(no subject)

[labellementeuse]

Oh my god, y'all, if ONE MORE PERSON I know says that they care more about the US election than the NZ election*, I will FLIP OUT. I understand the perspective that feels that the centrist parties are much of a muchness but COME ON, guys, this IS going to affect us. I am TERRIFIED that we are going to become so complacent and so-so about this that we're just not going to vote. NOT COOL. WAKE UP.

- National wants to gut kiwisaver by half. That means the money you've been saving to buy a house won't be there. Oh, they also want to make it that employers can take into account Kiwisaver contributions when choosing pay rates - so they'll pay you less than your co-workers to avoid having to make a contribution.
- In National's previous tax cut plan (I'm not familiar with how they altered it post-economic disaster) 1% of the total money allocated to tax relief went to 50% of tax payers - the poor end, by the way. Labour had 11% - still not good enough, but that's a real difference.
- National's policies - hell, National's fucking Cabinet - haven't changed since the 90s, when they privatised health care, slashed benefits, cut funding to education. Lockwood Smith introduced means-testing for student allowances in that time, and (indirectly) raised university fees.
- John Key last night in a debate capitalised on the fucking Herceptin thing, claiming he'd fund treatment for breast cancer. HEY, ladies and feminists - he's hijacking our movement and using it as an excuse to compromise the neutrality of Pharmac. Because what we really, really want is politicians without a shred of medical training deciding what drugs should get funded! NOT.
- Oh, and hey, don't forget National will be in coalition with ACT - third on their party list being Roger Douglas. Wasn't the 80s Labour government SO much fun under Roger? Oh yeah! Oh, wait... between the 80s Labour government, and the 90s National government, child poverty tripled, health inequities increased dramatically, etc, etc... and this is basically THE SAME National government.

DON'T give them a second chance and DON'T believe that things won't change. THEY WILL. And, yes, whether Obama or McCain are in the White House will affect us too, hell yes, but this election we're picking the people who are going to help us deal with *whoever* is in the White House. And I don't want it to be a fucking merchant banker, tyvm.

*I mean Kiwis, and I'll even extend that to Kiwis living in New Zealand, obviously.

Comments

[cactus-cat.livejournal.com]

If anything I've become less complacent, not more. Hence voting for Alliance.

I hate to say this, given that my partner has already riled you up recently, but is anyone on your friends list not already convinced that a National(/Act) Govt would be a bad thing? People may say that they think the US election is more important, but does that mean they aren't voting, or just that they see that it's very likely going to be a Nat/Act win, and they'd rather watch the US shift very slightly left?

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Everyone I know is voting, or if they're not they're not admitting it around me, and this post is not really intended to convince anyone to vote either way. (I mean, I do think most of the people on the flist are voting left.) But a LOT of people on the flist are talking about how it won't make much difference either way, or the US election is SO much more exciting or important or whatever, and I just want that viewpoint to STFU because I feel that the stakes are higher than we think.

[confusiontempst.livejournal.com]

Hey now, let's all remember that Matt was being an unnecessarily contrary fucker.

Or did you convince him to vote?

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

, let's all remember that Matt was being an unnecessarily contrary fucker.

Well, that + puns is basically his default personality, so. No, I don't think I did convince him to vote, but whatever, if he wants to abrogate a privilege he's very lucky to have he can go ahead.

[ellipsisblack.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I agree 100%. The last time someone said to me, "I care way more about American politics than Australian," I gave them a lecture. I don't know if it's ignorance or the contempt of the familiar, or just being attracted to fireworks and a marching band, but man, it pisses me off. Care about your country, people!

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

*waves hands in the air* EXACTLY.

[domssecondbfast.livejournal.com]

Very well said. *firm nod* Mind me asking who you're voting for?

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Not at all! Labour. I deliver pamphlets for them and everything! (I'm probably a bit left of Labour, but I have no respect for the Greens as a party [though lots of respect for some of their MPs and I'm really glad they're in parliament] so.)

[amarynth.livejournal.com]

Well, from a horse-race perspective, the American race is a lot closer (or at least was until a few weeks out). So I can understand that.

It's one thing to say that the American race is more interesting, it's quite another to say it's more important.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

The interesting thing just makes me eyeroll, but I have absolutely heard more important from some people and it really. stresses. me. out.

[karenhealey.livejournal.com]

You are right! I am sorry! I would vote if I could!

(But I am still *more* concerned about the American election. I am just now less complacent about the NZ one.)

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Well, you get a pass because you're not actually living here. The US election will still have a bigger effect on Aus than NZ for sure.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

*than the NZ election.

Anyway. Now I only have one election to worry about!!!

[sennical.livejournal.com]

If it's any consolation, I'm really not a huge fan of the fact that our election matters so much to people outside the US. Good luck on the home front.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

It's not your fault you're a superpower! Thanks for the luck and YAAAAAAAY for you guys!

[sennical.livejournal.com]

I'd say it was probably equal parts "this is our election, go get your own" (*g*) and just being uncomfortable with the fact that who we choose as President really does affect the world to a certain degree. I don't think we deserve to be that important, really.

Anyway, kind of irrelevant now, I think. I AM SO FUCKING PROUD RIGHT NOW. :DDD

[wanderlight.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I know what you mean. Not because I live in New Zealand, but because I felt exactly the way you do about the Canadian election, which we had a couple of weeks ago. :(

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I noticed that there wasn't a lot of coverage on the Canadian election - I figured, what, third election in as many years, you're all sick of it :P And, of course, there wasn't much of a change.

[wanderlight.livejournal.com]

Not much of a change at all. I think there must have been more pointless elections in Canadian history, but I can't think of any. :/

heh

[pondocus.livejournal.com]

Really? I'm gonna be the one who has to do it?

"I care more about the US election than the NZ election!"

Re: heh

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Doesn't really work when you're obviously taking the michael, I'm afraid!

[chattycheese.livejournal.com]

I CANNOT GET AWAY. Seriously, though. I just got back from a weekend in Napier, and every single person I met who cottoned on to my American-ness, the first question I got was "are you going to vote" and then, "who did you vote for?"

UGH. SO TIRED OF IT. It's terrifying, I think I know more about the election going on here than my roommate does. Then again, she doesn't know anything about american politics either, so that's not too bad. BUT UGH.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

It must have been even worse today!

There was totally, on the coverage on TV one today, there was totally a couple of interviews with these American girls at the US embassy in Welly who are doing an exchange here and ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY VOTED MCCAIN. I was like, where did they dig up a McCain supporter in freaking Wellington, under a rock? Anyway, thought of you.

[dazyndara.livejournal.com]

I stand by my opinion that for me at this particular stage in my career the US election result could well impact my life more than the NZ one, hence my caring about it more. I still think ours is bloody worrying and of course I'll be voting and telling all my friends to go vote, because I agree the consequences here are pretty dire. BUT- looking at my personal future dependant on getting research scholarships overseas, the thought of a US government that openly ridicules international research cooperation terrifies me. And thinking globally, wherever I end up overseas, I really don't want the US warmongering again for the next 4 years. Yes if things turn to shit out there then I really hope we have the right (or is that left :P) sort of government to handle things sensibly, but it would be better if that was just not an issue.
Argh back to studying for my exam tomorrow :S

[dazyndara.livejournal.com]

Also, as I'm not one *more* person to be saying this, I don't necessarily trigger you flipping out, right? :P

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, see, you have an actual reason. Not "it's more interesting" or "Eh, it's all the same here anyway."

[botrytis.livejournal.com]

The US election will have a greater impact on the global situation than the NZ election, whether we like it or not. Does that make me care about it more? Not really. Unless the polls have not reflected how the vote will actually go today, I've been quietly hopeful about the US election for some time.

The NZ election I can't say the same for. It's become obvious that:
* Many NZ voters have a short memory or lack of knowledge of what various parties have down in office.
* Some of our media have political biases that they let influence their reporting.
* Our polling is questionable, with different polls producing different results, and few polls giving information on undecided or undeclared voters.
* We have elements in the community trying to bribe the political system.
* We have voters who will vote for a party without understanding what that party's policies are and who they're likely to form a coalition with.

How the voting will go in New Zealand on Saturday concerns me more because the result is much less clear.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

The US election will have a greater impact on the global situation than the NZ election, whether we like it or not.

I absolutely do not contest that. But I think that, for New Zealanders, they are going to be affected for the next four years by our actual government in a much more immediate sense. And so I'm frustrated by the way people don't even seem to be *thinking* about that, just because, what, Obama is good looking? But, you know, it's moot now, so.

* Many NZ voters have a short memory or lack of knowledge of what various parties have down in office.
* Some of our media have political biases that they let influence their reporting.

You're not wrong. I was talking to a friend about this (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-election-2008/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501799&objectid=10541197) earlier and talking about how "someone has to be ready to make an unpopular decision about going to war" - which is more or less, I think, what English is saying - is a lot less innocuous when you know that English is talking about the Iraq fuckin' war, and when you know the National party's pro-Iraq pro-Afghanistan we-should-be-there-with-the-Merkins stance. And he said, well, I didn't know that history. And I was thinking first, WHY don't we know that history? and second, WHY doesn't the Herald mention this context? and third, WHY is the Herald letting National get away with not actually *talking about* what English is saying, and instead going "Waaaah, Labour is meeeean to us, mummy!"

You know, I don't support taping people without their knowledge and consent, but what you say when you think no-one is watching is telling, and when you get called on it you have to own it. And National really, really doesn't want to own what it's been saying lately.

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

I went and dropped off letters and flyers yesterday? (Not taking back my comment about being more relieved at the US result than a centre-left NZ govt though, because as much as I disagree with most National policies, they won't result in someone who thinks the world is due to end any day now being a heartbeat away from the nukes, y'know?)

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Um. Weren't we going to do that together?

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

...yes, I think so. *headdesk* I was taking a break from study, saw the letters sitting there, went "holy fuck, I still haven't done those" and decided to get it done before I forgot again. If you've still got some and want to, we can go do those tomorrow? (Have exam this afternoon.)

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

I do still have some, but weren't they all supposed to be delivered by yesterday? I thought it was an EFA/election rules thing.

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

Probably. That was why I had a panic about mine, I remembered there was some sort of deadline. :/