sagenz

I am a market democrat

dpf links to a new political philosophy at Kiwiblog. Craig Emmerson, an Australian Labour MP

In a market democracy governments should serve the people instead of seeking to subjugate the people to the will of government through high taxes and heavy regulation. By allowing markets to reward hard work, risk-taking and entrepreneurship without unnecessary interference, market democrats advance freedom and self-fulfilment.

And with that thought I finally identify my true political philosophy.  A strong belief in markets democracy and equality of opportunity.  I have always struggled with the libertarian view that education is the obligation of parents.  That makes life a total lottery mostly determined at birth.  But I have never been able to cope with cradle to grave welfarism.

And the authoritarian instincts of some fellow National party members leaves me totally cold. 

I look forward to reading more about the description of this philosophy.

It describes why I felt joy that Ireland rejected the perfectly sensible "treaty" that they Eurocrats are trying to implement in a completely anti democratic way and the delight that David Davis had the honour to resign his seat and fight the fascist authoritarian tendencies of this Brown government in the UK.

42 days detention without trial is not a requirement.  It is an indication that you have lost precisely what you are supposed to be fighting for - freedom and the right to habeus corpus

Parliamentary Service is breaking the law?

Interesting point by Graeme Edgeler. Taxpayers financing Labour's Budget ad .   Surely it is outside Parliamentary Services powers to make campaign donations whether they are acknowledged on the ad or not?

Mr Edgeler also said that under the new law, the cost of the leaflet might have to be declared as an election donation by the Parliamentary Service to the Labour Party. "If I gave the Labour Party $30,000 worth of leaflets it would be a donation - just as if they printed off $30,000 worth and sent me the bill and I paid it, that would be a donation. "I really don't see the difference between them sending a bill to me, or getting the leaflets from me, and them sending the bill to the Parliamentary Service or getting the leaflets from the Parliamentary Service." That was not how Labour intended the act to operate and would be another big embarrassment for it.

I would be interested to know how you get past that paradox