"America would never happen here!"
Is that so? Why corporate fascism may no longer be a distant dream - and how it's closer than you might think
Today is Donald J Trump’s second inauguration ceremony.
And only hours in, parts of their Project 2025 ‘think/junk tank’ policies — long planned and signalled — are already live:
Plus, Elon Musk, who said he entered politics to kill off the “woke mind virus” , was exuberant - throwing out two apparent Nazi salutes in quick succession.
[He and other technology moguls like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg were also rewarded front row seats, better than Cabinet members.]
Perhaps Musk’s regular meetings with Putin have given him a new found taste for fascism.
Donald J Trump has the same bent for authoritarian rule, praising China’s leader Xi Jinping last year:
“He’s a brilliant guy. He controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist .. he’s a brilliant guy.”
Trump’s longest serving Chief of Staff - a retired four star US General, said Trump meets the definition of a fascist leader, and spoke positively about Hitler during his first Presidency.
True to form - the US President promised his devout Christian followers that if he won the 2024 election, they would never have to vote again.
Great!??
Locally, our Prime Minister and Deputy Minister sent the customary congratulations - with Luxon signalling he wanted to deepen ties with the USA.1
David Seymour, always keen to be relevant, posted:
On second thoughts, I guess Seymour does have a strong relevance here - Seymour and ACT have also been linked to pro-fossil fuel, anti-Indigenous, pro-corporate, and anti-regulation junk tanks2 — similar to Project 2025’s architect, Heritage Foundation.
Last week I pointed out that NZ was facing a new law that has the potential to criminalise peaceful protests3
And explained, that if you look at the excellent Guardian article by investigative journalist George Monbiot, it was the last missing piece of the Atlas Network playbook this Coalition government ran into NZ in one year -
For too long, I’ve been very careful not to use the word “fascism” loosely — but do you remember an American government and country like today?
But it’s not just over there.
The playbook we see here in Aotearoa New Zealand is, in my view, a miniature and ‘tailored’ version of the USA one— not at the exact same juncture for obvious reasons - i.e. we’re a different country with a different personality, political cycle, politicians, and still have good strongholds of progressive values - but directionally, and trajectory wise, it’s on par.
“Drill baby, drill!” said Trump, as he declared “a national energy emergency” to accelerate permitting of oil, gas and power projects; doubling down on fossil fuel reliance in the US— echoing Australian mining magnate Gina Rinehart’s4 cat calls, and reflecting our locals Shane Jones & ACT Party.
Another example: Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement (PCA) today is the manifested form to our government’s ongoing shady hints that it’s ignoring the PCA.
Remember: Trump wasn’t as bold in his first term either
Yes, NZ has dramatically dialed back its climate policies and reversed environmental progress in one short year - cancelling EV car subsidies, cancelling cycling and walking initiatives, lowering CO2 emissions standards for imported vehicles, freshwater pollution, cancelling the hybrid engine / climate friendlier Kiwirail i-Rex ferries etc.
Stark warnings that we can’t meet Paris Climate Agreement obligations at this rate - and could face a $24b penalty in 2030 - fall on deaf ears.
In fact, the government’s first report in December last year failed to include any plans on how it would even try to fill the gap.
Hardly a sign of confidence on our government’s intentions towards the Paris Climate Agreement.
It’s 2025, after all, and changes take many years to effect.
Another point - Trump declared there are only two genders today: male and female - echoing much of this NZ Government’s more discrete - but ever-present - positions on transgender.
Heck, Paul Goldsmith was so skilful he managed to find two individuals with a history of anti-transgender views, and who didn’t even appear to make the recruitment shortlist or pass standard HR processes5 - to take the positions of NZ Human Rights Commissioner and NZ Race Relations Commissioner.
Race Relations Commissioner Derby is a founding member of Jordan William’s Free Speech Union and previously said the “trans movement” cannot be tolerated.
There are more examples, but I think you get the picture.
So back to the US - and why we should pay careful attention: it’s to learn.
What Trump and the new Republican movement did to lay the path to power for Trump and his allies was change the American right’s culture and values.
Think about it —
Donald Trump pardoned all the January 6 insurrectionists unconditionally today. That was viewed positively by MAGA.
Those released include the criminals who violently attacked the outnumbered Capitol Hill police - resulting in their violent beatings, brain injury, loss of an eye, death from a heart attack, death from injuries sustained from the attack, and two other cops dead by suicide afterwards.
The criminals are free now - and elated.
Is this the “my fellow Americans”, and honouring of service personnel and police that once more dominated the culture of the USA?
The USA has changed. And “fascism” is going to merge with the “greatest democracy in the world”.
Never say, though, it can’t all happen here.
Changing culture, sowing division, creating enemy groups - particularly within minorities, and spreading misinformation, misidentifying the root causes of economic stagnation or poverty so people e.g blame beneficiaries versus examine the wealthiest taking billions from the system etc. - is powerful, tried-and-tested stuff.
The patterns are already all here and we shouldn’t need them to be fully formed before we use the words “fascism” and realise the “junk tank corporate takeover” of government isn’t at all a positive development.
We all need to learn how to see and admit not only what is before our eyes - but what is already coming behind us, and stands all around us.
Like fog - some of us will notice sooner - other won’t realise until they’re completely soaked.
EXTRAS
Luxon celebrates the prospect of economic growth
Some part of me wonders whether Luxon gave Nicola Willis the additional role of Minister for Economic Growth as a poisoned chalice - or whether he judges she has the competency to do the job well.
Either version doesn’t fill me with confidence. Willis’s track record is poor.
This morning, in response to a job market topic, I did a very quick tally of where we are at right now - economically speaking:
Hopefully, Willis will be able to deliver Luxon’s promises — but one thing is for certain:
The big money behind the money that is behind the rise of corporate fascism & ‘copies and pastes’ strategies/slogans across the world to win political battles, just got more powerful.
So it’s probably time to update our operating system and assumptions too.
Related Materials:
Article: Trump's Shooting Reveals A Hidden Danger for New Zealand
Video:
Aukus Pillar II - a proposed security agreement with the US and UK is, of course, still an open question mark - although Luxon’s tone towards it has been open and supportive.
As covered in Newsroom, in Nicky Hager's Dirty Politics, Reddit Wiki reference, as well as our electoral donor roll.
Sources: NZ Civil Liberties Council, NRT, Peace Action Wellington and a law partner in Auckland
Rinehart is Australia’s media magnate and richest woman who is looking to roll Labour’s Anthony Albanese in Australia
Another great article Tui.
When politicians have been bought and paid for by donors, that’s who they will serve. Divisive issues such as culture wars or abortion rights are manufactured to create tribalism and distract from the redirecting of our taxes, or our higher financial outgoings due to privatisation of critical infrastructure, corporate duopolies, exploitation of market power, favourable conditions for wealthy who collect monopoly rents (landlords/electricity gentailers owners).
According to academic studies, USA has been a plutocracy / oligarchy for a significant period now. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics/article/testing-theories-of-american-politics-elites-interest-groups-and-average-citizens/62327F513959D0A304D4893B382B992B.
We can see the same happening in Aotearoa. It’s a colonial/imperialist resource grab.
Keep NZ distracted with manufactured divisive issues then whilst people are busy getting angry with the ‘other’ left/right, woke, indigenous, poor, beneficiaries etc, pickpocket our sovereign assets.
Then use the money to buy more political power via donations.
Some people are still under the illusion that NZ’s government will dispatch our small military services to protect our country’s sovereignty. Yet it is our very government that is opening the door to sinister foreign (Atlas) threat via corporate deregulation and takeover.
Very concerning. Thank you for sharing light on these happenings and how they are linked