2008 Budget...not worth the paper its printed on

So...at the beginning of October this year, I get an extra $12 a week more in my pocket thanks to government tax cuts. Gee...what can I do with that? Two blocks of 1Kg cheese? Bearly considering the 1Kg blocks cost nearly $9, depending on the brand, last night I saw two brands, between $10.00 and $14.00 and the $14 one was a house brand cheese. At todays prices thats 6 litres of petrol. Thats just over 7 litres of Milk. No movie tickets. Maybe a lunch for a day...But ultimately, not a hell of a lot in the end of things.


Working for Families is a crock...instead of tax cuts, they pay tax at the usual way, but those of us who pay taxes suppliment their income. In the recent weeks the speculation surrounding tax cuts has grown to a point now where the dollar has become the most important element of this election.

I've blogged before about National simply being the better face of a bad situation. They have a lot of talk but no substance. The polls have had National leading the race for a potential new government, and some wonder why. Its not that National are doing any better than Labour, its that Labour has made some pretty sad mistakes in the last few years, and National is benefitting. Its not because they are offering anything better. I'd actually like to know how they are planning to do what they are planning to do.

I really do not care about Kiwisaver. Kiwis's need to save and its a good way to get it done. But its time for the cloak and dagger (and mostly dagger) policies to end and working for families is one of those. Tax credits...just drop the tax rates or increase their entitlements relating to community service cards. But essentially, making everyone pay for everyone elses kids? honestly, there are some families I'd rather not do that for.

Major changes need to be made to the government welfare system. Severe limits for those who are unemployed. For example, no more than three consecutive years on the benefit, but then, when someone gets it, what they use it for is tightly controlled.

I'm interested to see what National puts on the table. This year may simply be a vote to get one pain in the neck out of office...I'm worried another one is coming in.

How stupid are we becoming?

I just saw something on the Herald website, that is likely in the real paper, that has made me think about what kind of people we are becoming.

A few months ago I recall that there was a complaint laid with the advertising standards authority relating to the Burger King girls in skimpy bikini's riding around on horses, and just in general, the Burger King girls in skimpy bikini's and what the heck that had to do with the selling of burgers. To that question I actually agree. In fact, I wonder what three women in comparibly skimpy attire on bouncing balls promoting primo milk drinks. But that aside for the moment.

It seems that someone has complained about the recent run of advertising about the issues surrounding of New Zealand's drinking culture. The one in particular when the drunken man known as Uncle Mark swings a child around in a lounge and in his stupor, slams the kid into a large wall cabinet. A blunt commercial to be sure, but a sad reality of our drinking culture, and someone has complained that it is too violent, and should be played after 8:30pm. I don't agree!!

The catch phrase with those commercials is "its not the drinking, its how we're drinking". I wonder if someone is actually thinking that maybe it is the drinking afterall? If someone didn't drink...would things like this actually happen? I'm not saying that the occassional drink is wrong despite my own beliefs relating to alcohol, but I think this is politically correct clap-trap and some people who don't want to see the reality in their faces...and having to explain this situation to the inquisitive children.

Explain it to the children, do not hide them from the realities of the world. Tell them that this is what happens when people get drunk and do things in small spaces...accidents will happen. Team them this is the danger of too much drink and there is a chance that they will choose as they get older to not drink. Gee, isn't that a unique idea? As for the adults...if you are the ones feeling a little pricked in your hearts about this ad, take the message...and confront the reality.

If you want to see the ads the link is below, take a look at them if you haven't.

http://www.hadenough.org.nz/Media.aspx