Let’s be very honest about the only two reasons you should vote for Labour next year.
I could list all the disappointments from this gutless and spineless Government in failing to stand up to the Professional Managerial Class of Wellington Bureaucrats, but I do that every week, let’s focus on the two reasons you should consider Party voting Labour in 2023.
The first was the masterclass in leadership Jacinda performed in defying the feral QAnon antivax lunatics and death cult capitalists in protecting us from 32 000 Covid deaths!
Was the personal sacrifice steep?
Yes.
Was the economic cost steep?
Yes.
Do the recent revelations by Pfizer that the vaccine didn’t stop transmission suddenly prove all the anti-vaxxers right?
Not at all…
Social media users are circulating video clips of testimony by a Pfizer executive, who is said to “admit” that the company and its partner BioNTech did not test whether their mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine reduced virus transmission prior to rolling it out – which is something the companies were not required to do for initial regulatory approval, nor did they claim to have done.
To get emergency approval, companies needed to show that the vaccines were safe and prevented vaccinated people from getting ill. They did not have to show that the vaccine would also prevent people from spreading the virus to others. Once the vaccines were on the market, independent researchers in multiple countries studied people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and did show that vaccination reduced transmission of variants circulating at the time.
As these results on transmission were emerging in early 2021, national health authorities in many countries implemented or proposed vaccine-passport-style regulations that prompted ongoing debate (here) over the ethical and legal basis of the rules.
The misleading posts imply that national restrictions such as vaccine passports were based on a promise of vaccines blocking virus spread that neither the companies nor EU regulators made before the vaccines were marketed.
…Jacinda’s courage to go hard and go early caused deep societal anger and dislocation, but so would have 32 000 dead!
We all sacrificed, some more than others, but we all paid a pound of flesh to get through this horror and while the response wasn’t perfect, the truth is we were running blind through a once in a century pandemic and Jacinda saw us through that better than most.
Labour deserve a gratitude vote dammit!
The second reason to vote Labour in 2023 is the reality that while Labour have failed us on almost every promise of transformation, their failed promises will still be a far better outcome than what National and ACT will do if they gain power!
Taking a chainsaw to the face of an Underfunded State that barely has the capacity to do the things we require from it is not a solution, it’s ideological vandalism!
Can everyone remind everyone else that Liz Truss is a libertarian and her crazy free market bullshit is the same neoliberal mythology that ACT and National want to implement if elected in 2023.
I know that a resented gratitude vote alongside a lesser of two evils vote aren’t reasons to get excited, but that’s why democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried.
Labour really does give Socialism a bad name.
Increasingly having independent opinion in a mainstream media environment which mostly echo one another has become more important than ever, so if you value having an independent voice – please donate here.
If you can’t contribute but want to help, please always feel free to share our blogs on social media.
Trevor, I agree with Martyn’s summary.
Bert- Me too more or less. But Martyn shouldn’t expect Jacinda to be the messiah (or mother of). Pretty close though.
Ditto Bert. It could have been worse. And it would have been worse with any other leader. Jacinda Ardern was hearty, and we needed that.
What amazes me is that the issues brought up by Martyn who I would classify as a knowledgeable insider are obvious to you and me as well . You are basically from the left so you see them and hope they will improve I see the same miss steps and think we need a change of government. At the end of 2017 I was wondering about National and why they could not see the harm they were doing to the health system education and the homeless which they should have tried harder to fix while retaining the policies that were helping successful businesses to operate.
Some of Martyn blogs should be compulsory reading for ALL parliment staff .
Thank you for reading my previous reply .I am sure there will be many exchanges over the next year and I look forward to seeing your take on a given situation.
Trevor The Nats were trying to privatise health, Bill English in particular – and he needs to change his colonialist surname last week.
On the first reason. No. Labour were generously rewarded in a way quite unprecedented by voters in 2020 and given a majority. What an utter waste!
Then in 2021 Auckland was locked in/out under house arrest for nearly 4 months because her government fucked about with the vaccine roll out for months prior to August AND kept the vast majority of quarantine facilities in Auckland meaning we were stuffed as a city and people. That 4 months has had a substantial affect on this country and the psyche of its residents! And those decisions were so easy to make in Wellington at the time, weren’t they! And our PM’s display of how not to leadership, stayed well away from Aucklands pain! Nice!
On the second reason, I agree but barely. You know we will get nowhere, you know all they’re good for is announcements, they are incompetent and honestly, crime as bad as it is will get worse! That is not something anyone of us want to contemplate!
“House arrest”
The utter waste was me reading your post.
What a dipstick.
Qanon is alive and well in NZ.
If you don’t think the police intervening in your life for daring to stray more than a few hundred metres from your home is bad, then think again!
Didn’t happen to me, as I said, more a Qanon theory than reality.
If it didn’t happen to you, it never happened!
Well if it happened to you, you probably deserved it.
The rest of us went about our lives.
What about the bicycles! The bicycles are coming to get us!
If instead of spending billions on cycle lanes “they” just gave everyone in Auckland an ebike “they” just might get their dream to fly. But that wont happen and really Auckland commuters are just going to demand convenience – Teslas and Rivians plus heaps of lithium and electricity.
Hey xray-you’re frothing at the mouth. Take medication quick!
…and those two reasons are National and ACT.
Yes, they are the best of a bad lot, I would like to see a real green party but the current green lot has destroyed the chance that I will ever vote for them again.
While I vaguely remember Holyoake as a good PM the Muldoon years & subsequent events have ruined any chance that National will get my support although they have had the occasional good MP.
It is the experience gained by Ardern in her two terms thus far that will be a main attraction to voters. Chris Luxon simply doesn’t appeal to many.
‘Chris Luxon simply doesn’t appeal to many.’ Luxon appeals to dumb people especially those dumb people who have wealth. and there are many of them.
I don’t find Luxon particularly appealing so does that make me not dumb? A much fairer generalisation would be those that create, have and grow wealth are smart and have some good habits. Dumb people don’t create wealth and squander it if they inherit or win it. Luxon appeals to both dumb and smart people and has turned around a once floundering National. His managerial acumen and circumstances will see him as the next PM. All without getting the “feelz” vote that propelled Jacinda.
I agree with your points, but is Jacinda in charge?
Or is a bunch of militant, woke, thicko’s who want to cancel everything from breastfeeding to freedom of speech to Shakespeare?
Woke just bullied out an artist Lester Hall, – who as a Pakeha is apparently cancelled from commenting on NZ history – even though he has Maori supporters who understand his perspective is irony and suddenly his identity and whakaapa is not allowed. Too woke to joke, or have irony is not a nice country to live in.
Art like freedom of speech should be completely free to explore aspects of history and discourse. It is up to the viewer to agree or disagree.
Cancelling, should not be an acceptable, and is pushing an ugly part of NZ culture into totalitarianism and creating a lack of diversity of thought and culture.
Save NZ. Agree. Cancelling the Commissioner for Children is an assault upon vulnerable children as direct as punching them, and letting them live in povidy, and in hunger, and in cars, garages, sheds, and aunty’s garage.
Cancelling the Commissioner for Children is the political decision makers protecting themselves rather than the children who they are meant to be protecting, and that’s why they should be cancelled themselves. Voting for them rubber-stamps their appalling behaviour.
New Xi -Land isn’t a fun place to live.
You can blame NATCCP and their beloved Chairman Jong Kee for that bit
Too much raced based stupidity and poor decision making in NZ – that is disabling and killing our kids.
Not enough care for vulnerable kids in NZ that are born in NZ and NZ citizens.
Couple jailed in child abuse case that left boy permanently disabled
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/couple-jailed-in-child-abuse-case-that-left-boy-permanently-disabled/GZO42YX7JESFIDVT2JSB3CO6H4/
Completely different standards of care for children whose parents are in prison from NZ judges, care workers and Oranga Tamariki for to migrant children vs Maori/Pakeha children,
“Judge Mahon sought further information – which led to Oranga Tamariki sending two staff to the South East Asian country for 11 days to check Chu’s proposed home environment.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/how-oranga-tamariki-bungled-the-handling-of-baby-brought-to-new-zealand-by-drug-traffickers/LO6F3JTLB7UQF4YYDXP2NNAFVA/
vs local situation
Tauranga child killer who beat, burnt 5yo Malachi Subecz was his carer
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/tauranga-child-killer-who-beat-burnt-5yo-malachi-subecz-was-his-carer/7I2CPADDM7P4A72QBXUBONVOFE/
They are taking abused NZ kids out of stable homes with lies and incompetence and some woke in the judiciary are supporting this
Judge lauded for rebuking his seniors in Oranga Tamariki case
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126152961/judge-lauded-for-rebuking-his-seniors-in-oranga-tamariki-case
It is hard to see how to stop the woke mob culture without a change of government.
I am not wanting the Natz or ACT but equally woke nut jobs have gone too far, and destroying our society and culture by an ugly cancellation of anything Pakeha – at the expense of the wellbeing of everyone especially Maori.
‘Chris Luxon simply doesn’t appeal to many.’ Luxon appeals to dumb people especially those dumb people who have wealth. and there are many of them.
Why housing is sitting empty. Not very well thought out legislation with catchy marketing of “Healthy Homes” that mean many affordable places are empty awaiting refurbishment or the funds to refurbish.
Nearly 60 council flats for elderly residents remain vacant in Auckland
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nearly-60-council-flats-for-elderly-residents-remain-vacant-in-auckland/W64EP2L65NAJVPLZ4BMZITR7AI/
Non sensical policy of leaving housing empty because it’s deemed not good enough. If someone wants to rent a house, let them, better than streets or emergency accomodation.
Labour deserve a gratitude vote dammit!
Bugger that. No more that Churchill deserved a gratitude vote immediately following WWII. Maybe he did, but he didn’t get it. Yes, some of Labour’s economic-management failures can possibly be blamed on the Covid response and wider global environment. They therefore deserve some slack. However, if one disagrees with those other policies that have seen no obstacle to being pushed through, then there will be no “gratitude vote.”
She’s a ruling class lackey who has shown how comfortable she is in their company. Both main parties serve the interests of money of the interests of the people, thus it doesn’t matter much, which side is in office.
You would only vote Labour again if they were guarantee to get the handbrake back in coalition. They are lost souls without NZ First guidance.
They don’t have that guarantee. The strategic vote will put the hand brake on NAct.
What amazes me is that the issues brought up by Martyn who I would classify as a knowledgeable insider are obvious to you and me as well . You are basically from the left so you see them and hope they will improve I see the same miss steps and think we need a change of government. At the end of 2017 I was wondering about National and why they could not see the harm they were doing to the health system education and the homeless which they should have tried harder to fix while retaining the policies that were helping successful businesses to operate.
Some of Martyn blogs should be compulsory reading for ALL parliment staff .
Thank you for reading my previous reply .I am sure there will be many exchanges over the next year and I look forward to seeing your take on a given situation.
Very clearing of the head, like the old nostrum smelling salts to bring a dazed person back to both sense and sensibility.
I have found another NZ anthem for us wishers and hopers for a thriving country all-embracing of its citizens. It’s an old romantic song from post WW2 when so many had romantic themes, about love and getting together happily. Now we have progressed to hate and getting together to spread that. We must draw back and bring our positive side to guide us through the brouhaha. If we step too far from the necessary path in NZ we fall into boiling mud pools so must be wary of the dangers. Nasty that.
This is the style of the 1950s romantic ballad – wanting togetherness, gentle persuasion, then idealistic; then over decades the mood changed to quixotic. Let’s get back to the future!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LvmIfTQQuk
TELL MY WHY…
Tell me why, though I try to forget
Tell me why, why I think of you yet
I know I’ll never be free
What has happened to me?
Tell me why, when we danced until three
Tell me why, why my heart couldn’t see
I never dreamed of romance
Never gave it a chance…
Tell me why I keep fooling my heart
When I know it was love from the start
Why don’t we give it a try?
If you know, tell me why
Tell me, tell me why….
Writer(s): Alberts Al, Gold Martin
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bobbyvinton/tellmewhy.html
Labour was re-elected with an historic majority in 2020 with an enormous mandate. They have constantly played it safe this term, done nothing to reform the economy and have by and large focused on maintaining the status quo. They have blown any opportunity to use their historic mandate to address failings in our economic structure and poverty. I know there have been big health and polytechnic sector reforms, plus three waters. But Labour will struggle to see the benefits from those reforms prior to the election.
People really wanted to see change in New Zealand – I believe this change could have easily been sold to centre voters in a post- COVID environment. But Labour have squandered the historic opportunity they had to address those issues and this will haunt them through to the election. Robertson may present a Budget next year with tax reforms but I fear many voters will just see it as too little to late.
I cannot vote for a party that has abandoned the working class in favour of flaccid virtue signalling woke neolib business as usual non achieving cuddles.
I don’t care if I’m throwing my vote away or even giving it to NACTZ and the appalling Seymore and Luxon.
I just cant swallow the dead rat of the Labour Party any longer.
And that’s 40 years voting Labor/Labour in Australia and here.
At least during the Bolger/Shipley/Richardson/Key years we enjoyed spewing venom on the streets and had something hard to push against.
This country has to get really fuckin angry.
seems the alt right memes are even conning those on the left. labour have done more for the working class than you’ll ever get with anyone else – just because they are acting within the capitalist paradigm to get modest results does not mean they are abandoning anything. It will take a long time to turn around the behemoth of capitalism – standing in front of it and pointing the other way will just get you crushed.
Jacinda didn’t go early and hard on covid. NZ was late to close borders and then had to go harder than would otherwise have been necessary. What followed was months of inactivity and failure to plan for what came next.
NZ is now deeper in debt, facing an economic crisis made considerably worse by inept government decisions. The only reason to vote Labour is a strong desire for self flagellation. No one is better off after 7 years of this nonsense.
100% agree with every point you make! Hate Nats but will risk a Right wing Govt, if that is what it takes to get our most inept Govt ever out of power!
There are many more than two, and that! s care for our population and our caring social care, known as our health, education, home shelter, basic human care.,our open to all citizens our social Welfare State. Listen to the now new spin, the !nats! putting on their tax unflinching proposal, our social health we will have this social care from and the goggle gook, even more tax relief for those enterprising with enthusiasm who share in our state held belief to trim the states social budget shall garner more tax relief. as they proffer assistance to our caring corporate health education and all covering welfare of our people.
Reason 3: to spite all the whinging and moaning conservatives and humiliate them to another 3 years of being the bitter sore losers that they have shown themselves to be.
Comments are closed.