I've reached the point where I really can't be bothered fighting for a Labour government any more. I don't really know what the party stands for, and there is an immense amount of crap going on behind the scenes. It's coming to the fore and it looks ugly.
I also sense a leadership void at the top. I thought David Shearer was the answer to the party's woes, but now I wonder. I don't have any inside knowledge, but the perception is growing that he can't control rogue members of his caucus team. A leader who can't control his team doesn't deserve to lead. I know Shearer's new to the leadership role, but he has to step up. Maybe he will, and perhaps this latest crisis in Labour will bring out some previously unseen strengths in the man.
But I am no longer the optimist. When I hear David Shearer speak he sounds to me more like a National Party leader. I'm sure his advisers are telling him to chase the middle vote, but all we seem to be promised is a slightly softer version of what we already have, and without asset sales. Why is he off chasing the votes of business groups and rural voters, when the main reason why Labour did dismally in 2008 and 2011 is the failure of traditional urban Labour voters to get to the polls? They are typically the poor, the young, Maori and Pasifika. They don't give a crap about the knowledge economy or reforming the Reserve Bank Act. Many of them have figured Labour just doesn't care about them. I'd like to assure them they are wrong, but are they?
I have a fine local MP in Phil Twyford, and I will continue to support him. There are also a lot of amazing and dedicated people within the party, many of whom are immensely frustrated by what they see going on. I admire their commitment and energy, and the huge amount of patience they have. Many of them remain fiercely optimistic in situations where I just fall into despair.
I've only been a member of the party for a short time, so I can perhaps be criticised for being naive. I'm not renouncing my membership, or anything as dramatic as that, nor do I mean this post to sound like a prolonged flounce. I'm just going to stop helping for a while. I have many other uses for the energy that party activism requires me to expend.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
17 comments:
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Another option is to offer to serve on committees, and utilise your frustration for the benefit of the party...
ReplyDeleteI must disclose that while I regularly attended family Christmases thrown by the party (my grandparents were longtime activists) I have never been a member of the party, or any other.
My voting record is between me and the electoral office at this point.
Ends statement.
I heard you on the radio this afternoon, Scott, so know where the 'other' energy needs to be expended. We are very different in philosophy, you and I, but that's small chips in the face of risk: good luck on going it alone.
ReplyDeleteScott, welcome to the club, as I see it your enthusiasm and committment has been whittled away just like so many of us previous supporters.
ReplyDeleteYou are a symptom of a longstanding and malevolent disease that has permeated the labour party over a lot of years.
It is a problem like rust, eating away at the real ideals of supporters issue by issue.
I am picking you will go back, as they place another bulldust facade up to con the voters.
Me...I will never go back, the MP's have done too much damage over too long a period, and I don't see any change of any merit on the horizon.
Over the last couple of years of reading your blog my thought has always been, "why does this guy bother with Labour?" Greens are the new left in this country - the only party standing up for left values with any conviction and integrity.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Mike - as a long time trade union activist my interactions with the last Labour govt gave me one choice only for progressive politics and that was the Greens - I have never regretted that choice.
ReplyDeleteI lost faith when Cunliffe and Mahuta were bypassed.
ReplyDeleteBut whats the alternative? Keys cretins some more? My smirk at the piracy and disaster capitalism going on is turning to a rictus. Help.
Cnr Joe, we are lucky enough in NZ to have a proportional electoral system - that means if you vote for a smaller "third party" like Greens you vote isn't wasted. National are most certainly NOT the only alterantive to Labour.
ReplyDeleteBecause the Greens have never been in government they can propose all sorts of policies, regardless of their cost. So I greatly look forward to the time when Green Party policies actually come under and sort of meaningful microscope by the media. When that day does come the shine will quickly wear off the Green Party machine
ReplyDeleteFunny you should write this Scott but the situation was fairly similar 20 years ago.
ReplyDeleteAfter the crushing defeat in 1990, and a feeling some people had learnt their lesson, lot of party activists crawled out of the woodwork.
In 1991 Labour membership rose considerably and there were a large number of enthusiastic, idealistic activists, including me, ralling around to fight the Mother of All Budgets and Employment Contracts Act and rebuild the party and then.... nothing.
We were all waiting with baited breath for Mike Moore to give a couple of speeches entitled "The Top 100 things I will do in my first decade as Prime Minister" and "The Top 100 reasons to vote Labour".
It never happened.
For 75 years until 1991 Labour was the party of ideas, of idealism, of leading on virtually every issue and our opponents were reduced to being the "We are not Labour" party.
20 years ago (during the winter of 1992), a deliberate policy of "we are not National" was introduced and Mike Moore and Helen Clark followed this to the letter and the Labour party are paying the price today.
I can name around a couple of dozen people, including me, who shrugged their shoulders and decided not to be part of an intellectually bankrupt, cynical "We are not National" party.
Like you Scott I too am getting disillusioned with Labour, I have voted Labour at every election since 1975 when I first became eligible to vote .I m still on the committee at my LEC however I m m starting to wonder why bother.
ReplyDeleteThis year the government has made some disastrous decision that Labour should have a commanding lead in the polls.
The fact that the Key government remain popular and Labour have unable to make any headway is most disconcerting especially as Labour seem to be moving to the Right .
The infighting if Duncan Garner is to be believed is also disappointing and there is no way at this stage is Labour going to be in position to convince the voter they are fit to govern in 2014.
We could be looking at twelve or more years of National as it may take several years if ever to rebuild Labour.
Perhaps Labour are in the death throes and may be the Greens will eventually grow enough support to govern, The only worry if the Greens do grow its going to take several elections before they win enough seats of Labour and we are left with National in power well into the 2020s Hope I m wrong and the Labour party rebuild into a significant pollical force that is a progressive socal justice socal democratic party that totally reject the lunacy of Neo-Liberal idealogy.
Further to my comment above - one thing which particularly galls me is people like Mike Moore (and probably Phil Goff) engaging in long retirements and self pitying "what might have been" thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThe reason for their failed careers and long retirements is because they never stood up and said 'this is what I stand for, this is what I believe in, this is why you should vote for me'.
Considering these people lost anyway, surely they could not have done any worse by being honest about their beliefs and intentions.
Instead Moore, Goff (and Clark) played it safe because they were terrified at what their opponents would say; for 20 years it has seemed that Labour policies were decided upon after receiving the PERMISSION of the National party!
If it were me I would say "F**k you charlie!" say what I actually believe in (rather than what focus groups, the media and the Nats say) and take my chances on the common sense of the average voter.
Well, Garner succeeds in getting the left infighting once more. Well done Dunk.
ReplyDeleteYou expect someone who has worked amongst the poor in Africa to connect with "the poor, the young, Maori and Pasifika" in NZ? It's pretty unlikely.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the feedback. A reminder that I delete anonymous comments. Sorry, but rules is rules.
ReplyDeleteI have worked for the Labour Party in every election since 1969. I have chaired Branches and been secretaty to several LECs and a Regional Council. I was a List candidate in 1999. My partner and I are having a holiday from the Party, worn down by "renewal", attacks on Baby Boomers and a general feling of malaise. We are not the only ones of our cohort. The Party still gets our $$ and our votes, but the work is not fun any more and doesn't feel worth while.
ReplyDeleteFace it, both parties have failed most Kiwi's. The wealthy are better off and will keep voting for them. The middle class are worse off and will keep voting them in. How long will it take for people to get the message. Thanks Johnny Rotten " If you wanna future you gotta make it for yur F******g self"
ReplyDeleteI just cannot work you Labour-ites out. you always want something different, if the D---- was still in power you would all be doing the same, want everything for nothing, spend spend spend, forget what it cost, why not get over it move on, and vote for our JK next time.
ReplyDelete