'Cause I gotta have faith

The New Zealand government is borrowing $250 million per week to cope with the ongoing effects of the economic recession. As expected with the announcement of such a scary figure, fingers are being pointed, stress levels are rising and questions are being asked. One such question is being raised by Your Views. Do you have faith in the Government's handling of the economy? Well, do you?

Victor (Auckland)
No not at all. National Government is as bad as Labour Government. They are only there to look after their interest and of their friends and buisness colleagues.To cut down the governemt expenditure I urge Government to take the bold steps immediately:

1- Introduce death penalty for cold bloded murderers - saving cost on prison expenses and lesson to every one that if you take any one's life be prepared to lose your life.
2- Cut down on Immigrants and refugees coming to NZ
3- Impose family planning like India & China - maximum of 2 child per family. No extra benefits to be given if the mum ( solo) or parents they decide to have more then 2 children.
4- Change laws now that no former MP can claim for free travel benefits if they are no longer in Governement.
5- Change the term of the Government to 4 or 5 years to save millions in election costs & scrap MMP.
6-Cut the slaries of all Govt executives, Cabinets Ministers & MP's by 10% across the board.
7-Restrict overseas trips by MP and Government officials
8- Cut down the benefits to people who are able to work but are damn too lazy to work
9- Introduce tougher laws for manufactures & distributors of P- Life sentence.

Victor details his list of remedies for the country's woes, urging the current government to take heed of his suggestions. Victor doesn't have faith in the government's ability to handle the recession, but he does seem to have faith in using Your Views as a direct link to John Key. This reminds me of what Matt Southall, creator of spEak You're bRanes, said in a piece for the Guardian about users of the BBC's Have Your Say forum:

Who do they think they're talking to? The Queen? Terry Wogan? Father Christmas? I can tell you, actually. They all think they're addressing Gordon Brown. This is about as sophisticated as their politics gets. The BBC = the state = Gordon Brown. Having their tragic witterings "published" on the BBC's site (THE BBC!!! THE ACTUAL BBC!!!!!) is, for them, a validation of their moronic opinion and as good as speaking directly to the prime minister. 

Although I like to think I have a little more faith (the word of the day, really) in the users of Your Views, Southall no doubt points to the imagined communicatory connection between the State and features like Have Your Say and Your Views. Victor - perhaps write a letter to Mr Key with your thoughts? Such brilliant suggestions really need to reach the PM asap.

Laurence (United Kingdom)

Key needs to take his head out of his ass and stop buggering around with Maori types and other crank groups and immediately start with plans on improving productivity, closing the wage gap with Australia, paying off our huge overseas debt and developing other industries away from our dependance on agriculture. Key and National need to refocus their priorities and really think about what we voted them in for ie:creating jobs and improving living standards.

Laurence's prescription for a better New Zealand isn't as detailed as Victor's, however, he does outline John Key's first tasks: "tak[ing] his head out of his ass" and to "stop buggering around with Maori types and other crank groups". Using this kind of language is sure to discredit his response in the eyes of some other users, but more vulgar is Laurence's assertion that Maori are "types" who belong to a "crank" group. I wonder if we'd also find Laurence commenting in the Your Views thread on the Maori Television bid for the Rugby World Cup coverage rights, declaring that it's a pain in the ass for Key to be buggering around with Maori Television. "Refocus your priorities John, no more buggering around and get that head out of your ass!"

Margot Campbell (Napier)
They're doing around a gazillion times better through a recession than what Micheal and Helen did through the boom years. However, 1 gazillion is not good enough. JK is still a bit PC left wing. It might be time for Rodney to run the show to cut out the nonsense.

I have a fantastic yet terrifying mental image of Rodney Hide decked out in a yellow lycra bodysuit with a giant anti-PC sign on the front, cape blowing in the wind.

Lampie (Glen Eden)
No, next stupid question.

I love it. Lampie not only suggests that this question is stupid, but highlights the expectation that the next question will be stupid also. And yet Lampie still answers these stupid questions! Why do people continue to use Your Views if they dislike the service it is offering? I think that question deserves an entire post to itself. Stay tuned!