17-11-2022, 02:06 PM
Two things can be counted on whenever an election looms - the National party trumpeting on how they're going to 'get tough' - usually on crime but sometimes also on beneficiaries, & Winston hitting the racism button yet again. Anything to gain votes.
Sending kids to military camps has a bit of a history here too.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politic...-boot-camp
"Troubled teens sent to government-run boot camps were abused and assaulted by military personnel tasked with turning their lives around.
Two military staff have been through formal disciplinary proceedings, one step below a full court martial, over treatment they meted out to teens on the camps.
It has drawn criticism that the boot camps are not working and should be scrapped."
National & ACT also have a history of being given large donations by wealthy rich listers, which isn't especially democratic.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/12830808...-democracy
"OPINION: In a democracy, government is supposed to be “of the people, by the people, for the people”, in Abraham Lincoln’s famous phrase. The recent flood of donations to National and ACT, though, suggests we risk getting a government of the Rich List, by the Rich List, for the Rich List.
National has reportedly, in just one month, raised $1.8m in large donations, and ACT $850,000. These are extraordinary sums, roughly ten times the normal amount for a non-election year. And what no-one seems to have noticed is that, in National’s case, all bar one of their 17 donors are on the Rich List."
While donations can be made to all parties, I think donations from anyone at all must be both limited & no secret donations at all permitted.
Sending kids to military camps has a bit of a history here too.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politic...-boot-camp
"Troubled teens sent to government-run boot camps were abused and assaulted by military personnel tasked with turning their lives around.
Two military staff have been through formal disciplinary proceedings, one step below a full court martial, over treatment they meted out to teens on the camps.
It has drawn criticism that the boot camps are not working and should be scrapped."
National & ACT also have a history of being given large donations by wealthy rich listers, which isn't especially democratic.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/12830808...-democracy
"OPINION: In a democracy, government is supposed to be “of the people, by the people, for the people”, in Abraham Lincoln’s famous phrase. The recent flood of donations to National and ACT, though, suggests we risk getting a government of the Rich List, by the Rich List, for the Rich List.
National has reportedly, in just one month, raised $1.8m in large donations, and ACT $850,000. These are extraordinary sums, roughly ten times the normal amount for a non-election year. And what no-one seems to have noticed is that, in National’s case, all bar one of their 17 donors are on the Rich List."
While donations can be made to all parties, I think donations from anyone at all must be both limited & no secret donations at all permitted.
in order to be old & wise, you must first be young & stupid. (I'm still working on that.)