Everything you’re not happy with (schools, hospitals, your holiday in Thailand, the price of cheese) would be fixed by Choosing a Brighter Future. There was no philosophical debate about what a government should or shouldn’t try and do for people – that was so 2005. Key shut the debate down. He offered more goodies for everyone, and no losers. Santa Key is coming to town!

Now, he could just say “The problems in Thailand are not our responsibility”, but that would mean – oo, er – telling some voters what they don’t want to hear. John Key doesn’t do bad news. He’s addicted to the Happy Talk. So this kind of thing is going to happen a lot more, and on much bigger issues than this. This is what happens when you elect a man who thinks being Prime Minister would be, wow, sooo totally cool … as long as nobody does anything really mean, like criticise him.

Case study: here’s an interesting story from 3 News. What would you do if you were PM? And given hundreds of similar cases around the country, when would you stop doing it?

“The Government may be about to bail out cash-stretched Surf Life Saving New Zealand to ensure that our beaches are guarded this summer.

Life Saving is one of many charities badly affected by the economic downturn. It has lost about $4 million of funding from corporates and charitable trusts
…

Twenty-five percent of its income comes from fundraising activities and another 25 percent comes from lottery grants and local government.

But the other 50 percent which comes from charity gaming, community trusts and corporate sponsorship has dried up as a direct result of the current economic downturn.
…

That has meant Surf Life Saving has been looking at how it might scale back operations, or at least that was the case. After being made aware of the situation by 3 News, the Community and Voluntary Sector Minister announced the Government will come to the rescue.

“We are very concerned to hear that given the number drowning we are seeing around the country,” says Tariana Turia. “I prepared to meet with Surf Life Saving to talk through what the issues are and how we might help them.”

That is likely to mean financial help and while Ms Turia does not hold the purse strings in this new Government, her boss, Prime Minister John Key, is the patron of a Surf Life Saving club and may be sympathetic.”

(3 News)

Me, I’d give them the cash. But then, I’d cancel the tax cuts for the wealthiest as well

Any righties prepared to say No to the handout? I bet you John Key isn’t. Form an orderly queue, John is your friend, and is eager to please.

Prime Ministers who desperately need to be liked are always the weakest. And that’s what we’ve now got. Get used to it.

Theres no need to be insulting…….to donkeys.
The comparison should be we were sold a sweetened up orange and ended up with the mother of all lemons

Like, arranging transport on standby immediately and telling the country so. If air force planes are being repaired, chartering a plane off air new zealand if necessary is surely within a prime minister’s options. Instead this imposter whines about how the previs guvmint ran down the err fawce. Or something. (shouldn’t a prime minister also be intelligible?)

These right wing trolls who slither over here from whaleoilspill used to moan in unison about helen being bossy, when we now see this is making decisions. Being a prime minister.

I bet they miss her already.

I went to dinner with some friends, one of who was trying to impress a girl well recognised as being quite materialistic. When it came time to sort the bill, he graciously offers to pay for the whole table and then get cash from the rest of us later.

He whips out the standard (green and white design) AmEx, to which the girl ever so slightly disdainfully responds; “Oh, I didn’t realise they still made those”.

Poor us. Everytime i see that thing who calls himself PM on telly i cringe…..oh the embarrasement to have Forrest Gump as our representative!!

Run Forrest Run…..

Why’s that ?

gomango – Last time I looked I wasn’t a professional journalist so being even-handed and balanced aren’t ethical considerations I need to be concerned about.
Anyway, Key is whining – he’s quoted as whining – that’s not my opinion – he’s actually in print moaning about how hard he’s got it and how bad things are for him and his government. If I did that when I started a job my boss would be wondering what nightmare he had just hired – which is no doubt what some people who voted for Key will be thinking themselves.

Look, Key is facing a test with the Thailand issue and so far he’s tripping over his feet, looking indecisive and weak. As far as I’m concerned – New Zealand, told you so. He’s NOT PM material – never was, never will be. We were sold a horse and got a donkey.

Nice work taking Key out of context and using ellipses.

Here’s one for you: “David Parker . . . is . . . the laughing stock of the international community. Labour will hold . . . these backward looking policies.”