John Key's response to introducing charter schools despite never having campaigned on them? "That's MMP for you, isn't it?"
No, its not MMP. MMP would be if ACT had actually mentioned the idea in their manifesto, campaigned on it, and extracted them in exchange for confidence and supply. They didn't do that (and neither did National). So instead we have policy from nowhere, sprung on the electorate by surprise, and therefore lacking any pretence of a democratic mandate.
Instead, this is FPP all over again. In 1990, National pulled a larger version of this stunt, campaigning on a "decent society" and giving us Ruth Richardson instead. And that single act of political deceit isn't just why an entire generation of voters regard all politicians as lying scumbags - its also why MMP won. The electorate expects honesty. Clearly, National hasn't learned that lesson yet (or just finds it inconveniently career-limiting), and so we'll have to politically castrate them again until it sinks in.
(As for Key trying to blame MMP, can anyone say "sore loser"? Or is he setting himself up for another broken promise, a second referendum whether we voted for one or not?)
