NX-Files

nx-files.blogspot.com


'The Standard' said they've been "impressed with Labour parties on both sides of the ditch lately".  

Both parties are advocating new taxes - a Capital Gains Tax here, & a Carbon Tax in Australia.  The centre-left parties have something else in common - they're both tanking in the polls at historically low proportions.  In Australia, the Governing Labor party's primary vote is at 26%.  In New Zealand the Labour party in opposition is at 27%

You've only got to watch this video of Julia Gillard on the beat to understand why she's tanking. 

Obviously The Standard is bias to the left (if not a Labour party mouthpiece), but this really calls into question The Standard's political acumen or lack of & their ability to make any sort of reasoned political analyses.  


Friday, July 15, 2011

Phil Goff on FB Goff Chat


"At the end of this year, we'll inherit a huge debt".

In the space of a few sentences Goff goes from complaining about the deficit to promising to reverse the spending cuts.







Some thoughts:

- I thought I understood the logic behind a capital gains tax (CGT), but after a cursory look at the details on Kiwiblog, it just looks scary & complicated.  Granted, I know jack, but I think a simpler approach would be better.  A 5% CGT on everything would be preferable to a 15% tax on some things and not on others.
- I don't like the fact Labour's plan is to spend the any money the tax raises.
- How much would a top tax rate at $150k actually make?  Is it worth implementing if people just restructure their finances to get around paying it?  

I really do welcome Labour being bold on economic policy.  But I don't like this.  Too complicated! 





Why is David Park in the number three position in the photo when he's actually number four on the party list?



Thursday, July 7, 2011

The Captial Gains Tax


As stated in my previous post, I'm sympathetic to a Capital Gains Tax.  
As predicted leftie blogs are a little puzzled by the lack of opposition from the right.  Case in point is this quote from 'The Standard'.

Everybody's favourite Tory mouthpiece DPF was strangely muted in his criticism at Kiwiblog. Perhaps that's because he recalls saying, just last year that "… I think the time is right to now take a serious look at capital gains tax".
.
Rusted on lefties see the tax as a tool to punish the rich, so naturally they're confused as to why the right don't vehemently oppose it. 
I don't speak for the entire 'Right wing conspiracy', but my understanding is that a Capital Gains Tax would help to rectify a market distortion - over investment in property.  In theory, the tax would make investment properties a little less appealing & people would seek alternative investment opportunities thereby boosting economic growth (I didn't take economics 101!). 
 
On the flip side, I'm aware of the significant obstacles. With so much money tied up in property, a tax could destroy life savings by causing devaluation.  This is major as it effect multiple generations. 


Also, as Bill English pointed out, property already is in decline - so the problem maybe solving itself.  

But for a leftie, if all you want to do is punish the rich, then I guess none of this really matters. 


Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Question Time - July 2011


The July season of Question Time has got off to a firey start - particularly Tuesdays session.   

I reckon Phil Goff has has lifted his game no doubt embolden by the knowledge of his new tax policy.  But how John Key responds is more interesting.  John not only rose to the challenge, but seemed to enjoy it.  

John's ability to shift-up a gear still seems to surprise an opposition which consistently underrates him.  Phil Goff's new found confidence and willingness to finally get realistic on some economic issues is welcomed.  Depending on the details, the proposed capital gains tax is the only Labour economic policy I'm sympathetic to. Just a shame it comes with a barrage of other stupid spending promises like no GST on fruit 'n veges.  Keep it simple Labour! 

The shouters on left-wing blogs, ever ready for a fight, maybe disappointed by the lack of opposition from right commentators.  In fact the real leftie activists may think it's a wrong move based purely on this - which shows what they're all about.  

If Phil does okay in the up 'n coming general election & keeps improving his performance, Labour would be wise to think twice before ditching him.  Goff's in-house performance may have improved, but his grasp of the facts certainly hasn't.  

He claimed that Labour never sold anyway assets during it's previous nine years in power.  Inexcusably wrong! 

He also claims that National turned Labour's nine years of surpluses into a $16.8 billion deceit as if Labour's policies had nothing to do with it.  I realise politics is about perception but you'd be on another plane of existence if you were to believe this.  Misrepresentations like this is one of the things I hate about politics. 


Monday, July 4, 2011

The Standard » Past 8000 posts

http://thestandard.org.nz/past-8000-posts/

This self congratulatory post by Lprent crows that they've over taken Kiwiblog as NZ most read political blog.

One can only hope!

If everyone read The Standard National's vote would go through the roof (well, it pretty much is already).

Everyone should contrast their views to that of the extreme left as portrayed on The Standard. Then read Kiwiblog and see what agrees with them more.
  
Plus the more people who read The Standard, the more scrutiny is applied to the anonymous authors to reveal their links to Labour. 

http://thestandard.org.nz/vote-for-changes-heart-of-darkness/

"The values of anti-MMP campaigners and white supremacists fit hand in glove."


The Standard is in fine form today. Apparently if you don't like MMP & want to campaign against it, then you're a white supremacist. That's all it takes.

I like how Eddie talks with some authority how a white supremacist operates. It's hugely ironic that people who strongly disavowal racism often think about it the most.

Eddie is trying to tarnish the campaign by highlighting the views of one sad guy. But we should really thank her  for flushing this guy out.

If you're sitting on the fence on the MMP issue - read Eddie's post. By the end of it you'll want to vote against MMP just to spite Eddie. Another great example of irony.  The vote becomes more about defeating the proponents rather than changing the electoral system.




A while back one of The Standard author's decided to 'out himself and reveal his real identity. Good on him, he probably should've done this ages ago. I was curious whether Kiwiblog or Whale Oil has previously outed him. I couldn't find a reference, but it was humorous to read r0b's previous claims why he blogged anonymously.

r0b


I then found a good post by DPF which outlining The Standards use of anonymity.


DPF put's paid to lprent's frustration when people refer to The Standard collectively. FYI - I stopped commenting on The Standard when lprent threatened to ban me for referring to The Standard collectively.

Kiwiblog


So why has r0b suddenly outed himself? He claim's it's because he's beating Whale Oil to the punch with regards to the recent Whaleleaks fiasco. This maybe the case, but I'm wondering whether it has more to do with how left-wing blogs interact with the media.


Right bloggers David Farrar and Cameron Slater (Whale Oil) have an ever growing mainstream media profile. Is r0b trying emulate their success by blogging under his real name? Because to-date there are no prominent leftie bloggers in the media mainly because they hide behind anonymity.
If this is the case - good luck to him because one thing I noticed when trawling through the archives of Kiwiblog is that The Standard was once paid a lot more attention. I guess when you repeat the same slanderous crap again and again - year on year, the blog has marginalised itself. Plus today there's more competition in the leftie blogosphere with'Red Alert' & 'The Dim Post'.


With regards to r0b's identify, a quick search reveals exactly who he is. Interesting that he works in the computer Science department. Anyone who's studied computer science will know that people who inhabit these facilities are notorious for their detached view of reality. If you ever wanted to be belittled & made to feel like an imbosile try approaching a computer science teacher with a problem.


I do hope that r0b doesn't have any problems from student or anyone now that he is public. If I were to ever met r0b, I'd be nothing but polite and respectful.
While I support r0b's decision to go public, given he's in a teaching position at a university & his rather uncompromising political views, I now understand why he choose to stay anonymous for so long.