To save the planet one has to first get on it, and The Greens’ election manifesto shows little indication of that happening soon.
I admit The Greens are passionate and sincere in the beliefs, but I also believe that they are terrified of having true power and a mandate to put some of their more wacky policies into action.
The latest, announced today, is to ban the sale of lollies, sweet drinks and chips at school. Now, that may sound laudable to some, and it certainly is not new, but that’s not the point. The point is that, as a policy, is it likely to secure for The Greens one additional vote that they weren’t going to get anyway? It’s hardly a deal-breaker.
To be fair, there are more substantive aspects to the party’s education policy. For example, they want to reduce class sizes to 20 (probably impractical) and do away with National Standards. But, again, is any of that going to swing any new votes their way?
And that’s the problem, isn’t it? Nothing much is changing or will change with this election. It is, for me, amounting to little more than a huge yawn. I am not saying, as some do, that the result is a foregone conclusion; I am saying there is little that is new, little that is visionary, little that captures the imagination (or my vote) from any party in this election.
Given the traumatic 12 months this country has had that yawn quality may just be the welcome change this country needs.
But it is still an election and it is still sad that the political parties disappoint in the way that they do.
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All the news that is S**t to print
People losing their jobs is not good news. But the question is: is it news at all? I am referring to Newshub's imminent demise and TVN...
4 comments:
I may just give the greens my vote for their enthusiasm. Unless one of the other parties surprises me with some decisive leadership.... seems unlikely!
Fair enough. Or, you may do as a number of people have told me they will do--not vote at all! Which is a pity.
Hmmmm I wonder if you have actually read the Greens Policies or are you just picking a little bit out to comment on? The Greens imo are the only ones that actually do have any progressive policies. Perhaps if you read their policies and that of all the other parties it may not be such a yawn for you... but that would require some commitment not just flippant words
The "little bit (I) picked out" was the same little bit the Herald and other major media picked out. I then went on to acknowledge that the Green's education policy had some more substantive aspects. But the main thrust of Fryday remains. This election is a yawn--or, to put it more accurately, just a storm in a latte.
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