Breaking the Kiwi addiction to fully-automated politics
It doesn't have to be this way, unless you let it.
New Zealand has a problem, and that problem is called the Uniparty.
That term came from the Americans, who have started to notice that a majority of the Republicans will side with the Democrats on most every major issue should it benefit them financially.
There are no real principles.
To be more exact, the only principle is do whatever is to our advantage.
This is difficult to see because Uniparty presents itself as two opposing teams.
Since much of the general public is by parts clueless and dull, they take this status quo at face value.
Yet, while each side mouths mantras to their token differences, enough to placate the base, they pursue policies that are in substantial agreement.
There is no functional difference between a careerist politician, regardless of party membership.
New Zealand isn’t much different. The colors are flipped. Labour still bears the red of the working-class, socialist, and Communist movements. (It used to be this way in the US until the 80s, until the Rs and Ds flipped colors to escape that history.)
But otherwise, the non-NZ reader can helpfully understand the NZ situation by framing the Labour-National divide as Democrat-Republican. There are important differences, but it’s not a bad rule of thumb.
This is right down to the class collusion between them. Token differences on the surface, but don’t let this fool you.
National’s “Lex Luthor” Luxon and Her Highness PBUH Ardern are on the cordial friendship circuit when the camera’s aren’t rolling for a soundbite.
Now here’s the thing.
Many sane adults I talk to — not all, but many — recognize this.
They see the insanity of the major parties. They see that Luxon, despite being “our best hope” for ditching Ardern’s self-destructive incompetence, is really not much better, or any better at all.
He’s endorsed many of the same policies. During the worst of the C-v-d hysteria, he was promising to do “Labour but faster” as far as implementing the most invasive, controlling, and morally reprehensible policies like mandates and passports.
Not only that, but Uniparty National governments don’t exactly have a shining record of unrolling previous Labour party meddling.
You’d think they’ve become accustomed to having all that power and control for themselves.
Nah, couldn’t happen. Human nature and the temptations of power all go away when the guy belongs to the part I like.
OK.
Let’s grant for a moment that we’re sane, sober, reasonable people.
Let’s pretend that we’re sick of this BS and want real change.
Let’s pretend like we really mean it, and we’re willing to speak up and take action to save our country from total ruin by a class of malevolent parasites.
What would that look like?
First thing, it means dropping the pessimism, cynicism, fatalism, defeatism, and the despair that the average Kiwi holds on to like a child’s blankie. Nothing will ever get done while the people who say they are sick of it continue griping on the internet while refusing to so much as SPEAK UP against it.
If you do nothing, you get nothing.
I may lose, but at least I’m going to try.
Consider the other options. If Budget Lex Luthor isn’t promising real change, why support him? What stops you from getting behind Matt King or (dare I say it) Winston? “Oh but I don’t like them they don’t have a change waaaah”
Self-fulfilling prophecy, mate.
They can’t win because nobody votes for them because they can’t win.
Who do you think benefits from YOU believing that?
See if you can figure it out.
I’ll wait.
If you’re holding your nose at the ballot box, at least make it count.
Do something besides waiting on “them” to save you. This is the big one. Democracy does NOT mean showing up every three years to tick a box.
Should be a no brainer, but so many apathetic, uncaring, defeated people (see point 1) believe that this is all there is to it.
If you have the ability to network, organize, get involved, then do it. Write a letter. Canvass fliers.
If you’re looking for smaller steps, tell your neighbors that you sure are sick of all the lies about the masks, the jabs, the housing situation, inflation, crime, theft of public assets, the horse lady dictator that locked you in your home (that actually happened, remember).
The point is…