I stumbled across this nonsense over at Socialist Aotearoa; the same old tired slogans from the student union movement are of course today's mantra for the grown-up ex-student flunkys who now work in the state sector or for the "real world" unions. The only thing that's changed is the number of wrinkles and the method of extracting funds from unwitting citizens.

"take the battle to Key and Hide"

"massive attacks on our rights and conditions as NAT-ACT implement the Shock Doctrine"

"JOIN THE FIGHTBACK." [Emphasis NOT mine]

I passed Socialist Aotearoa by thinking its just the extremists talking, the moderate left surely have grown up a bit, or at least invented some new tactics, but alas... see The Standard's latest offering in Nats step to the right with ACT, particularly check out this propaganda-pearler:

Flatter tax. That means any future tax cuts will go exclusively to the wealthy. Most people will get nothing. [Emphasis mine]

Really? Setting aside the fact that tax cuts to the top earners still potentially benefit everyone (as in let's pretend they do not) lets take a look at the confidence and supply agreement between National and ACT:

... National and ACT note that United Future favours reducing and aligning personal, trust and company taxes at a maximum rate of 30%. They agree that such a tax structure is a desirable medium-term goal.

Yes there is stuff in the agreement about long term goals but the only thing all the parties are agreeing on right now is to aim for a maximum rate of 30%.

So now, lets take a look at the individual income tax rates:

Ok, so that's a crap picture but if you squint or go here, you will see that reducing the individual tax rate to 30% will impact everyone who earns more than $40,001 per year.

So according to The Standard, if you earn $40k + $1 you are wealthy. What planet do they live on that makes them think $40k is wealthy? Try living in a main centre with a family on that income, you might be able to get by if you are frugal but there is no way you could be called wealthy.

I suppose if you are a single, state-servant and can tap into state sector fringe benefits $40k might keep you in chardonnay.

We all know the left will stop at nothing to win in politics; see what they did to Stephen Franks in Wellington Central - systematic election hoarding defacement, abuse on his blog (too numerous to link to any one example), You Tube videos twisting out of context comments into scary hate filled messages against Christians and gays [note it was only called homophobic]. The threats and abuse we received for Fisking Grant Robertson, the critique of the latter You Tube Video, to name a few examples from one electorate.

But who phones 111 when they realise, on election night, that the left have lost and that National will lead the country?!?!?

And WHY???!!??

What littany of lies and propaganda about the right would have had to have been put up such people by the left to make them do this? (or are they just incapable of understanding the political process and the policies of the right?)

Liberty Scott's comments are on the button; extract from: What DID leftwing campaigners tell some people?

This report that some people rang the Police when the election results were coming through is alarming in several ways:

1. That people thought their benefits would disappear because National was being elected. What sort of untrammelled nonsense have the left been spreading about such a situation? How despicable are those who promote such lies among people who are clearly rather unhinged? How many were persuaded to vote Labour or Green or else their benefits would dry up?

2. What do people think the Police will do? Arrest John Key and Rodney Hide? Call an end to general elections? Do they think when things don't go their way the Police should be called in? How scary is that?

3. Most disconcerting is the helpless dependency of such people who think the only way forward is to remain dependent on money taken by force from others. How insipid has the welfare state become that there are people terrified at the prospect of having to earn themselves a living?

Sorry folks, it's when the word Libertarianz replaces National that you might be worried, but by then the culture would have to have changed so radically that you wouldn't be scared anymore.