Written By:
the sprout - Date published:
12:18 pm, March 20th, 2009 - 20 comments
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The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
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The focus on Bennett is valid, but I think it obscures the real issue. The Nats wanted to ban Labour from attending these regional conferences.
Think about that. These conferences are supposed to be soliciting ideas to deal with a vitally important issue for our time, and the Government wants to use a flimsy pretext to BAN the major opposition party from attending and contributing.
At the very least it’s arrogance, and if the boot had been on the other foot there would have been cries of “dictatorship!” and “one party state!” and the like. Banning opposition parties is such a good look…
Yeah, I was hoping another poster would focus on that issue. Mine was merely on the spin, because that’s what I found the most interesting.
[captcha: Fritzl melted]
agreed Rob, it really lays bare just what a PR excercise National’s pretend-listening really is.
You guys have got it wrong.
Arse about face.
Paula is not the problem. The Labour Party is the problem.
The Labour Party is today dominated by out of touch ivory tower Progressive academics and that is what is driving working class people (like Bennet) away from the party.
good try Redbaited, but woefully over-reaching as usual.
I can understand you not wanting to stick to the issue though.
National is politicising what are supposed to be open forums to contribute and discuss ways of getting through the recession. Bennett’s grotesquely incompetent interview just made that all the more clear.
Isn’t the alleged goal of the conference a bit more important than Bennett’s extraordinarily petty and inept politicking?
The Labour Party is today dominated by out of touch ivory tower
Like president Andrew Little? Ummm…
driving working class people
Plenty in my branch thanks redbaiter. Try another line of silly spin.
working class people (like Bennet)
Bennett was an HR manager before entering Parliament. She’ll be first up against the wall…
I have no idea where you got that idea from. Sure doesn’t happen in my electorate. The LEC and branches have a very strong focus on issues that affect their “working class” (ie living) issues.
Sounds to me like you’ve been sucking up some strange polsci (and quite out of date) texts yourself
Or :”PROUD TO BE A POPPIT PUPPET!
You sure you fullas aren’t confusing Goff et al’s long experience in ‘politic-speak’ with Bennet’s other experience and consequent lack of ‘politic-speak’ experience?
That’s one thing that is clear – Goff has had years at political interviews and saying the right thing. Bennett clearly hasn’t. Proof will be in the pud. But she better sharpen up quickly!
vto, if Bennett was genuine and off the cuff that argument might have some merit, but she wasn’t. She was running shallow attack lines badly and got caught out.
true true it seems
Shit vto, you mean we are supposed to cut her some slack?
You should have said so earlier and we wouldn’t have siced that horrible Mr Goff on to her.
Oh lord, is “that horrible Mr Goff” going to become a catchphrase a la “that nice Mr Key”? My political intercourse can only take so much chummy-50s irony!
The evidence of our eyes and ears would suggest Ms. Bennett is barely capable of stringing a coherent thought together, let alone running four hugely important ministries…
So this begs the question:
Who actually IS the ‘real’ Minster for Social Development, and Employment, and
Minister for Disability Issues, and Minister of Youth Affairs then? The ‘puppet-master’, so to speak?
Good question. I know who wants the job. And I’d guess she’s not far from getting it if Bennett can repeat this sort of performance a few more times.
I think “Proud to be a Muppet” would have been a better slogan as this NACT Govt appears to be one big Jim Henson production.
“Proud to be a Flibbertigibbet.” This game is fun.
“Proud to be a Banshee.”
P Bennett’s no more a Westie than John Key. She’s an import and everyone who lives here knows she’s a fake.