Posts by Kong
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Hey kong, get stuffed mate. If citizens want to express a reasoned opinion on something that does not suddenly turn them into a politician to be bullied and denigrated by our elected representatives.
Nor does it grant them immunity, particularly when they are choosing to cross swords.
You seem to forget, MPs and PMs have been elected to represent *all* of us, not simply those agree with them.
You seem to forget that there are differing opinions about the purpose of representatives.
We deserve and should get respect from the PM down (and to be fair, we usually do get that).
We obviously have differing ideas of respect. You seem to prefer patronization (although you're pretty quick with the get-stuffed when it's you doing it).
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He responded by telling her not to get involved in politics.
Which is a polite way of saying "I think you're talking crap and I don't want to respond". It's not like he said that he was going to use his position as head of Intelligence to make sure she never worked in politics again.
It's rather like telling a crap karaoke performer not to give up their day job. It doesn't mean anything more sinister than "Your singing is crap".
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I don't mind if Key says he thinks she's talking rubbish, or even if he chooses not to respond.
Seems to me that's pretty much what he thinks and he did. Not in so many words. He underestimated the power of celebrity, though. In that way he was foolish, like I said, he would have been better to have got a flunky to talk to her in some forgotten back room, and responded with the much more acceptable "Thanks for your input, it will be given heavy consideration in our policy discussions". Which, if I can equivocate like many others here, is the canny politicians way of saying "Fuck off, and don't come back". I actually like the slightly more honest dismissal.
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The right to question is not the same as the right to be heard.
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Which is exactly the same as "Shut up and go away".
If that's what you hear, then there's no discussion to be had here. I don't hear it that way. I hear a reasonably fair call that Keisha has no particular credentials to be demanding the time of the Prime Minister, or fronting a highly technical debate. I would expect the same response to just about any layperson asking a public question of the Prime Minister. And I have heard the exact same sentiment hundreds of times here directed AT the Prime Minister, that his background represents no special credentials to lead NZ. It's a standard tactic in debate, attack the person and their credentials. In fact, so far as I can tell, it seems to be the number one tactic in just about all debate. I don't personally like to use it much, but I also don't win many debates.
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I'm sure they all need it then.
He did not say "Shut up and go away". He said she should stick to acting. Which is probably true, if she can't take that politics is rough. But I doubt Keisha is anywhere near as hurt as everyone else is on her behalf. If so then she really should stick to acting. Personally I give her more credit.
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The only time it's marginally acceptable for a politician to say such a thing is when they have someone literally screaming in their face. It's very distinctly unacceptable, and unpalatable, when it comes from the head of the democratic system and is aimed at someone who's making quiet, if uncomfortable, noises about the actions and attitudes of the government.
Now there's a dog whistle that only barely crosses my spectrum. Politicians say crap like that 100 times a day. The only thing that's unusual about this time is the person he said it to is a young girl who is a cherished darling of NZ culture. Possibly not with his core constituency though.
But unfortunately for her, she decided to wax political, and can expect this kind of thing more frequently.
But Key could have shown more class. Helen Clark would have got some attack dog minister to do it for her. He is still a bit green.
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Shay, you're tuned in. I think the other side to a dog-whistle is that dogs are surprised that humans can't hear it.
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I'm not sure how "affectedly grand or important; pompous." would apply to pizza.
It applies to the pizza that demands no others share its name. The kind of pizza that you tidy up the house for when you order it.
I don't know. I always rate the enthusiastic cheap and cheerfuls.
Can't fault the price. The taste though?
I think this metaphor falls down, in that you should never, under any circumstances, order a cheap tart delivered to your house. Also, you really don't want a pizza that's been eaten by 5,000 other guys beforehand.
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I don't think it's that bad a look. It only looks bad to people who feel sympathetic to this particular piece of public input. Which means it looks bad to me, but I know a lot of people who have voiced the exact same sentiment that Key did, that people trading on celebrity to get political voice don't know what they're talking about. There's definitely a dog-whistle aspect to it, which many of us aren't tuned to hear.