The following is just one sample of so many opinion pieces written about the change in National leadership. This is from The Press (with my comment below);
When former National leader Don Brash announced his resignation from Parliament this week, it marked more than the end of his personal political dream. Brash, it has become increasingly clear, was supported or advised by a small number of prominent new-Right zealots, says The Press in an editorial.
For them, the revolution that began two decades ago with Sir Roger Douglas's policies should never have ended, and Brash became their chosen champion. His exit from politics and his replacement by the team of John Key and Bill English mark the last gasp of Rogernomics and the end of an era.
Brash often talked the language of the mainstream but, as author Nicky Hager's book has confirmed, his supporters included those who were anything but this. Behind the scenes, he was encouraged or assisted by figures such as Ruth Richardson, Michael Bassett and the Business Roundtable's Diane Foreman and Roger Kerr.
These individuals are undoubtedly passionate about New Zealand and their own vision to promote economic growth and higher living standards.
Their vision and policies might sit well in their more natural home of ACT New Zealand, but they are out of step with the values of most New Zealanders and any political party which aspires to be seen as broad-based, centrist and electable.
New Zealanders are going to get what they vote for. They don't want 'extremist' politicians but are apparently happy to live in a country riddled with extremes. Extreme violence, extreme lawlessness, extreme division between living standards, extreme waiting lists, extreme illiteracy, extreme rates of imprisonment, extreme rates of stds and teenage abortion and birth.
Ironically in this age of choice nobody wants to make the hard ones. Sit on the fence, stay in the middle, don't rock the boat, sit in your comfort zone. Most people are just gutless. That's what National knows and ACT doesn't want to.
Guest Post: Response to Max Harris
1 hour ago
2 comments:
I couldn't agree more.
Both Labour and National stand for more of the same, with no vision.
Extreme violence, extreme lawlessness... extreme rates of stds
sure these are bad. ...
extreme division between living standards, extreme waiting lists, extreme illiteracy, extreme rates of imprisonment, and teenage abortion and birth.
But there is nothing wrong with any of these - Oh OK the law-abiding have to pay for the prisons, perhaps we can fix that. But extreme divisions, imprisonment, etc are good - indeed they are the sign of freedom, that the productive can enjoy what they deserve, and that bludgers go to the wall.
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