hooten shows his true colours
The Herald reports that producers had to interrupt the filming of today’s Eye to Eye because Mathew Hooten called Winston Peters a “f***ing […]
Trickle-down
A few thoughts from today’s Agenda: Questioned about why National would introduce another tax rebate, having endlessly criticised Working for Families because of […]
John’s cheese
For the many of you who won’t know, Tory boys David Farrar and Cameron Slater have been driving around the country interviewing MPs […]
Getting it right matters
I don’t want this post to be taken as overly critical; it’s just meant to offer some constructive advice. John Armstrong’s piece in […]
Words to watch
Two headings in today’s Herald caught my eye. One from John Armstrong (who I don’t always agree with but who is most often […]
Upgrades – Grumpy post area
I’ve brought the site up to date. All the various hacks that I put in this years have now been removed as the […]
Musical interlude, einher mit die Philosophie
A utopia, an ideal socio-politico-legal system that we can work towards if never reach, should lie at the heart of ones political philosophy. […]