THE POLITICS OF 'MEH'

TVNZ'S Jack Tame has attacked the Labour Government's recent poll-driven policies as 'cynical and reactionary'. But they are the inevitable result of Labour's centrist politics. 

IN A OPINION piece for the NZ Herald TVNZ's Jack Tame has criticised the Labour Government for being driven by poll results rather than by 'political principles'. He points to the decision to cut the excise tax on petrol as a 'cynical and reactionary' attempt by the government to boost its flagging poll numbers. 

'The truth is, petrol taxes would never have been cut if Labour had been well ahead in last week's poll. They saw the poll numbers. They freaked out. They dropped almost $400m to try and win back some popularity.'

And while he doesn't mention the issue in his column, the Government's decision to move forward the dates for the opening of the country's borders was also part of the Government's 'charm offensive'. Just to make sure that the Government squeezed every little bit of PR goodness from the decision, Jacinda Ardern headed to Queenstown to announce that the Government was looking forward to 'the new normal'. She might of been a little disappointed that her Queenstown soiree did not get top billing on both the six o'clock news bulletins. The 'little' matter of Russia's military invasion of Ukraine took precedent. 

Jack Tame complains that this Government is making policy on the hoof, as a kneejerk reaction to its continuing slump in the polls. This is a fair assessment as far as it goes, but he also says it is being done at the expense of political principles. He asks: 

'But ask yourself this: regardless of your political stripes, wouldn't you prefer a government to be led by its principles than by the polls?

But what 'political principles does Tame have in mind? Since its election in 2017 this Labour Government has not exhibited any concern other than steadfastly defending the status quo.

And even in the midst of a pandemic and worsening economic conditions, this Labour Government has had little to offer but more of the same. The only principle that it has remained loyal to is it staying in power. Its mantra of 'moderation' has merely been a convenient rationale to explain why it has done nothing to confront a economic system that Ardern once suggested had 'failed'. But, then again, she also said that climate change was the 'nuclear free moment of her generation' and Labour's efforts to fight this have been dismally limited, based on what 'the market' finds acceptable. 

As socialist US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has observed, centrism won't defeat either economic inequality or climate change.

'Moderate is not a stance. It’s just an attitude to life like, ‘meh’. Unfortunately we live in a country where ‘meh’ politics prevails while progressive policies are condescendingly rejected as ‘unworkable’.

While AOC was speaking of the United States, her observation rings true in New Zealand as well. 

While Jack Tame rightfully criticises the Labour Government for its cynical opportunism he, unfortunately, lays the blame for this situation at the door of you and me.  He writes:

'We voters only care about the short term. And our politicians only care about keeping us happy. They're not nimble or urgent. They're cowardly....A society deserves the leaders it elects.'

The problem with this view is that it implies we have alternatives. But we don't. Our 'representative democracy' has become a parody of itself. Elections have been captured by big money, lobbyists and the media while the policy convergence between the present parliamentary parties has crushed real choice. It has produced disenfranchisement and disillusionment  but explained away as 'apathy' by the political establishment. 

The reality is that our society doesn't deserve the corporate-friendly centrist governments that it continues to get. The reality is that folk mostly vote to kick political parties out of office, not because they have an overwhelming enthusiasm for 'the other lot'. That kind of lunacy is the preserve of the hardcore tribal supporters in the social media.

In May 2020 commentator Bryce Edwards suggested that the policy prescription for a second-term Labour Government was clear:

'If Labour is to embody the spirit of the times, it will embrace radical new economic policies. This means proposing new progressive income taxes, a wealth tax, a universal basic income, a massive state housing programme, and an overhaul of the public health system. And that’s just for starters.'

Of course, we have seen nothing like what Edwards proposed. The Ardern-led Labour Government would describe such policies as 'unrealistic' - its loyalty is to the 'realism' of neoliberalism and 'the market'. It shouldn't be surprised then that people, struggling under an increasingly heavier economic burden, have grown tired - and angry - with a Labour Government whose loyalty is to those who sit atop of the economic pile.