Armstrong on Nats’ elitist agenda

Written By: - Date published: 10:47 am, April 16th, 2011 - 7 comments
Categories: class war, national - Tags: ,

John Armstrong on the scandals exposing National’s elitism and hypocrisy:

Like the Government’s $43 million loan to broadcaster MediaWorks and the bickering over South Canterbury Finance, the BMW purchase is one of the stories which refuses to die.

They are recurring nuisances nagging away at the Government.

The latest is the Auditor-General’s decision to investigate whether Sammy Wong, husband of former MP and Cabinet minister Pansy Wong, misused parliamentary travel perks to conduct private business…

…While not necessarily vote changers alone, a common thread connects the BMWs, the loan to MediaWorks, the taxpayer-funded bailout for investors in South Canterbury Finance, the Sammy Wong case , and even the $2 million “Tupperwaka” which Labour’s Shane Jones has caned so vigorously.

Labour cites them all as examples of how, despite the cries from Key and Bill English that times are tough, the politics of privilege are thriving under National.

Labour claims National is hell-bent only on helping its well-off mates. Witness last year’s tax cuts which favoured higher income earners, leaving those on lower incomes facing a rise in GST alongside other increases in the cost of living.

In contrast, Cabinet ministers get their fancy cars, speculative investors in South Canterbury Finance keep their money plus interest, and struggling MediaWorks gets a loan to tide it over while it restructures its balance sheet.

All this looks very much like the genesis of an election campaign strategy. Much will hinge on the extent that next month’s Budget complements the favouritism that Labour claims is fast becoming a hallmark of National policy.

7 comments on “Armstrong on Nats’ elitist agenda ”

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  1. Mac1 1
    16 April 2011 at 10:58 am

    It’s a variation of the old death by a thousand cuts. This one is called the “blackening by a thousand smuts.”

  2. tc 2
    16 April 2011 at 11:23 am

    Coming from a sideshow john fanboy this amounts to nothing more than ‘balance’ in armstrong’s blue eyed view.

    Maybe a few senior public servants slated him over the alleged bias he wrote about in his own personal twist on the Beemer saga….whatever! I see these pieces as mere ‘pointers’ to the nats as to what needs addressing so he can write even more dribble about how lucky we are to have these clowns at the helm.

  3. Tiger Mountain 3
    16 April 2011 at 11:36 am

    Simpering blueboy Armstrong appears to waxe and wane over time as many long distance columnists do, having to regularly excrete a piece on schedule. His strike rate has to be 80-90% pro Natz Eddie.

    • Eddie 3.1
      16 April 2011 at 1:44 pm

      yeah, he certainly leans that way. No dispassionate reading of his work could deny that. (speaking of which, I once saw an analysis from the UK where they take columnists’ writing and compare the proximity of positive or negative words to the names of parties and politicians to prove bias one way or the other. I’ll have to see if I can find it).
      And I think National’s spin doctors are far better at using the carrot and the stick to keep the journos in line.
      Still, in this piece he does something unusual for him – he looks past the ‘game’ of parliamentary politics and comes close to giving an analysis of the underlying class war.

      • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1
        16 April 2011 at 5:20 pm

        Still, in this piece he does something unusual for him – he looks past the ‘game’ of parliamentary politics and comes close to giving an analysis of the underlying class war.

        Not even close really.

        Labour claims National is hell-bent only on helping its well-off mates.

        It’s still a love letter to NACT.

  4. peterlepaysan 4
    16 April 2011 at 8:08 pm

    Armstrong appears to be worried that his fave luvvie poster boy might be bothered by “nuisances” at election time.
    It is such a pity that “born to rule (by urgency) parties” have to tolerate opposition.
    Democracy may have its faults but it is entirely preferable to what has been happening under this government, aided by  its lickspittle press.
    I am sure the NACT leadership are well aware of the potential attack lines in the upcoming election.
    Armstrong is merely repeating what they know.
    But, Hey, it makes Armstrong look relevant.
    Sigh.