Little keeps it stupid, simple

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Labour MP drops euthanasia bill
A bill which would legalise voluntary euthanasia has been dropped by Labour MP Iain Lees-Galloway at the request of his leader Andrew Little.

Mr Lees-Galloway had been canvassing support for his End of Life Choice Bill before deciding whether to return it to the private members’ bill ballot.

But Mr Little confirmed yesterday that he had told Mr Lees-Galloway not to put it in the ballot because it was not an issue Labour should be focused on when it was rebuilding.

The last election proved without a shadow of a doubt of the low imagination threshold of  most NZ voters. If progressive political parties rejected using MMP strategies as a means to gain the majority, then it’s all about wooing over the sleepy hobbits of muddle Nu Zilind, and to do that you gotta keep it stupid simple.

Muddle Nu Zilind don’t much like words with big syllables, and euthanasia has 4. The anti-intellectualism of the neoliberal middle means Labour have to focus on boiled meat and 3 vege politics. All you will hear from Little is “Jobs, jobs, jobs”.

Progressives can hope that once in power Labour will show the same ruthless ease with which National have shown by implementing policy they haven’t actually campaigned on and Little might surprise with a raft of real left policies.

We can hope.

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8 COMMENTS

  1. I for one was disappointed about the order to not push the bill through, purely for my own selfish reasons.
    When Andrew Little will be saying “jobs jobs jobs” he must be factoring in the thousands of jobs looking after dying people brings. That is the only reason I can possibly think of why Labour wont support this End of Life Choice Bill.
    Andrew Little says “because it was not an issue Labour should be focused on when it was rebuilding.”

    Tell that with a straight face to the thousands of people who die each year in NZ riddled with pain Andrew, till they take their last breath
    who by law have to use invasive chemical pain killers, that just really end up killing your very soul first.

    What a first class dick you are andrew, to think nothing of the thousands of family members and care givers that help dying people, that watch this slow torture till death saga,
    then have to go on and function in society with a unaffected attitude.
    These people will be part of the very ones who will be re building anything, after national have run it into the ground … NZ that is.

    Why does giving a terminally person the right to end their life, have to be so hard … oh thats right there’s jobs and money to be made by having dying people live till their bodies die.

  2. Martyn: though I do enjoy your blog and a great deal of sympathy for your acute analyses, I do rather take issue with you belittling Muddle Nuzullund. Bear in mind what the poor wights have edures these last 30 years: outright theft of not only the nation’s wealth they paid for, but their private wealth, incomes, and work conditions as well. This is ongoing. Further, those who ought to have entered the lists in their behalf – yes, I am talking about the Unions, inter alia – simply left them in the lurch.

    Don’t ever you believe that Muddle Nuzullund believed the mendacity of the likes of Douglas and Richardson and Prebble and others (and I am in a position to know more about their lies than most). Muddle Nuzullund knew bloody well they were being taken for a ride, knew bloody well they were not only about to be fleeced but flayed as well. But they also discovered very quickly there wasn’t a blind thing they could do about it.

    There still isn’t, not while neo-classical economic fat-headedness mal-informs government policy nationally and globally.

    • Come to think of it, why should we suppose that having between 1975 and 1984 adopted a right wing stance, Labour has reverted to the Left at any time since then? Until I see something substantially different, I’ll continue to regard Labour as Centre-Right (i.e. firmly placed in the centre of right wing politics, to the left of National perhaps, but standing shoulder to shoulder).

      Since 1987, my vote for Labour has been very conditional – I’ve voted elsewhere more often – but after this year’s denouement that concluded three years my watching appalled as Labour sleepwalked to defeat, my attitude is the same as it is regarding National. I would vote for them to win a bet.

  3. I like what someone said recently (can’t remember whom) that some things you save for when you are already in government and have some respect as a government – not before you get in. They cited capital gains tax as one of those. As for legalising euthanasia, right or wrong, I don’t think that’s going to fly at any stage in the near future (whatever one’s personal feelings on it). We don’t even have legal abortion yet.

    • If what you say is true, New Zealanders must be a dull bunch. When I lived in Australia for many years opinion polls on euthanasia ran at about 80% for. If it has never been made law that is the fault of supine politicians, not the voters. I was appalled at Andrew Little’s attitude. Obviously Labour will not run with any policy that isn’t a clear vote winner. So nothing has changed at all.

  4. “Work with and struggle against” goes an old saying. Labour will always be reformist not revolutionary but they are not the main enemy except in some small left sects view.

    Mana is necessary to present and organise for a truer left/Māori perspective all year round as well as provide that option in the 2017 elections.

    It was definitely necessary for the 2014 election because Labour had blown its rectum and left unity in even an MMP sense was so lacking. A stronger Labour party with a united position on Greens, Mana and Epsom/Ohariu/Te Tai Tokerau would have seen a change of government. That was obviously not to happen.

    So let Labour reorganise for a year, push them on their government in waiting with the Greens and electorate positions while organising in the community regardless. Andrew Little’s every utterance is only of import to the extent it is supported by the people.

  5. When Little talks less about ‘ jobs ‘ and more about re nationalising our assets , killing off money lenders and off – shore Banks and campaigning for Farmers to move to under the Trade Union umbrella for that essential protection and security for the sake of our country ? Then I’ll get excited .

    Until then , he’s just repackaged hot air .

    When simon lusk , as was reported in Nicky Hagers book , went to the USA to learn from the masters of deception , the Republicans , he discovered that you only spend time with the money . The politician who has the funding gets the job . It’s that simple . In NZ , we know who has the money . And we know who spends that money to stay in power . And we know how those whom have the power / money keep a tight reign on the old Farmer Nag in case she bolts for the hills . We know this . So why doesn’t Labour talk of that ? Labour don’t have the money . Why not ? Muddle Nu Zilind are enarmoured by twinkly sparkly baubles . It costs money to buy twinkle sparkle these days . Particularly these days when people are so exhausted by working long hours , exhausted by constantly being worried about money , and being constantly worried that they’re becoming that which they hate the most . Jonky clones . Liars , swindlers , cheats , crafty dodgers , misleaders , cowards , weak sneaks , heartless , soulless .
    It’s a concern .

    It’s going to take a weird leap of abstract faith for any politician to jump off this particular train into that dark , unkown forest speeding by .
    Interestingly , the worst that can happen is that we , as a country will immediately begin to do significantly better . Wouldn’t that be a slap in the ferret face for jonky-stien and his minions ?

  6. Death panels? DEATH PANELS????!!!

    Call Sarah Palin!

    Sigh.

    You don’t have to if you don’t want to.

    But, if you do -it’s a helluva long way to get to Dignitas in Switzerland – or even Washington, Oregon and Montana.

    Let’s have the option.

    And keep religion out of politics, thanks.

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