Posts by Gareth Ward
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I wonder if we are in the slightly protected position we are, as a country, because Mr Cullen has run a conservative approach to the economy over the last 9 years
Well yes, his handling of it broadly agrees with the counter-cyclical approach I mentioned. When the economy is chugging along well, take some of the heat out of it to rein in inflation and smooth it's progress. There's no need to spend up large (read: run a large deficit) because the economy is boosting itself.
Then use those hoardings to inject back into the economy as it turns. -
You could also make the case that it's a course permitted by the strong state of the government's books now.
Exactly - and I think this is where the argument needs to lie. We need to maintain strong books, but this doesn't directly reflect surplus or deficit. More the strength and resilience of any spending and the productive use to which it is put.
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Wise in these times?
There is some argument that infrastructure investment in these times (even tax cut - broadly running a deficit) IS wise. Or at least that now is the best time to do it.
The boost to the economy it provides is best done when that economy needs the boost. And governments have such a strong credit rating that we'll likely get very good subscription rates in such a risk-averse environment.I'm not necessarily advocating for it, but there is certainly a school of thought that the Govt can spend it's way through global recession...
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I'm certainly going to be interested how Cullen intends to pay for all these major new policies Helen's promising -- along with whacking great tax cuts --, out of an "empty kitty". And much the same questions should be put to Bill English.
Agreed - I'd like to think that those "fiscal constraints" will see an election that can't be run on buying the vote (beyond Labour's preemptive spendathon from this Budget and National;s insistence on a nice big number for tax cuts). Not so sure that we will unfortunately...
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Oh, I see he said:
"You don't want a gambler and short-term money market player who will risk billions and billions of dollars. We are seeing in the United States the consequences of that kind of mentality unfolding right now"
Which is still absurd political OTTness but a little more rational.
Were both the comments part of the same speech? And people are just cherry picking the lines they want? Or were they given seperately?
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Meanwhile...
As I've said elsewhere you could perhaps argue that all those acolytes who claim that "Key has run a global finance operation so can run the economy" should perhaps consider the very different risk profiles and implications between the global finance world and a political economy - as evidenced by the current blood on the marble floors.
But Cullen's just rubbish at the "tenuous link for political points" - leave it to others mate. Oh, and Merrill wasn't a Lehman; it was still relatively strong and BOA actually paid a serious premium to get it.
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Grant - still the same? IMDB. Weird.
I'll STFU up now, I'm ruining your joke :> -
I got imdb. I presume you mean tick "Pages from New Zealand" before you do that.
Or you're an unusually keen fan of Alicia Silverstone :> -
sounds like the Greens won't be of any use to me in that task.
Just realised that sounds a lot more aggressive than I intended! Simply meant that if the Green candidates are not seriously running for local representation, then I will be focussing on those that are for that half of the voting form.
While I'm aware there's all kinds of tactical voting implications around the local rep, I've decided to not even bother trying to understand those and rather vote for an individual that I believe will make a good representative for us. -
Denise Roche is the Greens candidate for Auckland Central. She's also on the Auckland City Council, representing the Hauraki Gulf ward.
We're running a Party Vote campaign. We stand in electorates because that's the most effective way of engaging with voters during an election campaign, not because we think we can win the electorate.
Thanks Mikaere. I'm looking to get a little more "engaged" in my decision for local representation this year - sounds like the Greens won't be of any use to me in that task.