Comments on: Brash report tipped to be toxic

By: lprent

lprent — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:05:09 +0000

That was a real investigation!

It was somewhat better than the cursory look that Nick Smith does when he is researching material so he can explain it in simple terms to the public. Or how Brash likes to determine the results of an inquiry first before doing the research. Seriously how many posts did we have outlining what this 2025 report was going to say. Much of it would be correct. Brash doesn’t really seem to operate with an open mind.

After all the missing mintie was probably due to operator error…. opps didn’t mean to imply that you ate the mintie…..

By: Lew

Lew — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:33:24 +0000

Daveosaurus: If The Standard had conducted a REAL investigation instead of a FAKE WHITEWASH COVERUP then you might have an answer to your question!

By: Bored

Bored — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:28:21 +0000

Seems to me the win by Labour in 2005 was a poison chalice for the nation as National and their backers are truly out of time with the realities of the world today. The Nats came to power at precisely the wrong moment, one election too late.

A clear message in Mazowers book is that when a reality clashes head on with an ideologues, reality does not bend. The ideologues lose in the resulting train crash, usually at high cost to everybody else.

By: lukas

lukas — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:27:26 +0000

that must be a lonely planet.

By: Daveosaurus

Daveosaurus — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:05:20 +0000

Your lost (or eaten) Minto, was it one of the real Mintos or one of those fake ersatz import Mintos?

By: lprent

lprent — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:35:45 +0000

After extensive investigation, I have formed the opinion that a gremlin ate your words.

The exact nature of how this happened is covered by The Standard Secrets Act, and may be viewed on release in six hundred years or when world average CO2 levels drop to the 1832 rates (whichever happens first).

There that should satisfy you. Makes me wonder why Brownlee or a Smith hasn’t thought of it.

By: Draco T Bastard

Draco T Bastard — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:29:33 +0000

The one where reality takes precedence over delusion.

By: gitmo

gitmo — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:44:11 +0000

Thanks Lew – I’m having a shite of a day and needed a chuckle.

By: gitmo

gitmo — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:42:25 +0000

Poppycock. They should be on $115p/h plus a company car and expenses.

By: Lew

Lew — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:06:56 +0000

Well, it’s clearly a conspiracy to quash criticism of the left, right?

By: lprent

lprent — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:05:33 +0000

From whom?

By: Zaphod Beeblebrox

Zaphod Beeblebrox — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:04:47 +0000

Especially in 2009. The need to do something about climate change, increasing food and energy prices and economic recession will make these sorts of governments dead in the water even before they get into office. I’m tipping Merkel will be a dead duck if she follows the policies of her coalition partner.

Interesting that the Libs in Australia and Republicans in the U.S. seem on the road to self-destruction with divisions deep between the pragmatists and ideologs.

By: Lew

Lew — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:47:48 +0000

Hm, The Standard seems to have eaten ‘John Minto’. I demand an inquiry!

; )

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:44:20 +0000

Rubbish. They should be paid $100 p/h.

By: Bored

Bored — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:32:24 +0000

Just been reading Mazower’s Dark Continent which has a very illuminating chapter on the neo liberal impact across Europe. One point he makes very strongly is that the neo libs rhetoric of shrinking government, tax levels etc never matched the reality; the proportion of government sector and taxes remained reasonably static.

The primary reason was that the whole concept was electorally untenable.
It seems Brash was removed as the leader of National because this fact was well understood and demonstrated. National now seems to be trying to eat its cake, Brash providing the icing. As an unreconstructed neo lib Brash’s prescriptions are (using history as a guide) for National a one way ticket to oblivion.