A huge week in politics
Today just felt like a great day to be alive. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and nothing could dampen my mood. Do you know why? Because America elected a President to be proud of yesterday.
I know he's not going to save the world. He's not going to right every wrong ever committed. But Obama become the President-elect yesterday showed that America, and hopefully that means the world, is beginning to move in the right direction. Equality is not there yet, the passing of Prop 8 (anti gay marriage) proved that, but we are one step closer. Obama didn't just win, he won overwhelmingly. Even forgetting all his policies for a moment, I think we just have to celebrate the fact that Americans voted an African American President in. That is huge.
And I just want to say, McCain's concession speech proved that he is a decent guy. I hope that his supporters take on-board his words about Obama. If McCain - who desperately wanted to be President and has tried and failed many times only to get tantalisingly close this time and yet fail again - can admit that Obama will be a great President and will do good things for America, then I hope McCain supporters will at least give Obama a chance.
AND I hope New Zealander's will see Obama's win as the world voting left-wing. Labour is the New Zealand equivalent of Obama, people. NOT National, despite John Key's claims. This has not been a good campaign by either of our major parties, but think about what is at stake. Do we really want a right-wing government? A government that will take away money and services from our poorest people - the ones who need that help most?
I admit, Helen Clark isn't the orator that Obama (or even McCain) is. New Zealand's never had a Prime Minister who is a stunning orator because that's not one of the skills required to get the job of Prime Minister the way it is to get the job of President. But not being a stunning orator does not mean she is not a good leader. She IS a good leader. She is proven that time and again.
Every government makes mistakes - especially in a term of 9 years. Don't look at the mistakes, look at the good things Labour have done for this country.
- Cheaper healthcare
- Cheaper early childhood education
- Better benefit schemes
- Less unemployment
- More police on the streets (still not enough, but definitely more)
- Free public transport for the elderly
- Interest-free loans for tertiary students (this is HUGE)
- Better availability of student-allowance
- A real way of saving for our retirement (I know some people disagree with Kiwisaver. But have those people actually thought about what they are going to do when they retire? You sure as shit can't rely on a National-led government to look after you in your old age.)
- A New Zealand owned bank that has extremely competitive rates
- Getting back a state-owned railway system (which led to the free travel for elderly)
The list goes on. Those are just things I could think of off the top of my head. Don't be sucked in by National's tax cuts. In order to get them we will lose other important things. Not to mention they are changing the tax brackets so a lot of people won't be better off at all. (My mum for instance will get a higher tax refund from National but will also have been moved into a higher tax bracket meaning, in the end, she will lose money. A lot of people who are planning to vote for National solely based on wanting a tax cut will probably find themselves in the same situation.)
I know we are in a recession at the moment. (Believe me, I know!) But, no matter what he claims, John Key cannot save us from it. It's not just happening in New Zealand, it's happening in the whole world. Now more than ever we need a government who looks after the little people and not just the rich. We need a government who knows what they are doing, who is experienced and who will not privatise everything in sight right when we need state-owned enterprises.
Please. On Saturday think with your social conscience and not with your greed. Vote for Labour. Or, if you really can't stomach that, vote Green. Because what this country needs right now is a Labour/Green coalition government.
I know he's not going to save the world. He's not going to right every wrong ever committed. But Obama become the President-elect yesterday showed that America, and hopefully that means the world, is beginning to move in the right direction. Equality is not there yet, the passing of Prop 8 (anti gay marriage) proved that, but we are one step closer. Obama didn't just win, he won overwhelmingly. Even forgetting all his policies for a moment, I think we just have to celebrate the fact that Americans voted an African American President in. That is huge.
And I just want to say, McCain's concession speech proved that he is a decent guy. I hope that his supporters take on-board his words about Obama. If McCain - who desperately wanted to be President and has tried and failed many times only to get tantalisingly close this time and yet fail again - can admit that Obama will be a great President and will do good things for America, then I hope McCain supporters will at least give Obama a chance.
AND I hope New Zealander's will see Obama's win as the world voting left-wing. Labour is the New Zealand equivalent of Obama, people. NOT National, despite John Key's claims. This has not been a good campaign by either of our major parties, but think about what is at stake. Do we really want a right-wing government? A government that will take away money and services from our poorest people - the ones who need that help most?
I admit, Helen Clark isn't the orator that Obama (or even McCain) is. New Zealand's never had a Prime Minister who is a stunning orator because that's not one of the skills required to get the job of Prime Minister the way it is to get the job of President. But not being a stunning orator does not mean she is not a good leader. She IS a good leader. She is proven that time and again.
Every government makes mistakes - especially in a term of 9 years. Don't look at the mistakes, look at the good things Labour have done for this country.
- Cheaper healthcare
- Cheaper early childhood education
- Better benefit schemes
- Less unemployment
- More police on the streets (still not enough, but definitely more)
- Free public transport for the elderly
- Interest-free loans for tertiary students (this is HUGE)
- Better availability of student-allowance
- A real way of saving for our retirement (I know some people disagree with Kiwisaver. But have those people actually thought about what they are going to do when they retire? You sure as shit can't rely on a National-led government to look after you in your old age.)
- A New Zealand owned bank that has extremely competitive rates
- Getting back a state-owned railway system (which led to the free travel for elderly)
The list goes on. Those are just things I could think of off the top of my head. Don't be sucked in by National's tax cuts. In order to get them we will lose other important things. Not to mention they are changing the tax brackets so a lot of people won't be better off at all. (My mum for instance will get a higher tax refund from National but will also have been moved into a higher tax bracket meaning, in the end, she will lose money. A lot of people who are planning to vote for National solely based on wanting a tax cut will probably find themselves in the same situation.)
I know we are in a recession at the moment. (Believe me, I know!) But, no matter what he claims, John Key cannot save us from it. It's not just happening in New Zealand, it's happening in the whole world. Now more than ever we need a government who looks after the little people and not just the rich. We need a government who knows what they are doing, who is experienced and who will not privatise everything in sight right when we need state-owned enterprises.
Please. On Saturday think with your social conscience and not with your greed. Vote for Labour. Or, if you really can't stomach that, vote Green. Because what this country needs right now is a Labour/Green coalition government.
Labels: Helen Clark, john mccain, Labour, obama, politics
share this: facebook
This entry was posted
on Thursday, November 06, 2008 at 10:00 PM.
You can skip to the end and leave a response.
2 Comments:
I disagree. New Zealand has had a Prime Minister who was also a good orator - David Lange.
One could argue that he was the only 'inspirational' Prime Ministers we've ever had - primarily due to the fact that he could talk!
I agree with everything else though. :)
Derek said the same thing about David Lange.
I clearly didn't make my point in the way I meant to. I agree David Lange was good - he was by far the best of all the Prime Ministers we've ever had, in my opinion. But I don't think he compares to Obama, to Kennedy, Lincoln, even to Clinton.
To me the American Presidents are in a whole other league. And it's not surprising to me, they generally have to be to get elected. I didn't mean to imply that our Prime Ministers are terrible, just that they're not in the same league.
It's obviously just my opinion, but I don't think David Lange was anywhere near as good as those Presidents I've listed above - and probably others. He was good. Just not as good as they were.
Post a Comment