You write well Tūī , but what can we do to counter all this right wing stuff, these people are so powerful with enormous amounts of money, it all seems such a hopeless task
Thanks Tui. It seems we have lived through an exceptional time in human history, some might say a ‘blip’, with workers rights and a level of equality and freedom quite unprecedented. Now it’s neo-feudalism full speed ahead 😞. Yanis Varoufakis calls it ‘techno-feudalism’ in his book ‘Techno Fedalism - what killed capitalism’. However, that is the ‘west’…. I’m following BRICS with great interest. That’s all of course on a world stage meanwhile in Aotearoa we continue to align with and follow the worst… as you point out it’s obvious when you follow the money. *sigh
KSJ - Agree…also I am interested in BRICS too and recall what you mentioned to me last time about their plans - do you just read generally on it, or do you have any recommended sources?
Nothing specific Tui apart from Yanis Varoufakis, I just search ‘BRICS’ or ‘BRICS news’ on YouTube. Richard Wolff (professor of economics) comes up regularly. I find him a bit difficult to watch as he’s quite sensationalist a la American style). The number of countries joining is still growing. Many are small but the combined % of global GDP is massive and they are moving away from the US dollar = game changer. Interesting to observe how they operate compared to the US. There’s quite a bit of commentary on Africa focussed channels. It’s not really mainstream news yet.
Yes I think this will be very interesting....I wish I had a crystal ball but I am not sure the US will remain at the top for much longer, especially with the conservative puppet in charge.
Nice writing MT, in Aotearoa the far Wright and their influence need to be cut back to a reasonable size. I can’t see that happening until opposition pāti(s) get serious about rejecting neoliberalism…. In the meantime we just hang on
I guess it is really successful capitalists using the political system to further their own ends, while pretending it is a movement giving hope and freedom to consumers. It is closely connected to the financialisation of every part of our lives that has happened since the 1980s. I like the parallel that some use with cancer, extreme capitalism will inevitably kill the host… Thanks for asking, made me think (always a good thing)
Neoliberalists are the powerbrokers who claim trickledown works while they and their friends and families live on the hog. .Keith is correct - "It's successful capitalists using the political system to further their own ends..." .I would suggest Labour needs to forget the landlords who left them for a massive and economy crippling bribe that strips tenants of hard-won protections. . Labour should begin by getting voters to vote - changing its name/image would be a start. Maybe that's why we haven't heard much from Hipkins lately - Biding (oops) his time
👏🔥As usual 👏 🙋 short comment to show my support for your mahi, but Dr Bex (Substack= Dr Bex on social issues in Aotearoa NZ) just alerted me that Sumissions to the the Bill - Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill - close at MIDNIGHT 2NITE - THURS 9TH JAN - so off to flex my democracy via my 3rd submission in as many days 💪💪💪🤔
Yes it seems the greedy are so obsessed with their financial interests. They miss the point that improving the resources of all citizens serves to increase the size and value of the target for their exploitation. They are focused on a rapid gain which hollows out their target and it quickly becomes finite. By playing the long game their exploitation would become sustainable. Similar to what we see in many enterprises where the resource is depleted beyond recovery in the name of a quick profit. The mere thought of injecting a social conscience to their game induces a panic their insecurity is not designed to accommodate.Sadly it’s not the win win it might otherwise be.
I can't think of anything else to add other than I watched a video of Australia's richest woman recently and I can't help but think that there is a low intellectual faculty there, although I wouldn't say the same for this much poorer but still wealthy Wayne Wright Jr. The common denominator seems to be overwhelming selfishness - and no hesitation in spreading self serving narratives that support their selfish goals.
Isn’t calling for a massacre à version of threatening to kill I.e. a crime? After the Mosques massacre I’m shocked that Plunkett would use that language here.
There was some discussion on it at the time and I recall Plunkett apologised a few days later.
That video is no longer broadcast on their page.
It was in a discussion with David Seymour - and Plunket was bossy, dominant and angry - telling Seymour to commit a pogrom against those that criticised the current government.
Seymour didn't push back at all of course - it was obvious to me he needed to stay on Plunket's good side, and it's all obvious why.
In terms of accountability, that's when I learned The Platform is not subject to the Broadcasting Standards Authority as they essentially operate off of Youtube.
Very informative piece MT, also very depressing. Capital looks after it's own. The Tax free status of charities along with churches is not fair and is open to abuse, as you so clearly illustrate. My own pet peeve is platforms like The Democracy Project projecting a false narrative of inclusiveness when in reality it's a Trojan Horse extoling a right wing hegemony
The Democracy Project appears to be a libertarian aligned publication, using words like "democracy", "freedom," and "truth" to potentially conceal their affiliations.
I'd have more respect if they were honest, but it's hard not to hear their populist biases leak - whether it's Trotter or Edwards of late.
Excellent work MT (HNY by the way). I'm interested in other bills that are slowly erasing Tiriti Principles and going through the system quietly because everyone is caught up with the Tiriti Priciples Bill. There needs to be more of a spotlight. The fact it'll have support of the coalition means a crap outcome for the rest without the pressure that needs to go on National as the so called "lead" partner.
Yes I agree, let me think about it. I think their approach is really high level / systemic. They are already erasing Te Tiriti - for example, 7AA was really about that, vs the pretext ACT claimed. That was outlined in an excellent article by Dr Emily Keddell in July: "Why Section 7AA works just as intended"
They are also amending the Overseas Investment Act to allow / faciliate the wealthy to buy up NZ. Ditto the Fast-Track legislation.
Then other legislative moves are really about isolating power to their ideology driven values e.g. forcing judges to comply to their frameworks - and then they have encompassing ones like RSB and TPB.
Who is our Government really working for? A rhetorical question I'm sure. It ain't me and it ain't the "bottom feeders", I count myself among them, but it is, as you say the power of money becoming ever more powerful, and the malign influences that will destroy our planet along with lifestyles we have come to expect and enjoy, will be a memory. Think Healthcare, free quality education, a well funded social welfare system, good, affordable universities, a high quality police service, free and top class ECE...... and on and on.
Thank you Tui. I think you are right. They always did have the power. But we didn’t always notice.
You write well Tūī , but what can we do to counter all this right wing stuff, these people are so powerful with enormous amounts of money, it all seems such a hopeless task
I hear you - I get to that point too, quite often these days. I owe Bill somethiing too so will try to write it up this week.
Warning: Could be short.
Kia Kaha.
Yes stay hopeful and keep the faith
ps
I’m non religious
Yes, he does write well.
Thanks Tui. It seems we have lived through an exceptional time in human history, some might say a ‘blip’, with workers rights and a level of equality and freedom quite unprecedented. Now it’s neo-feudalism full speed ahead 😞. Yanis Varoufakis calls it ‘techno-feudalism’ in his book ‘Techno Fedalism - what killed capitalism’. However, that is the ‘west’…. I’m following BRICS with great interest. That’s all of course on a world stage meanwhile in Aotearoa we continue to align with and follow the worst… as you point out it’s obvious when you follow the money. *sigh
KSJ - Agree…also I am interested in BRICS too and recall what you mentioned to me last time about their plans - do you just read generally on it, or do you have any recommended sources?
Nothing specific Tui apart from Yanis Varoufakis, I just search ‘BRICS’ or ‘BRICS news’ on YouTube. Richard Wolff (professor of economics) comes up regularly. I find him a bit difficult to watch as he’s quite sensationalist a la American style). The number of countries joining is still growing. Many are small but the combined % of global GDP is massive and they are moving away from the US dollar = game changer. Interesting to observe how they operate compared to the US. There’s quite a bit of commentary on Africa focussed channels. It’s not really mainstream news yet.
Yes I think this will be very interesting....I wish I had a crystal ball but I am not sure the US will remain at the top for much longer, especially with the conservative puppet in charge.
Nice writing MT, in Aotearoa the far Wright and their influence need to be cut back to a reasonable size. I can’t see that happening until opposition pāti(s) get serious about rejecting neoliberalism…. In the meantime we just hang on
What do you think neoliberalism is, Keith? The reason I ask is because I see that we use this word a lot but what is its real meaning and essence?
Sometimes I see people rail against capitalism as well in the same sentence.
I guess it is really successful capitalists using the political system to further their own ends, while pretending it is a movement giving hope and freedom to consumers. It is closely connected to the financialisation of every part of our lives that has happened since the 1980s. I like the parallel that some use with cancer, extreme capitalism will inevitably kill the host… Thanks for asking, made me think (always a good thing)
Thank you Keith - I like that definition. Will nibble on this one some more. Cheers.
Neoliberalists are the powerbrokers who claim trickledown works while they and their friends and families live on the hog. .Keith is correct - "It's successful capitalists using the political system to further their own ends..." .I would suggest Labour needs to forget the landlords who left them for a massive and economy crippling bribe that strips tenants of hard-won protections. . Labour should begin by getting voters to vote - changing its name/image would be a start. Maybe that's why we haven't heard much from Hipkins lately - Biding (oops) his time
I really wish that definition was more widely espoused. I like it. And if that is the definition, it's something that needs to go.
Yes Winston I agree!
👏🔥As usual 👏 🙋 short comment to show my support for your mahi, but Dr Bex (Substack= Dr Bex on social issues in Aotearoa NZ) just alerted me that Sumissions to the the Bill - Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill - close at MIDNIGHT 2NITE - THURS 9TH JAN - so off to flex my democracy via my 3rd submission in as many days 💪💪💪🤔
🙏 Cindy
Yes it seems the greedy are so obsessed with their financial interests. They miss the point that improving the resources of all citizens serves to increase the size and value of the target for their exploitation. They are focused on a rapid gain which hollows out their target and it quickly becomes finite. By playing the long game their exploitation would become sustainable. Similar to what we see in many enterprises where the resource is depleted beyond recovery in the name of a quick profit. The mere thought of injecting a social conscience to their game induces a panic their insecurity is not designed to accommodate.Sadly it’s not the win win it might otherwise be.
I can't think of anything else to add other than I watched a video of Australia's richest woman recently and I can't help but think that there is a low intellectual faculty there, although I wouldn't say the same for this much poorer but still wealthy Wayne Wright Jr. The common denominator seems to be overwhelming selfishness - and no hesitation in spreading self serving narratives that support their selfish goals.
In a gold plated nutshell.
Isn’t calling for a massacre à version of threatening to kill I.e. a crime? After the Mosques massacre I’m shocked that Plunkett would use that language here.
It is and was.
There was some discussion on it at the time and I recall Plunkett apologised a few days later.
That video is no longer broadcast on their page.
It was in a discussion with David Seymour - and Plunket was bossy, dominant and angry - telling Seymour to commit a pogrom against those that criticised the current government.
Seymour didn't push back at all of course - it was obvious to me he needed to stay on Plunket's good side, and it's all obvious why.
In terms of accountability, that's when I learned The Platform is not subject to the Broadcasting Standards Authority as they essentially operate off of Youtube.
Very informative piece MT, also very depressing. Capital looks after it's own. The Tax free status of charities along with churches is not fair and is open to abuse, as you so clearly illustrate. My own pet peeve is platforms like The Democracy Project projecting a false narrative of inclusiveness when in reality it's a Trojan Horse extoling a right wing hegemony
The Democracy Project appears to be a libertarian aligned publication, using words like "democracy", "freedom," and "truth" to potentially conceal their affiliations.
I'd have more respect if they were honest, but it's hard not to hear their populist biases leak - whether it's Trotter or Edwards of late.
Excellent work MT (HNY by the way). I'm interested in other bills that are slowly erasing Tiriti Principles and going through the system quietly because everyone is caught up with the Tiriti Priciples Bill. There needs to be more of a spotlight. The fact it'll have support of the coalition means a crap outcome for the rest without the pressure that needs to go on National as the so called "lead" partner.
Yes I agree, let me think about it. I think their approach is really high level / systemic. They are already erasing Te Tiriti - for example, 7AA was really about that, vs the pretext ACT claimed. That was outlined in an excellent article by Dr Emily Keddell in July: "Why Section 7AA works just as intended"
They are also amending the Overseas Investment Act to allow / faciliate the wealthy to buy up NZ. Ditto the Fast-Track legislation.
Then other legislative moves are really about isolating power to their ideology driven values e.g. forcing judges to comply to their frameworks - and then they have encompassing ones like RSB and TPB.
I'll have a further think about this.
And HNY to you too KueenM!
Who is our Government really working for? A rhetorical question I'm sure. It ain't me and it ain't the "bottom feeders", I count myself among them, but it is, as you say the power of money becoming ever more powerful, and the malign influences that will destroy our planet along with lifestyles we have come to expect and enjoy, will be a memory. Think Healthcare, free quality education, a well funded social welfare system, good, affordable universities, a high quality police service, free and top class ECE...... and on and on.
Jeez......!!!!,