Written By: - Date published: 3:58 pm, October 23rd, 2008 - 75 comments
Categories: election 2008, maori party, national, slippery -
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I’ve always regarded the possibility of a National-Maori Party governing arrangement as absurd, even grotesque. The interests of the Maori people, who are predominantly working-class, are clearly best represented by the Left.
Under National in the 1990s, Maori unemployment reached 25% and incomes plummeted. Today it is 7.7%, and Maori incomes are rising as fast as other groups, albeit from a lower base. Maori would be among those to suffer most from National’s anti-worker, anti-poor policies. Indeed, many Maori (those on incomes between $14,000 and $24,000, those on a benefit or receiving Working for Families, and those in Kiwisaver) would pay more tax under National than they would under Labour. The Maori Party’s leadership universally comes from a left-wing, often extreme Left, background with a natural distrust of right-wing politics (Hone Harawira calls John Key a smiling snake). Their supporters overwhelming favour a Labour-led government and most will give their party votes to Labour. Only Tariana Turia, deluded Nats, and the more excitable journos ever thought there could be a deal with National. Even they have now woken up.
I think it’s interesting to remember how the myth of a possible coalition was destroyed.
In private meetings, John Key made a secret concession to Pita Sharples: National would be willing to drop its policy to abolish the Maori seats. That was incredibly foolish of Key, he effectively handed one of his best bargaining chips over to Sharples, he didn’t gain anything in return for this secret concession, apparently, and he put himself at the mercy of Sharples, who could now reveal this politically damaging double-dealing by Key whenever he wanted. Sharples didn’t have to reveal Key’s concession, he could have kept it to himself, but he repeatedly reported it in the media. What interest could Sharples have had in doing that? Only undermining the prospects of a National-led government and a National-Maori Party coalition. Key got played for a sucker by Sharples. His response, calling Sharples a liar and repudiating the deal, just made things worse.
The Maori Party’s choice to follow up on the debacle by making entrenchment of the Maori seats a bottom-line, Sharples’ comments that he would prefer to work with Labour, and Lockwood Smith’s racist comments just hammered the final nails into the coffin. But it was Sharples who chose to put the chance of a deal in the coffin in the first place.
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Steve Pierson said: toad, please don’t reply in kind to D4J…
Yeah, sometimes I can’t resist – the guy is such a Neanderthal. But, okay Steve, I will cease and desist, at least on this thread, from here on in.
You are very,very sick Toad and the reason I will obliterate the greens in due course you cockamamie communist coward.Got Aids yet Toad you poisonous creature? Hey spineless Toad creep how about a face to face meeting, you name the place and I ‘ll kick your arse !
[Tane: Dad, you're banned. Come back after the election.]
Lampie: Finding new ways to make a virtue out of idiotude, I see. But even I must admit D4J has nothing to fear from you in the great race to the bottom of the blogosphere.
Lew, the only person who even left and right still can call a pompus arse
L
Lew – try and get a backbone one day Mr Not Nice Freak ( egotistical wet dreamer)
fanx lampie…at least someone gets the point. the rest of these tightarses need to get the carrots removed from their backsides so they can think about something real instead of all the crap they cant bear to let go of.
d4j – You said something about the greens and dreaming – How are your republicanz or whatever it was going? 2% sorry 2 votes is it?
he is going to do a bomd with the “collected thoughts of dad” to pay for his deposit and campaign expenses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am not standing for any political party you demented f##kwits!
I could run this country on $1 an hour you weirdos.
gee… is a weirdo something likea beatnik?
like this randal:
[Donovan, 1966]
So the hope for the future is a fourth Labour-led government comprised of half a dozen warring factions, united only by the hunger of their leaders for ministerial posts? Now THAT sounds like a vision for New Zealand. [ cap: Goddess New ]
d4j – You didn’t deny it back here. Maybe they got rid of you.
Make up what story you like ,you creeps, because I couldn’t give a toss.
Hi fugley!!
No righties what is happening is the wider mass of the broad left which is the majority is discovering that they are facing Rogernomics mk 2 rushed through by the rotting visage of Roger himself under urgency facing a world meltdown master minded by Lord Ashcroft.
What you find among the LPGM mix is the usual divisions on the left that arise out of the pressures of capitalism, different sections of the working class and middle class pushing different agendas, like Labour’s cosmopolitan vs MP’s ethnic politics. But when Keys push comes to Rogers shovel they are re-discovering some comradely class unity under the baton of the long running Lord Keynes.
Oh now d4j…what are you so uptight about? Poll results? Lockwood? Maurice?key flip flops? and by the way…re your post that Labour would slide to 25% on that immigration story – you know, the one where the guy actually met with John key three times , and where Pansy wrote him a support letter and National accepted $5K in donations!! still no comments ..perhaps you just want to let that one pass by and we’d not remember …well sorry …but I will keep reminding you until November 8 every time you rear your head here…nothing personal..not attacking you personally just keeping it to the topic you posted ..how about you try and reply without abuse?
Jake
How about you read my comment above, instead of parroting Nat falsehoods? You’d save yourself from looking a fool.
Once more, slowly for you:
Labour plus Greens. plus Anderton.
National plus Act, plus Dunne.
Maori Party decides.
What’s the difference?
Jake: That’s democracy. At least under MMP it’s not half a dozen warring factions within the same party.
L
“At least under MMP it’s not half a dozen warring factions _within the same party_.”
Unless you are the National Party – who coincidentally don’t like MMP. National should split into their “Labour +” and “red-kneck” factions. cake-and-eat-it!
FATLO: … and the `Roger and Key’ faction (with apologies to Mr Moore, and damn, but don’t they seem to be out in the cold).
L
wait until the war is over
say a prayer for the unknown soldier
ah umm
the doors: 1968
I dont think a final nail has been expressed between the Maori Party and the Nats. Pita sharples preference for labour is not new. What is perceived as Pita’s political coming out, should not be interpreted as a diliberate attempt to show the party is steering the waka left. Rather his remark should be seen for what it is, an unguarded remark from an honest man. Tariana too is honest, when she espouses her admiration for national. I believe Turia is desparate, not to work with labour and her blind loyalty to national, despite the parties ongoing expressions of racism, undermines all that she stands for. Turia’s ability to ‘move on’ and forgive National MP”S for offensive conduct seems at odds with her inablility to forgive labour for past mistakes.
As for the future of the Maori seats. The idea of the Maori Party negotiating with the Nats to retain the seats is unessasary and repugnant.
Can someone boot this D4J idiot? I don’t come here for redneck comments like that.
its more like post modern entertainment
SP,
“Credit to Felix who’s comment that kids have even smaller hands sparked the idea for my instilling the work ethic early post.”
I think it might have been one of the Bills who said that.
Alexandra – Tariana too is honest, when she espouses her admiration for national……..Turia is desparate, not to work with labour and her blind loyalty to national.
Not sure if you realise that she was a List MP for Labour
“Can someone boot this D4J idiot?”
Oh too be an inadequate internet coward , you are such a back stabber glowing tiger maybe you should use your real name, eh Ms Simpson ! People like you are responsible for the wholesale corruption that has tainted our international reputation. You are a disgrace to yourself and every New Zealander. Leave this country alone you twisted bitch.
fanx lampie at least someone gets the point. the rest of these tightarses need to get the carrots removed from their backsides so they can think about something real instead of all the crap they cant bear to let go of.
Absolutely
What a shame…the beginning of the thread had the potential to turn into a good discussion for a while, then the standard left and the kiwiblog right started fighting with each other. Is this the kind of standard you want, Steve? BTW the latest MSD stats are out – and 11,300 MORE people are on a benefit in the past three months, with 5000 more on the dole.
Time for another graph.
[Tane: Dad, you're still banned until after the election. Please respect this or it will become a life ban.]
cheers dave, when i find my spreadsheet, i’ll get an updated graph up.B
dave this is the kind of standard you get. stop bleating about human perfidy. the discussion was going quite well untill the trolls arrived from the right.
all they do is write crosbytext gibberish or engage others in long pointless arguments to no purpose while the so called experst,pundits, whatever they call themselves flump around on the margins.in the meantime support ias firming for the left and labour will win. yep
I haven’t taken the time to read all the posts – so sorry if I repeat what someone else has already written.
“The interests of the Maori people, who are predominantly working-class”
Isn’t that as racist as saying that Asians have smaller hands?
It should be a hyphen instead of a comma.
It should be a hyphen instead of a comma.
rofl, took a minute for me to figure out what you were on about, very subtle.