Imagine the runners up!
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But it is the right of the majority elected party to do that. And if the majority don't like how it pans out then they are quite entitled to kick that party out. Its called democracy.
If they don't Banksie et al, then you need to closely re-examine your own pre-conceptions and assumptions and in the words of the well known quote "Consider I pray thee, whether in the bowels of Christ you are wrong brother".
What you are not entitled to do, Banksie et al, is to stop the majority elected party from implementing the platform it was elected on.
But then Belge (aka Algernon) it's entirely possible that that audience is in a small minority of the NZ population and that most people are climate sceptics, atheists or agnostics. Certainly if you follow Western public opinion polls climate concerns have gone from an issue in the top few concerns to only being mentioned very low down in voters concerns. The fact that a few nutters are quite hysterical about it, does not mean it is a top issue or has majority support. Its fair to say that most of the electorate wish it would go away or they could each give $10 to solve but if you gave them a choice of a better house or a DOC with 100,000 employees they would choose a better house, health, education, more leisure & & every time over wildly exaggerated environmental concerns. Take fracking, been going on in Taranaki for 10 years with no ill effects and may have caused one or two minor tremors overseas of about 2.5. Anyone who lives in Christchurch can tell you can't even feel that! Nor has there been any water poisoning in Taranaki or poisonous chemical spills in Taranaki. Its a boondoggle.
Certainly Labour people are encouraging early voting, and it should favour the left, as some of their voters are less mobile.
But I'm very worried about the new National Party video I was directed to on the web, I think this could put a dent in someone's chances.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6WUYzLaEOo
My wish list for Tax cuts.
How about eliminating the first step of 10.5% making all income up to $14000 tax free.
Changing 2cnd step (currently 14000 to 48000 at 17.5%) to become 14,000 to 50,000 at 17.5%
Then all income above 50,000 to be at 33%.
I'm a simple soul, and that's simple and workable.
That's well within the govt's ability with predicted surplus, and benefits the lower paid more than the higher paid.
That should suit everyone except those simpletons who would rather the govt. tax someone else higher then spend that to buy them food for their kids etc.
FP, it's a small difference between 33% and 39%, and they'll still engage tax accountants at 33%. Tax scales might have more than three steps, but there are lookup tables for that, and it doesn't impact most people. You are being disingenuous again, if you think that the lowest paid wouldn't pay any taxes under your scheme. They will of course be paying GST on most things, fuel and energy taxes, etc.
But I do think that the current nil threshold for income tax is crazy. Decades ago it was $3,000, and with inflation it's probably now near $14,000 equivalent as you say. This would let businesses pay students with holiday jobs, cash in hand, no PAYE issues. At the moment, they are being taxed as though they were going to earn that money all through the year. Most of them probably don't claim back the tax portion they are owed, by doing an annual return. I always claimed, good practice if you have gaps in income during the year.
p.s. I didn't think some of you would like the video. It's mean, but accurate though.
Three polls in three days - all put National governing alone - now that would be enough to put Cunliffe off going to the All Blacks match. On the other hand he's down the West Coast propping up his support there. If Labour were to be dumped by the Coasters it would be like the Pope being thrown out of Rome. Today we will vote and my wife assures me she already has enough elastic. Having difficulty rating all the slow horses today.