If National wins ...

[craic]

Peering into the polls to try to determine the future of political parties is like trying to see your own face reflected in a brick. We know, with absolute certainty, that parties in power in NZ - and most democracies - decline in popularity from election to election and eventually lose power. Here, three terms seems to be a good run. This leads to a situation where flagging popularity leads desperate politicians to desperate measures and anything short of flogging your Grannies' body to the highest bidder is allowed. Imagine a leader who steps forward and announces that WHEN his party is elected the Waitangi Tribunal will be closed down immediatly, All drug dealers, pedophiles, etc. will be summarily executed, all prison sentences will be served in full and all immigration will be restricted to British, Dutch, and afew other english speaking nations. I am probably too old to care but we know that, regardless of who wins the next election, nothing of significance will change. The same numbers will emigrate to australia and elsewhwere, the party in power will say that they have created jobs while the others will point to the number of unemployed and so on. I admire John Key as an intelligent self-made man but the more I see of him, the more I am convinced that he lost his balls some time ago and his Labour opponent does not seem to ever have had anyway. I think I will break the habits of a lifetime and stay home on that fateful Saturday in November next year.

[fungus pudding]

Peering into the polls to try to determine the future of political parties is like trying to see your own face reflected in a brick. We know, with absolute certainty, that parties in power in NZ - and most democracies - decline in popularity from election to election and eventually lose power. Here, three terms seems to be a good run. This leads to a situation where flagging popularity leads desperate politicians to desperate measures and anything short of flogging your Grannies' body to the highest bidder is allowed. Imagine a leader who steps forward and announces that WHEN his party is elected the Waitangi Tribunal will be closed down immediatly, All drug dealers, pedophiles, etc. will be summarily executed, all prison sentences will be served in full and all immigration will be restricted to British, Dutch, and afew other english speaking nations. I am probably too old to care but we know that, regardless of who wins the next election, nothing of significance will change. The same numbers will emigrate to australia and elsewhwere, the party in power will say that they have created jobs while the others will point to the number of unemployed and so on. I admire John Key as an intelligent self-made man but the more I see of him, the more I am convinced that he lost his balls some time ago and his Labour opponent does not seem to ever have had anyway. I think I will break the habits of a lifetime and stay home on that fateful Saturday in November next year.

But what will you do in 2014?

[slimwin]

Voting for me nowdays is not about voting for the party I want to lead, but voting to keep the biggest idiots out. If I had to vote for one I liked completely, then I wouldn't turn up. That attitude might have a bit to do with low turn-outs.
A lower dollar would kill my industry as one of our biggest costs is fuel and the other is purchasing equipment in USD so I wont be voting for anybody thats going to have a coalition with "give me my flag back" Normans lot.

[elZorro]

I think you're right Craic, it would be good to see a really dynamic person leading the country, none are in sight at the moment. Banning the Waitangi Tribunal, that's a bit extreme isn't it?

Slimwin- the greens have plenty of good points to make, and at least they are longer-term thinkers. If they can see their way clear to forming a more public link with Labour, the combo would be unbeatable, and pragmatic.

FP is also correct on this occasion, the next elections should be in 2014. (And here I go again), Labour's policies included a long-term incentive for businesses to invest in their core expertise. With minimal paperwork and hassle. The National party are the ones who canned the start of that process, and replaced it with...nothing much that is any real use. National policies are a big part of our problem.

[Major von Tempsky]

According to the polls the voters have only turned off the John Key led National slightly and he's already said that next election he's willing to make an accommodation with Winston Peters.
The public are now bored with Kim Dotcom, who cares when John Key first heard of him? Surely that's not even a marginally interesting question now, more and more its flogging a dead horse. Schools close, schools amalgamate - its the natural order of things. Labour did that in spades in Dunedin several years ago. Its up in the air which schools will do what and is likely to be a drawn out affair.
The Maori tribes are going to sock themselves in the eye to the tune of millions of dollars on shifty QCs and will lose their case(s) anyway. John Key wouldn't have gone ahead without very good legal advice that the litigious Maoris would lose.
Shearer is flailing away but he just can't get a hold on anything. And then he was replaced, or he will be after the next election....

[fungus pudding]

According to the polls the voters have only turned off the John Key led National slightly and he's already said that next election he's willing to make an accommodation with Winston Peters.
.
.

He did? When ?

[elZorro]

According to the polls the voters have only turned off the John Key led National slightly and he's already said that next election he's willing to make an accommodation with Winston Peters.
The public are now bored with Kim Dotcom, who cares when John Key first heard of him? Surely that's not even a marginally interesting question now, more and more its flogging a dead horse. Schools close, schools amalgamate - its the natural order of things. Labour did that in spades in Dunedin several years ago. Its up in the air which schools will do what and is likely to be a drawn out affair.
The Maori tribes are going to sock themselves in the eye to the tune of millions of dollars on shifty QCs and will lose their case(s) anyway. John Key wouldn't have gone ahead without very good legal advice that the litigious Maoris would lose.
Shearer is flailing away but he just can't get a hold on anything. And then he was replaced, or he will be after the next election....

MVT, I'd have thought it was fairly important that the PM is truthful when the camera is pushed in his general direction. Maybe it's the thin end of the wedge. If he's overlooked or forgotten details about someone as noticeable as Kim Dotcom, what the hell is he paying attention to?

[craic]

KDC is a petty German criminal with a heap of money that he made from other peoples property who bought his way into NZ by flashing his wallet at lower level political aspirants. Most people are thoroughly sick of the media attention he gets and running political lines about JK and what he may or may not have known is totally counter-productive for Labour or any other party. Let nature take its course - he may be smart but he can't stop eating.

[fungus pudding]

KDC is a petty German criminal with a heap of money that he made from other peoples property who bought his way into NZ by flashing his wallet at lower level political aspirants. Most people are thoroughly sick of the media attention he gets and running political lines about JK and what he may or may not have known is totally counter-productive for Labour or any other party. Let nature take its course - he may be smart but he can't stop eating.

I'm certainly sick of KDC, but wWhen did you survey 'most people' to know they are also sick of KDC's media attention?

[craic]

I'm certainly sick of KDC, but wWhen did you survey 'most people' to know they are also sick of KDC's media attention?

I didn't survey anyone - just listen to some of the talk-back. And if that's not enough, ask among your friends and associates - the odd Labour supporter may naievely try to get some yardage from it but three out of four will turn off - If they don't, you need to change the company you keep.