Break the glass and hit the panic button Labour

[Oh_hunnihunni]

And for those who wonder what the real world is, it is to do with making, selling, repairing and restoring things. And believe me, that's a lot of dollars on which tax is paid.

They destroyed our making and selling industries, it's so much cheaper to import junk. I'm in the repairing and restoring industry, and still doing it everyday at 70...because I have to.

Me too. Just not on an industrial level. I just have lots of post apocalyptic skills thanks to a lifetime of doing it myself...

But Kenj, I am also an ex academic, and very definitely a maker, so there goes that theory. 

[Praktica]

zqwertyInteresting, I find Luxon to be one of the most sinister people I have ever seen, he is capable of acting that he is a nice person and is also capable of overlooking and judging his act, whatever it is, to see the effect the aforementioned act is having on the observers and if it is the desired result, and man to watch and be afraid of.

I would say a ruthless power broker of the previous John Key ilk at the very least.

The type of man who heads up corporations and exactly what we don't need to run the country.

I dunno, did you read where I posted about our new Labour person standing to replace Nash here in the Napier Electorate...... a clinical psychologist is his current occupation. Just what we need??? Probably doesn't know stuff all about how the real world works

And for those who wonder what the real world is, it is to do with making, selling, repairing and restoring things. And believe me, that's a lot of dollars on which tax is paid.

Kenj, can you explain what is wrong with a clinical psychologist as a Labour candidate?   It seems like a useful trade to me in these days of mental health challenges.

Nah - mental health is just academic bull. Us jokers here in the real world know that all you need is a dozen beers with your mates, and then a good chunder.

[Kenj]

Kenj, can you explain what is wrong with a clinical psychologist as a Labour candidate?   It seems like a useful trade to me in these days of mental health challenges.

Nah - mental health is just academic bull. Us jokers here in the real world know that all you need is a dozen beers with your mates, and then a good chunder.

You forgot the knuckle sandwich?

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Knock some sense into them?

[R2x1]

A clinical psychologist may not be ideal, but a senior psychiatrist as leader of The House might be even better qualified than a colonel to be in charge of a nuthouse.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

On my wanderings today I see the ACT billboards have been attacked. They are in shreds...The others in the same group remain untouched, someone really does not like the Seymour lot.

[Lilith7]

On my wanderings today I see the ACT billboards have been attacked. They are in shreds...The others in the same group remain untouched, someone really does not like the Seymour lot.

 I really can't say I'm sorry - perhaps not the wisest move but an understandable one.

[SueDonim]

...The economy we have now depends on exploiting low wages, high rents and property values, and unfair taxation. ..

That's what Labour have done and what National would try to fix. I'm not convinced that Luxon has the skills to lead the way though.

[harm_less]

...The economy we have now depends on exploiting low wages, high rents and property values, and unfair taxation. ..

That's what Labour have done and what National would try to fix. I'm not convinced that Luxon has the skills to lead the way though.

Opening the door to offshore purchasers in our housing market definitely isn't going to help New Zealanders in regard to unaffordable housing and rentals.

[Lilith7]

...The economy we have now depends on exploiting low wages, high rents and property values, and unfair taxation. ..

That's what Labour have done and what National would try to fix. I'm not convinced that Luxon has the skills to lead the way though.

I strongly doubt that the Nats would. They've managed to  ignore it whenever they've been in govt over the last 40 odd years. Neo Liberalism suits them & also ACT so change is very unlikely from them, regardless of what they might claim now.

[SueDonim]

NONE of the previous govts regardless of whether left or right, have done anywhere near enough to address that bloody great gap between rich & poor. And because they haven't, we'll be having to deal with the consequences of that for probably decades.

The gap between rich and poor is not the problem. The problem is the poor who cannot get themselves out of the trap. Those who can't for a reason need ongoing support, which they will always get. Those who can move forward often need help over the first hurdles, which is where stimulating the economy comes in. It doesn't matter one iota how rich the rich actually are.

Today's poorest are already a great deal better off than the poor of the last generation/s were.

[Praktica]

NONE of the previous govts regardless of whether left or right, have done anywhere near enough to address that bloody great gap between rich & poor. And because they haven't, we'll be having to deal with the consequences of that for probably decades.

Today's poorest are already a great deal better off than the poor of the last generation/s were.

That makes it ok, does it?

[Kenj]

NONE of the previous govts regardless of whether left or right, have done anywhere near enough to address that bloody great gap between rich & poor. And because they haven't, we'll be having to deal with the consequences of that for probably decades.

The gap between rich and poor is not the problem. The problem is the poor who cannot get themselves out of the trap. Those who can't for a reason need ongoing support, which they will always get. Those who can move forward often need help over the first hurdles, which is where stimulating the economy comes in. It doesn't matter one iota how rich the rich actually are.

Today's poorest are already a great deal better off than the poor of the last generation/s were.

Yes, 100 years ago, my mothers family of 6 lived in a tent beside whatever road my Grandfather was navvying on. Water from the nearest creek, open fire cooking, privy in the bush , clothes made from flour bags.

Funny though, kids got a hiding if they stepped out of line, not going to nearest school, stealing, swearing, et al.

[SueDonim]

That makes it ok, does it?

I was answering "we'll be having to deal with the consequences of that for probably decades". Somebody has been doing something right over the last decades since life has got better.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I particularly enjoyed the 'you've had six years' to come up with more doctors quip from Luxon.

Considering if the last Nat government had done anything about it the students they got into medical school would be graduating and practicing right now. We wouldn't need to come up with more...

Though it might be true most of those Nat ones would be working overseas in one of those countries enduring the same health crises we are.

---

Today's poorest are already a great deal better off than the poor of the last generation/s were.

That makes it ok, does it?

I am glad I had a 50s 60s childhood. I think I was a whole lot happier and less stressed than the kids are today  for all their advantages, tech, and progressive opportunities. Sure we had disadvantages, it was a different community back then. But we had good schools, healthy food, a lot fewer people, less crime, and roast lamb on Sundays.

Yup, we boomers were a lucky generation.

[Lilith7]

NONE of the previous govts regardless of whether left or right, have done anywhere near enough to address that bloody great gap between rich & poor. And because they haven't, we'll be having to deal with the consequences of that for probably decades.

The gap between rich and poor is not the problem. The problem is the poor who cannot get themselves out of the trap. Those who can't for a reason need ongoing support, which they will always get. Those who can move forward often need help over the first hurdles, which is where stimulating the economy comes in. It doesn't matter one iota how rich the rich actually are.

Today's poorest are already a great deal better off than the poor of the last generation/s were.

You know, years ago when  Neo Liberalism first became popular I soemtimes thought that they were keen to take working people back to the 19th century, with low pay & dire working conditions.

These days I suspect that what those people actually want is a return to even earlier times,with little or no rights for workers & as litle as possible in the way of pay.

And the gap between rich & poor IS very definitely the problem.  Too much money is almost as bad for humans as is too little. We need a fairer society, in which people are not constantly blamed for being poor.

And frankly I do not care if 'today's poorest are already a great deal better off than the poor of the last generation's were' - their children are still getting illnesses which they shouldn't be getting, & parents are going hungry to feed their kids. We have homeless people, we have beggars in our streets - neither of those existed here prior to greed based Neo Liberalism being imposed on this country without consultation or warning.

[Olive]

SueDonim
The gap between rich and poor is not the problem. The problem is the poor who cannot get themselves out of the trap. Those who can't for a reason need ongoing support, which they will always get. Those who can move forward often need help over the first hurdles, which is where stimulating the economy comes in. It doesn't matter one iota how rich the rich actually are.

Today's poorest are already a great deal better off than the poor of the last generation/s were.

You know, years ago when  Neo Liberalism first became popular I soemtimes thought that they were keen to take working people back to the 19th century, with low pay & dire working conditions.

These days I suspect that what those people actually want is a return to even earlier times,with little or no rights for workers & as litle as possible in the way of pay.

And the gap between rich & poor IS very definitely the problem.  Too much money is almost as bad for humans as is too little. We need a fairer society, in which people are not constantly blamed for being poor.

And frankly I do not care if 'today's poorest are already a great deal better off than the poor of the last generation's were' - their children are still getting illnesses which they shouldn't be getting, & parents are going hungry to feed their kids. We have homeless people, we have beggars in our streets - neither of those existed here prior to greed based Neo Liberalism being imposed on this country without consultation or warning.

Yes, yes yes!   Thank you Lilith for spelling it out yet again.

[Lilith7]

SueDonim
The gap between rich and poor is not the problem. The problem is the poor who cannot get themselves out of the trap. Those who can't for a reason need ongoing support, which they will always get. Those who can move forward often need help over the first hurdles, which is where stimulating the economy comes in. It doesn't matter one iota how rich the rich actually are.

Today's poorest are already a great deal better off than the poor of the last generation/s were.

You know, years ago when  Neo Liberalism first became popular I soemtimes thought that they were keen to take working people back to the 19th century, with low pay & dire working conditions.

These days I suspect that what those people actually want is a return to even earlier times,with little or no rights for workers & as litle as possible in the way of pay.

And the gap between rich & poor IS very definitely the problem.  Too much money is almost as bad for humans as is too little. We need a fairer society, in which people are not constantly blamed for being poor.

And frankly I do not care if 'today's poorest are already a great deal better off than the poor of the last generation's were' - their children are still getting illnesses which they shouldn't be getting, & parents are going hungry to feed their kids. We have homeless people, we have beggars in our streets - neither of those existed here prior to greed based Neo Liberalism being imposed on this country without consultation or warning.

Yes, yes yes!   Thank you Lilith for spelling it out yet again.

I do wish that I didn't have to but it seems that some are still unaware of what the consequences have been for those now worst off. 

And if we have  a right wing govt after the eelction, then that doesn't give much hope for improvement in the near future.

[SueDonim]

Yes, yes yes!   Thank you Lilith for spelling it out yet again.

I do wish that I didn't have to but it seems that some are still unaware of what the consequences have been for those now worst off. 

And if we have  a right wing govt after the eelction, then that doesn't give much hope for improvement in the near future.

Just as some are still unaware that how much resource a person has has no bearing on their ethics, morals or social conscience. There are greedy and lazy poor just as there are greedy and lazy wealthy. But the good done by rich philanthropists is such a valuable part of our society that if they were all deprived of their wealth, we would all suffer greatly. And even their profit-making activities are often considered essential. How many people stop to think how much having a cheap computer has enhanced our lives? How many people watch movies? Fly to places you could drive to, or just stay home instead? Eat takeaways? The want v need aspect of some of those things is debatable, but there would be very few people who don't do any of those and our ability to do them cheaply is because others got rich by taking the risks involved in the startups.

---

I particularly enjoyed the 'you've had six years' to come up with more doctors quip from Luxon.

Considering if the last Nat government had done anything about it the students they got into medical school would be graduating and practicing right now. We wouldn't need to come up with more...

Though it might be true most of those Nat ones would be working overseas in one of those countries enduring the same health crises we are.

---

That makes it ok, does it?

I am glad I had a 50s 60s childhood. I think I was a whole lot happier and less stressed than the kids are today  for all their advantages, tech, and progressive opportunities. Sure we had disadvantages, it was a different community back then. But we had good schools, healthy food, a lot fewer people, less crime, and roast lamb on Sundays.

Yup, we boomers were a lucky generation.

Ah, the 60s. When we only had a rainwater tank and when that ran out in summer we had none. Bullied and ostracised at school for wearing inappropriate hand-me-downs and/or simple garments that were clearly home made when the other kids had witches britches. The only treats were at Christmas and included things re-made from the local dump which never really worked. Parents did their best but the hardship was insurmountable for a number of years. The best thing they did give us though was an ethic to work hard to do our best to take care of ourselves, and to give something back to society along the way. Both of which I have done all my life.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Ahhh but our rainwater tanks (plural) were at the back of the two baches my grandparents owned on the beach at Orewa. The little weatherboard house right at the top of the dunes, with the Army hut at the back for us kids. Oh it was heaven. Hours and hours to get there from home in whichever green tree suburb my parents were renovating the latest flip project, but oh once there it was heaven. Bonfires on the beach, watching and helping pull the nets in, screaming in mock horror at flapping fish, being brave enough to bite the tongue off pipis freshly plucked from the sand in the shallows. No poverty there, hard work for sure, the entire family working in the factory in Newmarket, or out on the road selling, doing well, until the import rules changed and Japan then China cut the bottom out of Made in New Zealand.

Gentle years, conditioned me beautifully to love gorgeous things, to know how to put up wallpaper, and to understand that things never stay the same, live in the present, because tomorrow brings surprises. It really is true, those childhood years create the adult to come, strengths and weaknesses both.