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March 28, 2024 4:00pm by David Farrar

Labour’s latest slogan

My response would be:

Our country is not a students’ association, and it shouldn’t be governed as if it is.

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Grumpy Silver Top

It’s laughable. Just shows how little they understand business governance, and managing money.
62 0
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March 28, 2024 4:03pm
- Che Guava
  
  It’s a shit slogan, but the idea is 100% correct: a country isn’t a company, so it shouldn’t be run like one.
  
  The best analogy is probably that it’s like a family: yes, you need to manage your finances and you want to put food on the table and provide shelter and clothing for everyone (i.e. think quantitatively), but there’s far more to a family than just that (i.e. the qualitative aspects).
  
  This pre-supposition that the material and quantity comes first is a latter-day pre-supposition of the age we live in, and it certainly wasn’t always thus. Our age is the Mercantile Age, where we are ruled by the Merchants who buy and sell, rather than the Warriors or the Priests of preceding, and arguably far superior, ages.
  
  Like in every age, we have ended up with the “leaders” that the spirit of our age produces. In our case, Christopher Luxon is literally a former deodorant salesman.
  
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  March 28, 2024 8:17pm
  - peterwn
    
    He also sold OMO. Thomas ‘Think’ Watson sold cash registers then went on to run one of the foremost data processing companies – IBM.
    
    11 0
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    March 28, 2024 10:08pm
  - Andrew Worth
    
    “As a family” is how Labour sees things, the worst dictators always see themselves as the head of the family, dispensing their greater wisdom to the people, whom they regard as mearly children and simpletons.
    
    23 0
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    March 29, 2024 7:25am
    - ISeeRed
      
      It’s WHANAU, racist!
      
      10 0
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      March 29, 2024 7:49am
      - AitchW
        
        I used to take my kids to Playcentre. In order to qualify for funding centre parents had to undergo training. At a Treaty of Waitangi course the facilitator told us that whanau is more than family and a concept beyond Pakeha comprehension. Needless to say I lost what little interest I may have had in the course after that.
        
        3 0
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        March 29, 2024 5:13pm
      - Andrew Worth
        
        AitchW
        
        Same was told to me of “aroha” by my high school Maori teacher decades ago, Pakeha don’t understand aroha (love) as Maori understand aroha.
        
        1 0
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        March 29, 2024 7:04pm
      - julesnzuk
        
        Aitch – apologies I think I “reported” you in error.
        
        That’s appalling and I hope you complained. I also hope you told them that you’re not a “pakeha” and if they’re unfamiliar with how 19th Century British imperialism worked and how New Zealand was founded and developed you’d be happy to educate them.
        
        0 0
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        March 31, 2024 12:37am
    - crikey
      
      Andrew Worth: How can you say that! Labour, with its policies, has destroyed the family.
      
      7 1
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      March 29, 2024 10:59am
      - Andrew Worth
        
        Because what works for families doesn’t work for countries.
        
        2 1
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        March 29, 2024 12:16pm
Grizz

Cannot see it hitting the target. The intended audience need to be able to read and understand it first.
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March 28, 2024 4:11pm
JimBobJoe

Siggghhhh.

Labour… A complete cluster.

The other day I heard Robertson babble to Nick Mills (ZB mornings in Wellington) that… Wait for it…. Labour is the Party of the hard working struggle class… Working for low wages, multiple jobs etc etc….

Mills did not challenge him ( surprise, suprise.. Does anyone in Welly media question Labour?) With the simple questions:

So why do you relentlessly push Uni politics and the politics of woke ( working people think those politics are barmy)?

So why did you not change tax bracket thresholds to benefit low waged workers?

So why did you push loads of money via QE at the middle class during covid and inflate house prices so aggressively?

And the questions to follow are legion..

Labour are the Afghanistan of NZ Politics… A failed state of a party run by feudal war leaders of ethnically based factions…
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March 28, 2024 4:12pm
- Thought Criminal
  
  Solid comment.
  
  Labour have betrayed their original base to focus on fringe woke special interest groups.
  
  24 0
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  March 29, 2024 12:16am
Caine9

Excellent response, bang on the money
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March 28, 2024 4:13pm
igm

Slime slithers out of the sewer . . . again!
30 1
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March 28, 2024 4:21pm
Blog-aholic

The problem is that a government still has to balance its accounts like any business to remain able to provide for its people. Labour (the left) are a tax, spend, print and borrow government whereas the right tend to treat funds as if they will add to production and productivity without too much tax, wasteful spend, little borrowing and no money needing to be printed….that is the difference between healthy governance and unhealthy governance.
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March 28, 2024 4:23pm
Right of way is Way of Right

Our country is not a company, but a company that borrowed as much as Labour did in the 6 years it was in government would be up in front of the Commerce Commission.

A company can declare bankruptcy.

A country cannot.
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March 28, 2024 4:25pm
- peterwn
  
  A country can default on international loans and this is rather similar to bankruptcy. Some countries following a change of government or a coup seek forgiveness of debts from the international community. There are consequences (like with ordinary bankruptcy) such as lenders being unwilling to lend to and investors unwilling to invest in such a country. NZ was approaching that situation in 1984 under Rob Muldoon but fortunately at the time there were nominally Labour politicians like Roger Douglas and Richard Prebble who had the capability and fortitude to sort things out.
  
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  March 28, 2024 5:57pm
Ghost

Do labour remember the last six years. I don’t think so, I’m beginning to think they have Biden brains. A government that tried to steal council assets. A government that created separatist policies. A government that took away people’s rights. A government that forced people to take an experimental cocktail or get let go from your job. A government that had no business experience and wrecked every single government department. A government that was so aspirational every goal they had was missed and in the end when they left they were worse off. A government so corrupt and lacking of any transparency in what they did that the bombs that have been left in the mess will take a while for this government to completely uncover,

Hey labour, thanks for sending New Zealand back to the stone ages. Special thanks from all those kids not born yet that will still be paying off your borrowing.

But most of all, a special thanks from the those who have been able to commit crimes and benefit from your soft on crime stance. From all those who are living in pain or died because you fucked up the health system so much. A special thanks from the those in the education system who don’t know the basics.

But most of all, a special thanks from Australia for all the doctors, nurses and tradespeople that you’ve sent over there in exchange for all the criminals they have sent here.

Thanks labour, you bunch of (self moderated)
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March 28, 2024 4:25pm
- Conservatarian
  
  About a month before the 2023 election, I was engaging in a “civil” conversation with my friend, a far left voter (he normally votes Green but was considering voting Maori Party for 2023). I told him NZ’s future looked a little less dim with the imminent end of this régime. The friend then whinged to me about Hipkins “he’s gotten rid of all the best policies”.
  
  36 0
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  March 28, 2024 4:37pm
  - Cassandra
    
    With friends like that,you don’t need any enemies.
    
    28 0
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    March 28, 2024 5:00pm
  - Thought Criminal
    
    For people like that, socialism is a religion.
    
    They can’t unlearn it except sometimes in extreme situations where they get to experience it’s full horror personally. And even then it’s unlikely that they will.
    
    17 0
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    March 29, 2024 12:20am
AitchW

Arguably the most negative slogan in the history of sloganry.
Surely being in opposition means promoting real, workable and achievable alternative policies to those implemented by the government. Voters do not respond well to relentless carping negativity.
Long may Hipkins stay as their leader, the man is unelectable.
50 0
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March 28, 2024 4:31pm
- Chuck Bird
  
  And he has no moral compass. He puts trannies ahead of real women.
  
  33 1
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  March 28, 2024 4:59pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Too wordy.

In Marketing class, that’s a D-.

That will be $400 + GST, thank you.
26 0
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March 28, 2024 4:33pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Yep…
  
  No one is going to remember it… let alone repeat it.
  
  23 0
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  March 28, 2024 4:47pm
  - Swifty
    
    What does it even mean?
    
    Just what exactly are they trying to say?
    
    20 0
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    March 28, 2024 5:22pm
- Sarkozygroupie
  
  You’re right. I tried to remember the quote and the only word I could remember was governance ( it is actually “governed”).
  
  Thinking about ‘Governance’ straight away made me think of National running the country in a professional manner.
  
  So not only has Labour bamboozled everyone with a wordy word salad, they’ve made the message so convoluted it’s hard to remember AND they’ve linked the positive idea of governing prudently and balancing the books with their arch nemesis.
  
  I wonder if they can get a full refund from their slogan writer!? Honestly please don’t ever let these people near the levers of power again. It’s like Fawlty Towers.
  
  12 0
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  March 28, 2024 10:23pm
tknorriss

Seriously?? A couple of days early for April fools jokes.

If that is truly the slogan, then the use of confusing double negatives sinks it straight away.
27 0
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March 28, 2024 4:35pm
kowtow

Our country is a liberal democracy and it mustn’t be ‘co’ governed.
26 0
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March 28, 2024 4:35pm
A Nonny Mouse

Well that shows how little Labour know about running a company…..

….and running a country.
31 0
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March 28, 2024 4:42pm
Tasman devil

Are they referring to the Ebike company run by that Green MP about to retire from politics?

Just asking for a group of migrant workers.
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March 28, 2024 4:47pm
artemisia

What does Labour’s slogan actually mean. Has Labour explained? Will the media ask?

Cannot see it going viral, except that it’s an opportunity for ongoing questions to be asked and answers judged. There are a lot of folk in voter land that know a fair bit about how to run their own businesses (and households) who will be scratching their heads.
16 0
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March 28, 2024 5:09pm
- Gravelroad
  
  Talking about what does stuff “actually mean” what does this “actually mean”?
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350229474/tova-podcast-it-time-cap-wealth-and-whats-magic-number
  Will we get a vote on whether or not “Aotearoa” goes full communist, Tova?
  
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  March 28, 2024 5:33pm
  - JerJer
    
    Started to listen to that. Quickly turned it off. The internet is to blame for this. If someone crazy like that had started spouting off that sort of rubbish 30 years ago, they would be put in a straight jacket in a room with padded walls, and we would no be hearing from her.
    
    If you dare to listen long enough she wants a wealth cap of 10 million, but then goes on to say that 1 million is more than enough.
    
    That (forgetting how crazy it is to begin with) is totally unworkable. So, if I have 10 million say split between a house and a bunch of shares, and my house increases in value by 10%, does that mean I have to sell 10% of my shares and give it to the government…or some poor people or redistribution fund or what ? Do I still work if I am at the cap, and give my salary away every month. That woman is completely nuts.
    
    24 0
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    March 28, 2024 5:44pm
  - Swifty
    
    Chilling.
    
    12 0
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    March 28, 2024 5:57pm
  - pdm
    
    `Will we get a vote on whether or not “Aotearoa” goes full communist, Tova?
    
    Not if Tova has any say in it Gravel.
    
    5 0
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    March 29, 2024 9:47am
- Paulus
  
  Our media probably thought up the Labour slogan as it will suit their position too, as many find themselves out of a job.
  
  7 0
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  March 29, 2024 8:41am
Tasman devil

A bit of word smithing to help the poor wee “boy from the Hutt”:

“Our country isn’t an Ebike company and it shouldn’t be governed like it is”
24 0
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March 28, 2024 5:11pm
- Sarkozygroupie
  
  🤭🚴🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️
  
  9 0
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  March 28, 2024 10:34pm
davidp

I’m interested in the “Authorised by Rob Salmond” small print. Firstly, does Hipkins need Salmond’s approval before he makes a statement? Secondly, wasn’t Salmond one of the people who decided to criticise Asian NZers buying homes based on his analysis of their family names? Haven’t Labour put this anti-Asian racism behind them yet?
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March 28, 2024 5:14pm
- john1234
  
  Yes, yes, no.
  
  20 0
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  March 28, 2024 5:27pm
  - Sarkozygroupie
    
    They also haven’t put the trans activist Shaneel Lal behind them either. In fact they’ve embraced women hatred even more tightly.
    
    Shaneel Lal is now working as a policy researcher in Jenny Salesa’s office in Parliament.
    
    18 0
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    March 28, 2024 10:44pm
    - kisekiman
      
      “Working”…lol.
      
      13 0
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      March 29, 2024 2:47am
    - Homas
      
      “The elders of the village prayed over Lal to free them of spirits that supposedly made Lal queer.”
      
      Couldn’t help but take a wee peek at Zwir’s W/P page. I’m guessing that the “supposed” spirits were of the primitive hysterical fuzzy-wuzzy nonsense type, and not of the legitimate dolphin-spirit-river-goblin sort.
      
      5 0
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      March 29, 2024 8:20am
    - AitchW
      
      Shaneel Lal is a hatefilled bigot. I’m not sure what Shaneel’s preferred pronouns are,but I do know that Shaneel is bent on division and disharmony.
      
      1 0
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      March 29, 2024 9:05pm
  - Paulus
    
    Isn’t Salmon still the General Manager of the Labour Party and actually has enormous power within Labour. as to who gets anywhere as he has Union support directly.
    Watch him use this power soon to reorganise the failed Labour Party.
    
    7 0
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    March 29, 2024 8:44am
- peterwn
  
  This is quite conventional. Political advertising needs to be authorised by a candidate, MP or the Party Secretary. While Chris Hipkins could authorise the ad himself, he would leave it to the Party Secretary to authorise. National is the same, most of the authorisations (including Chris Luxon’s ads) are done by its Party Secretary Jo de Joux who is one of the Party’s most seasoned non-political operators. The parties has systems and standards for producing their publicity materials and one of the Party Secretary’s jobs is to ensure that these are met.
  Material that is funded by Parliamentary Services bears the Parliamentary crest and is authorised by the MP concerned.
  
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  March 28, 2024 6:11pm
Sir Cullen's Sidekick

Folks – sorry to piss on your parade. My spies on the ground tell me Chippie is getting great traction and there is a widespread support among sheeple for more taxes to pay for social justice. Sheeple are ready to pay higher income taxes, wealth tax, capital gain tax, carbon tax etc to restore social services and save the planet. People are telling Labour that they will vote for them in the next election so that Labour can tax them at will.
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March 28, 2024 5:29pm
- peterwn
  
  Only because of the astroturfing being done by left wing politicians and commentators.
  
  7 0
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  March 28, 2024 10:12pm
- AitchW
  
  Partially correct. The sheeple are ready for for someone else to pay more taxes to fund social justice.
  
  5 0
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  March 29, 2024 5:11am
- Philview
  
  The Sheeple want other people to pay the taxes. Remember at the last election TPM or the Greens were proposing giving Iwi first right of refusal on all private land sales. I think my property is worth a $million but I get offered a $1. What is not to like about such a scenario!
  
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  March 29, 2024 7:01am
- lifesgood
  
  Silly old SCS, He’s still not believing a word he says.
  
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  March 29, 2024 9:10am
David Garrett

The analogy of the country to a company is actually quite a good one – but dollars to donuts virtually no-one in Labour knows anything about company law, and how successful companies are run. And just as importantly, how they end uyp failing.

The major decisions made for and on behalf of a company are made by its directors – one might say a company’s board of governors are akin to Cabinet Members in a government. Those decisions are implemented by high level employees – just as the bureaucracy is supposed to operate according to political instructions from the government of the day, but these days they often don’t.

Ultimately the company is supposed to benefit its shareholders – the voters – primarily by way of making a profit, but also by avoiding getting prosecuted for – say – violations of health and safety or environmental laws, or doing things which adversely affect the perception of the company.

At the end the the day, the directors – the Members of the Executive – serve at the pleasure of the shareholders – or the voters in the case of a government.

The comparison is not a perfect one – particularly today, when the interests of all sorts of “stakeholders” over and above the shareholders are supposed to be taken into account by the board. But by and large, A large company bears a great deal of resemblance to a government.
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March 28, 2024 5:34pm
- Ultima
  
  Chippie wouldn’t know what a company is and what it’s like to run one. DPF is right, the slogan sounds like it’s from a student’s assignment.
  
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  March 28, 2024 6:25pm
  - Positan
    
    A primary school student’s assignment.
    
    12 0
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    March 28, 2024 8:36pm
    - Paulus
      
      Assignment must be in te reo, or whatever, though with a stirring Haka to support it.
      
      4 0
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      March 29, 2024 8:47am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  DG – Any attempt by “entitled” Luxon to save this country will be thwarted by Toxic Tova via her podcast.
  
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  March 28, 2024 6:43pm
oldpark

Still trying to work out is Hipkins the mouse that roared or the Coward of the Country .
He was running scared of Maori and a control freak of non Maori when he and the terrible trio Ardern/ Robertson/ Hipkins ruled New Zealanders with uncontrolled Ideology .
Now look at him and the state his two henchmen long departed to a lifestyle of nirvana who left NZs to pay the cost of almost Financial Bankruptcy . As someone once said Political Bullies like him are a shiver looking for a spine to crawl up .What an indictment and what cheek and gall by Hipkins to criticise the new Coalition Government working to help make NZ A Responsible Democratic Nation once again .
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March 28, 2024 6:36pm
Terry Dalee

“Our country isn’t a cult, and it shouldn’t have been governed like it was”..

F you Labour….
20 0
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March 28, 2024 9:05pm
Rich Prick

Fuck me, Labour are morons, how about:

“Our country is not a union, and it’s people shouldn’t be knee-capped as if it is.”

Where do they find these people?
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March 28, 2024 9:42pm
- AitchW
  
  University. Trade Union halls. Mexico.
  
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  March 29, 2024 5:16pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Once again Labour are negative.
Not a Company so should not be Governed as if it is.
Nothing about how the Country should be Governed, just how is shouldn’t.
They have no idea, if they did, they would have said so.
That little ginger prick is starting to get up mu left nostril.
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March 29, 2024 7:48am
Grunt

Our Country is a Family and it Shouldn’t be Abused like it Was!
6 0
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March 29, 2024 9:05am
softail 1450

My question is why does snotty Hipkins’s signature include the number 8 and a McDonald’s arches ,Is it a secret society where only students from Waterloo primary school that lived on McDonalds as 8 year olds were eligible to join?
Ignore everything that Hipkins says from here on in as his utterances make as much sense as his signature, can anyone with working eyesight actually make out “Christopher Hipkins” or anything remotely like it in that scribble?
5 0
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March 29, 2024 12:03pm
NZer In Exile

Our country is not a far left lunatic asylum and should definitely not be governed as if it is!
3 0
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March 29, 2024 12:36pm
NoFax

If only the country was run like a business. First, a business just can’t take your money and decide how they will spend it. But getting past the tax issue, no business would spend billions of dollars year after year achieving worse and worse outcomes such as in health, education, and social welfare. We don’t seem to demand a return on our “investment” the same way shareholders do.
2 0
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March 29, 2024 5:23pm
Coatesy

The obvious corollary is:
“If a company was run the way Labour ran a country, it wouldn’t be a company for long.”
0 0
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March 30, 2024 4:46pm

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