Posts by Joe Wylie
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Canker?
That was Brash.
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New Zealand will become one big zoo, filled with exotic animals, not all of which are deadly.
Where have I heard that economic model before?
Pokemon, I'm gonna catch 'em all . . . -
I know Hekia Parata (for one example), and if you think she's just some Auntie Tom house nigger brown-wash I've got a slightly used Harbour Bridge at a knockdown price.
So it's unlikely that she'll be forced to smilingly swallow a sackload of dead rats, as Georgina did under Brash and McCully? Good to hear, you've come a long way from Orewa, baby.
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Roger Douglas has just come on and still does not seem to accept Key's word that he won't be in Cabinet. Good grief.
That rather nice Murray Webb cartoon from a while back, depicting Douglas as The Nearsighted Mr. Magoo mistaking the Beehive for a retirement home, seems to have been right on the money.
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Appreciate your thoughts on Tim Barnett Craig. Re. my earlier comment about Clark's timidity in promoting him: Tim had become something of a lightning rod for those vehemently opposed to his work on civil unions and prostitution law reform. While Clark obviously gave at least her tacit approval to these initiatives, she didn't appear to believe that it was politically expedient to adequately reward such a talented and ambitious - and, dare I say, principled - MP.
As for the Gladstone comparison - not in my humble experience, or that of others I know. Tim did become a lot more accessible to his constituents, though, after the ferocious party hack who fielded his calls was kicked upstairs to Wellington.
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If Clark really thought that (and I really want to believe better of her) . . .
Me too - but do you have a better theory about that particular festering anomaly in promoting talent?
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Thanks for that Shep - as I live in Chch central I'm familiar with Megan's mayoral bid, but I had no idea that she'd been a contender for the labour candidacy after Tim Barnett's decision to step down. No disrespect to Megan, but big shoes to fill.
Whatever Tim's real reasons for quitting, it must have rankled to see the awful Judith Tizard given a semi-ministerial role while his obvious talents languished because Helen feared frightening the chooks by promoting an openly gay MP. Goodbye Tim and thank you - you achieved a hell of a lot. -
Where once an election involved campaign meetings and the exchange of ideas, wit and banter, we now have branding experiences and mall encounters.
I wonder: what would John A Lee have made of it all?
OK, but what's really new here? You could be describing Bolger's 1990 campaign, with its silly carnival-barker straw boater hats.
Grant:
She's obviously a clever young woman. Plus she must've ran a good campaign to win a previous Labour stronghold.
However, she also struck me as lacking ideological substance whilst being interviewed on TV1 last night. I think this is because she has never experienced the white, hot, heat of controversy or turmoil, of the kind in which ideology is forged, such as Vietnam, Springbok tour, Rogernomics, Ruthenasia, etc.
Instead, she's grown up in an extremely calm, stable era of minimal controversy, restructuring or upheaval. There's been nothing for young people to draw a defining line in the sand over. I'm glad such conditions have existed and I don't want turmoil, but there's really been nothing for young politicians to cut their teeth on.Like, she grew up watching Seinfeld, where the most pressing issue of her sweet sheltered life was that she couldn't buy takeaway in those New York-style containers like Gerry and his pals had on the show. Nevertheless she appears to have as much substance as the incumbent she defeated, and appears considerably smarter. Perhaps she needs to rediscover the meaning of fear. Let's hope she finds a better method.
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Shep:
There should be a bloody great kick up the bum to the Labour Party Central Body who've inflicted Burns on Christchurch Central.
They passed over the best candidate for their Wellington insider and almost lost it.Forgive me if I'm a little slow here, who's this best candidate you mention?
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Here's an industry that I'm sure Roger would agree has huge potential in NZ, and would empower a whole lot of small animals with a sense of purpose that they currently lack. A healthy stack of those special vouchers should get it up and self-sustaining in no time, with a special consultancy role for Winston who has heaps of related experience.