I See Red

Not the time for irresponsible spending

This is a message to all political parties - this is not the time for irresponsible spending.  Now is the time for local and central government as well as households to stop spending beyond their means.  No Right Turn has pretty much said all I wanted to say, but I'll add a few points. 

For years now National has attacked Labour for running surpluses during the good times.  So their anger now that we have deficits is misplaced.  Not only that, but if Don Brash had won in 2005 the deficit would be $4 billion per year larger (the size of National's tax cut promise).

National are going to soldier on with more irresponsible and reckless tax cuts as if the world financial crisis and our own deficits don't exist. 

Now is the time for restraint.  But we must not underfund the fundamentals (health, education, and incomes) - as National have done during previous downturns to fund their tax cut programmes.   I hope Labour takes this environment on board and shows restraint with their election promises and also send a message to households that it is also time for them to stop spending beyond their means (a message they may not wish to hear).  I'd also not be displeased with Labour identifying some spending to be cut in areas where we are not getting a social or economic return. 

This must not be a lolly scramble election.  If National want to turn the deficit into a monster deficit by promising the world, then Labour must let them and not follow suit.

UPDATE: Gordon Campbell has a very good piece on the economic situation and National's tax cuts.

Winston Peters is the new Orewa!

Winston Peters is to be the quest speaker at the Orewa Rotary Clubs first meeting in January this year.  Although there will be no media there, so maybe not the scene setting piece that Don used it for.

Winston compares Brash to ...

Winston has delivered a speech strongly attacking Don Brash.  Most significantly he states:

To describe this as evil is not an over-reaction. There are many figures in history that have similarly used blood purity as a political argument only to lead their people into an abyss of violence and destruction.

I personally don't like trying to paint black and white pictures of good and evil in this way, but I don't know if it is a 'personal' attack as such (as some will know doubt label it) or a political attack.  I'd be interested in your thoughts.

TVNZ report here, and stuff report here.

Don Brash has done a column here on "need not race".

Why Winston went with Labour

I wrote a blog post back in November suggesting the National's attempt to link Labour and NZ First together (as if they are in formal coalition) wouldn't work, and that the attention on Winston as Foreign Minister would decrease.  Of course several people in the comments section disagreed with me, but from all the conversations I had with my family and friends over summer, I think I was right.  And the criticism from the media about his role has also diminished.  (Of course, things can change very quickly in politics).

Winton has given an interesting interview in today's Herald in which he:

• Says why he went with Labour and not National
• Suggests he still has many damaging e-mails which "will end Don Brash's political leadership and career".
• Suggests National will try to get rid of Gerry first, and if that doesn't work, dump the leader.
• Says he is going to sue several people for defamation
• Says "National's problem at the moment - they get killed in Parliament, it's a verbal massacre".