tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post113834677398752495..comments2023-11-06T00:01:30.085+13:00Comments on New Zeal: The "Liberal" Word, Help or Hindrance?Trevor Loudonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17040453691836232676noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1138502557766826412006-01-29T15:42:00.000+13:002006-01-29T15:42:00.000+13:00ACT's vote was basically eaten by National at the ...ACT's vote was basically eaten by National at the last election. Some people I knew who voted ACT at the 2002 election voted National in 2005 because Don Brash was giving them everything they liked about ACT. When Brash first came to Parliament people joked that he was ACT's 9th MP because he was always appearing at ACT conferences as a speaker and advocated many policies that may have even been right of ACT's programme, for example abolishing welfare benefits (see his 2003 Orewa speech).<BR/><BR/>ACT will be able to do well in the future if the less economically liberal National MPs (Bill English etc) gain control of the party again from neo-liberals Brash and Key. There will be once again a space for a small Party in Parliament that advocates tax cuts, tougher penalties on crime etc. The other option is if Brash and co. see the importance of having a reliable coalition power. Then National might pull out of Epsom or any other seats that will always support a right-wing candidate and ACT will have reliable seats to ensure a place in Parliament.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1138494293482950992006-01-29T13:24:00.000+13:002006-01-29T13:24:00.000+13:00I believe ACT should target 5 electorate seats for...I believe ACT should target 5 electorate seats for "conquest" over the next 3 election cycles.<BR/>I think 15% is a longer term goal.<BR/>If we aim too high we will fail miserably, too low will bring the same result.<BR/>I think an achievable target for 2008, would be to retain Epsom, come second in 2 other electorates and gain 7% of the party vote. Warren is right though. Nothing will happen without a plan.Trevor Loudonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17040453691836232676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1138484413268027102006-01-29T10:40:00.000+13:002006-01-29T10:40:00.000+13:00The Liberal tag certianly describes the voters ACT...The Liberal tag certianly describes the voters ACT are after, but my experience was the majority of members were more conservative than those I have met in National, so I can understand the internal dilemma.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1138475446578270552006-01-29T08:10:00.000+13:002006-01-29T08:10:00.000+13:00ACT needs to se the targets high and go for 15% of...ACT needs to se the targets high and go for 15% of Party vote and 5 electorate seats.... If they go for 5% and Epsom then they are still vunerable......Rob Goodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03696059924886120946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1138413857636711912006-01-28T15:04:00.000+13:002006-01-28T15:04:00.000+13:00Warren, I know some people in ACT are not keen on ...Warren, I know some people in ACT are not keen on the word, but some are. I'm sure it will come up at the big, partywide "hui", we have planned for Feb.<BR/><BR/>Re James and Lindsay. If I had my way, ACT would be a libertarian party. A quick look at the votes the Libz get shows how viable that is.<BR/><BR/>I think ACT has to do a balancing act. We need the libertarians, we need the classic liberals and we also need some "conservatives".<BR/><BR/>We can all unite around areas of common agreement such as low tax, school choce, justice issues etc.<BR/><BR/>ACT is the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers, who want a voice in parliament. That to me is our primary focus, not trying to rehabilitate a noble, but tainted word.Trevor Loudonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17040453691836232676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1138409094360342352006-01-28T13:44:00.000+13:002006-01-28T13:44:00.000+13:00Yep and NZ needs another Conservative party like a...Yep and NZ needs another Conservative party like a hole in the head.A good chunk of the problems we face are due to Conservatism....and the damage it causes . But Act does need to refocus on its target market which is who...? The responsible, the productive, the benevolent, the belivers in justice....There is no conflict between ACT's message of freedom,wealth creation and personal responsibility with Liberalism....but there is between that message and Conservatism. Conservatism is Right wing Socialism,Socialism of the soul if you will.It mirrors the things Left Socialism wants to ban and encourage...why would ACT want to adopt that position? If we want to reach "our voters" then is the Conservative aspects we need to drop and the consistent Liberal ones we need to embrace.Become the party of fun,good humour,promise,youth etc...all are attractive and consistent with Liberalism.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1138408119749982402006-01-28T13:28:00.000+13:002006-01-28T13:28:00.000+13:00This discussion reminds me of what Graham Scott ha...This discussion reminds me of what Graham Scott has said. ACT needs to define who the party represents. At that point, some people will get off the bus, but others will get on. His words, and I agree. Are we too afraid to take that chance, the party which purports to champion risk-takers?<BR/>Too many energies get dissipated and lost to the cause when people can't agree. NATIONAL is the conservative party.Lindsay Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04437693272797130833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1138393800471468062006-01-28T09:30:00.000+13:002006-01-28T09:30:00.000+13:00Warren - "excludes people like myself and spirit w...Warren - "excludes people like myself and spirit who are conservative", which is what I've been saying for several years. ACT was always an umbrella party that reflected socially liberal refugees from the 4th Labour govt, as well as neo conservatives of the Ruth Richardson/John Banks type who were strong on the free market but were not socially liberal. Sometime around 2002/2003, ACT decided to undertake the liberal project, and I suspect that at the end of this rebranding project, conservatives in ACT left as they were not "liberal". <BR/><BR/>Rebranding in itself will not fix ACT, although that is a part of what needs to be done.Aaron Bhatnagarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06359690269570060896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1138384904623900122006-01-28T07:01:00.000+13:002006-01-28T07:01:00.000+13:00Dump the word Liberal today. It simply does not he...Dump the word Liberal today. It simply does not help. ACT would be better of with NO slogan than having "The Liberal Party" Reminds me of Jean Chreien.Rob Goodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03696059924886120946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1138353296872069492006-01-27T22:14:00.000+13:002006-01-27T22:14:00.000+13:00This also shoots the Libertarians in the foot, as ...This also shoots the Libertarians in the foot, as many associate them with 'civil libertarians'<BR/><BR/>Wrong, but that's what happens!Oswald Bastablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11828229103486326473noreply@blogger.com