Comments on: Roger Douglas to speak at LDP conference

By: software developer

software developer — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:31:57 +0000

thanks for the article. always a good read.

By: John Humphreys

John Humphreys — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:24:29 +0000

The areas that Douglas reformed (eg farm subsidies) saw productivity improvements. In the areas where there was little/no reform… or where the reform was quickly wound back… there was little/no improvement.

It’s important to remember the significant financial problems that NZ was facing under Muldoon in the early 1980s. Lange & especially Douglas made the hard decisions, and while that may not make them populist heros, they should be fondly remembered by thinking people.

By: Skull

Skull — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:23:30 +0000

From the time of the implementation of Douglas’ reforms until the present, New Zealand has ranked 26th out the the 26 OECD countries for economic growth.

The man was a genius. Chuckle.

By: TerjeP (say tay-a)

TerjeP (say tay-a) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:11:50 +0000

I wouldn’t give Reagan all the credit for the collapse of the Soviet Union. However giving him none of the credit is just as flawed.

By: Skull

Skull — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:36:17 +0000

No serious historian credits Reagan with a key role in the collapse of the Soviet Union. The fact that he was US Prez at the time is irrelevant.

By: DavidLeyonhjelm

DavidLeyonhjelm — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:00:16 +0000

Ronald Reagan also frightened the mad mullahs of Tehran into releasing the US Embassy hostages, controlled inflation and government spending, threw out a corrupt dictatorship in Grenada, gave Libya’s Gaddafi a bloody nose and, most importantly of all, forced the collapse of the Soviet bloc. He saved hundreds of millions from oppression and poverty.

He wasn’t perfect, but I struggle to think of anyone who achieved more. That’s why the comparison with Roger Douglas is so legitimate – both are genuine achievers. The exact opposite of most people.

By: Skull

Skull — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:13:05 +0000

Ronald Reagan armed Saddam Hussein thus ensuring almost one million people died in the Iran-Iraq War, the subsequent genocide against the Kurds and Gulf Wars One and Two. Ronald Reagan also effectively put the Taliban in control of Afghanistan thus ensuring 911 and fueled various Latin American and African civil wars. All up Ronald Reagan sent at least 2 million people to an early grave.

Roger Douglas had his problems but it is unfair to associate him with the Butcher of Hollywood.

By: John Humphreys

John Humphreys — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:13:55 +0000

This is great news for the LDP. If you can, make sure you go listen to the great man.