There are distinct parallels between the US and NZ politics - both are completely influenced by the Extreme Right Atlas Network agenda:
Simply there are six elements:
- Downsize Govt
- Downsize public services
- Achieve more privatisation
- Reduce the tax take
- Enhance the wealth of the wealthy and their property rights
- Marginalise indigenous people and strip away their rights
It’s critical that we rise up against that agenda, push against the Government at every chance, that we advocate alternative positions and inform people, and collectively work to elect Parties on the Left at the next election. This must be a one term Govt!
It’s heartening in terms of parties on the Left are becoming more strident and noticed and that is reflected in the recent polls.
It has been heartening to see mass protest via the Hikoi - 100,000+ people. A protest about the Treaty Principle Bill but also a general protest against the Govt and its agenda.
It’s been heartening to see the high level of submissions generated against the Treaty Principles Bill and the Regulatory Standards Bill.
It’s been heartening to witness the intelligent and learned positions being expressed in the oral submissions against the Treaty Principles Bill.
People are motivated in Aotearoa New Zealand to push against the Govt, to stand up for democracy and if that motivation continues we have a real chance to see a change of Govt in 2026.
We certainly have a better chance in this Country to expose and challenge the Atlas Network agenda cf the US!
The downfall of the US will undoubtedly undermine the economics of the rest of the world - my hope is that we will change for the better (we missed our chance after Covid)
It does feel like the destabilization will be wide ranging - my feeling is the financial system as it now stands is at risk which if that transgressed would be both devastating for many and interesting as it forces each to revisit our deepest assumptions
We won't, I was so disappointed after Covid that it turned out our new normal wasn't what was painted at all.
Again no government support in pointing us that way. The timbermill (Whakatane?) that closed shortly after, that could have gone in for a bit of govt investment and become a mill for building supplies. WFH, well that whole thing has turned out to be the biggest 'sucked in badly' for employees; again some investment or encouragement for business to relocate from city centres to suburban bases - i.e. nothing stopping govt departments keeping their head office in wellington cbd but honestly why not have hubs around the country for multi department work spaces (with cafes etc available close by). So much Labour could have done to support the new normal.
If we think this government (or Labour for that matter) will support a new normal because of Trump we are just going to be disappointed again. After all NACT1 would love this state of affairs to be our new normal.
The analogy is starkly obvious. Please keep spotlighting NZ’s parallel journey. In many cases our government have pre-empted the US, being in power over a year already.
Many years ago I read a marketing related article (can't remember where) that has always stuck with me. It talked about how NZ was the perfect place to market test new products. We are (or were) relatively isolated, we still are geographically, we have a population of about the right size, almost perfect for releasing products and understanding results.
Think about it, I am certain we were the case study for Trumps 2025 government.
NZ minority government are creaming their whatever to say how high and yes to the anti South Pacific bozo counterfeit- think bit coin- Potus. National under Muldoon played we love America and we changed our electoral system pdq
🤷The Orange-Menace (O-M for short) is incapable of understanding (or caring) about the consequences of his/USA actions either domestically or particularly on the global stage. USAID in particular will be IMMEDIATELY devasting for individuals & communities currently being helped with medical/health related programmes if they abruptly stop - already stories of individuals in the midst of treatment at risk of imminent death 🤬 But also the workers themselves stranded in sometimes remote & even semi-hostile areas of the world - no doubt the people who run these programmes will be doing their best to help, but they are being fired & I read the whole of USAID has been disestablished & moved under Liddle-Rubio in the state dept 😱 As stated, USAID is a very small investment for USA benefit in many facets, as well as being the "right thing" for a wealthy super power to do (not that enters the O-M calculations 🤷)
I see Mexico has held off tariffs for a month in return for sending troops to the border (which achieves what?? So no concession really😉) but Mexican President got O-M to agree to stop US from allowing guns into Mexico across the border, which he left out of his read out of the agreement 🤔 So going to cost US MORE in enforcement on it's own side of the border? Not to mention the gun lobby won't like having it's market stopped 😁
As predicted the stock market has plunged after the tariffs - that seems to be what O-M hangs his hat on as "success" so melt down on the way I suspect 👀
I really feel for ordinary US citizens at this time with Mu$krat seemingly having unlimited access to all their private data & the uncertainty about domestic effects of policies towards Canada etc. but as outlined we have enough to worry about in Aotearoa & working to stop the rot here. Will this craziness over there wake a few more people up here ⁉️ Hope so but not holding my breath 🤷
I read Fox News to get a sense of the pulse from the supporters and they are gung ho and positive about it all, thinking that the Trump man is winning.
USAID workers in the field appear to have just been cut off from their systems, including their safety systems that allow them to be located and seek assistance. This is not cool. I has it a guess the people doing this work are probably employees of musk organisations and more than one is probably not even US citizens, but working under H1B visa conditions that would not qualify for any sort of security clearance.
Pretty sure they didn't have security clearance, and this is why the officials refused. In return the USAID top officials got fired "administrative leave", and Musk declares USAID is a criminal organisation.
Musk is affiliated with Russia so no surprise he sees any group that helps Ukraine as an enemy organisation, and I can only presume his increasingly unhinged behaviour is related to not being able to handle even the slightest form of resistance.
It all reads like some weird dystopian script until you think of the lives that are impacted, and then it becomes a sad warning to us all of modern fascist states.
That makes my blood boil. Can you imagine the officials? Of course they are going to protect what is top clearance data - and from ... it's really dystopian isn't it? And sad for those involved. Very sad.
Palantir Technologies: The Future of USAID? Additionally, through their data analytics and logistical support as well as in other capacities, they have been contracted by World governments to assist with supply chain management, financial services, tax auditing, transportation and infrastructure projects, healthcare services (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic), immigration and asylum operations, and building government web servers (through Palantir Government Web Services).
There are distinct parallels between the US and NZ politics - both are completely influenced by the Extreme Right Atlas Network agenda:
Simply there are six elements:
- Downsize Govt
- Downsize public services
- Achieve more privatisation
- Reduce the tax take
- Enhance the wealth of the wealthy and their property rights
- Marginalise indigenous people and strip away their rights
It’s critical that we rise up against that agenda, push against the Government at every chance, that we advocate alternative positions and inform people, and collectively work to elect Parties on the Left at the next election. This must be a one term Govt!
It’s heartening in terms of parties on the Left are becoming more strident and noticed and that is reflected in the recent polls.
It has been heartening to see mass protest via the Hikoi - 100,000+ people. A protest about the Treaty Principle Bill but also a general protest against the Govt and its agenda.
It’s been heartening to see the high level of submissions generated against the Treaty Principles Bill and the Regulatory Standards Bill.
It’s been heartening to witness the intelligent and learned positions being expressed in the oral submissions against the Treaty Principles Bill.
People are motivated in Aotearoa New Zealand to push against the Govt, to stand up for democracy and if that motivation continues we have a real chance to see a change of Govt in 2026.
We certainly have a better chance in this Country to expose and challenge the Atlas Network agenda cf the US!
Spot on post. Thanks Paul.
The downfall of the US will undoubtedly undermine the economics of the rest of the world - my hope is that we will change for the better (we missed our chance after Covid)
It does feel like the destabilization will be wide ranging - my feeling is the financial system as it now stands is at risk which if that transgressed would be both devastating for many and interesting as it forces each to revisit our deepest assumptions
I can see a global electronic currency on its way.
I agree Keith!
We won't, I was so disappointed after Covid that it turned out our new normal wasn't what was painted at all.
Again no government support in pointing us that way. The timbermill (Whakatane?) that closed shortly after, that could have gone in for a bit of govt investment and become a mill for building supplies. WFH, well that whole thing has turned out to be the biggest 'sucked in badly' for employees; again some investment or encouragement for business to relocate from city centres to suburban bases - i.e. nothing stopping govt departments keeping their head office in wellington cbd but honestly why not have hubs around the country for multi department work spaces (with cafes etc available close by). So much Labour could have done to support the new normal.
If we think this government (or Labour for that matter) will support a new normal because of Trump we are just going to be disappointed again. After all NACT1 would love this state of affairs to be our new normal.
If things get really rocky though, we (collective world but especially us in 'first world' countries) may not have a choice!
The analogy is starkly obvious. Please keep spotlighting NZ’s parallel journey. In many cases our government have pre-empted the US, being in power over a year already.
Many years ago I read a marketing related article (can't remember where) that has always stuck with me. It talked about how NZ was the perfect place to market test new products. We are (or were) relatively isolated, we still are geographically, we have a population of about the right size, almost perfect for releasing products and understanding results.
Think about it, I am certain we were the case study for Trumps 2025 government.
NZ minority government are creaming their whatever to say how high and yes to the anti South Pacific bozo counterfeit- think bit coin- Potus. National under Muldoon played we love America and we changed our electoral system pdq
🤷The Orange-Menace (O-M for short) is incapable of understanding (or caring) about the consequences of his/USA actions either domestically or particularly on the global stage. USAID in particular will be IMMEDIATELY devasting for individuals & communities currently being helped with medical/health related programmes if they abruptly stop - already stories of individuals in the midst of treatment at risk of imminent death 🤬 But also the workers themselves stranded in sometimes remote & even semi-hostile areas of the world - no doubt the people who run these programmes will be doing their best to help, but they are being fired & I read the whole of USAID has been disestablished & moved under Liddle-Rubio in the state dept 😱 As stated, USAID is a very small investment for USA benefit in many facets, as well as being the "right thing" for a wealthy super power to do (not that enters the O-M calculations 🤷)
I see Mexico has held off tariffs for a month in return for sending troops to the border (which achieves what?? So no concession really😉) but Mexican President got O-M to agree to stop US from allowing guns into Mexico across the border, which he left out of his read out of the agreement 🤔 So going to cost US MORE in enforcement on it's own side of the border? Not to mention the gun lobby won't like having it's market stopped 😁
As predicted the stock market has plunged after the tariffs - that seems to be what O-M hangs his hat on as "success" so melt down on the way I suspect 👀
I really feel for ordinary US citizens at this time with Mu$krat seemingly having unlimited access to all their private data & the uncertainty about domestic effects of policies towards Canada etc. but as outlined we have enough to worry about in Aotearoa & working to stop the rot here. Will this craziness over there wake a few more people up here ⁉️ Hope so but not holding my breath 🤷
I read Fox News to get a sense of the pulse from the supporters and they are gung ho and positive about it all, thinking that the Trump man is winning.
His supporters are so deluded. I follow “God” on Substack. God’s posts make me feel more positive. “SMITE!”
Yes I remember "God" ! - God is great - and brings relief - I should subscribe. Thanks for the reminder!
USAID workers in the field appear to have just been cut off from their systems, including their safety systems that allow them to be located and seek assistance. This is not cool. I has it a guess the people doing this work are probably employees of musk organisations and more than one is probably not even US citizens, but working under H1B visa conditions that would not qualify for any sort of security clearance.
Pretty sure they didn't have security clearance, and this is why the officials refused. In return the USAID top officials got fired "administrative leave", and Musk declares USAID is a criminal organisation.
Musk is affiliated with Russia so no surprise he sees any group that helps Ukraine as an enemy organisation, and I can only presume his increasingly unhinged behaviour is related to not being able to handle even the slightest form of resistance.
It all reads like some weird dystopian script until you think of the lives that are impacted, and then it becomes a sad warning to us all of modern fascist states.
Apparently it is six 19-24 year olds…
That makes my blood boil. Can you imagine the officials? Of course they are going to protect what is top clearance data - and from ... it's really dystopian isn't it? And sad for those involved. Very sad.
Collapse of the world economy, this is going to go bad quickly.
In a way it's scary, in a way it's interesting. Slow or fast is going to be the question, Jane!
Palantir Technologies: The Future of USAID? Additionally, through their data analytics and logistical support as well as in other capacities, they have been contracted by World governments to assist with supply chain management, financial services, tax auditing, transportation and infrastructure projects, healthcare services (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic), immigration and asylum operations, and building government web servers (through Palantir Government Web Services).