Interest in Politics?

[imported_neo]

>>>>>For example, the NZ Dollar falling against the US Dollar indicates a lack of business confidence. What a load of bollocks.
First of all, every major currency in the world fell against the US Dollar. The NZ Dollar maintained a par with every other world currency against which it is measured. That indicates the US Dollar was too highly valued, not the reverse. Also, the US Dollar is not the leading currency when compared to NZ political and business affairs. NZ's main business partners are the Asia/Pacific region and the US steadily becomes less important as more time passes. The US is no longer a leading economy in the world as it dies underneath a protectionist system of tariffs and union dominated controls.>>>>>

Where do you get such intelect from mate, I mean with words like bollocks, and utter crap, simply suggests your in a state of emotional ineptitude. The facts remain friend under the current socialist/fascist regime the NZ economy is heading for disaster with government interference in areas I have already covered. And their anti-business antics are growing by the minute. All currencies are compared with the US dollar and ours has fallen to unsatisfactory levels due to in no small part to the un business like conduct of this government. The US while still controlled by similar ideologies as NZ, is certainly not union controlled as you suggest. In fact union membership makes up 13.5 percent of the total US work force, compared to NZ's 17.5 to 20 percent. Under the new legislation NZ unions expect to double or even triple that membership, and is another reason why business is faltering in this part of the world. I disgree, that the US economy is dying under a sea of unionism and tarriffs. Their (US) economy is still among the leading contenders despite your pessimism. Granted, unionism and tarriffs need to be abolished altogether in my view and that will take time.

>>>So Neo, you're gonna be the saviour of all economies are you? If the answer to all of the worlds problems are so simple then why are you looking for investment URL's instead of ruling the world?<<<<<

It never ceases to intrigue me how individuals can take a sentence out of context and turn it into sarcastic non sequitur retoric.


>>>Don't get me wrong ... I don't disagree with everything you say, but there are some things you have said that are utter crap.<<<

Is this the kind of individual that should be moderating this site?. If individuals cannot have a rational debate on the issues without the brain-dead comments as per above
then I see little future in you responding to my comments (at all) friend.

>>>> For example, the NZ Dollar falling against the US Dollar indicates a lack of business confidence. What a load of bollocks.<<<<<<

The facts remain friend despite your intelligent response, business confidence HAS fallen dramatically and in no small way due to the governments anti-business policies and the fall against the US dollar.

>>> First of all, every major currency in the world fell against the US Dollar.<<<

Agreed.

>>> The NZ Dollar maintained a par with every other world currency against which it is measured.<<<<<

Agreed

>>> That indicates the US Dollar was too highly valued, not the reverse. Also, the US Dollar is not the leading currency when compared to NZ political and business affairs. NZ's main business partners are the Asia/Pacific region and the US steadily becomes less important as more time passes.<<<

The asia/pacific region is certainly important to the NZ economy. It would be a foolish person indeed that would suggest the US economy will be less important to NZ as time passes. The US economy despite it's regulatory controls on the productive sector is still the worlds leading economy and will continue to set the standard for countries like NZ to aspire too. Most Asian economies are recovering from economic melt down due in some cases to corrupt practises of parasitical elites in the Philipines, Malaysia, Pakistan, India and China. And NZ should learn from those disasters not embrace them as per this current socialist regime.

>>>>Some of what the Clark Government has done is damaging from your AND MY view ... but some has also been constructive.<<<<<<<

Agreed on the first part of your response here, but I am at a loss to find anything constructive in this governments decision making. Perhaps friend you can fill me in.


>>>>>The coup in Fiji has had no effect on NZ domestic politics whatsoever so I'm not sure why that was mentioned.<<<<<

You will remember, just before the coup in Fiji the government were under pressure from business and the news media on their policies, and just as that pressure began to mount, the focus shifted away from the coalitions policies to Fiji's dilemas. Thankfully we're getting back on track again. I can remember the front page headlines in the "Herald screamed "ECONOMY TAKES A NOSE DIVE", on the same day Clarke was giving an 86 million dollar present to the arts. The parliament chambers, political commentators, and business were in an uproar. The next day whatsisname relieved that pressure somewhat by grabbing 30 plus hostages in Suva and the news shifted away from our own internal issues.

>>>>Neo, I think you and I actually share political ideals and opinions.<<<<<<<

My ideals are to depolitize government(s) back to their basic fundamental responsibilities and thats to protect the property rights of individuals from force, fraud and coercion from individuals, groups of individuals and government under objective natural justice laws.

>>>> so please don't take this as a personal insult or anything.<<<<<<<<<<

You're a bit of a strange fellow mate, one minute your full of emotional, illiberal retoric if comments don't follow your thinking and the next your apoligizing.

>>>>> But such total negativity and general denigration without foundation or analysis does not make for good political debate.<<<<

Again friend a mystical statement. My comments on the efforts of this government in it's first six months in office are echoed by the entire business community, economists, and political comentators. Most productive individuals can see this government is taking us down the wrong path and hard working New Zealanders are waking up to that fact. If you think my comments are without foundation, then you have either missed the point or are happy to see the direction we are heading.

neo
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in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity
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Einstein. (i think)

[imported_angie]

Hi everyone!

I just discovered this bulletin board tonite and I'm thrilled - especially since it involved NZ politics. Here in Alberta, Canada, our provincial politicians have often cited NZ as an example of what Alberta should do - much to the dismay of many so called "liberals" here! Let me just say that our provincial politicians are very CONSERVATIVE i.e. "right-wingism" is alive and kicking here. Will tell you over the next little while what we've had happen here. In the meantime, it'll be great listening to everyone from elsewhere about what their government are or aren't doing!

TTFN Angie

[imported_angie]

Now that I've caught up on all the posts, I can tell you what's been happening here relative to what you've been discussing.

Alberta's gov. is very pro business. We have one of the lowest (if not the lowest) tax rates in the country. In January, 2001, Alberta will be going from a progressive tax scheme to a flat tax of 10.5% (and it could end up being lower). That bill just passed a week or two ago. Our province is booming -the economy is doing very well.

I might add that Canada has a GST as well (at 7%) and then each province, with the exception of Alberta, has a Sales Tax. Those Provincial Sales taxes vary from province to province (7 - 10%??) I'm not sure because we don't pay a sales tax.

The Alberta gov't has recently passed a new Health Care Bill which will allow for private surgical facilities. (Canada's health care system is accessible to all at no cost)(well, some of us pay health care premiums - in Alberta it's $64.00 per month for family, $34 for singles). This has created a HUGE outcry from people who fear a two-tier health system - one for the rich and one for the poor. The concern is that the private facilities will drain resources and expertise away from the public facilities. (Incidentally, these private surgical facilities will be accessible by all at no cost - it'll be paid for by the public health system). The idea is that, hopefully, it will shorten waiting lists for some surgeries.

Problem is, we already have a 2 tier system and I don't know why people can't see that. When I go to a chiropractor, I have to pay 1/2 of the fee (health care pays only 1/2) or when I go to physio, I can only get $250 worth of treatments and then have to pay for the rest unless, of course, I happen to have private insurance.

So, these are some of the issues we currently face here. Albertans actually have it pretty good compared to other provinces. My mom just moved here from British Columbia, a neighbouring province (last week) and she says things are REALLY bad there - both economically and in healthcare. Mind you, it doesn't surprise me because the government there is VERY socialistic - high taxation, poor economy, highly in debt, etc. etc.

TTFN Angie

[imported_watchmanz]

Hi Neo, perhaps I did use emotive terms previously but that does not detract from what I was saying. I work within the business ector and there is no mass loss of confidence or economy in turmoil at all. That is media hype only. I think perhaps reading your post was one too many for the day ... no personal insult was intended, just a bad reaction at the time. I hope we can start off again on a better note perhaps. However I still disagree with some of the points you raised and I stick by the main thrusts of my argument. Incidentally, I resent your suggestion that anything I might say here could reflect upon my abilities as a moderator. Freedom of speech is aparamount, whether emotive or not. Surely you are not suggesting that a moderator may not have views, or that they must agree with your views? Being a moderator is one thing ... responding to your message is quite another. I prefer to keep the two clearly seperate and would request that you do the same. Many thanks.
Hiya Angie, welcome along ..... hope you enjoy yourself here. Alberta sounds like an interesting place. You say it has a great economy etc and no sales tax ... why are they looking at changing everything if it is working so well?

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Watchmanz
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"The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is courage"
- Thucydides

[imported_angie]

They're not changing anything - they're "improving"

[imported_watchmanz]

We had some "improving" in 1984. I hope your improvements go well. Ours did in the long term, although the transitional pain was very difficult for New Zealanders at the time. For a long time our Governments concentrated on fiscal policy and debt management and scant regard was paid to social issues. The end result was quite tumultuous at the time and is now only beginning to reap the promised benefits for the economy.

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Watchmanz
=========
"The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is courage"
- Thucydides

[rodneymackinnon]

Not really on topic, but I think it's interesting that the political bent of Canada geographically loosely echoes the US, with the British Columbia having the same liberal bent as California, Alberta having the same Conservative bent as Montana, WY, etc. and the same with East. Probably more demographic and lifestyle similarities than anything else.

[imported_alexis]

Information please

I am very interested in NZ Politics. I am trying to find out who was the first woman member of Parliment. I know she was quite young and that she is/was an economist. She had very different ideas about government and the economy. She did some interesting research in this area. Some might even call her off the wall but I found her ideas intriguing and would be interested in finding out more about her and discuss her ideas with someone from NZ. I had seen a public television special on her 7 to 8 years ago. If you have any information on her please let me know.

I read part of your debate on Unions and it proved something I have always felt. That is not a matter of one over the other but we need all options available to us. What one group doesn't accomplish the other one will.

Alexis

[Neighbor]

It's interesting to notice that most of the postings are pro capitalistic here as in almost any other website everywhere.
Why is that?
Answer is simple. Most of the 'surfers' probably have a good job and have their origins in the 'upper' class. And they have time to spend in the net.
Computers are also pretty expensive, so the poor probably don't have one.
This should not be the case, since majority of the citizens in any country are pretty poor. They belong to the working class or are unemployed like me (heh..) They are also worried about their daily bread. They don't have time, money or interest in surfing around the virtual world.

I've read that New Zealand like US have big problems with crime, health care and education etc...
More families are broken than ever before. Moral values are declining etc...

I'd like to know what is better there now than before the year 1984 and what was the cost of the transformation process in becoming a laissez-faire capitalistic country?
And what is the cost of being such a country?

[imported_h_halim]

Dear Watchman,

I see many immigrants here in nz are waste of their skill as the government has no intention to utilize their expertise and experiences. How come?