@ my wits’ end

Colin James, in his column for the DomPost and ODT for 25th January 2010, wrote:

Key’s core test will be his response to the tax group’s recommendations, which leave him no excuse for timidity. If he decides to trust his antennae and instincts and use his huge political capital, wide acceptability and capacity to connect to build a genuine “world-class tax system”, he would likely carry the public (and nervy doubters in his cabinet) with him. Witness the lack of fuss over the Maori flag.

“The Key who took large, well-calculated risks after thorough due diligence to accumulate a sizable fortune might have been expected to replicate that in politics. That younger risk-taking Key might also have recognised that this year’s big decisions are not about today’s issues but tomorrow’s: the post-crunch, China-rising, new-communications, mass-migration and maybe greening world. Old ideas won’t do, just as they didn’t do in the 1980s.

Right on Colin.

What do you want John?

Govern for the next election?

• Perpetuate the same old tired poll-driven incompetence?
• Continue the short-term thinking which has seen us fall from the second richest country in the world to about 50th?
• To be Prime Minister for 2 or 3 terms and disappear into historical oblivion?
• To follow the polls into mediocrity?

Or govern for your grandchildren and mine?

• Get back onto the track you started on.
• Make good on your promises.
• Give us policies which benefit us all for decades to come, not just for the next election.
• Use your political capital to revolutionize New Zealand’s political and economic life. Convince the electorate that for some short term sacrifice we can have long term gain.
• You may fail, but you’ll have failed honorably. If you succeed you’ll be  justifiably seen as one of our few great leaders.

In the past New Zealand’s voters have shown the ability to see ahead more than one electoral term. Unfortunately, our politicians haven’t.

Everything depends upon improving our abysmal productivity, rewarding innovation and finding new opportunities. You are our last best hope to lead us on that journey.

What do you have to lose?