Those “Kiwi’s” are a tough bunch.
Maybe it’s time for the government over there to stop listening to the government over here and infringing its own citizen’s rights?
It’s not just ‘the listening’. You should read his book.
Agreed, I feel like the book could be instructive to anyone, not just NZers. The main subjects of the book are people who are in awe of the conservative political machine, have even spent time at Young Republican Conventions and the like, and want to apply the same sort of tactics in New Zealand. Only, in typical kiwi fashion they are sort of naive and just a bit shit at it, making them easier to scoop and examine.
One example from the book that’s stuck with me:
‘There are a few basic propositions with negative campaigning that are worth knowing about,’ he wrote. ‘It lowers turnout, favours right more than left as the right continue to turn out, and drives away the independents. Voting then becomes more partisan.’ He then recommended an article about ‘one of the greatest ads in political history, the Willie Horton ad’.
This is an accepted truth among right-wing campaigners around the world. Make it good and dirty.
The wiki on William Horton is interesting reading.
From it:
The fact is, my name is not “Willie.” It’s part of the myth of the case. The name irks me. It was created to play on racial stereotypes: big, ugly, dumb, violent, black—“Willie.”
Additionally the summary of the 88 election was, hmmm, saddening? in that things really haven’t changed that much.
1988? Keep going…1972…1968.
Nixon’s people perfected the use of slimy campaigning, not that negative campaigning was new to them.
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