Bill In Plain English
It is hard to analyse where someone sits who both the left and right of the political spectrum are starting to ask questions of.
Just because both ends of the spectrum are questioning his ability, does not make him a centrist. For centrists actually do take policy positions and have a vision.
About the only vision we have seen from Bill was in desperation getting into and clobbered out of a boxing ring before Helen Clark did it again on election day. That was all we have seen of a "man with a plan". And to think, we gave up Don Brash and have Sir Roger Douglas on the backbench, for this clown?
I want to examine what is wrong with Bill. In Plain English.
"Together us Kiwis can do it" is just another sloppy, silly phrase of Plain English that does not mean anything. Aucklanders and Wellingtonians at least do not speak like this. Where did English think he was for heaven's sake? In New York on Letterman?
Add it to a myriad of nonsense such as "fair and equitable" and our one analysed from yesterday "legitimate avoidance behaviour" and you start to get the picture that Plain English is bastardising the entire vocabulary. Fair and equitable to whom? By what standard? What are we measuring this "fairness and equity" against?
Issue
In John Key the National Party have found a leader who is popular. He is rating for National at 60%. He can do anything he wants presently and his ratings and that of the party keep going up.
If any PM had a larger window of opportunity to be visionary and lead by example, then right now is the time.
But to do that he has to make very large decisions based on the Nation's finances in the area of English's portfolio - Finance.
Bill English seems intent on having absolutely no vision in the portfolio at all. He is the one who outside of Key has the most important job in Cabinet, yet his flustering can only match his efforts as Leader of National.
Ironically in August 2008, English was taped by Kees Kaizer as stating National wish to sell Kiwibank. It took a subversive taping for any of us to realise English perhaps had an idea. So what has happened to that idea and expanding on others related?
Predecessors
In my lifetime I have seen Muldoon, Douglas, Caygill, Richardson, Birch and Cullen in the position of Finance Minister. It is a powerful pivotal role. Regardless of your political persuasions you cannot argue that with the exception of Caygill and English, all of the rest have stamped their mark on the portfolio with actual vision. Even if the vision was completely erroneous and damaging to the country. They will all go to their graves believing they stood for something.
Cullen's legacy was Working for Families, the Cullen Fund and the train set. All potentially sick-making for someone of the centre-right political persuasion but at least Cullen took a position, made reasonably radical changes to the country and will be remembered as having done something.
Negativity
Right now Bill English projects negativity. Lets say he was meeting three lobby groups. The Business Roundtable meet with him and tell him to cut and flatten taxes. English says no. The CTU meet with him and tell him to raise the top tax rates. English says no. The third lobby group is the "Citizens for Doing Nothing". One wonders if he would say no to them as well.
I bet right now with all the criticism levelled at him, Bill English is also thinking that he is not being given a "fair go". Such an entitlement mentality earned from someone who was allowed back from the political abyss with a twenty one percent election night drubbing when leader of the National Party. The National Party eats its own for poor performance and English was given another chance. They will regret this chance.
Entitlement Mentality
Bill English is from an entitlement mentality which explains much of his behaviour and attitude to date. Because he is from a rural background and not a city slicker, people tend to miss it. Farmboys have as large entitlement attitude as any beneficiary. While much is made of his experience as a treasury analyst and supposed "commercial background", Bill English spent just two years at Treasury before running back to Dipton and the family farm. Hence English has just two years of work and life experience outside of being involved in a family farm that he didn't build and National Party politics at age 29. Bill English comes from a time in the National Party where anyone with a University degree who knew how to jump a fence in gumboots was deemed smart. The Party is now a far more sophisticated and broader church. Bill English compared with other prospects in the National Party looks very average, even academically.
In Plain English
Bill English is a terrible communicator. He is awful in front of a television camera and the TVNZ7 ad is a classic example of this. Wooden, voice like a drone. The only good thing about English is how he wears pin-striped suits.
But his largest crime for anyone who is interested in centre-right politics and getting ahead is that he is an observer.
He has the chance to do something significant with National polling so well and Labour doing such a dreadful job in opposition of being popular. His own Federated Farmers gave him the opportunity when they put a 10% spending cut on the table which would speed up the dire 20 year prognosis for when New Zealand will recover from the global downturn. "Too hard" said English.
But likewise he would reject a 10% increase in government spending from the left. All he does is preside, observe and criticise.
Yes, Bill English with skills like that (if he showed any ability to write) would be a good blogger. Unfortunately eventually politicians are required to "do".
He has done nothing of consequence and substance in one full year now.
International Economies
So what to do? Let us look at some examples from wealthy first world nations who despite adversity have excelled with low tax rates and incredible infrastructure.
Can you imagine in 1965 when Singapore was booted from Malaysia, Lee Kuan Yew saying, well it will take 20 years for us to recover meanwhile we wont change one policy and I will waffle?
Imagine Hong Kong saying in 1984 after The Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed stating "oh no business confidence will collapse because the evil bloody Commies are taking over?". Back in the days when China really was Communist. Instead Hong Kong said, onwards, upwards and lets get richer.
And lets do it without taxing our people to death and creating the largest welfare state that we can.
The English Problem
It is quite obvious that the Key-English combo does not work. Key is a political moderate/statesman. He is allowed to be, and he must be as he's the Boss. The Finance Minister cannot be less than a political moderate - an observer. The Finance Minister cannot take a front role as a pretend statesman.
Bill English clearly harbours some deep resentment that he is not the Leader of the National Party. He is harbouring it by trying to play safely and hoping Key slips up.
Ironically the only way Key will slip up is having a lame duck Finance Minister thieving oxygen from the National Party policy platform that they eventually will need.
Bill English needs to step aside and let someone take the Finance role who will actually get off the observer's bench, step up and get on the paddock.
Just because both ends of the spectrum are questioning his ability, does not make him a centrist. For centrists actually do take policy positions and have a vision.
About the only vision we have seen from Bill was in desperation getting into and clobbered out of a boxing ring before Helen Clark did it again on election day. That was all we have seen of a "man with a plan". And to think, we gave up Don Brash and have Sir Roger Douglas on the backbench, for this clown?
I want to examine what is wrong with Bill. In Plain English.
"Together us Kiwis can do it" is just another sloppy, silly phrase of Plain English that does not mean anything. Aucklanders and Wellingtonians at least do not speak like this. Where did English think he was for heaven's sake? In New York on Letterman?
Add it to a myriad of nonsense such as "fair and equitable" and our one analysed from yesterday "legitimate avoidance behaviour" and you start to get the picture that Plain English is bastardising the entire vocabulary. Fair and equitable to whom? By what standard? What are we measuring this "fairness and equity" against?
Issue
In John Key the National Party have found a leader who is popular. He is rating for National at 60%. He can do anything he wants presently and his ratings and that of the party keep going up.
If any PM had a larger window of opportunity to be visionary and lead by example, then right now is the time.
But to do that he has to make very large decisions based on the Nation's finances in the area of English's portfolio - Finance.
Bill English seems intent on having absolutely no vision in the portfolio at all. He is the one who outside of Key has the most important job in Cabinet, yet his flustering can only match his efforts as Leader of National.
Ironically in August 2008, English was taped by Kees Kaizer as stating National wish to sell Kiwibank. It took a subversive taping for any of us to realise English perhaps had an idea. So what has happened to that idea and expanding on others related?
Predecessors
In my lifetime I have seen Muldoon, Douglas, Caygill, Richardson, Birch and Cullen in the position of Finance Minister. It is a powerful pivotal role. Regardless of your political persuasions you cannot argue that with the exception of Caygill and English, all of the rest have stamped their mark on the portfolio with actual vision. Even if the vision was completely erroneous and damaging to the country. They will all go to their graves believing they stood for something.
Cullen's legacy was Working for Families, the Cullen Fund and the train set. All potentially sick-making for someone of the centre-right political persuasion but at least Cullen took a position, made reasonably radical changes to the country and will be remembered as having done something.
Negativity
Right now Bill English projects negativity. Lets say he was meeting three lobby groups. The Business Roundtable meet with him and tell him to cut and flatten taxes. English says no. The CTU meet with him and tell him to raise the top tax rates. English says no. The third lobby group is the "Citizens for Doing Nothing". One wonders if he would say no to them as well.
I bet right now with all the criticism levelled at him, Bill English is also thinking that he is not being given a "fair go". Such an entitlement mentality earned from someone who was allowed back from the political abyss with a twenty one percent election night drubbing when leader of the National Party. The National Party eats its own for poor performance and English was given another chance. They will regret this chance.
Entitlement Mentality
Bill English is from an entitlement mentality which explains much of his behaviour and attitude to date. Because he is from a rural background and not a city slicker, people tend to miss it. Farmboys have as large entitlement attitude as any beneficiary. While much is made of his experience as a treasury analyst and supposed "commercial background", Bill English spent just two years at Treasury before running back to Dipton and the family farm. Hence English has just two years of work and life experience outside of being involved in a family farm that he didn't build and National Party politics at age 29. Bill English comes from a time in the National Party where anyone with a University degree who knew how to jump a fence in gumboots was deemed smart. The Party is now a far more sophisticated and broader church. Bill English compared with other prospects in the National Party looks very average, even academically.
In Plain English
Bill English is a terrible communicator. He is awful in front of a television camera and the TVNZ7 ad is a classic example of this. Wooden, voice like a drone. The only good thing about English is how he wears pin-striped suits.
But his largest crime for anyone who is interested in centre-right politics and getting ahead is that he is an observer.
He has the chance to do something significant with National polling so well and Labour doing such a dreadful job in opposition of being popular. His own Federated Farmers gave him the opportunity when they put a 10% spending cut on the table which would speed up the dire 20 year prognosis for when New Zealand will recover from the global downturn. "Too hard" said English.
But likewise he would reject a 10% increase in government spending from the left. All he does is preside, observe and criticise.
Yes, Bill English with skills like that (if he showed any ability to write) would be a good blogger. Unfortunately eventually politicians are required to "do".
He has done nothing of consequence and substance in one full year now.
International Economies
So what to do? Let us look at some examples from wealthy first world nations who despite adversity have excelled with low tax rates and incredible infrastructure.
Can you imagine in 1965 when Singapore was booted from Malaysia, Lee Kuan Yew saying, well it will take 20 years for us to recover meanwhile we wont change one policy and I will waffle?
Imagine Hong Kong saying in 1984 after The Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed stating "oh no business confidence will collapse because the evil bloody Commies are taking over?". Back in the days when China really was Communist. Instead Hong Kong said, onwards, upwards and lets get richer.
And lets do it without taxing our people to death and creating the largest welfare state that we can.
The English Problem
It is quite obvious that the Key-English combo does not work. Key is a political moderate/statesman. He is allowed to be, and he must be as he's the Boss. The Finance Minister cannot be less than a political moderate - an observer. The Finance Minister cannot take a front role as a pretend statesman.
Bill English clearly harbours some deep resentment that he is not the Leader of the National Party. He is harbouring it by trying to play safely and hoping Key slips up.
Ironically the only way Key will slip up is having a lame duck Finance Minister thieving oxygen from the National Party policy platform that they eventually will need.
Bill English needs to step aside and let someone take the Finance role who will actually get off the observer's bench, step up and get on the paddock.
posted by Cactus Kate at 3:10 AM
15 Comments:
Geez Kate, 3 big posts on Bill English in only a few days.
Your obsession is becoming Whale-esk.
Now now Kate. A little mean I think.
first of all: the greatest finance minister ever was Ruth. Not Roger. Roger actually increased the deficit! Ruth - in just one budget - made a real change to NZ.
Of course National & Labour then undid every one of her changes (and most of Roger's too) over the next 20 years. The lie that Labour kept all Roger's and Ruth's reforms is just that - a lie.
Cullen - you missed out his biggest legacy: KiwiSaver. This will lead inevitably to the privatization of all superannuation. That's a huge change - and a centre-right one.
Finally, you're a little hard on English. When he says "no new money" he means it. And for the core civil service, for the bureaucracy, SOEs, secondary and tertiary education, and most benefits, he really does mean it. So that's a 2.5-3% cut per annum, til at least 2013-2014.
What English isn't saying is that's at least a 10% cut over 3-5 years. He can get away with this, of course, because no-one in politics is numerate. So on the English plan we will have say a 10% cut on govt as GDP - from 35% to 32% say, without riots on the streets and with National still at over 50%. Or, he gives John Key a real option of a National majority government in 2011 - or at least a National/ACT coalition without the Maori party.
Ruth only got one budget to change NZ. English and Key can reasonably expect to have 10 or 12.
Which approach is more likely to last?
To quote Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel, "Never let a good crisis go to waste."
If Billy Bob had any ideas at all, he wouldn't.
But since he hasn't, he has.
Why did I watch that after having fish for dinner?
Roger Douglas for Finance Minister would increase confidence, spooks the lefties and give the man a good send off in his political career.
English is a sad mediocrity.
"Together us Kiwis can do it" is just another sloppy, silly phrase of Plain English that does not mean anything. Aucklanders and Wellingtonians at least do not speak like this. Where did English think he was for heaven's sake? In New York on Letterman?
So far so good.
Regardless of your political persuasions you cannot argue that with the exception of Caygill and English, all of the rest have stamped their mark on the portfolio with actual vision.
Fail English (pun intended).
What you have said (if we simplify the sentence) is:
...you cannot argue ... all of the rest have stamped their mark on the portfolio with actual vision.
but I think you intended to convey the opposite.
Other than that I agree with you.
Took the words out of alot of mouths here Ms Prickles.
Nice one.
Right On what we need now more than ever is a LEADER who will make bold decisions and tell the Sir Humphries to FOXTROT OSCAR.
All of them have been proved to be false prophets.
The fact is they all got it wrong.
So now a real leader can dismiss them for what they are a bunch of unless pricks and take the following action.
1. Reduce the civil service head count by 10%
2. Cut civil service pay rates by 10%
3. Reduce the top tax rate plus company and trust rates to 25%.
4. Make all beneficaries apart from Super reapply for their benefits over the next 12 months on their birth dates or terminate their payments 90 days later.
And then next week whens hes done that I will advise him of stage 2 of the recovery and rescue plan.
GD
Ruth wasn't a good finance Minister she was a wrecker and caused much financial damage to many people. Her supposed master stroke was to cut the already paltry benefits to people who had no chance without them. Industries closed as a result of her stupid behavior and one should point out that most of what she has done in companies since has gone the same way or is in financial strife as with her nemesis Shipley.
Today from English. Useless catholic.
Finance Minister Bill English said the Government would not go back on its promise to retain entitlements but the next round of tax cuts would not be happening in the short term.
Cactus,
Your attention has shifted. Mark Weldon will be reading these posts with glee!
English aside, what you're pointing out is the nature of the Tory.
A classical liberal or commie mind works as follows:
1. A focus on a concrete vision
2. Nebulous on the actions needed to achieve the vision.
A Tory's mind works in the opposite manner:
1. Nebulous vision
2. Focus on concrete details
So if you look at pretty much everyone in the National party, and many in modern day Labour (also classified as Tories) they'll have:
1. Some kind of nebulous (non)vision. Like 'a strong and proud nation of go-getters'.
2. Focus on all the nitty gritty details, often to the level of particular clauses of particular legislation, or 6 figure budget allocations in an 11 figure economy.
It's the difference between someone who starts Google or Facebook vs someone who opens a cafe or a McDonalds franchise.
Someone who has a details first mind will never, ever pursue any real reform. Their mind just can't conceive of it.
Rodney or Roger says something like "Let's be richest in OECD by 2020" and the Tory mind goes into confusion overload seeing all the problems and legislation needed to get there.
They hit the human equivalent of the blue screen of death.
"But what about funding for more books at the community library in Onehunga?".
"But the Some Stupid Government Act (1967) section (1)(c)(iii) would block us from doing that".
That's why reform through the Nats is a hillarious idea.
A way of thinking comes first, and political philosophy follows.
Bollocks, Kate.
The guy is doing what he has been told to do i.e. run the economy on as lean a mixture as possible (thats as far as I can take a motoring analogy, thank god!).
Despite what the polls say about JK, this is not the time for radical changes in our economic system.
Have some of the most complex set of conditions that is possible against a backdrop of global depression. E.g. a dollar that just won't do what its told, a housing market that looks to resurge to pre-depression silliness creating, once again, an over-heating internal economy and export markets that are just plain struggling to gain traction.
The first term of this government is about positioning ourselves to sprint out of the blocks as soon as possible once international markets settle the fuck down. It is not the time to go getting "religious visionary zeal"! One doesn't start waving their arms when hanging on by fingertips. Treasury's report two days ago backs that up.
I think English is doing an ok job - yes, I wish sometimes that we could start stripping away some of the fat that the socialists burdened us with and really get things pumping - but this is the time for a "steady as she goes" hand at the tiller (now a bloody naval analogy, christ!). And he's doin that.
Give the guy a break.
Kate you're are as out of touch on this as are the little-issue dick-weeds on Red-Alert. Christ when will you Act people understand that you will not ever be elected on your ridiculous platforms. The auditors report has cleared Bill, and he received unfortunate advice on the pecuniary issue. He's kosher kate. Bill has the record for the most number of papers in a single year at Otago University if im not mistaken. He is a very smart man with a cerebral overview, a moderation apt for the times and a farmers practicality. This kind of shrieking nonsense is unbecoming of someone on the right. I'd expect this from a limp dick like Cunliffe. Grow up and get over it. Bill is running a smart game, and he wasn't given a second chance, he is indispensable to the National party. If anyone fucks up this government it will be idiotic tunnel-vision Act Arse-holes.
Can you not actually read? English is bagging trust structures when he has one and doesn't actually understand avoidance.
"Bill has the record for the most number of papers in a single year at Otago University if im not mistaken".
Who cares? The left is stacked with University lecturers and academics. Doesn't make them good at their portfolios.
English's CV is nowhere near as good as others in the National Party and his track record in politics is appalling - remember the election thumping? No of course you don't.
But where you fall over on your face over arse is here:
No one is indispensable in a political party except Winston Peters to NZF. Anyone who preaches a politician is indispensable to the National Party clearly doesn't know the first thing about the Party or its history.
Bill needs to be moved to a more appropriate portfolio, he is the new no where man
Bill didn't get some airy fairy degree in native politics. He has the qualifications as an accountant, a commerce qualification and got an English honours degree, in record time. He did have a major part in maintaining and building his farm. He wasn't a univeristy lecturer or academic. To say he is stupid is moronic.
Bill understands tax avoidance with respect to trusts. The rationale, the mechanics, and the consequences. He is absolutely right legitimate avoidance undermines the good faith of persons on lower income. His words on fairness and equity simply indicate his compassion and consideration for persons on lower incomes. This isn't a judicial setting where such words are linked to legal tests or the court's equitable jurisdiction. more efficient tax now allows for lower tax in the future.
How about fair and equitable according to the government, by it's standard, which also provides the measure.
I know all about the national party and it's history and I know for damn sure it would be up shits creek or would have been had Bill english made different decisions in the past or recent past.
His Election loss was the result of a massive and understandable backlash agasint the right and the policies of the right at the time.
It was the result of many key members in his Caucus and on the right working actively to undermine, withdraw financial support, stymy, and ruin him at every turn, in concert with ACT party affiliates and members.
How pathetic that the venerable Don Brash after his rather incompetent coup had to go to English constantly for advice.
English moderates the excesses of the right so that National is politically palatable to people, and can get elected.
A lot of his vision and ideas is in fact being put in place now, on public private partnerships, on relationship with Maori, on education, on welfare to name a few. He was ahead of his time.
Bill English was instrumental in getting national to where it is. He destroyed Labour on education, the electoral finance act, the Kiwirail debacle, and Cullens waste of opportunity.
He is in his first term for Gods sake. He is steadily bringing struggling people you don't care about through the downturn, removing waste to a sensible extent, slowly beginning the process of weaning people off the welfare state, but not too fast so that National polls like Act.
He is competently managing his portfolio, keeping election promises and doing a very good job, where 78% of people are positive about the countries economic direction, and forgive him for the perceptions surrounding his trust. He isn't getting rightwing religion and scaring shitless everybody in the country as you advise.
He is not indepispensible now National is on the hill but he was indispensible in getting it out of the fucken valley. And he's done it all with 6 kids, which is life experience that normal people actually respect.
tough call Kate, but who replaces Bill? name please
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