For those of you who thought John Key's "brighter future" was something other than a roaring bonfire upon which the hopes and aspirations of all but a privileged few are being thrown, how are you feeling now about your voting decision?"
Want to see the accompanying 'class of 2012' photo?
Visit Imperator Fish and marvel at the self-inflicted plight we now find ourselves in.
The use of 'bonfire' by Scott harks back to Helen Clark's 'I'm leaving' speech closely following her defeat on election night. Clearly she knew what was coming. I found her warning chilling then and here we are now, being frozen by Key's fires (how's that for mixing metaphores!)
13 comments:
The abuse of the principals of welfare by the Labour party led to the unsustainable nature of the NZ welfare system.
Sustainability is more than an environmental issue, it is social as well and the model the left have used in NZ has being destroying people for more than a decade.
Try living in a low socio economic area, you will see very clearly what I mean.
You do loathe the Labour Party, Shunda - no one is left in any doubt of that. Scott's post however, points at the destruction that National is now actively engaged in. Does that not concern you? Surely you're not still favouring those vandals?
Actually, it goes well beyond Labour and involves the left in general.
The left are at least as destructive as the right when it comes to issues of social welfare, they have caused a tremendous amount of harm to the generation of kids now growing up.
There are important welfare principles that the left has abused terribly, and I would suggest some of the ideology being promoted by the "new" Greens is some of the most polarised and dangerous to date.
Give us a specific example, Shunda...
RG is it possible to destroy what is already broken? Liarbour broke the social contract and created a welfare society rather than the safety net Savage laid out. For example they removed the ability for beneficiaries to undertake seasonal work. The fallout will be felt for more than a generation. A whole generation that believe NZ owes them something without requiring anything in return.
Savages words are as true now as they ever were when it comes to safety nets as opposed to hammocks that trap people in dependency and poverty. Want to do something about inequality? It's simple - reform welfare.
paranormal (for it must be you - your snarky use of the insulting title for the Labour Party exposes you) - reform, yes, where it is needed, but i maintain that this National Government will create great harm to the welfare safety net as a result of its essential mistaken ideology. Your criticism of some of the actions Labour has taken in the past may be true, but they are not 'game breakers' in my view. I would far rather have the 'Left' review and reform the welfare system, than the 'Right'. Guess you think differently and that's as far as we'll get.
RG yes it was me - apologies for not putting my name in. I wanted to edit the comment more but was on the road and using my ipod. For some reason I couldn't finish my comment.
I hear your comment about my use of Liarbour, but if we don't keep reminding people of the current crops disgraces, it will be forgotten all too soon.
And sorry - the left have proven to be the worst at maintaining the social contract. They realise they are maintaining a voter base and create misery and sorrow for their own ends.
Paranormal
The 'Left' created the welfare system under discussion, but 'have proven to be the worst at maintaining it'?
That seems ... unlikely, though I concur that it's form has slumped over the years. Suggesting though, that the 'Right' is better able to fix it pushes the limits of my credulity too much, para.
Any other suggestions?
Perhaps I should rephrase that - the current crop of lefties cannot be trusted with the reforms. The greens and Mana just want handouts to maintain a voter base. Yup sorry RG all I've heard from your lot is this inequality rubbish that implies taking from the rich and giving to the poor - that never works. Their red bellies are showing.
The current Liabour crop have proven their inability to be trusted with the levers of power. Just look at the mess Welfare for Families is. It uses the most inefficient way of delivering welfare to families and incentivises all the wrong decisions by penalising the right decisions in the harshest way.
You are also correct that the current right cannot be trusted to reform the welfare system, although I believe their hearts are in the right place, I don't think they will have the guts to do what is right for the country.
We really need the Govenor of Wisconsin/Bill Clinton approach to make real inroads. I'm not talking about slash and burn either before some of your more ardent lefty commenters start. More reinstating the social contract and incentivising the right decisions.
Paranormal
You make a lot of sense Para.
Robert, do you really think Paranormal's views on this are all that radical?
To me, when you look at the welfare reforms from an ideological perspective, the current National party reforms are pretty mild. Compared to other past National governments and especially other 'right' leaning political parties in other parts of the world, national seems almost 'left'.
They're just getting started, Shunda. The same lip-chewing crew that drove the Nats in the past are driving them now. Don't be fooled by Key's vanilla. Bile is the true flavour of this crew.
That said (and it was fun saying it), the idea that our 'Right' is left of the American Right is fair enough, but the American version should not be used as a measure, Shunda, them being insane 'n all!
This is where it gets difficult Robert. Can both the political left and right in this country lay their respective ideology aside, see the situation how it really is and find that place of balance?
In my adult life I have seen no evidence that they can.
Perhaps the best we can hope for is the occasional 'passing through' that middle ground, a few years where the balance is attained and then an inevitable pulling away toward a more extreme position.
Then only voters can correct the extremes, democracy so often works walking backwards.
If you have any ideas on how this can be avoided I am really keen to hear them.
But I have to say, I think there comes a point where the strength we choose to build (or not) into our communities becomes the real safety net.
Political leaders are far to clumsy and far to blind.
In the meantime I can see a problem that desperately needs fixing, our people deserve much better than a life than mediocrity and despair that welfare dependency brings.
"Them being insane an all" - I've heard the same comments about your lot RG.
But more to the point, ALL our parties are to the left of the American left. Some more so than others.
Paranormal
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