Friday, November 8, 2024
Ananish Chaudhuri: The sheer lunacy of contemporary progressive politics or How I became a right-wing extremist
Labels: Ananish Chaudhuri, Right-wing extremistWith Kemi Badenoch taking over the leadership of Tories in the UK, newspapers have been replete with how this represents a radical turn to the right. Similar headlines appeared when Labour was booted from power in New Zealand.
There was a time when I would have thought: “Shame. Why can’t these people not be more progressive, more empathetic, more caring of the less well-off and the downtrodden?”
Breaking Views Update: Week of 3.11.24
Labels: Breaking Views Update: monitoring race relations in the mediaFriday November 8, 2024
News:
The Treaty Principles Bill has been released: Here's what's in it
The four-page Treaty Principles Bill has been introduced and will be debated in Parliament next week.
As with all bills, the text begins with an explanatory note, includes links to some of the advice provided about it, such as a regulatory impact statement, and sets out the specific wording the law would change if enacted.
Barry Soper: There's no accounting for America's political taste
Labels: 2024 US Presidential Election, Barry Soper, President Donald TrumpThere's no accounting for public taste - and that would surely have to apply to the American public with the election of Donald Trump.
Despite seeing himself as pulling off the biggest political comeback in the history of the world, he shows that he's no historian.
And we'll find out over the next four years whether he's the peacemaker he claims to be after he calls his buddies Vladimir and Benjamin and tell them to stop fighting their wars.
Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Let's put Donald Trump's win into perspective
Labels: 2024 US Presidential Election, Heather du Plessis-Allan, President Donald TrumpLet me tell you, it was absolutely no surprise to me to see my Facebook friends going crazy over Trump winning the election last night - and there's been plenty of hysterical predictions now that he's won.
My absolute favourite one was from my husband, who said that Trump would take us to the brink of war. Hello - the world is already at war, we don't need to be taken to the brink, we're already there.
Peter Williams: It's Trump
Labels: American Election, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Peaceful global situation likely, Peter WilliamsTold you so!
This Substack predicted it 8 days out.
But to be honest you did not need to be Nostradamus to call it. That so many seemed surprised by the margin of Donald Trump’s victory shows (a) that the western population is split into parallel universes and (b) identity politics is dead and buried. (NB Green Party)
David Farrar: A dominant victory
Labels: David Farrar, Trump's victoryTrump’s victory over Harris was decisive enough that Democrats don’t have to try and second-guess decisions such as not picking Shapiro as VP, or not going on Josh Rogan. The fact almost every county in the US showed a swing to Trump indicates this was not a victory that could have been stopped by better tactics.
Suze: Is the US Election Coverage Reliable?
Labels: Suspect U.S. elections, SuzeWhy would American voters be suspicious about their free and fair election?
If you expect an informed opinion based on US election facts, you won’t get it from NZ media, who suffer from and spread TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome). In the words of an Aussie neighbour: you’re dreaming mate.
US President Joe Biden hasn’t spoken coherently, walked up stairs without tripping or gotten offstage without precise directions from his minders – for at least the last two years, but don’t expect NZ media to report on Joe’s deteriorated cognitive function, or the Biden family’s once-secret financial arrangements with Ukraine, either.
Simon Anderson: New Green Party MP Benjamin Doyle
Labels: Benjamin Doyle, Simon AndersonCelebrating Leftist Political Violence. "The only thing missing from the rotunda today was tomato juice"
In April of 2023 New Zealand society was reeling from the backlash against leftwing political violence.
A storm of international criticism had been unleashed upon the country for the attack upon a women’s rights rally hosted by the British activist Posie Parker a month earlier. Domestically, Kiwis were asking difficult questions about police collusion with the violent demonstrator and questioning the bias of the vestigial media which, despite video evidence proving the contrary, endeavoured to portray the violence positively.
Eliora: The Jab Is ‘Zero Risk’
Labels: Covid 19 vaccination, Eliora, Medical profession trust, Zero riskWhat happens when the messaging does not match reality?
It may take a generation to get over this, such is the deception over what is a life and death issue.
The Medical Council of New Zealand would not listen to Richard Aston. Led by Dr Curtis, the council talked about the Pfizer jabs being of ‘zero-risk’ to the public. They chose not to read the open letters sent to them by the NZDSOS doctors, which were well-informed attempts to present the truth.
Thursday, November 7, 2024
Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 7/11/24
Labels: Crackdown on gangs, Crown director fees, Donald Trump, Government's Financial Statements, Point of Order, Suicide prevention, Treaty Principles BillOn Captain Cook’s birthday, the govt introduces the Treaty Principles Bill
The four-page Treaty Principles Bill – as was portended in the media earlier this week – has been introduced and will be debated in Parliament next week.
RNZ reports:
Robert MacCulloch: Kamala Harris mistake - taking advice from Ardern....
Labels: American Election, Jacinda Ardern, Kamala Harris, Professor Robert MacCulloch(One of) Kamala Harris' Big Mistakes: Taking Rubbish Advice from former NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Its hard to think of anyone more out-of-touch with American values and beliefs than our former PM, Jacinda Ardern. How come? An influential view in economics these days is that the US system of relatively ungenerous welfare and low taxation is supported by the beliefs of ordinary Americans. Most of them believe in "The American Dream" - namely that effort is rewarded in the market place and that folks like Elon Musk deserve their wealth. Not just high income Americans, but low income ones as well, including Latin American immigrants. The flip-side is that 60% of Americans believe the poor are lazy, and as such, undeserving of high levels of welfare payments. These beliefs support the American equilibrium that many of us consider is behind that country's status as being the world's largest economy, with high rates of innovation and entrepreneurship, together with high inequality.
Mike's Minute: Mike's wrap of Trump's win
Labels: American Election, Donald Trump, Mike HoskingThe best thing about the result is you can't argue with it.
You can hate it, but you can't argue with it.
To win not just the College, but also the popular vote, gives the result a legitimacy that is rock solid.
Brendan O'Neill: The unbelievably hilarious meltdown of the centrists
Labels: American Election, Brendan O'Neill, Donald TrumpLet us all enjoy the bewilderment of the podcast ponces in response to Trump’s victory.
I have found my favourite image from yesterday’s historic election in the US. It isn’t a too-bronzed Trump wobbling to ‘YMCA’ after his victory speech. It isn’t any of those candid shots of Kamala campaigners sobbing into their flags. No, it’s a still of Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell looking baffled beyond belief by the results. There they are, the two podcast ponces, a couple of bloviators who’ve somehow managed to convince the centrist dads of the turbo-smug suburbs that they know everything there is to know about politics, looking positively dumbstruck. Or perhaps just dumb. It’s delicious.
Simon O'Connor: He's back!
Labels: American Election, Donald Trump, Simon O'ConnorEarly reflections on the results of the United States election, and how I think we can say that the results show a clear divide between the 'elites' and people at large.
A remarkable and definitive victory for Donald Trump and the Republicans. There is no doubt about this result – it was a thumping of the Democrats. Among many reflections, I think the most striking and relevant is that there is a huge gap between the Democrats and their ‘elite’ supporters including many in mainstream media, and the American people. I will expand on this later, but in short, the issues that Harris and friends thought were relevant are not except on college campuses, newsrooms, and among other left wing radicals. It will also be these same groups unable to comprehend the result and will seek to blame their failure on anyone but themselves.
Clive Bibby: A time for healing - then anything is possible
Labels: 2024 US Presidential Election, Clive Bibby, President Donald TrumpAt the time of writing, Donald Trump has been called the winner of the US Presidential election although by how much is as yet undecided. The final count may not be announced for another day or so.
Whatever - we know enough now from the votes that have
been counted to surmise that the final vote will look like a landslide with
Trump doing what no Republican candidate has done for decades - win the popular
vote by a sizeable margin.
We can read a number of things from this incredible victory.
Roger Childs: Today is the birthday of one of the greatest explorers in history
Labels: Captain James Cook, Roger ChildsMost people see James Cook as an iconic figure whose legacy in New Zealand is a modern, progressive, multi-cultural society. However, a small number of Maori extremists see him as a negative influence and claim he committed many crimes against the Polynesian inhabitants of the time. They do not disclose any evidence or sources and their case is flimsy at best.
NZCPR Newsletter: Transforming Our Future
Labels: NZ Superannuation, NZCPR Newsletter, Public Policy Reform, Sir Roger DouglasWhen Labour launched their failed Three Waters scheme in 2021, which aimed to confiscate council water services and amalgamate them into mega-authorities controlled by Maori, one of the major concerns raised was over the financing of the scheme.
Penn Raine: Party tonight at Mar A Lago!
Labels: 2024 US Presidential Election, Penn Raine, President Donald TrumpI expected the USA to sink immediately beneath a tsunami of
blood. I’m not exactly sure why, just that it seemed that the democratic
process had slumped to the level of a TV game show. Of course, that that was
before Ardern was elected.
I say I was shocked, but I was not surprised. It was obvious to anyone who listened to anything out of the States beside Oscar acceptance speeches, that John and Jane Doe wanted something done about the creep of the rust belt, the war on traditional values and the deluge of illegal migrants through its porous border.
Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: There are few things more political than a political leak
Labels: Act's Treaty Principles Bill, David Seymour, Heather du Plessis-Allan, Waitangi TribunalTo the Treaty Principles Bill.
Despite David Seymour's best efforts to pretend that there's absolutely nothing to see here, there is no doubt in my mind that the government is planning to introduce the Treaty Principles Bill tomorrow to try to hide it - because they know full well, we're all going to be completely obsessed and distracted by the US election.
They know that if they get it out on Thursday, tomorrow, it's before the planned Hikoi even sets off on Monday.