Government won't change drink driving rules because of 'political correctness' monster

This Government is soooooooo gutless when it comes to booze levels in blood because they have spent so much time creating the nanny state bogeyman - remember Key referring to the Political Correct stormtroopers of the Nanny State in one of his debates for the 2008 election? National have feed their favourite bogeyman to convince people the dykeocracy was forcing water saving showerheads and power saving lightbulbs down our throats.

I love reminding NZers how embarrassingly worked up they got over petty power saving lightbulbs and water saving showerheads and then comparing that supposed 'nanny state' to the social damage this Government is causing. I enjoy the difficult squirming it always causes in people who bought Key's 'change' bullshit hook, line and sinker.

The bullshit 'blame the kids' line the Government are spinning to defend their piss weak response to booze is made even more pathetic in the wake of information that the booze industry muscled National into this weak response in the final month before the decision was due.

The Government spent so much political capital while in opposition convincing NZers that any social policy was 'nanny state political correctness gone mad' that they now can not implement any social policy whatsoever. Their fear of a 2 drink maximum is that the old boys who make up the rump of National's voting block and who can legally drive drunk at the moment from 7 'standard' drinks will scream when they are told they can't go over two drinks that it's 'political correctness gone mad', National Party strategists want to avoid that at all costs, even if it means more deaths on the road.

For those who say price can't change patterns of consumption comes this news today...

Dramatic slump in stores' cigarette sales
Demand for tobacco has fallen 15 per cent at supermarkets since the tax rise in April - a far greater reduction than expected.

"It's extraordinary," public health physician Dr Murray Laugesen said yesterday, commenting on supermarket sales figures supplied to him by research company ACNielsen.

Based on earlier tax increases, a tobacco price rise of 10 per cent would have been expected to reduce sales by 5 per cent.

...and the point of Supermarkets using booze as a loss leading product that is harming the society we live in was made perfectly clear today by Professor Sellman...

Supermarkets are drug pushers, says lobbyist
Supermarkets are drug "pushers" who are selling high quantities of discounted wine and should be viewed the same as dealers dishing out Ecstasy pills or morphine.

It may seem extreme but it's a view that Professor Doug Sellman, director of the National Addiction Centre and spokesman for the Alcohol Action Group, is taking quite seriously.

Professor Sellman believes the Government should remove alcohol from supermarket shelves and limit the amount of advertising operators are allowed for liquor, among many changes he hopes might alter people's attitudes to drinking.

Think it's over the top? He will tell you that's because you have been brainwashed into downplaying our excessive consumption of alcohol.

In a three-month study of advertising in the Herald, the Dominion Post, the Press and the Otago Daily Times, Professor Sellman said New World was the country's biggest "drug pusher" because it had the most alcohol-related advertising.

He said the sale of alcohol in supermarkets made it cheaper and easier to get, which meant more people would use it.

Some supermarkets also sold alcohol below cost to lure customers in, which was contributing to the problem.

...by blaming da kids when research shows the majority of NZs heavy drinkers are over 25 years of age, this gutless Government have simply put industry booze profits ahead of the well being of NZers, and all because they don't want to wake the Nanny State Political Correctness Monster they built in the minds of their weak and frightened supporters.

Oh and the less said about Judith Collins embarrassing attempt to defend allowing the Police to drink themselves into a stuper in unlicensed Police Bars the better.

I love how even Joyce can't buy the bullshit he is spinning...

Two Drinks Max: Joyce can't figure out new figures
Transport Minister Steven Joyce was left red-faced last night after trotting out new figures supporting the Government's position on drink-driving - then admitted they made little sense.