Chris Trotter: Weaponising Illegal Immigration.

The Italian government has uncovered what it believes to be a new layer of mendacity in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Thousands of kilometres to the south of the fighting in Ukraine’s eastern provinces, deep in the anarchic wilderness of Sub-Saharan Africa, there’s been a grim addition to the criminal infrastructure of human-trafficking and people-smuggling. Russians.

Displaying that formidable mixture of state and private interests the world has learned to recognise in the Wagner Group’s fearsome mercenaries, new groups of highly organised Russian smugglers are hard at work. Unquestionably, these men are motivated by the huge profits to be made out of human suffering and desperation. But, they have not set up shop in these lawless lands entirely of their own volition. Somebody sent them there.

Denis Hall: The "Far" Right - or the "Rabid" Left?

You choose.

Right - as in okay! Is it okay to say ‘right’ now - or will they make that a swear word?

And I’m not going to hold back today.

As you read this - remember - that it wasn’t me who invoked Mussolini or the Fascists - it was the leftist New Zealand and Global News Media that did that - and I’m just responding.

Ask yourself! New Aotearoa’s Media! Are they crazy - or cunning and deceptive like the rats we think they are - jumping into the Government’s pocket to ensure their position of power inside the Government in our coming totalitarian future?

Daniel Di Martino: Italy’s Taxes Drive Its Economy Underground

Milton Friedman used to say that “for many years Italy did well because of the black market.” 

Italy grew rapidly over the 20th century, and its black market was part of an important economic recovery after World War II. Italians made everything from low-cost toys to high-quality cars, from world-renowned coffee to thousands of movies.  

However, in 2018, Italy is one of only two European countries where GDP per capita has not recovered from the financial crisis. Italy has an unemployment rate of 11 percent and a youth unemployment rate of about 35 percent. In addition, Italians have the second-largest government debt in the world relative to their GDP.

Daniel Mitchell: Can a Flat Tax Rescue Italy’s Economy?

To put it mildly, Italy’s economy is moribund. There’s been almost no growth for the entire 21st century.

Bad government policy deserves much of the blame.

According to Economic Freedom of the World, Italy is ranked only 54th, the worst score in Western Europe other than Greece. The score for fiscal policy is abysmal, and regulatory policy and rule of law are also problem areas.

Ron Smith: Sounds of the election

Whilst we listen to Messrs Key and Goff and, occasionally, Mr Peters and Mr Brash (and duets from the Greens and Maori), there is also to be heard the distant sound of chickens coming home to roost in Greece and Italy (and, potentially, in sundry other places). Although all the New Zealand parties are, to a greater or lesser extent, in denial about present public expenditure trends, it may well be, that this election will be determined by an inclination to favour the most cautious.

Clearly, what is happening in Greece and Italy has the potential to be a social catastrophe in those countries and the triggering factor is escalating public debt. Apart from the implications for pensions and public amenities (as well as continuing social disorder), it may be worth noting that in both these prominent cases, public confidence in politicians has sunk to such a level, that administrative power has been handed over to non-elected officials. This, in itself, has the potential to become part of a wider problem, and it is a problem that both countries have experienced within the lifetimes of persons still living.