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| A piece of string. Fixing the long neglected unfixed things. | pn452 |
I was reminded of this riddle when I read in our local Whitby Newsbrief what candidates had to say while courting votes for the forthcoming local election.
Most candidates could be divided into pragmatists or idealists.
The former, the pragmatists, mostly older males in business, emphasising prudence. Current Council policies are extending state care, hindering investment that leads to job creation, and bringing about the separation of racial groups. Don't spend money we don't have. Don't pay our civic employees a living wage because it will put up rates, making Maori and Pasifika especially vulnerable due to their lower disposable incomes.(a curious argument when most do not own a house, and some are on less than a living wage.)
And the latter, the idealists, generally younger people and women who placed more emphasis on principle than prudence. Pay the living wage and look for other ways to cut costs. Face up to the local challenges of climate change. Show genuine recognition and support for multiculturalism, Build key partnerships with civic groups.
