If National wins ...

[BlackPeter]

Greens are munted big time - completely lost their way and directionless.

In a LAB / NZF / GRN coalition they will have little if any say. Best for them long term is probably stay outside such a coalition and just agree to vote yes on confidence things. That way they won't get tainted when the inevitable wipe out occurs in 2020.

If I was in charge of the Greens I'd sell my soul. Sack Shaw now and admit to the members we've stuffed up big time and that we'll go back to green roots etc etc ......and then prostitute ourselves to National to form a government ......and not even demand too much.

Best long term plan methinks. This way come 2020 NZF will probably be a goner or at worst no stronger and so possibly be the 3rd biggest party anyway. It gives the Greens three years to consolidate and get their house in order and could be more 'demanding' in 2020.

Sometimes you need to sell your soul to survive - and the Nats would go along with this as getting Winston onside is unlikely (seeing they've stuffed it up already) or unbearable.

Win win for NAT and Greens - easy easy

(Who really runs the Green Party?)

I don't think the Greens would need to sell their soul to go together with National. Actually, I don't think they can sell their soul given that they lost it a long time ago. Wouldn't it be fraud to sell something you don't have?

However - a coalition with National could help them to find their soul again - which should be to focus on the protection of the environment instead of being just another "me too" hard left whinge party ....

Who is running the Green party? The folks who used to run the "values" party and the "Alliance" - hard line leftists who took over the Green name as a cloak to cover up their real sinister and unwanted political ideas.

[Raz]

Greens are munted big time - completely lost their way and directionless.

In a LAB / NZF / GRN coalition they will have little if any say. Best for them long term is probably stay outside such a coalition and just agree to vote yes on confidence things. That way they won't get tainted when the inevitable wipe out occurs in 2020.

If I was in charge of the Greens I'd sell my soul. Sack Shaw now and admit to the members we've stuffed up big time and that we'll go back to green roots etc etc ......and then prostitute ourselves to National to form a government ......and not even demand too much.

Best long term plan methinks. This way come 2020 NZF will probably be a goner or at worst no stronger and so possibly be the 3rd biggest party anyway. It gives the Greens three years to consolidate and get their house in order and could be more 'demanding' in 2020.

Sometimes you need to sell your soul to survive - and the Nats would go along with this as getting Winston onside is unlikely (seeing they've stuffed it up already) or unbearable.

Win win for NAT and Greens - easy easy

(Who really runs the Green Party?)

Who runs the Green party..partly the membership..they have to have a certain percentage of members rather than just their MPs to agree on most arrangements including coalitions...what they didn't realise with regard that is some of those key members are not entirely green in agenda so they are a little stuffed :-) Fun to be a double agent within a party...

Your not going to sleep well thinking they are an option regardless...

[fungus pudding]

I don't think the Greens would need to sell their soul to go together with National. Actually, I don't think they can sell their soul given that they lost it a long time ago. Wouldn't it be fraud to sell something you don't have?

However - a coalition with National could help them to find their soul again - which should be to focus on the protection of the environment instead of being just another "me too" hard left whinge party ....

Who is running the Green party? The folks who used to run the "values" party and the "Alliance" - hard line leftists who took over the Green name as a cloak to cover up their real sinister and unwanted political ideas.

Precisely. I would not be surprised if an environmental party emerges one day who have and hold green views and leave themselves not aligned to either main party. And as long as it didn't get hijacked by other interest groups we would all be winning.

[blackcap]

Precisely. I would not be surprised if an environmental party emerges one day who have and hold green views and leave themselves not aligned to either main party. And as long as it didn't get hijacked by other interest groups we would all be winning.

Interesting... I had never thought of this. I might just sign up as a member of the greens. Could be quite fun!

[777]

Pretty nasty thing to do, dont care about the road tagging but to tag someones front gate, especially with loaded words is really threatening. Taggers are generally young, and the young generally favour the left. Also young Nats 'won' so don't have a reason to tag. If Labour win in 2020 i am sure you will be unbiased and post articles showing Nats being sore losers too

I only posted it to balance out the rubbish we have endured from the left posters here on how wonderful, clean, honest and reasonable people the left are.

As for 2020 I don't think it will be necessary because if the Nats do lose then they won't be sore about it.

[craic]

Sorry folks, but WP is not going with National.

[BlackPeter]

Sorry folks, but WP is not going with National.

This might be a good thing ... WP is a like a poisonous chalice for any party forming a coalition with him. Why would we want National to drink from it?

[Rep]

Considering most of their support base is left leaning i think it would be suicide to join national and then just tag along without pushing hard for environmental policy. I do agree that they should focus on the environment more though, and get themselves in a position where they could be the new kingmaker. At the moment they only get in if Labour has enough votes to govern with the help of the Greens but not enough to govern alone... a pretty small window and definitely not ideal!

Actually have a look at the electorate party stats - the party membership might be hard left but mostly lower SES electorates simply don’t vote Green they vote Team Red.

The actual electorate Green Party Vote is strongest in places like Auckland Central, Northcote, North Shore and even Epsom - you could read that the MT backlash hurt them where their votes actually come from the hardest.

It’s a paradox where the party membership is so markedly different from their vote base. Something that a number of commentators have observed

[blackcap]

Sorry folks, but WP is not going with National.

Craic, what do you base that on? You are a betting man and pretty savvy internet wise... betfair.com says 1.20 that he goes with Nats, 6.00 for Labour to provide the next PM. So if you are really convinced... plenty of money to be made I managed to get some on Labour yesterday at $14.00 and $12.00 and then the market woke up.

[BlackPeter]

Interesting... I had never thought of this. I might just sign up as a member of the greens. Could be quite fun!

Actually have a look at the electorate party stats - the party membership might be hard left but mostly lower SES electorates simply don’t vote Green they vote Team Red.

The actual electorate Green Party Vote is strongest in places like Auckland Central, Northcote, North Shore and even Epsom - you could read that the MT backlash hurt them where their votes actually come from the hardest.

It’s a paradox where the party membership is so markedly different from their vote base. Something that a number of commentators have observed

Good points - if enough moderately thinking people would join the Greenies, than maybe we could steer the party into a direction most of their voters want to see them go. Brush the left whinging party establishment out of the door and lets turn the Green Party back towards its core values ...

BC, I might join you - sounds like fun!