Netzpolitiken: Party party be cray cray

Kim Dot Com's party is chaos.  It's an ego trip, an immigration/citizenship strategy, an extradition defence ploy, a business lobby, a revenge fantasy and it may even turn out to have some loose connection with politics.  The gravitational attraction of his millions has sent sorts off half-cocked, and cocks off half-sorted.  I have had nothing to do with any of it.

The story so far: Die Interneten Partei Neuseeland had not even been announced and Cameron Slater was trying to perform a political abortion live on the blogosphere armed with Martyn Bradbury's secret astrological star charts he had prepared for big Daddy, Billy Big steps.  The last minute delivery by Caesarian was carried out, once again, live on the blogosphere with Scoop's Alistair Thompson acting as midwife, shredding credibility in the messy circus it had become, unable to keep that many hats on his head at one time.  When multi-tasking goes wrong: the commercially precarious independent journalism lark is no match for a fat payday and a romp in the Dotcom mansion.  The ethical lapses in disclosure revealed so dramatically in the wake of Whaleoil's splash are the thin end of the corrupting influence of big money.

As for the party?  The Bradbury paper deserves a bit more credit than it has received, and his involvement as a lefty with the capitalist Kim Dotcom should not be surprising, nor is this inconsistent with his situation.  

Forming a broad front against National and Act is what the game is about in order to take government later on this year.  Kim Dotcom's party - being inherently based on his values of capitalism and freedom - will be bound to take votes off the right wing parties - more so than the soft fringe of the younger Greens, Labour and Mana.  Translating National votes into anti-National votes and therefore very likely pro-Left votes would be a master-stroke.  Motivating the elusive, non-voting youths never had such good prospects as an internet-based party resourced to the max by a larger than life internet guru cool enough to be wanted by the FBI.  That is sticking it to the man in the 21st century.

 

Running in the new electorate in Auckland that just happens to be in Kim Dotcom's hood is a given.  Auckland Central is an obvious one too, although Epsom was not mentioned, nor Peter Dunne's Wellington seat.  They only need a few to make an impact and rely on the mammoth task of pulling 5% with a nationwide campaign mainly online plus a tour bus. Well remunerated organisational professionals, IT for Africa, youthful enthusiasm and being this election's 'it' party will only carry them so far.  Without some name candidates in the target seats and on the list that live the brand, ie. are champions of freedom and technology, then the party will be over.  Opting for novice and non-partisan, non-ideological candidates would position them well, but too many from either left or right would assign them by association to one or other to their detriment.

Kim Dotcom's decision to cancel his party party that was serving as a combined album/party launch and birthday bash after the Electoral Commission expressed concern tells us he his most serious about this political vehicle.  It also speaks to his caution.  However from what has transpired so far I can't express much confidence they will be able to get their shit together or be able to keep it together until the election. Best of British to him.