Dirty Politics; Is There Any Other Kind?

As my mate on facebook (Gavin) says; "Dirty Politics is old crap." After watching the PM squirm nightly on TV about whether he actually got the letter from the SIS Director about Goff's communication with the SIS which was passed on to the Big Boy Slater or whether his office wallars got it, is almost as good as Coronation St. if you are not a fanatical Nat. The substance is long forgotten but I still remember the Ena Sharples of politics; Rob Muldoon. Gav; the difference is the internet politics of today. The two Big Boys (Slater and Kim) can apparently either hack other people's emails or develop some nasties based on them and actually get some other people to give them money for it. 

Nicky Hager has done in this book what he did in "The Hollow Men;" tell us how modern communications in secret, political spins and strategies especially of the right from the US has impacted on the political scene. Frankly, it's very cynical stuff and the values base derived from the gutter. This is not a left wing conspiracy as the PM mantras. It's simply investigative journalism in a democracy. I have yet to get a copy of the book but if "The Hollow Men" is anything to go by........That book's references were also full of emails.

If you are a politician then power is all important. You get that by persuading as many as possible to vote for you and your particular ideology and interests you have in common with others in an organised party. Or maybe you simply have a lust for power or a genuine urge to serve your fellow citizens. If you want political office bad enough then you need advisors and strategists. When they play dirty they are doing it for you and the cause. How much of it sticks to you is your problem, Mr. Keys.

By the way, there's an election soon. My young brother used to say to me; "I don't care who you vote for as long as it's Labour." I did too for many years and was for a while an active member. That changed under "Rogernomics" and his Act Party mates. I have never missed an election since I was old enough to vote. It's more important that we vote rather than which party we vote for. It's not easy to scrutinize all policy offers or know about costs etc. I suggest that you at least look at education, health, and employment policies. And spare a thought for young and old. While global economic developments have a huge impact on NZ's economy, parties must not use that as an excuse. Rogernomics opened us up to every hiccup from London, the EU and Wall St. We are NOT a rock star economy. We were once in the top 5 and NO; we are not growing faster than any OECD nation because we have a lot of catching up to do. We are in serious debt. Na reira kaua e wareware. Haere ki te pooti.