Fear of the Unknown....

I was intrigued by some of the contradictory statements that emanated from one 'Ancient Geek' on The Standard today. As is the way in politics, I feel I can 'cherry-pick' the points to support my own argument, so here goes.

On one hand it was asserted that:

"John Key and the Nats do not have that level of credibility - basically no-one really knows what they plan to do or how much they are telling the public what they want to hear."

compared to:

"The Nats will probably die in the ‘national’ campaign from disappointments about the expectations they have already induced."

Now we all do it - get carried away with a line of argument which appears clear when we typed it, but, depsite sounding logical, actually falls down under analyisis, so I hope this critique is not seens as intended nastiness. It isn't.

What it indicates is the nervousness that can be stimulated by remaining an unknown quantity.

Looking also at a post here today by inventory2:

"I honestly believe that Labour don't quite know what to make of him, and the "not knowing" would make Helen feel decidedly uncomfortable (dare I say "not in control"??!!)- so maybe JK needs to keep them guessing for a bit longer!"

This brings me to the point about Key. is he setting himself to ride into Wellington on an ass with the crowds crying 'Hosannah!'?
Or will he end up on his ass with the crowds crying 'loser!' (excuse the stretched attempt at assonance.)

So, to address specifics:

National have floated some ideas and they went down like the proverbial Zeppelin. The fact that they floated them indicates a power-struggle within National. No right thinking potential PM would go with that kind of nonsense. So Key got jacked. pure and simple.
But it stretches credulity to suggest that the Nats seriously thought the public would go for it.
If they did they are evidently in the wrong trade.

So perhaps Key said 'fine, get it out of your system.' Perhaps now, they will listen to him.

Remember English got shot down by the divisive cabals within National. Perhaps Key and English share that common knowledge - the elite will stop at nothing to 'get you'.

What you have been witnessing is a very quiet power struggle from which Key will emerge victorious. The struggle has not been between Key and English, but by Key and English - to put the 'old-guard' of National in their place.

What is emerging is a democratised impulse in the Natinal higher ranks. This democratised leadership has only been compounded by the egregious (:0) EFB. Suddenly, Labour have, in their anxiety to sabotage National's battle-plan, begun to appear like the bad guys English and Key are starting to look like giant-killers.

Despite what Labour try to make of the Key English parnership, the fact is they are both 'local boys made good'. They share a common loathing of 'privilege' and both have historical rationales for why they should want to destroy priviledge and its trappings.

But above all, Key is keeping his hand well hidden. The Labour Party in government are trepidatious about launching policy too soon - it might be bettered by National. National feel they have no need to outline policy now, otherwise they would have done so.

Key is playing a very clever and confident game, by remaining silent.

Perhaos there is an attack strategy from Natiional waiting in the wings.

But Labour, until it knows what it is attacking, is on the back-foot.

However the waiting game will only work for so long. If the mind-games are to reap long-term benefits for National, National, and Key in particular, need to come out on the attack soon.

Before Christmas.