A PM but not a leader

35 comments on “A PM but not a leader ”

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1. One Anonymous Bloke 1

   31 January 2017 at 9:17 am

   Shut up you embarrassing useless bloodsack.

   “I don’t believe it’s a racist policy… it discriminates among them by which country they come from.

   *headdesk*
   • Draco T Bastard 1.1

     31 January 2017 at 1:18 pm

     In graphical format so is easy to understand

     

     [lprent: That is worth putting the image in. ]
     • Gabby 1.1.1

       31 January 2017 at 2:49 pm

       Where is Benghazi again?
       • wellfedweta 1.1.1.1

         31 January 2017 at 4:26 pm

         Then there’s the 2006 UNC SUV attack by Mohammed Reza Taheri-aza – an Iranian.
         • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.1.1.1

           31 January 2017 at 7:46 pm

           …and then there’s the issue of the shiny buttons on your uniform.
           • Wellfedweta 1.1.1.1.1.1

             31 January 2017 at 9:34 pm

             Just pointing out some facts, OAB. Your association with reality was always tenuous.
             • One Anonymous Bloke …

               1 February 2017 at 2:53 pm

               Funny, because it looks more like you’re defending Nazism to me, facts or not.
               • wellfedweta …

                 1 February 2017 at 9:33 pm

                 Draco posted a Twitter post. LPrent made it look all tasty. Problem was, it contained glaring factual inaccuracies. There…simple enough for you?
                 • One Anonymous Bloke …

                   2 February 2017 at 5:43 am

                   Does adding the revised figures alter the conclusion in any way? Nope, you’re defending Nazism.
             • Psycho Milt …

               2 February 2017 at 6:36 am

               Just pointing out some facts…

               I think you mean “alternative facts.” According Wikipedia, Mohammed Reza Taheri-aza didn’t kill anybody, and was a US citizen who’d lived there since he was two years’ old. I came here as a two-year-old and can tell you it’s highly unlikely this guy even had a vague hint of a memory of Iran, let alone could be called an Iranian.
     • HDCAFriendlyTroll 1.1.2

       2 February 2017 at 6:53 am

       In the actual executive order does it mention the word Muslim? Just wondering.

       The closest I could find is this:

       http://www.npr.org/2017/01/31/512439121/trumps-executive-order-on-immigration-annotated

       “And former Trump campaign surrogate Rudy Giuliani told Fox that Trump first called it a “Muslim ban” but asked him to come up with a legal framework for it. Giuliani said he did, one based on “danger,” not religion.”
2. Wayne 2

   31 January 2017 at 9:18 am

   One Anonymous Bloke,

   I think you mean Chamberlain, not Attlee.

   On the broader issue in my view English is being prudent. He has made it clear that New Zealand would not have a policy like that of the United States. He does not need to go further than that. Neither should he spend his time on today’s phone call with Trump giving him a lecture as apparently Little and Turei would do. Though in reality would Little actually do that if he was PM?

   The New Zealand government does not spend its time berating Australia for their border protection policy, even though it is not what we would do. We don’t give China lectures on Tibet or the principles of democracy.

   NZ is still going to have to get along with the US. It will remain one of our most important relationship in a wide swath of areas. It will be self defeating for our PM to give lectures to the US.

   Even Clark did not do that over Iraq. She said the decision the US made was their decision, but it was not what we would do. She was careful not to unnecessarily antagonize the US relationship. And in fact we did send troops to Iraq, albeit once the advance to Baghdad was complete.
   • One Anonymous Bloke 2.1

     31 January 2017 at 9:38 am

     Ah yes, I mean Chamberlain. Thanks.

     You discussed this important relationship the other day, when you remarked about the potential for a new “Anglo” alliance. I think the more usual term is “white supremacy”.

     When it transpires that employees of the GCSB, say, have stolen information and passed it on to the US administration, and that information has been used in the perpetration of human rights abuses – such as the ones currently unfolding, what legal arguments do you think they (the GCSB employees) should use to avoid or otherwise thwart prosecution?

     Conversely, how do you think the international criminal courts will approach the issue?
   • Sacha 2.2

     31 January 2017 at 10:12 am

     “We don’t give China lectures on Tibet or the principles of democracy.”

     So why do our politicians claim to have done so every time they meet a Chinese govt delegation?
     • Rosemary McDonald 2.2.1

       31 January 2017 at 11:28 am

       Good point there Sacha…and why are protests against the Chinese invasion of Tibet and/or the suppression of human rights for Chinese citizens simply not allowed when Chinese official visit? Why the closure of a state highway by automatic rifle toting police and security personnel when a Chinese VP is simply visiting the neighbour’s dairy farm?

       But of course, in Wayne’s world these things are a normal part of being part of the international ‘community’.

       Too close to the Powers That Be to smell the rot?
   • DoublePlusGood 2.3

     31 January 2017 at 11:59 am

     Perhaps if we had quality politicians, instead of gutless ones, we would in fact criticise Australia and China for their human rights record. Unfortunately, people have voted for gutless politicians for quite a long time.
     • Robert Guyton 2.3.1

       31 January 2017 at 2:48 pm

       Russel Norman had some guts, didn’t he!
   • bwaghorn 2.4

     31 January 2017 at 12:30 pm

     must be the boarding schools all you nats went to a wayne , always on you knees in front of the bigger boys
     • rhinocrates 2.4.1

       31 January 2017 at 1:45 pm

       I’ve tended to see Mapp as a civilian version of Colonel Blimp (the Low version, not the somewhat decent Powell and Pressburger version) – pomposity substituting for intelligence and morals.

       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_Blimp
3. jcuknz 3

   31 January 2017 at 9:20 am

   It is ironic that we have a fire branding PM of wartime being heralded by somebody with no responsibility of the country over a mature leader fending off stupid questions [ I heard the RNZ i/v ].
   It is easy for the opposition to shoot their mouths off when they have no responsibility.
   • One Anonymous Bloke 3.1

     31 January 2017 at 9:42 am

     Why is it difficult for the Prime Minister to condemn human rights abuses?

     I can think of a few reasons – trade money, being scorned by bigots at Cabinet Club, etc etc.

     That’s the thing about principles though – they don’t mean much until holding onto them becomes difficult (cf: Springbok tour, nuclear ship ban). Then your mettle is tested. Bill English hasn’t got any.
4. Sacha 4

   31 January 2017 at 10:13 am

   Farrar has not got the polling to his new boss yet. English will be more confident when he knows what’s OK to say.
   • The decrypter 4.1

     31 January 2017 at 10:24 am

     Farrar and co have given up on English –hopeless case. They are all, in unison singing “Judy judy judy I love you.”
     • Sacha 4.1.1

       31 January 2017 at 10:42 am

       It’s still Eagleson who signs the cheques. #businessasusual
   • Draco T Bastard 4.2

     31 January 2017 at 1:24 pm

     +1

     😈
5. marty mars 5

   31 January 2017 at 10:22 am

   English is a gutless loser. He is even shallower than his predecessor. His Waitangi and Ratana rubbish – as if he’s know about protocol – and his comments on this – show deep-seated bigotry imo.

   I really thought he was a decent, though dull, bloke but no he’s much worse than that.
   • Nick 5.1

     31 January 2017 at 10:46 am

     PM = Plantation Manager. That’s how he has always come across to me.
     • weka 5.1.1

       31 January 2017 at 10:48 am

       ‘Nice’ Plantation Manager, which makes him a bigger risk because there will be people that will cut him more slack for longer because of the decent but dull bloke thing. I don’t mean that he is nice, I mean the perception of him.
       • Chris 5.1.1.1

         31 January 2017 at 1:51 pm

         People are quickly being reminded of the difference between English as a leader and as finance minister. He was popular as finance minister because “dull but decent” fits the role. And he also had the Key phenomenon right there next to him. Now he’s leader again it’s 2002 all over again. All this talk of English being “a different person” to the one he was back then is complete nonsense. Key’s resignation was a triple whammy. Key gone, replaced with hopeless leader, and a clown for a deputy. Might even be enough to lose the election.
         • marty mars 5.1.1.1.1

           31 January 2017 at 2:12 pm

           + 1
6. Observer Tokoroa 6

   31 January 2017 at 11:13 am

   Preservation of the Club

   The Republican Party of The USA is treasured by National Party of New Zealand. Trump as you know is President by decree of the Republicans.

   So there is no way Bill English is going disagree with any Oligarchy or Conservative Party, let alone the Republican Party of the USA.

   National has only one single aim. That is to make sure that more wealth goes to fewer and fewer people. Cuts in Housing, Rises in Rental Rates, Cuts in Infrastructure, Cuts in Health Budgets, Education, Policing, Arts, Conservation and Welfare are normal for USA and National.

   They are there to make the wealthy Great.
   • Draco T Bastard 6.1

     31 January 2017 at 1:28 pm

     +1111
7. rhinocrates 7

   31 January 2017 at 8:18 pm

   From The Civilian:

   http://www.thecivilian.co.nz/english-up-to-others-to-decide-whether-ethnic-cleansing-is-wrong-but-certainly-not-the-direction-we-plan-to-take/
8. mosa 8

   31 January 2017 at 8:56 pm

   Not one comment on One News at 6 pm regarding Bill English and his silence on this muslim issue that has erupted with Trumps manic lunacy with this policy and other world leaders with fortitude protest most strongly at this decision.

   English should be under pressure to make a strong stand but as usual they are never held accountable in the National party or by the MSM which has failed yet again to demand answers.

   Surely he needs to address this and rebuke Trump in the strongest possible terms after all they are always ready to sing Americas praises when it suits them.

   Keys intense boot licking for the last 8 years must have given us a right to speak up when we don’t agree or is English still waiting for permission to do so.

   What a decline since the days when once this country has a truly independent foreign policy and one hell of a loud voice articulating that independence and when we did not go to Washington to grovel.

   Prime ministers may change with this National government but the bullshit stays the same.

Links to post

1. Shock after shock « The Standard: posted on 31 January 2017 at 9:24 am

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