Have Your Say – Polls
We understand clearly that the only reason for our existence is to represent the voice of the people in our parliament. We believe that any party that is not constantly in touch with the views of the people is simply not doing its job. In this space you can read what others think on key issues, and you can let us know your views.
Add your comment
I believe this is symptomatic of a society that has been force fed American TV and Woman's Day Gossip junk to the point where there is no capacity to discern what is truly newsworthy and important from what is purely the pursuit of ratings at the cost of insight and intelligent debate. That is what I hope United Future stands for and indeed that United Future eschews glib moralising. Fact is that the most immoral government in our time, that of George W Bush proclaims itself to be chosen uniquely by God whilst it consistently undermines morality developed over centuries and through wisdom of the founding fathers of that country's constitution.
Posted by terrylev 2007-08-28 17:19:32.764I think New Zealand is at severe risk of falling into the same undiscerning mindspace.
Unfortunately, there are voters who believe in a trickle down morality and feed off this kind of puerile politicking. Perhaps we could require all political candidates to declare strip club visits, pot smoking (inhaling or not inhaling), bingo playing, and parental curfew breaking prior to elections. That way, we could get this type of nonsense out of the way quickly!
One possible caveat - gross dishonesty and deceit in the private or business lives of politicians is relevant to their public lives.
In 2001 I ran a survey which included the statement "A politician who lies about having an affair shouldn't be a politician." 50% of those in shopping malls on a sunday morning and 75% of those in church agreed with this statement. This suggests to me the majority (just) still link private honesty with public honesty.
Posted by John Pickering 2007-08-27 11:23:33.27NZ has to watch becoming a moralistic nation telling everyone what is or is not good for them. We have had ytoo much of this under Labour as a result of which many good and decent people do not want to ever become Members of Parliament.
There has to be a degree of openness about people we want to be leaders of our nation but there is a limit on this, otherwise we have to employ "thought police" in case we have a bad thought.
"Let him who is without sin cast the first stone" seems to be the right attitude to take to this puerile nonsense.
Posted by Robin Gunston 2007-08-25 16:35:32.927