Fence-sitting on the Farming Show

16 comments on “Fence-sitting on the Farming Show ”

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1. Insolent Prick 1

   12 October 2007 at 3:16 pm

   As opposed to what, Michael Cullen’s refusal to commit to tax cuts and Cullen stating that he won’t be able to announce anything until after the next budget when he knows how much money there is to play with?

   Why don’t you attack Cullen for the same fence-sitting? Or is it only acceptable when the Minister of Finance doesn’t know what numbers he’s playing with?
2. rjs131 2

   12 October 2007 at 3:21 pm

   What’s Labours policy on tax cuts??? How many of Labour’s policies in teh 2005 election were known a year out?

   You are really pushing the barrow here for criticism. Why dont you actually sing the praises of some of labour’s team. Maybe a weekly update of why George Hawkins, Judith Tizard etc… deserve their taxpayer salaries
3. Tane 3

   12 October 2007 at 3:30 pm

   rjs131, I posted this morning about how there was no need for tax cuts. What Cullen decides to do is his own business.

   I was going to do an update on Hawkins and Tizard, but then realised I’d have to do Mark Blumsky, Bob Clarkson, Tau Henare, Jonathan Coleman, John Hayes, Nicky Wagner, Lindsay Tisch, Jackie Dean… well, you get the point.
4. Shane 4

   12 October 2007 at 4:45 pm

   Tax cuts, tax cuts … ho hum. A one hit wonder from the Nat party.
   Hopefully Cullen passes on to you righties the same tax cut that I’m going to get (about $10 per week).
5. Insolent Prick 5

   12 October 2007 at 4:54 pm

   Bullshit Tane. If Cullen were to announce tax cuts before the next election, would you be jumping up and down opposing them?

   The fact is that with your strange obsession with John Key, you are criticising him for expressing the same view as your beloved finance minister: that no announcement of major economic policy implications can be made until after the next budget.
6. Tane 6

   12 October 2007 at 5:07 pm

   IP: What don’t you understand? I’ve said before that I don’t see the need for tax cuts. There may be a political argument for them, but there’s certainly no economic case to be made. New Zealand is a low-tax country. Working people are better off with wage growth and strong public services than they are with tax cuts and user pays.
7. Inventory2 7

   12 October 2007 at 5:19 pm

   I think you’re getting to him IP. I agree – if it’s ok for Cullen to play silly buggers over tax cuts, why should Key have to give the details now. I think Tane might be a closet Wayne Barnes – he only wants to referee one team!
8. Robinson 8

   12 October 2007 at 5:40 pm

   Hey IV2 – Yep Cullen is fucking around and he shouldn’t be. Honestly? he shouldn’t even be thinking about tax cuts and the fact that he is and that he’s using shitty terms like “tax burden” and “tax relief” just shows how spineless Labour can be in the face of a well run National Party PR campaign. But the really important thing is bro, Key has sold these cuts hard (there pretty much his only non-suicidal policy) whereas Cullen and Labour have a lot of other policy they can talk about in detail and at length. Y’d expect after all the hoopla Key would be ready to talk turkey (hey did I just make a pun?) but he’s not. What a cocktease…
9. Robinson 9

   12 October 2007 at 6:26 pm

   Sorry – that should be “they’re pretty much” (I hope Bevan isn’t looking)
10. Insolent Prick 10

    12 October 2007 at 6:28 pm

    No, you’re not addressing the point, Tane. It is entirely hypocritical for such ardent supporters of this torrid Labour Government to criticise John Key for not announcing his tax package, when Michael Cullen has used the same rationale for not announcing his.

    The issue isn’t actually whether or not you agree with tax cuts. The issue is whether you agree with the rationale that John Key used for not announcing his economic package until after the next budget.
11. Robinson 11

    12 October 2007 at 6:43 pm

    Hey bro I get the feeling Tane’s out having a life, y’know? (nah, you probably don’t). When you say “The issue is whether you agree with the rationale that John Key used for not announcing his economic package until after the next budget” you’re ignoring my point and doing a really bad job of the old “do you still beat your wife” trope. So I’ll state my point again: Tax Cuts are Key’s main sell. They are not Cullen’s. It’s one thing to fluff on a minor policy (as Cullen has) it’s completely different to obfuscate over your centrepiece policy. D’ya geddit this time?
12. Shane 12

    12 October 2007 at 8:14 pm

    Tane
    I’m a working person and I totally agree with you 100%.
13. Inventory2 13

    12 October 2007 at 9:31 pm

    Robinson – you’re dead right about tax cuts not being Cullen’s policy. But if that’s what is going to win or lose an election (given that the election will be won and lost in middle New Zealand – not at either the “rich” or “poor” ends of the scale), does he have an option? Or more to the point – will he be allowed to have an option?
14. Robinson 14

    13 October 2007 at 1:17 am

    IV2 – you’re making a big call if you think tax-cuts will win or lose teh next election. Personally I think they’re so 2005 and there will be new “middle-ground” to fight over. What that middle-ground is depends on who sells their “middle” message best.
15. Lee C 15

    13 October 2007 at 11:57 am

    I’m sorry,

    I’ve tried to think of something pithy to write back about this issue, but I really can’t. Is this it?

    A snippet of a radio conversation now becomes material trotted out as yet another (yawn) damning (yawn) indictment (yawn) of John (yawn) Key (zzzzzzzz)
16. all_your_base 16

    14 October 2007 at 12:22 am

    Lee C I disagree that this is trivial. This is a man who wants to lead our country. He doesn’t seem to know anything. He doesn’t seem to have his head around what policy the Nats do have. When he goes beyond platitudes he’s a disaster. He’s a shallow man. Exchanges like the one I posted merely add to the weight of evidence.

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