Open mike 31/10/09

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 31st, 2009 - 9 comments
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mike

We’re trying a daily “Open mike”.

This is a place for anyone to post comments on topics that might be of interest, and for any discussion following up on the comments. Over to you…

9 comments on “Open mike 31/10/09 ”

  1. Seti 1

    Well this must rankle you lefties

    Days before its first anniversary, John Key’s minority National Government has received a ringing endorsement from voters for its handling of the international financial crisis.

    The first Herald-DigiPoll survey since last year’s election shows close to 80 per cent of respondents rated the Government’s performance in dealing with the effect of the global recession on New Zealand as good, very good or excellent.

    The masses are happy…and getting happier with this National led government.

  2. Polls.How many early christmas’s do kiwi turkeys/voters really want?

    Whatever the perception is out there, past history as detailed in statistical evidence on this very site shows that tory governments oversee increased inequality and the transfer of wealth to the already well off. The recent cuts to education and ACC alone will do much damage to our country over coming years.

    Perhaps when the polls reach 99% support for NACT people will catch on. I have never been polled once, except by a Bretheren member in the Far North during the 2005 general electionwho was I going to vote for? very clumsy.

    The selfish, opportunist, insecure, and ‘aspirational’ may be in charge at the moment, but the rest of us are not obliged to join them.

  3. jcuknz 3

    My wife used to do a monthly survey which had a political section. She doesn’t comment much about politics so left it up to me to complete that section. This is quite some time ago and I was a sort of fan of Winston Peters so I ticked my approval for him and during this period he rode high in the polls. My wife and I separated and I no longer completed the forms for her. Winston’s decline started from that point in time. 🙂

  4. jcuknz 4

    I would think that most people in New Zealand are happy that somehow New Zealand seems to have been spared the horrendous situation of the United States and the UK which are suffering badly from the recession and mis management of their ecconomies.. Phil Goff for all his talents comes across as a nobody whereas Helen Clark, well you either liked her or you loathed her. Then there is our health service, we may have to wait for treatment from time to time, but it is a hell of a lot better than a country where around 20% of the population only have emergency cover, 47million deprived people in a so-called civilised country. It is ‘crunch time’ in the States with a second rate solution to the problem coming up to be voted on. We really don’t know how lucky we are.

  5. Eddie I just cannot take any comfort from your comments . Todays polls are a disaster.We should be making inroads by now.
    The election is ONLY two years away.
    We have to find a way to defeat this ghastly lot.
    Having said that I must admit that im baffled by this result after the last few weeks of disaster for the Nats.
    I can only come to two conclusions ; The working public are completly politically ignorant .Or else the polls are not correct.
    Unfortunatly having canvassed for Labour for most of my working life Im inclined to believe the former.

    • RedLogix 5.1

      pp

      There are moments when ‘head in hands syndrome’ strikes us all. You are not on your own.

      Two factors will change things, the most important one is beyond our direct control… if the current fiscal crisis follows the same pattern as the 1930’s one .. then in 12 -18 months time Key will have nowhere to hide.

      The other factor is Labour learning to frame it’s attacks on National’s core values correctly, painting National as incompetent muddlers with no coherent strategy.

  6. Roger 7

    Did anybody see the review of the government after its 1st year in B1-3 in the Weekend Herald? I didn’t. I turned to those pages to be presented two pages of pollyannaish rubbish about John Key’s personality followed by some pointless interviews with Act and Maori Party. I thought a review meant that the Herald would analyse the performance and policies of this government. Clearly I was wrong. Its no wonder the government is polling so well, the Herald has clearly become a National Party propaganda magazine.

  7. I wonder how many Labour MPs were at the Unite Halloween mininum wage march?. I certainly hope we we representsd.
    This isythe sortof places we need to be seen if we are to start recouping our lost votes..These are our people and will vote for us if we start suporting them. There are no votes to be gained from
    courting Federated Farmers or the Chamber of Comerece .
    he votes forus are in the unemployed people and the locked out workers .The sooner our MPs realise this the sooner our vote rises.
    On a positive note its good to see Phil Goff in the Bike parade .Good thinking Phil however we need more .Mean while the unemployed the locked out workers and those on strike want some support fro Labour MPs

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