| Monday, May 07, 2012 4:16 PM

-FRENCH ELECTIONS-

 

 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is ousted.

The free spending socialist Francois Hollande has been elected.

What plays out now is going to be interesting. France is deeply in debt. France is actually broke. Not as much as Greece, Spain and Italy but Sarkozy was about reducing debt and exercising fiscal restraint. Hollande is not about that. Hollande is promising that the austerity measures are off the table. He's planning a big spend up.

So France will spend what they don't have, and now Greece could be looking to renege on their bailout package after elections there are in the balance.

There is no question there has been a lean to the left in these European countries. There has been a backlash against austerity, against fiscal restraint.

It seems to me that they want to climb back into the very thing that got them into debt in the first place.

This will all spook the markets. It’s hard to see the Euro surviving for one thing.

 

-GREENS-

 

 

The Green Party wants the annuities paid to former Prime Ministers to be stopped.

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei said the payments could not be justified.

"We have to stop this system of paying people for jobs that they aren't doing."

I guess you could say the same about welfare but they won't go there.

The PM says the benefits were "modest by overseas standards" and reflected the continuing duties and service of former prime ministers.

This is typical of the Greens. They are more or less economically illiterate. They are big spenders. Tax and spend: Socialists in drag.

The Greens will never have a Prime Minister so this is a good target for them.

I don't see a great issue in looking after former Prime Ministers.

 

-BANKS-

 

 

A Herald on Sunday poll finds that John Banks more or less toast.

Only 10% of voters would vote for him.

As I have been saying since this smelly mess, it would be the public perception that would nail Banks rather than any inquiry.

The public doesn't believe Banks -period.

 

-DOTCOM’S SONG-

 

 

There will be some great fun made with Dotcoms song about Banks amnesia.

The media are jumping onto the song. Dotcom is treated a hero by some in the media, they are in love with him.

Couple of things spring to mind about Dotcom. One - the perception that the donation was about trying to buy political favour and two - this is the same guy who is facing extradition proceedings on serious charges.

 

-WARRIORS-

 

I thought the Warriors win over the Broncos was very very good.

Gone was the high risk uncertain seat of your pants strategy.

They looked composed. There was a plan. They played the percentages. And guess what? They beat the team near the top of the table. Amazing what you can do when you cut the errors down.

If they can continue with a more intelligent game plan, they will continue to win.

 

-BLUES-

 

 

The Blues sunk further into the mire.

Let's not take anything away from the Hurricanes, they were fantastic, but the Blues are very mediocre team right now.

I do see a bit more of an effort from certain All Blacks which I see more as a pointer that the All Black squad’s announcement isn't far away.

This tells me they are more focused on the All Blacks than the grind of the Super 15.