I agree with you in one way Matthew, tax is not the issue, government spending is the issue. Tax is just the symptom.

Socialism believes that social good comes from increased government spending. That's why under labour government spending rose from 33 Bn p.a. to 66 bn p.a.

That would be fine if it works. It doesn't. Since Winston Peters became treasurer (which is when the rot started) more money has been thrown at government programmes than ever before in the history of NZ, and as a previous poster pointed out, things just get worse (and RD's reforms of 20+ years ago get the blame.)

edit: it was 20+ years not thirty.

Check the link to that speech in my post Gio. I don't believe that he claims he is the only true socialist, what he says is that socialism just doesn't work to achieve the [noble] aims it sets out to achieve.

Hi Gio

If you are really interested in answers to the questions that you raise, you could make a good start by getting hold of Heidi Bale <heidi.bale@parliament.govt.nz> and asking her for a copy of Roger's book.

On the other hand, if you just looking for an argument. No thanks. that kind of nonsense is the reason I usually stay off blogs.

Rodney Hide delendus est.

Hi

It's good to see there are still a few thinking people in this country that can see through Rodney Hide's BS (Whoops that word might get me fired).

I'd just like to add a few words to this if I may.

Firstly - here is my personal statement that amplifies on the comments the Herald report. It might give you an insight into what's going on right now, although several of you seem not to need it.

It also explains the context of 'The Good' comment that the reporter, Derek Cheng wrote of.

Secondly - Roger Douglas, AFAIK, does not any longer claim to be a socialist. With his Douglas and Anderton parentage he certainly has the background, but those of you that have read his recent Book, 'No Second Class Citizens' [obtainable from his office!] will know that he regards socialism as a noble, but failed, experiment.

This speech is included in the book and spells out his position on socialism.

Roger is just looking for a way out of our current failed system, whether it is Pink or Blue in charge, it is the system that's at fault.

Third comment. I found it funny to see Muldoon get credit for renewable power. Sure, Think Big was his baby. But it's a little bit like Sarah Parker confirming in an affidavit that Rodney Hide lied about how he obtained the defence document, and it being published as 'Aide encouraged to eavesdrop.'

We are all aware, aren't we, that Muldoon and his think big beggared this country. The reforms of the 1980's were only necessary because of the mess he left behind him, and who is the hated man? The one who fixed it. Buckets of irony in that.

Before I get off the Douglas topic I'd be interested to know which Douglas policies we should roll back. None of them have been - ever, by either Labour or National. (Please don't say 'Roll Back all of them!' which seems to be the usual answer I get.)

Should we return to:
- A subsidized farming sector producing mountains of product no one wanted?
- Tarriff barriers to ensure we can all pay more for goods?
- Taking cars apart in Japan so we can reassemble them in NZ for make-work jobs?
- Tax rates at 66%
- the list goes on....

Back on topic. In November last year I was asked by Board members of the ACT party to back off and give them a chance to rehabilitate Hide via the top line of the decision tree document in my personal statement. (It wasn't phrased quite so nicely)

It is clear that rather than doing so the ACT board simply put the whole thing behind them (RED Box), taking the action that I expected of them, which was to do nothing and hope all the problems had gone away.

The ACT Board is still doing nothing. I regard Rodney Hide as the biggest liability the ACT party has ever had to deal with and I intend not to rest until somehow or another, he is removed.

Rodney Hide delendus est.

Wish me luck.

Peter Tashkoff
tashkop@yahoo.com