Fisking the fisking of the fisking of the Greens

The Greens complained about the Herald’s editing of their 200 words on the Electoral Finance Bill. Graeme Edgeler fisked their 200 words (as did I)

Russel Norman has now fisked his fisking (and kudos to him for responding). And in response Graeme Edgeler has fisked the fisking of his fisking. I think Graeme is well ahead, as he resorts to that awful trick of quoting the clauses of the Bill.

One sad part though is when Russel plays the man, not the ball, and says:

Edge, I’m sure that you are not duped. You don’t support campaign finance reform. The right and the anti-greens are winning the PR spin, as you were sure to do with the Herald backing you.

Graeme is in fact a strong support of campaign finance reform.  His submission to the Select Committee on the Bill was quoted by officials more often than any other (I think I was second!).  He, like myself, supports the principles of more transparency and not having an arms race with fundraising.  I think overall he even supports the Electoral Finance Bill as an improvement on the status quo (I strongly disagree with him on that).  He just doesn’t like it when people get their facts wrong on what the Bill does or does not do.

But this shows the mindset of supporters of the Bill.  Anyone who points out its gaping flaws is an enemy and tool of the vast right wing NZBR/CIS conspiracy blah blah blah.