Why I won't be voting for the Green Party

[Forest]

I have some sympathy for the general principles that the Green Party stands for.

However I cannot stand the patronising and controlling policies that they're advocating. As this post illustrates, they're possibly the worst offender when it comes to nanny-state politics.

According to their official policy releases, here is the list of things that they want to ban in New Zealand:

Ban fizzy drinks from schools
Ban fuel inefficient vehicles
Ban all gaming machines in pubs
Ban the GCSB
Ban violent TV programmes until after 10 pm
Ban feeding of antibiotics to animals that are not sick
Ban companies that do not comply with a Code of Corporate Responsibility
Ban ACC from investing in enterprises that provide products or services that significantly increase rates of injury or illness or otherwise have significant adverse social or environmental effects
Ban commercial Genetic Engineering trials
Ban field testing on production of GE food
Ban import of GE food
Ban Urban Sprawl
Ban non citizens/residents from owning land
Ban further corporate farming
Ban sale of high country farms to NZers who do not live in NZ at least 185 days a year
Ban the transport by sea of farm animals, for more than 24 hours
Ban crates for sows
Ban battery cages for hens
Ban factory farming of animals
Ban the use of mechanically recovered meat in the food chain
Ban the use of the ground-up remains of sheep and cows as stock feed
Ban animal testing where animals suffer, even if of benefit to humans
Ban cloning of animals
Ban use of animals in GE
Ban GE animal food
Ban docking of dogs tails
Ban intrusive animal experimentation as a teaching method in all educational institutions
Ban smacking
Ban advertising during children’s programmes
Ban alcohol advertising on TV and radio
Ban coal mining
Ban the export of indigenous logs and chips
Ban the use of bio-accumulative and persistent poisons
Ban the establishment of mustelid farms
Ban new exploration, prospecting and mining on conservation land and reserves
Ban mining activities when rare and endemic species are found to present on the mining site
Ban the trading conservation land for other land to facilitate extractive activities on.
Ban the further holding of marine mammals in captivity except as part of an approved threatened species recovery strategy
Ban the direct to consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals
Ban sale of chips and lollies on school property
Ban any additional use of coal for energy
Ban fixed electricity charges
Ban further large hydro plants
Ban nuclear power
Ban further thermal generation
Ban private water management
Ban imported vehicles over seven years old
Ban the disposal of recyclable materials at landfills
Ban the export of hazardous waste to non OECD countries
Ban funding of health services by companies that sell unhealthy food (so McDonalds could not fund services for young cancer sufferers)
Ban healthcare organizations from selling unhealthy food or drink
Ban advertising of unhealthy food until after 8.30 pm
Ban all food and drink advertisements on TV if they do not meet criteria for nutritious food
Ban the use of antibiotics as sprays on crops
Ban food irradiation within NZ
Ban irradiated food imports
Ban growth hormones for animals
Ban crown agency investments in any entity that denies climate change!!
Ban crown agency investments in any entity that is involved in tobacco
Ban crown agency investments in any entity that is involved in environmentally damaging oil extraction or gold mining
Ban non UN sanctioned military involvement (so China and Russia gets to veto all NZ engagements)
Ban NZ from military treaties which are based on the right to self defence
Ban NZers from serving as mercenaries
Ban new casinos
Allow existing casinos to be banned
Ban promotion of Internet gambling
Ban advertising of unhealthy food to children
Ban cellphone towers within 300 metres of homes
Ban new buildings that do not confirm to sustainable building principles
Ban migrants who do not undertake Treaty of Waitangi education programmes
Ban new prisons
Ban semi-automatic weapons
Ban genetic mixing between specieis
Ban ocean mineral extractions within the EEZ
Ban limited liability companies by making owners responsible for liability of products
Ban funding of PTEs that compete with public tertiary institutes
Ban the importation of goods and services that do not meet quality and environmental certification standards in production, lifecycle analysis, and eco-labelling
Ban goods that do not meet quality and sustainability standards for goods which are produced and/or sold in Aotearoa/New Zealand
Ban new urban highways or motorways
Ban private toll roads
Ban import of vehicles more than seven years old unless they meet emission standards
Ban imported goods that do not meet standards for durability and ease of recycling
Ban landfills
Ban new houses without water saving measures
Ban programmes on TVNZ with gratuitous violence

[Murray]

With them in charge we would be a ban nana republic

[sAsLEX]

Ban coal mining

We don't need steel........


Hey lets return to the Bronze age!

[vifferman]

We don't need steel........


Hey lets return to the Bronze age!

No, making bronze requires too much energy.
I suspect the Greens would be happy if we returned to pre-stone age technology.
As long as we didn't burn anything. So make that "before we discovered fire".

In fact, if you look at the ultimate root of Greenie thought, it's that humans are fucking over the earth, and it would be a good thing if we were eradicated.

[Magua]

How many of those are actually true?

For example, Ban landfills. Do they actually have a policy completely against landfills or more policy in favour of recycling.

Same with the motorway banning. A ban or just a focus on public transport?

[mister.koz]

....
In fact, if you look at the ultimate root of Greenie thought, it's that humans are fucking over the earth, and it would be a good thing if we were eradicated.

They have some good ideas but the application of their solutions is a little strong.

I mean "limit violent child abuse" -> "ban all smacking of any kind including verbal dissemination" might be taking that banner a little too far y'know

[scracha]

Fark, had they not said they'd side with Labour i'd vote for them in a heartbeat.

[Indiana_Jones]

How many of those are actually true?

For example, Ban landfills. Do they actually have a policy completely against landfills or more policy in favour of recycling.

Same with the motorway banning. A ban or just a focus on public transport?

Shut it hippie lover and just bash the greens!

-Indy

[BIGBOSSMAN]

Shit, no ban on panties for hot women. My vote is going elsewhere...

[Forest]

How many of those are actually true?

For example, Ban landfills. Do they actually have a policy completely against landfills or more policy in favour of recycling.

Waste Free New Zealand Policy

Landfills

The Green Party will:
Phase out the use of landfills by:

a. ensuring that local authority waste management plans set out a clear vision for the phasing out of landfills including:
1. promoting and implementing the source separation of waste into streams as an essential part of the transition from landfill dependency to resource reduction and renewal;
2. establishing sorting/recycling/resource recovery centres;
3. setting landfill acceptance criteria for hazardous waste (until national standards are set);

b. requiring user charges to reflect the full social & environmental, as well as economic and capital costs of maintaining landfills;

c. establish financial incentives for reducing waste to landfill, including investigation into establishing a national levy on waste to landfill in order to help fund waste reduction initiatives;

d. investigating ways that operators of landfills and incinerators can be held responsible for the long term environmental effects of their facilities.

Same with the motorway banning. A ban or just a focus on public transport?

Transport Policy

2. Land Transport Planning and Funding

The Green Party will work to:

Pass the Climate Change (Transport Funding) Bill to rebalance expenditure from the National Land Transport Fund, over five years, towards support for sustainable transport solutions (such as public transport, rail freight, coastal shipping, active modes and travel demand management) to redress the chronic lack of investment in this area, funded through a moratorium on major new urban motorways and highways.

[Swoop]

I remember the good ole' days when hippys were spat at and told to "get a fucking haircut and a job!".

Now they have risen above their station in life and need to be culled like rabbits.

[Indiana_Jones]

I remember the good ole' days when hippys were spat at and told to "get a fucking haircut and a job!".

Now they have risen above their station in life and need to be culled like rabbits.

Hear hear!

Kill the fuckers! (said in a Brian Blessed voice)

-Indy

[Magua]

The Green Party will:
Phase out the use of landfills by:

Phase out =/= ban, but I'm just being a pedant. However I'm not in favour of nanny state policies.

[Forest]

Phase out =/= ban, but I'm just being a pedant. However I'm not in favour of nanny state policies.

I entirely agree with you.

However I am fascinated that the Green Party policies are defined not by what the party wants, but rather what the party wants to eliminate.

[sAsLEX]

I entirely agree with you.

However I am fascinated that the Green Party policies are defined not by what the party wants, but rather what the party wants to eliminate.

Kind of like Labours +ve policy statements...... oh shit all I hear about is how the president of Labour is in Australia digging up dirt on Key from the 80s....... who the fuck cares!