Posts by Steve Barnes

Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First

  • Polity: Meet the middle, in reply to william blake,

    a Party with no policy, no ideology just sharp clothes and $100 haircuts.
    A guaranteed coalition partner with any party and a refuge for expired celebrities and knackered sports stars. The stuffing in the turkey.

    That sounds awfully like National apart from the ideology part, that is run by Steven Joyce and the backroom boys (good name for a boy band perhaps?). There are plenty of suits who are just there because their business can get along quite nicely without them and "Going into Politics" is the next step up the social ladder. If not the stuffing then the turkeys themselves. In this scenario, joining Labour would be seen as social suicide, it wouldn't go down well at the golf club, would it.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Polity: Meet the middle, in reply to BenWilson,

    I find using self-identification as a better way of doing it. At least that part is indisputable.

    Well if you are talking purely about yourself then that's fine but I feel that self-identification can be misleading if the person making that decision is making that decision from an uninformed or even misinformed position. Believing that Labour is all for "Nanny State" and the Greens are just plain loony will make a decision in favour of Mr. Smile and Wave cuz he's such a successful chap.
    Labour and the greens, have to get across to the, so called, Middle New Zealander that they are making a big mistake in thinking National has their best interests at heart.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Polity: Meet the middle, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Like Trotter hearing it as "I believe in nothing".

    That got me too. We used to call them "Libertarians" or the "Radical Don't Knows".
    They do believe, they believe that hard work will get you where you want to be, that people that can't or don't want to work are holding them back, that they have no responsibility for anyone but themselves and their family. They are the non-ideological, they know little of history and aspire to be like those they admire, the celebrities and the wealthy.
    I have said, many times before, we were told that automation would give us more leisure time, guess how well that turned out.
    The fact is that unless we invent useless jobs for the masses we will have an ever increasing number of "unemployed" who will take responsibility for those people? it is of no fault of their own. We have the opportunity to create an idyllic existence for the whole world but there are those that still think that if they have the money then they should rule and sod the lazy dole bludging poor.
    What do we do with all those "unemployed" people? well, they shoot horses don't they?.
    We have come to a point in history where we have to re-evaluate what a Human is,. are we Human beings or should we be merely regarded as Human Doings?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Polity: In defence of the centre, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Welcome to the future train Ian, take a seat.
    You will be travelling in first class because your ticket says "has a clue". Perhaps those of us in this, relatively, small group may have some influence with the guy in the signal box, who, it may be noted, is not on the train. Hopefully that influence may prevent the whole train, third class included, going to that wonderful camp that tells us that "Work Will Set You Free" above the gate.
    Harsh and abhorrent as that analogy may sound I feel that no warning of our potential future is too extreme.
    Rob Salmond, over on another thread, says "Guess where the rest comes from? The middle.," I disagree. I believe the rest come from a complacent and wilfully ignorant populace dumbed down by celebrity and circus, by envy and false hope. Those that believe that aspiring to be rich is the way to go and bugger those who don't believe.

    ...if only National hadn't got rid of night classes and had actually expanded the community education programmes, we may not be where we are now, we might all feel included and possibly in possession of some self worth and self esteem.

    Why would they want an informed and educated populace? wouldn't they prefer a compliant and ignorant GST paying herd of consumers?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Polity: In defence of the centre, in reply to Aaron Incognito,

    Sorry Aaron, I didn't mean it to be personal. I do think it is important for people to exchange ideas and those ideas do not have to be backed up by anything.
    I guess I am just too tired of the likes of D4J and Undecided Voter and all the rest of those nameless and cowardly mouthpieces of the Nats that whenever I see an anonymous blogger I think the worst.
    Cheers and welcome to PAS.

    eta. What size shoes do you wear?.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Polity: In defence of the centre, in reply to Rich Lock,

    There's been similar arguments floating around for a good few years now:

    Now that's what I'm talking about... (Jeeze, I hate that phrase)
    This is one of the reasons Labour are caught between a Black Hole and a Dark Place, the people who actually labour are few and far between and becoming as rare as dodo puppies. So what do we do with all those unemployable people? this is worth thinking about and is the province of the Labour Party because...
    They shoot horses, don't they?

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Polity: In defence of the centre, in reply to Sacha,

    pa-ra-noia

    Just around the corner from me.
    http://www.maplandia.com/new-zealand/northland/paranui/
    Well, its close.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Polity: In defence of the centre, in reply to ,

    The exclusive bretheran?

    Hmmm, good point. Now who else do we know that doesn't wear the required tie with those smart business suits? Ah yes... Mike, the psycho, Hosking, bog scrubber to the powerful.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Polity: In defence of the centre, in reply to ,

    a more sustainable infrastructure is a well educated population, kitted out with contempory toolboxes.

    Ah, but... who would then clean John Key's toilet?. You see we have to have poor people otherwise how could the wealthy feel so superior?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Polity: In defence of the centre, in reply to Aaron Incognito,

    Hey. It's my blog.

    My problem with anonymous blogs is that if you can't stand by what you say then why should I listen.
    Aaron (Bhatnagar) Incognito as far as I know. You see it is a trick of the right to pretend to be left and then screw up, or say you used to vote Labour but now because (insert inflammatory accusation here) you don't. So why should I go up that garden path?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

Last ←Newer Page 1 34 35 36 37 38 551 Older→ First