This type of born-to-rule behaviour and attitude is part of why I HATE National and ACT, and everything they stand for. They believe they are better than almost everyone else and therefore they deserve more due to their inherent superiority. They will always take and take from the bottom majority while protecting and advancing their cronies and rich mates. Their vilification of, and contempt for, the working poor, unemployed people and single mothers goes hand-in-hand with their hypocrisy over MP entitlements, which really sticks in my craw. The bastards will always take the people of Aotearoa for everything they can get while imposing increasingly harsher sanctions on beneficiaries and dog whistling to white supremacists, racists, misogynists and homophobes.
To get rid of them, we have to maximise the progressive vote at all local and central government elections. After Geordie Rogers' by-election win, I am feeling more positive about our ability to oust the right from power around the country next year and in 2026...
I agree. We have to channel despair at the despicable actions of this greedy, entitled government into action. Action that binds us in kindness and respect for all our peoples who this government is trying to crush. Do an action every day. Give time, money if possible, thought and support in the best way we can.
Hear ye! Hear ye! Inspiring words that do inspire me, to do more in my community. If it makes a lousy, mean spirited government quake, I won’t be unpleased, but the community of kind, happy, healthy people, that is the true reward. And we can have that, despite the current government, if necessary. Let’s get to work, see you out there🙂
So helpful to think of what we have to share that money can’t buy. At the moment that’s me using my jam making skills to process donated fruit to a charity which helps children in our community who need extra support at this time.
Every week I have felt that this lot of mediocre men (and their pick-me's) can't get any worse. And every week they've lowered the bar further and proven themselves to be scum.
Entitlements/allowances etc are tricky. They do incur additional costs related to having to come to Wellington, and for that there should be some process to claim some of that back. But they are compensated accordingly, especially for the PM at almost a half a mill.
I have no confidence that if they made changes to the entitlements, that the MPs wouldn't find loopholes instantly and continue sucking the public teat dry.
It's no wonder for many people are disengaged with politics
I read the analogy that he's taking from the food bank whilst he has a full fridge at home. Technically not illegal but just because he can doesn't mean he should.
I felt like you do when I heard him talk about his entitlement. Very out of touch . Not an inspiring leader in any way! Hopefully he/national won’t get voted in next time
On a similar topic, I just cannot understand people who want to take away free school lunches? How is a human being produced who is so mean, protecting all their own privileges and taking away things from those who need them most? I just don't get it.
I totally agree that people are the most important thing and looking after each other. I’m pretty sure people will see how shallow and uncaring national/act values are. I think most people who vote for these parties don’t realise how cruel their values are.
Thanks Emily and everyone else in the comments :) It is nice to come in here and find some compassion and sanity!! I've been feeling the heaviness more than usual this last week, and I'm fighting the feeling of impotence. I know I can't surrender to that feeling and live in it, but it has felt very real lately...
Something that everyone concerned has carefully avoided saying in response to Luxon’s defence of his entitlement: the only argument for ‘needing’ that whopping subsidy to ‘run’ a property that you already own outright, mortgage free, that isn’t your home, is as compensation for rental income forgone. This is, yep, another landlord subsidy.
Thank you Emily for writing this & huge thanks for volunteering. I can’t think what it is to be part of a coalition Govt that is so incredibly obtuse to the needs of our country & those who need some help to get by. Putting through legislation under urgency & not understanding the whys & the hows of cause & effect drive me silly. And all for a brief gloating moment in time. They are so the bad guys!
Luxon is next level cringe. He is drunk on the prosperity-gospel - a very particular brand of Christianity and narcissism.
"Prosperity theology (sometimes referred to as the prosperity gospel, the health and wealth gospel, the gospel of success, or seed faith)[A] is a religious belief among some Charismatic Christians that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one's material wealth.[1] Material and especially financial success is seen as a sign of divine favor".
Thanks, Wikipedia.
This beleif system allows individuals like Luxon to look at their less fortunate fellow human and make a value judgement - that God will provide for people if they pray hard enough. It's God's will, not Luxon's responsibility - not even as Prime Minister
This video sums up Luxon for me. Tone deaf.....and zero sense of timing. Completely unaware of his shortcomings.
Thank you for this appropriate channelling of my fury Emily, I was struggling to do this for myself.
This type of born-to-rule behaviour and attitude is part of why I HATE National and ACT, and everything they stand for. They believe they are better than almost everyone else and therefore they deserve more due to their inherent superiority. They will always take and take from the bottom majority while protecting and advancing their cronies and rich mates. Their vilification of, and contempt for, the working poor, unemployed people and single mothers goes hand-in-hand with their hypocrisy over MP entitlements, which really sticks in my craw. The bastards will always take the people of Aotearoa for everything they can get while imposing increasingly harsher sanctions on beneficiaries and dog whistling to white supremacists, racists, misogynists and homophobes.
To get rid of them, we have to maximise the progressive vote at all local and central government elections. After Geordie Rogers' by-election win, I am feeling more positive about our ability to oust the right from power around the country next year and in 2026...
I agree. We have to channel despair at the despicable actions of this greedy, entitled government into action. Action that binds us in kindness and respect for all our peoples who this government is trying to crush. Do an action every day. Give time, money if possible, thought and support in the best way we can.
The thing that got me is that he doesn’t even understand why it is wrong. Thank you for writing this while I’m over here banging my head into a wall.
Hear ye! Hear ye! Inspiring words that do inspire me, to do more in my community. If it makes a lousy, mean spirited government quake, I won’t be unpleased, but the community of kind, happy, healthy people, that is the true reward. And we can have that, despite the current government, if necessary. Let’s get to work, see you out there🙂
So helpful to think of what we have to share that money can’t buy. At the moment that’s me using my jam making skills to process donated fruit to a charity which helps children in our community who need extra support at this time.
Every week I have felt that this lot of mediocre men (and their pick-me's) can't get any worse. And every week they've lowered the bar further and proven themselves to be scum.
Entitlements/allowances etc are tricky. They do incur additional costs related to having to come to Wellington, and for that there should be some process to claim some of that back. But they are compensated accordingly, especially for the PM at almost a half a mill.
I have no confidence that if they made changes to the entitlements, that the MPs wouldn't find loopholes instantly and continue sucking the public teat dry.
It's no wonder for many people are disengaged with politics
I read the analogy that he's taking from the food bank whilst he has a full fridge at home. Technically not illegal but just because he can doesn't mean he should.
I felt like you do when I heard him talk about his entitlement. Very out of touch . Not an inspiring leader in any way! Hopefully he/national won’t get voted in next time
On a similar topic, I just cannot understand people who want to take away free school lunches? How is a human being produced who is so mean, protecting all their own privileges and taking away things from those who need them most? I just don't get it.
I totally agree that people are the most important thing and looking after each other. I’m pretty sure people will see how shallow and uncaring national/act values are. I think most people who vote for these parties don’t realise how cruel their values are.
Thanks Emily and everyone else in the comments :) It is nice to come in here and find some compassion and sanity!! I've been feeling the heaviness more than usual this last week, and I'm fighting the feeling of impotence. I know I can't surrender to that feeling and live in it, but it has felt very real lately...
Something that everyone concerned has carefully avoided saying in response to Luxon’s defence of his entitlement: the only argument for ‘needing’ that whopping subsidy to ‘run’ a property that you already own outright, mortgage free, that isn’t your home, is as compensation for rental income forgone. This is, yep, another landlord subsidy.
Thank you Emily for writing this & huge thanks for volunteering. I can’t think what it is to be part of a coalition Govt that is so incredibly obtuse to the needs of our country & those who need some help to get by. Putting through legislation under urgency & not understanding the whys & the hows of cause & effect drive me silly. And all for a brief gloating moment in time. They are so the bad guys!
Thank you Emily. Your post speaks my mind.
Luxon is next level cringe. He is drunk on the prosperity-gospel - a very particular brand of Christianity and narcissism.
"Prosperity theology (sometimes referred to as the prosperity gospel, the health and wealth gospel, the gospel of success, or seed faith)[A] is a religious belief among some Charismatic Christians that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one's material wealth.[1] Material and especially financial success is seen as a sign of divine favor".
Thanks, Wikipedia.
This beleif system allows individuals like Luxon to look at their less fortunate fellow human and make a value judgement - that God will provide for people if they pray hard enough. It's God's will, not Luxon's responsibility - not even as Prime Minister
This video sums up Luxon for me. Tone deaf.....and zero sense of timing. Completely unaware of his shortcomings.
He came with plenty of warning signs ⚠️
https://youtu.be/rMePrwQfT5I?feature=shared