Televised debates have been more about entertainment than policy, about one-upmanship, gotcha questions, and point scoring. Media have been typically, and sometimes maliciously, partisan in their coverage of political matters, and their keenness to skew, distort, and relentlessly dig into candidates' past lives, does them no credit.
All of this is leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of those old-fashioned enough to want balanced coverage and a deep and thoughtful policy analysis.
In very recent days the government has indicated to all the depths to which it will sink in order to save itself from almost inevitable devastation on election day. Mr Hipkins and his cohort have revealed their willingness to play the race card no matter the cost.
His attempts to tarnish the National Party by its refusal to rule out a coalition arrangement with NZ First on the basis of its anti-co-governance stance is shallow and unconvincing. Labour will do anything to hold onto power. There is no doubt it would have been more than willing to make accommodations with NZ First to improve the chance of re-election if Winston Peters had left this option open to them.
Attempts in Northland yesterday to further whip up the race issue are indicative of his desperation, but also of his flagrant disregard and for those who hold thoughtful alternative views, whose desire is to see a balanced, and much wider, discussion of issues that have serious and enduring implications for democracy, and for much of what we value.
Mr Hipkins, and the nodding heads that stand behind him, are contemptuous of those who see things differently, of those who are simply asserting their right to be heard, their right to the truth.
I for one am tired of pronouncements that denigrate those whose sin is simply to hold an alternative view, of endless pronouncements from the "pulpit of truth", and of a media willing to carry these pronouncements to the ends of the earth.
I am fed up with the self-righteous virtue-signaling of those whose moral high ground is little more than sinking sand.
Research indicates that the thing most voters dislike is being lied to. This government has mastered the art of lying, and this election is time to call them out, and the media with them.
This government has lied to us about the real reasons for the gun buy-back, about covid, about the vaccines, about the mandates, about He Puapua, about our history, about what is really going on in our schools and our hospitals, about sovereignty, about the treaty, about three waters, about our climate change commitments, and they are lying to us about the real state of our economy.
New Zealand has been in the ever-tightening grip of a government wedded to anti-racist anti-democratic cultic dogma dressed up as virtue.
Patience is running out for those who redefine terms in order to assign cheap and nasty labels to genuine people with genuine questions and concerns.
Consigning the left to the back benches of parliament will certainly not solve all of our problems, the roots of the anti-racist- anti-democratic cult doctrine run deep and wide, but it may at least buy us some time to reflect, to have a rational discussion about the issues that beset us, to properly define critical terms, to focus on the things that unite rather than divide, and to move forward together.
It can only be hoped that some of Labour's core traditional voters will swallow their pride, put tradition aside, and vote centre right, or not vote at all.
More hangs on a change of government than most realize. It may be our last and only chance to restore sanity to our once great little country.
8 comments:
I was waiting for Hosking to moderate...
Too true!
Although in todays world they dare not be observed to say it, very many citizens are very concerned if not terrified by the emerging maori takeover. If National relentlessly pushed the theme that 50/50 co governance is, even apart from the veto ability, a certain path to maori total control, votes (exercised confidentially beyond cancellation) would bleed from Labour even more so than now. Until the msm (incl RNZ) and the Nats, Act, NZ First message the greater public, the threat of cancellation and other self interest factors will invariably ensure support for maori, so that under co governance, maori are gauranteed to triumph.
Oh you are too kind Caleb - you haven't used the words contemptible and despicable at all. The worry for me is not just that those who govern us are inept and unintelligent in the way they have gone about ruining our society. It is the downright crookedness - duplicity - that disturbs me. It is somewhat reassuring to read all the wise words in this blog and others, but it is worrying to think of all those dependent on the MSM for their information. Fingers crossed.
The key words are:".... might at least buy us some time....."
The Left includes some very dangerous people and many fellow travellers. These are not true patriots. At this moment, parallel damage is being done by the former PM - now intoning at the UN that " disinformation is a weapon of war and merits censorship".
The new government faces challenges never seen before and an Opposition which will stop at nothing to continue its destructive anti-democracy agenda.
Also, the new regime will face Iwi, who will unleash their fury full as soon as any of their many privileges is questioned or removed.
Batten down the hatches.
Yes, well said Caleb, but EP and Anonymous more latterly also highlight the problems and presage what lies ahead.
Of all the ills and headwinds before us, it is that which seeks to divides that is the most destructive to us as a Nation and, unless corrected, will be our undoing. Ignoring it, as some of our politicians are doing, is no answer - for sooner rather than later its ugly divisive head will rear-up to tear us asunder. And, as you've identified, that indeed is why a great deal hangs in the balance this election.
About 75 years ago wise traditional educationalists predicted our society would be destroyed because of the introduction of progressive education, at that time the 1950s. This is because the ideology, of progressivism is soft communism Fabian Socialism) admired by the Bolsheviks. Can people never learn the error of rebellion against traditional values and establishments, that define western culture, always end up in totalitarianism and bloodshed ? Attempts to establish a socialist utopia is complete stupidity. Where has tribalism every worked in the world for goodness sake? Most seeming philanthropy by globalists has ended up being thoroughly destructive and a disguised power grab. It is difficult to grasp how the "pandemic' could be so well orchastrated by bio -pharmaceuticaql companies, academics of prestigious universities, billionaire globalists, the likes of the WHO,UN and others who all conspired to lie in unison.
All that I am reading in these columns has a strong negative slant. It is time to take a positive stand against Maorification and develop a counterculture. Promote the fact that we owe our existence as a nation to the British colonists who were faced with the chaos of warring tribes exercising horrendously inhuman customs and offered them relief from that by giving them the status of British subjects the same as the colonists. Instead of a climate of resentment and even shame for their actions the colonists should be thought of with gratitude for their good intentions. Mistakes were made and regrettable events occurred on both sides as would be expected two centuries ago. Nevertheless Those who declare themselves Maori today seem to have forgotten not one of them can claim not to have non-Maori ancestry.
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