So who the f**k am I supposed to vote for then?

[RantyDave]

None of them are inspiring in the slightest. All of them are arseholes. If just *ONE* of our esteemed political leaders gave the slightest impression of wanting to change New Zealand for the better rather than merely being in office and enjoying bossing people around - almost regardless of their actual policies - I'd vote for them. But no. Nooooooo. Like, look at these daft fuckers:

National - are Nazis (says he, performing a rare Godwin-on-first-post). On my one occasion of seeing John Key on the telly he said he wanted "army style boot camps" for troubled yoof. Right. Because people come out of the army with greater empathy. To add insult to injury it appears the one thing they were going to do that I was actually bothered about - ditching the Maori seats - is being backtracked spectacularly quickly. Arseholes.

Labour - have given us eight years of political correctness and have spent money like it's going out of fashion. Which, BTW, it is. They introduced section 92A of the copyright reform act - while actually physically screaming at members of Internet NZ who were attempting to point out how stupid it was. They've also run a spectacularly dirty campaign and so can get fucked. I have no respect for them at all any more. Fuckers.

Greens - I lost respect for when Jacqui Dean fell for the DHMO scare email. Then I got annoyed by their constant meddling in things other than the environment. And finally they threw their toys out the cot and decided there was no way, nonononono, not ever never would they work with National. FFS I'm a massive hippie and I can't consider voting for them. Twats.

Maori - want me to pay for their Christmas presents. Seriously. I stopped paying attention at this point.

Act - have Roger Douglas on their list. At number 3, no less. Also no statement on their website of why I should vote for them being perhaps the most spectacular marketing fail in recent memory. Rodney does have a nice jacket though and in the current climate this almost wins it. But not actually. Losers.

NZFirst - Don't let the door hit you on the arse, Winnie.

Kiwi - Have as their opening value proposition that they favour beating children. They also favour "fewer" abortions (you need children to beat, right) with parental consent for those under 18. Because pregnant teenage girls really want to tell their mums. Sure. Strangely they also wish to "Address the social consequences resulting from the Prostitution Reform Act" - whatever that actually means. They do, however, score points for "Address injustices occurring in our immigration service" because...

The New Zealand Pacific Party - Taito Philip Field's latest project is a quite wonderful instantiation of all that is pathetic in New Zealand politics. They win a special award for not even bothering to have a website - presumably Taito couldn't find someone who'd swap it for a visa.

Legalise Cannabis - are the current frontrunners. Seriously.

...and in fact the main thing that may cause ALCP to lose my vote would be if I voted National as a tactical vote against the Labour/Green/Maori nightmare that's going to be gleefully guiding our country down the shitter for the next three years. Or if I decide that I *really* like Rodney's jacket.

I *have* to vote, or I have no right to bitch for three years. Who the fuck am I supposed to vote for then?

Dave

[Chisanga]

The Standing at the Back Dressed Stupidly and Looking Stupid Party seems like an inspired choice... I quite like asparagus.

[Ragingrob]

Bill and Ben are always good for a laugh at least... Main difference being is that you'll be laughing with them, not at them like you would the rest of the beehive.

[FJRider]

If you don't vote, you still have the right to bitch. Just as those on this site, that have never met you...maybe never will, can bitch about what a ...... you are/can be for saying/didn't say/should have said/did do/didn't do etc.
Its a free country... be sure to pay before you leave...last one out, please turn out the lights...if the powers still on...
The law states you must be on the electoral roll... voting is optional...
More of the same...or not... for any of the political parties...????

[James Deuce]

Party vote ALCP. It's the only way to go.

[Dargor]

You could vote republican, but they come across as people that wouldn't survive a day in the hive. Decent policys(even if on non-issues), but noobs.

[James Deuce]

You could vote republican, but they come across as people that wouldn't survive a day in the hive. Decent policys(even if on non-issues), but noobs.

A beard is political death.

[Mikkel]

Ah yes, the failure of democrazy - when people are well enough off not to give a shit and still not influential enough to actually be able to affect a change.

[Street Gerbil]

Well, I am sorely tempted to vote for Labour, just to give my fellow New Zealanders a little taste of Obama.

[rainman]

Who the fuck am I supposed to vote for then?

The least worst ones.

However much this might be a huge waste of time here on Redneck Central, I'm going to explain why that means that I'll be party voting Green on the weekend.

Labour are quite right about the trust issue - National are dodgy and ideologically driven, and should not be trusted. Although there are elements of what National normally might stand for that I could bring myself to support, they've played such an unconvincingly populist line through the campaign that no-one with an IQ in triple digits can believe they're going to behave substantially in line post-election with what they say pre-election. (Some of you might of course think this is a good thing - but I'm not that much of an elitist, sorry). If I'm wrong on this - then what's the difference to Labour?

Unfortunately, Labour has a particularly poor trust record themselves. They've done a passably good job of looking after things over the last while - as would, apart from some systemic biases, National - but as one or the other will be part of government no matter what, I can't bring myself to get particularly animated about either. (Having a LPG coalition might be a smidgin easier than Nat/Act/UF/MP?, but, meh).

Winston is entertaining in small doses but does nothing for us as a country, and despite being cleared technically of wrongdoing, clearly has an interesting sense of honesty. Anderton has some good ideas but is an extension of Labour. Dunne has fewer good ideas and is just too damn bland - he's so centrist that it seems unlikely that he has an opinion of his own. Act's another faith-based libertarian personality cult with a list of ludicrous policies. And they're environmentally hostile.

The Maori Party I share a fair number of values with, but I'm a feelthy immigrant so I don't really "get" them fully. Also Tariana is a liability, as are some of their other members (Greensill?). Sharples is sensible and cautious, the rest look like amateurs that blurt out ill-considered policy too regularly. They're a bit immature and lightweight, but worth watching.

I don't see the point of voting for a party or person that you know won't get in. Bye bye Bill and Ben, ALCP, RAM... etc. They should get over their points of difference with their nearest neighbour and kiss and make up. Or keep up the entertainment value and stop pretending to be serious. (Excluding B&B of course, I know they're not serious).

If my maths is right, that leaves the Greens. They are genuinely nice people, by and large, but often seem not to be playing the same game as everyone else. This leads to them being frequently misunderstood, or worse, actively misrepresented. They follow consensus-based decision processes among a group with widely divergent approaches and views (not a small feat, you try it), are actually quite pragmatic (often decried as being partisan lapdogs when supporting least-worst legislation options like the EFA), and are, frequently to their detriment, generally bloody honest. Yes they are sometimes idealists, but fuck it, someone has to be.

They tend towards bravery in making unpopular decisions, or bringing unpopular messages, and I kinda like that. S59 was almost electoral suicide - but they pushed the issue not because they are control freaks who get off on telling you what to do, but because they genuinely believed it to be a means of delivering better outcomes for battered kids. I don't know if they anticipated the fallout that has resulted or simply did not factor it into the decision as irrelevant. They aren't about being popular - they're about doing what's right (even sometimes, when it actually isn't). They are among a small set prepared to face up to the discussion regarding climate change/oil depletion with minimal ideology.

Yes they have a social agenda, not just environmental - partly because Labour is dropping the ball there, and partly because proper environmental policy requires joined-up thinking, and has progressed a long way from "save the whales". Many of the world's environmental problems are caused or affected by social issues. Yes the Greens are ideologically more socialist than hardcore capitalist, in general - although a surprising variation exists among Greens I've met - but to call them watermelons is just too simplistic.

I would not want the Greens (in their current incarnation) to be running the country - as in being the major party in a coalition - simply because I don't think they would survive. And they'd do a shitty job, probably. But I would want them to have a strong influence - sometimes idealistic, sometimes even misguided - on what the rest of the muppets are up to. To be a principled voice, preferably right alongside the group with a bit of clout, but even in the background would be better than f-all.

This is because to take a long term view, to think about what is good for us and our kids/grandkids, and the others we share this planet with, requires the ability to step back from the short term soundbites that the analysts say will resonate with whichever target segment of voters is in favour that week, to avoid the endless lolly scrambles, the nasty attack politics, the short-term pursuit of economic gain.. and to work on building real wealth and sustainable well-being for all of us, and for those yet to come. If they don't do it, who will?

[Fatt Max]

I reckon now is the time to form the biker party. A few policies suggested would be...

1. Free pies on a Monday
2. Free pies Tuesday - Thursday
3. Free pies on a Friday
4. Free pie weekends evey week
5. Free beer to everyone over 100KG
6. Free beer to everyone under 100KG
7. ....and a free pie with the free beer
8. 18-20 year olds in souped up Subaru's with baseball caps worn backwards are to have the words "Bell End" tattoed on their heads
9. Tax relief for all breweries, bakeries and pole dancers
10. Did I mention free pies.

Now, I would vote for them and no mistake.....

[ckai]

Phew, lucky I'm over 20 and don't wear baseball caps anymore.

It seems a majority of poeple I talk to say there is no one to vote for. But everyone of those people say the have to vote. What would happen if all those people didn't vote and they get a very dismal turn out at the polls? Would politicians go, "shit there's something wrong there", and do something about it? Or will they show their true colours, just be happy they get to sit on a cushy green seat, and not give a toss about the low turn out?

I reckon the latar. Even though the media itself is saying what bullshit campaigns everyone is running and everyone is as bad as each other.

The least worst ones.

It's pretty sad when this is so true.

[jrandom]

the main thing that may cause ALCP to lose my vote would be if I voted National as a tactical vote against the Labour/Green/Maori nightmare

However, if the impossible happened and the ALCP did get 5% of the party vote, I have no doubt that they would be quite prepared to save the country from Auntie Helen by going into a center-right coalition.

And if National's prepared to abandon its idea of abolishing the Maori seats if that's required to gain power, then I have no doubt that it would also be happy to enact cannabis law reform for the same reason.

Roll the dice and dare to dream...

Tick the leaf in 2008, folks!

[Crisis management]

I'd have to agree with Dave & Rainman, if I was just voting for policy & people I would vote green but unfortunately (IMHO) you need to vote for or against a "government" and that means Labour or National.
I don't mind National (that hurt to say!) but couldn't stand Act being there with them so thats them gone, only leaving Labour who have hardly been a beacon of hope and trustworthy practice either.

At the end of the day, the major issue I perceive is the economic environment and I would rather see the lefty's dealing with it than a bunch of capitalists, seeing as they are the root cause of the meltdown....looks like it's labour again.

Good luck making your decisions, I can't change my mind now......I already voted

[jrandom]

At the end of the day, the major issue I perceive is the economic environment and I would rather see the lefty's dealing with it than a bunch of capitalists, seeing as they are the root cause of the meltdown....looks like it's labour again.

Y'know, I'd be taking the same approach, if it weren't for Labour's systematic destruction of their own credibility with the likes of the Electoral Finance Act.

Their arrogance toward the electorate and repression of personal freedoms and civil rights has done and will do far more harm than the 'capitalism' (which would barely be recognised as such in the likes of the USA) of the National Party.