Written By: - Date published: 1:37 pm, January 31st, 2008 - 46 comments
Categories: blogs, labour -
Tags: blogs, helen clark, jordan carter, labour
I don’t know if this is breaking some cyber protocol (oh, but I don’t much care if I am) but I want to put Jordan Carter‘s post on Helen Clark’s speech up here on The Standard.
The reason is that while I agree with a lot of what IrishBill said – mainly that her speech was worthy but dull and a missed opportunity – I think what Jordan says is worth attention and wanted to link it but the such is the nature of commentary on these blogs that by the end of 60+ rants and ravings amongst the serious stuff and everyone just wandering off the topic, Helen’s speech no longer felt relevant. So I’m putting it up here instead. Thanks JC.
Helen’s speech this morning was a substantive contribution to the youth policy debate. The new announcements – youth apprenticeships and a higher age before people can be free of training or education – contrasts nicely with Key’s more negative effort the day before.
The speech also located that policy in the broader context. You can’t slice and dice our society and our world. The bits all relate to each other. Clark was saying that youth will grow up best in a society that looks after all of us. She wants a policy that brings everyone to the height of their talents, not only one that punishes people for getting things wrong.
So that is why she can properly pin responsibility for many of today’s youths’ problems on the previous National government. Key dismissed that on Morning Report this morning, showing again how little he understands public policy. He said, what happens 18 yrs ago is irrelevant. He’s wrong. National was in power for a decade and systematically sought to undermine the welfare state and the decent society.
A whole generation – my generation – has been scarred for life by that approach to politics and public life. We are the children of the revolution and the only miracle is that more of us are not disasters.
It takes years and decades to build up a decent society, but it’s a lot quicker to wreck one. National and Labour proved that well in the 1980s and 1990s. Painful, slow progress has been made since. National just offers a return to the past.Back to Clark’s speech. It was, as the headline suggests, not a captivating or stylish speech. That isn’t Helen Clark’s style. She is a serious politician who cares about solving the problems. While I (and others) might wish for a more visionary style of speaking, that isn’t what she does. Shes does fact and plain honest policy.
Somehow in these days of soundbites, presidential campaigning, slick Hollow Men-style inoculations, that is a reassuring thought.
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Haha Mickey….do a post on my stats and my supposed “dodgy” ad revenue, looking forward to seeing that and how it matches up with the reality….Do you know anything about reality….no didn’t think so.
My Dad is fine, thanks for showing concern. Had dinner with him tonight and he was on form. In fact you’ll all get to enjoy one of his suggestions soon.
Well said Billy. Pleased that mad dad has found a happy place but we do have http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=1015#comments maintaining the sub standard labour movement mouthpiece.
I love it! “Ex-national party president advises useless son” what a thought! So anyway bro, why are all your “referrals” from anonymous IPs?
I don’t know ikey, why don’t you tell me since you seem to be the resident boffin here now after Lynn plonked you all in the proverbial.
I think you do know my fat friend. How about you post a comment at my blog sometime?
Ha! captcha is “lawsuits race” – I think you lost.
Blog, what Blog….You call that a blog…you’ve got a lot of catching up to do Mike.
It is more like the ravings of 16 year olds…oh wait….it actually is.
No National politician is a match for Helen Clark, Helem has had FAR more experience in dealing with people on a “down to earth basis” than anyone, not only that, how come NZs economy is better than it ever has been?.
LABOUR FOREVER
Yeah Cam, you’re probably right. I should maybe start with some creepy photoshopping and then move onto stalking people maybe? Perhaps then I could start fiddling my stats? After that all I’d have to do would be gain a few dozen kilos and sustain some kind of serious brain trauma and I could be in the big leagues with you. Um, nah. I think I’ll give that a miss.
Whale: there are many more posts on your blog that could do with the same treatment. About time you lifted your game up a bit?
Lynn
“and all in all I found Helen Clarks argumentive to have more merit.”
Nobody can deny your right to be another Clark’s sycophant, so tell us you also love her beautiful front teeth and coiffured hairstyle. You said it all, Randal.
welcom nitpicking pedants and santi…your rebuttal lacks substance and style and is another example of going offtopic to push a personal agenda concerning someonelses personal appearance…get a life dude…you are a disgrace to the political process