A debate has already cropped up on Twitter from those on the Left side of the spectrum which means Josh’s post has hit the mark.

However, I do note that Slater has become a diminished force at the moment and no longer holds such influence as he did at his peak in the last term of this current National administration.

That said there is nothing stopping Slater nor others that are equally as diminished such as The Daily Blog from coming back in MK2 form. The question is not whether they are being able to but more to the point are they willing to.

Translating this into Local Government level I have noted the same five Councillors who went against the Deputy Mayor in the Mayoral Censure Motion last year are in some what a diminished capacity themselves with their attacks against the rest of the Council.

While I give credit for being predictable their attacks against the other 15 Councillors (incl, the Deputy Mayor) falls into the same situation John has mentioned about the Democrats vs the Koch Brothers.

Now there is plenty of opportunity to be had with the valuations vs rates vs Unitary Plan saga as is. But these five Councillors are fighting the ever changing war using the same battle tactics that has so far denied Conservatives taking control of the Council in itself. New blood using both new and old tools such as path pounding and blogs seem to be carving out their strategies in the war that is valuations vs Rates vs the Unitary Plan. Whether this new blood steps up for the full assault and test themselves via the voting processes in 2016 has yet to be seen but I bet they are working such strategies as I write this.

As for blogs having influence at Local Government Level? Yes they do and can wield quite a bit of influence for better or for worse with quite mixed results in both success and failures.

Two particular blogs hold such prestige with two main stream media pieces also holding that prestige as well. And all four treat it with absolute respect as well even when the four might differ in opinion.

Foreman would have similar views in politics as I have, that being one of Social Liberalism. If you do not know what Social Liberalism then look it up in Wikipedia and while you are there Wiki ‘Common Good.’

But while I have made it long known that I am a Social Liberal some rather interesting situations come about.
Social Liberalism is Centre Left yet from 2003 until just before the election thanks to my electorate MP Judith Collins I was a member of the Young Nats, and the National Party. Just a note that when I resigned from National I left a clause in there leaving it open for me to return to the Party if two conditions were met. So far one has been met.

People find it odd of me being a Social Liberal belong to the National Party until recently. This is most likely I got along with other members well and they were more accommodating than those of the Labour and Green Parties. I don’t know what it was but something left me cold with Labour and the Greens and it still does today even with National ballsing up as is at the moment.

That said I also get along with Centre Left people as well but I have noticed more of recent that they have left Labour or the Greens just as I have left National. The point being my values allow me to interact with both sides and often forge solutions using Best of Both Worlds pragmatism. Hence while I do believe in a hand up for those in need I am also a believer of a good old fashioned boot up the arse to get them motivated as well as some days the boot is needed to give that person a realisation and break them out of self pittying wallowing.

So that leaves the question if I were to run for an Auckland Council Governing Body decision how would my political values play out.

It is complex as Local Government transcends the typical Left Right paradigm in Central Government politics. For one I would be quite a strict Fiscal Conservative and looking for new ways of boosting the revenue stream without resorting to constant rates rises. The method I am looking at seriously is through Council becoming more proactive in development and leaseholding to gain a good stream of rental income especially from Metropolitan Centres and City Centre sites (if they stop selling the damn Land off first).

City Building wise I factor both social and physical infrastructure in where as the right wing seems to be blind on the social stuff.

So this means balanced development across the city with roads, your rubbish services, your parks, your libraries, and some cultural events there and there. The Mayor’s Spatial Priorities to which I have looked at before I would serious run with in targeting the bulk of investment in Auckland Building but at the same time not forget everyone else. Of course the Spatial Priorities are rotated every 5-7 years.

As for Planning? Well another post as I am meant to be looking at on how I am a Social Liberal. Oh wait that means liberalisation of the Unitary Plan. Heh there you go.

So there you have it. I am a Social Liberal who gets on well with both sides but find National more warm than Labour and the Greens.

Oh and I think I just did a soft launch on my bid for Council 2016.