Voting according to your values is a privilege, go ahead and use it accordingly. So, here’s who I’m voting for in this election. Well, you did ask.
TRANSCRIPT:
I don’t know about you but I’ve been getting lots of emails either telling me who to vote for, or telling me who they’re voting for and why I should also. Even Facebook profiles can be changed to announce who you’re voting for. in fact I saw a tweet this morning where somebody was asking the electoral commission whether it’s ok to tell someone who you voted for – and apparently it is. So I thought I would get in on the scene and tell you who I’m voting for in this important General Election.
So I want to tell you who I’m voting for – because everyone else seems to be – and I don’t want to miss out.
This is an important election.
It’s a real challenge working this through, isn’t it. There are some larger parties who have individual candidates who do a grand job at representing the social conservative voice in parliament. And there are also some new parties who also have superb policies uplifting and strengthening families and the moral fabric of our society.
National and ACT fall into that former category of having some individual MPs who are very good social conservatives – and there are also some new national MPs likely to get in this election that fit that description. So that’s great.
But while those parties in general are both fiscally conservative, they are not socially conservative from the top down – and are unlikely to undo some of the social damage that has been done by the Labour government over the past 6 years – including the atrocious abortion law and the overreach of the so-called conversion therapy law. They are also unlikely to undo the radical sexuality and gender ideology being indoctrinated in schools, or promote marriage, or remove the wokeness of personal pronouns, LGBT agenda or critical theory in our workplaces and classrooms.
Anybody who watched our StraightTalk interview with David Seymour will have seen the evidence of that – and the fact that they’re targeting the seat of Tamaki because National MP Simon O’Connor is pro life and anti-euthanasia says a lot about ACT.
And what about NZ First? Winston is up there with a number of other MPs as one of the most socially conservative voters – except for his support for euthanasia. It also seems that a couple of MPs in his party weren’t as socially conservative as he thought when they were last in parliament. But can we forgive him for that decision in 2017 when he effectively made Jacinda Ardern our PM for those next 3 years. We can’t blame him for the past 3 years. NZers voted her back in – and half of those voters now seem to be regretting it.
And then there’s a number of smaller social conservative parties who have great policies – and some great candidates – but are struggling to get media coverage and oxygen in this election campaign and are therefore struggling to get to the pass line of 5% under our MMP voting system.
And there’s no evidence that any of them are going to win an electorate seat – despite some optimism.
Let me reiterate – even though a vote for one of these parties does not receive representation in the final election outcome, some argue that it is not a wasted vote as they call it, as it still shows support for that party, or a protest vote against other parties. It’s a vote based on principle. It sends a message of support to the party and what the party represents or stands for.
It’s not wasted if your goal is to send a message to both the party and to the public in general that you support the principles and policies of that party – even if they don’t get in this time.
On the other hand, you may decide that you must vote in a way that ensures that we don’t have another 3 years of the current Government. I can relate to that. NZ is in deep need of a change in direction. The moral fabric of our country is taking a hammering.
So do we vote on principle, or strategically? Or both principle and strategically.
Sometimes I’ve had to vote on the basis of “this party will do harm, but this party may do good”. Sometimes I’ve had to vote for a party that isn’t perfect – but it’s better than the alternative. Perhaps way better.
Soooo – after weighing up all those factors, I came to my decision which I want to share with you.
When I enter the polling booth on Saturday (because it’s a ritual to do it on the day), when I enter the polling booth….
I will be voting for sdfjsdhfjksdgh7t78vzi
So… there we have it. You may have been a little surprised by my decision.
Of course I hope that you’ll take the time to pause and pray as to who you should vote for.
Voting according to your values is a privilege. We should use it.
But now you know who I’m voting for.
