Entry 1709, on 2015-03-29 at 16:47:31 (Rating 4, Politics)
I'm not sure which of this morning's news stories I found more amusing: the thrashing the National Party got in it's previously safe electorate at the by-election or the thrashing right-wing blogger Cameron Slater got in the boxing ring! By the way, I'm hoping tomorrow morning I will get an even bigger laugh with the news that New Zealand beat Australia in the final of the World Cricket Cup, but I'm not quite as confident about that one!
First, regarding the boxing. I have to say that the sport has become a bit of a farce so I don't take it too seriously, but I think Slater probably still feels a bit sore after the first round knock-out. I should say that making some money for charity is good so he gets points for that (no one is all bad) even if it was really only a publicity stunt.
Regarding the by-election. If a previously safe seat can be taken from a (politically) successful government so easily you really have to wonder why they won the last election so convincingly. I'm afraid the obvious answer is that the opposition was so poor. The National Party is unpopular and I think many people don't see the current government very positively, but the alternative was even worse!
National threw everything the could at winning the election too, including sending two of their most powerful assets: John Key himself and good old Mr Fix It, Steven Joyce. I think people look at Key now and see someone they can't trust, so maybe his presence might have backfired by making the party look desperate. And I think the name Mt Fix It is a misprint because based on what he has actually done (as opposed to what the National spin machine says) I think the middle word in that nickname was another word beginning with "F" with a totally opposite meaning!
Of course that could apply to most of the National Party because any successes they have enjoyed seems to have little to do with their policies and more to do with blind luck. While the international milk price was high the country did well, but no one planned on what to do when the prices crashed which of course any sensible person knew would happen.
And the only other bright point is the Christchurch rebuild which has stimulated the economy considerably, again through no reason the government can claim credit for.
Yeah, if this is a "rock-star economy" as the National spin machine likes to say, then I think the star in question is a rather decrepit, drug-addled, has-been who might look OK to his fans but is just pathetic to anyone else.
There is one thing I should say though: Australia might win the cricket, and I admit our economy isn't great, but their's is even worse and their government (especially the PM) is a real joke!
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