Just saying...

Fortunately or unfortunately for you, was busy yesterday gainfully employed. Gathering more taxes so your vote can be brought by the sellers of political snake oil so prevalent at present.

The more I see of the Conservative Party material that is appearing in my mail box with the local rag and other publications, the more I'm impressed.

For a startup of barely a month or so ago, the god-botherers seem to be organised with the material professionally presented to say the least. The material lays out the options, reasons why and the consequences of not taking their path. Their leader acquits himself well on the box with reasonable argument. And whilst I might not agree with all their ideas, they tick more than a few boxes for me.

On the other hand we have terminal ACT that is highly factionalised with every candidate singing from a different song sheet, supporting, if you could call it that, each other through clenched teeth. And many of the bloggers that support them all want them to go different directions, being unable to agree. The only consistent message I've seen from ACT is the yellow background. Sorry, but that doesn't do it for me, time to pull the plug and let ACT go.

Libz? Definitely not - some ideas are plausible, but most are for stark raving loonies that inhabit the political fringes trying to get traction. A wasted vote that shows in their consistent fails at the ballot box. Ideals and theory might be good guys, but a healthy dose of practicality is required.

The native vote like the MP or Mana you say? Bugger off! Nothing but a bunch of grasping separatist racist bludgers permanently looking for handouts. And utilising the white man's colonising guilt trip scenario to maximise returns.

The left - tree huggers or Liarbour? Now that is line I could not cross. Not even with my nose held high and pinched tightly shut. I'd sooner not vote.

Winston First? Always an option. They too tick a few boxes, but like racehorses, you cannot trust them to stay the course. Or even run the right way once started.

The Nats? Brand Do Nothing is another burnt bridge. As I've said many a time, a mandate was given with ACT, but Smile and Wave chose to go native and utterly wasted three years. They, like Liarbour need a real shakeup to move away from fence sitting in the centre. It's bad enough having one left party, we certainly do not need two.

The parties would do well to emulate the new kids on the block. I mean to say - look at the other options on offer.

• Brand Blue ('Build a blighted future')
• Brand Red ('Owe our future')
• Brand Yellow ('Too yellow to make a difference')
• Brand Green ('We will tax the rich out of NZ')
• Brand Black - two here - take your pick ('Giving immigrants a fair going over') or ('A movement of bludgers')
  

A veritable wash of colour, all with some half-arsed slogan, no one with a message that grabs my attention. Sure I see them uttering platitudes, kissing babies, promising more of my taxes to pay for their bribes and arguing 'he said that but did this'. All with zero policy detail in my mail box. Maybe a single coloured card in the brand colour, the same half-arsed slogan and a photoshopped picture. Doesn't do it for me. Nor does a website full of lies and obscure broken links that I have to print off to read later. As a voter I want something I can read over a coffee at smoko or of an evening.

Just saying.