Tuesday, February 02, 2010

ACT forgets its "great purpose"

It must be personally satisfying for an MP to enter parliament and achieve something for some people. That is the way of modern politics. Nearly every MP is after taxpayer funding, or legislation that will enhance the interests of some people.

And as such Heather Roy will be pleased with her group of students going into independent schools on the back of tax-payer funded scholarships.

But a speech given by Muriel Newman in 2007 captures exactly why this is exactly not what ACT should be doing.

Muriel said, "The great purpose of ACT was to attack privilege in New Zealand."

It's a hard message to sell. It should have been the opposite but unfortunately too many noses and too many troughs .....

With this policy ACT has wimped out and taken the line of least resistance. I know I am out on a limb on this one but it is quite antithetical to what ACT stands or stood for.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

"The great purpose of ACT was to attack privilege in New Zealand."

Well thank goodness ACT has given up on that completely leftist "message".

When the useless Phil Goff said half as much last week he was rightly pilloried.

The great purpose of ACT is to destory leftism, especially government and bludgers.

Anonymous said...

Hide has succumbed to the baubles of office. Pure and simple.

Lindsay Mitchell said...

Anon 1, I have come to the conclusion that you understand neither nuance nor context.

Anonymous said...

There is never any excuse for leftism.
Priviledge is good.
Inasmuch as act is against priviledge - or the libz in favour of a neutral state with a monopoly of force - they are both leftists.

Shane Pleasance said...

Indeed Lindsay, the moral vote can now only ever go to the Libertarianz. We are now the only true opposition.

Lucy said...

I have said it before I would like to see a party with Muriel Newman, yourself and Don Brash.

Pragmatic, sensible, fair to everyone, realising that not all people are created equal and realistic about short middle and long term goals that will (eventually) bring the people along.

Not sell outs for the sake of popular opinion and patch ups

Until that time I believe the only way forward is to have many many good solid independents who can persuade those in 'power and those that vote for them of the error of their ways.