National has set out its narrative for the 2014 election.
Election between centre right and far left – Key
National is facing the “notoriously difficult” task of winning a third term against an Opposition increasingly dragged to the “far left” by the Greens, Prime Minister John Key says.
Third terms are not “notoriously difficult” for National governments, every single one of them so far has run for three terms. If Key fails to secure a third term he will be the first National leader to do so.
So basically the strategy is fear mongering about the Greens.
“Normally elections are fought between the centre left and the centre right. That is not what’s going to take place next year. David Shearer has cut his cloth and it is wrapped around Russel Norman.
“But that now becomes an election between the centre right and the far left.”
With nothing positive to run on, the Nats will be campaigning on fear. Same as previous campaigns – remember “the hydra”? (Ironic from a government of National, ACT, Maori Party and Peter Dunne – no?)
So how should Labour and the Greens respond? Like most here I would like to see them “front foot” the issue. Both National and Labour have moved from the centre, and this election offers a choice between clearly right and clearly left alternatives (see Karol’s How far right is John Key’s “centre”?). A Labour / Green coalition will be a government of the Left (KiwiBuild, NZ Power, capital gains tax). This is necessary because the government of the Right (privatisation, pillage the environment, beneficiary bashing) has failed.
But the left also needs to get its own narrative out there. “This is an election between the 98% and 2%”. “This is an election between a fair go and the rich get richer”. “This is an election between building our future and selling it”. I’m sure that you can add your own suggestions…
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