thedailyblog--2020-03-19--The Only Way Through This Crisis Is Together

THE COALITION GOVERNMENT ’ S greatest political challenge over the next 6-12 months will be keeping up morale .
If it fails to hold the nation together , then it will be swept out of office on a tsunami of fear , anger and recrimination .
Only a very small number of New Zealanders can draw upon historical experience to help them through the unfolding Covid-19 crisis .
Assuming people ’ s coherent memories kick in from around the age of 7 , to recall the onset of the Great Depression in 1929 you would need to have been born @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To have clear memories of the outbreak of the World War II , in September 1939 , you would need to be 88 .
Most of us have never experienced anything like the present crisis .
If our morale is not to crumble in the face of mass illness , a rising death toll , and something pretty close to economic collapse , then the Government will have to box very clever indeed .
It is , therefore , to be hoped that Jacinda and her colleagues , in addition to being briefed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , call upon the services of New Zealand ’ s historians – especially those with knowledge of “ The Home Front ” during World War II .
The Government needs to know how this country kept up its morale during six long years of war .
Especially important to understand , is how we coped with the first three years of the war – when nearly all the news was bad .
What prevented us from falling to pieces when the Germans and the Japanese were winning on just about every front ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the near complete control exercised by the wartime government over information and the means of communicating it .
The daily newspapers , radio broadcasts , cinema newsreels – even private letters – were strictly censored .
The Government ’ s key objective was to ensure that every citizen received the same information about the war .
While no government can prevent people spreading rumours and speculation , the state does have the power to punish those responsible .
During World War II , persons found guilty of spreading “ alarm and despondency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convicted of attempting to undermine the government and/or the war effort , or , even worse , give “ aid and comfort to the enemy ” – i.e .
commit treason – could mean execution .
There can be little doubt that had the Internet existed in 1940 , one of the first things the Labour Party leader and wartime prime minister , Peter Fraser , would have done is bring it under strict state control .
Inevitably , Jacinda Ardern will have been briefed by the Security Intelligence Service ( SIS ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GCSB ) on the practicalities of controlling the Internet , should the situation deteriorate to the point where such action becomes necessary .
If that sounds fanciful , just consider the fact that in 2019 , governments around the world shut down the Internet on nearly 200 occasions .
Given the Internet ’ s crucial economic role , the NZ Government would be loath to take such a drastic step .
But , if fake news was inciting major unrest : rioting in the streets ; a run on the banks ; or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and her colleagues would be left with little choice .
Controlling the crisis “ narrative ” , however , is just the start .
Keeping up public morale is best achieved by encouraging all citizens to “ do their bit ” for victory .
In the present circumstances , “ doing our bit ” might involve joining neighbourhood units dedicated to assisting the elderly and those in “ self-isolation ” with food and medicine deliveries .
Such groups could also serve as the Government ’ s “ eyes and ears ” : reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quarantine .
“ Doing our bit ” might also involve working in the “ instant factories ” set up to manufacture protective masks and clothing , and construct additional ICU facilities .
This sort of state-directed production is already underway in the United Kingdom and the United States .
If New Zealanders could lead the world in medical equipment innovation ; protective gear , and electrical appliance design , then this manufacturing proposition shouldn ’ t be beyond our powers !
During World War II , the NZ Government gave itself more-or-less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every aspect of the market .
Obviously , this included the labour force .
Just about anyone could be “ manpowered ” ( sorry , but this was the 1940s ! )
anywhere .
In 2020 , with the supply of immigrant farm labour shut off , keeping up agricultural and horticultural production ( our principal source of overseas funds now that tourism and education have been taken out of the export mix ) may require those without work to accept being “ person-powered ” to the nation ’ s orchards and dairy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an end in 1945 the sense of collective achievement was huge .
Clearly , the suffering and dangers endured by New Zealand ’ s soldiers , sailors and airmen in direct conflict with the enemy could not be shared by everyone , but just about everyone contributed something to the war effort .
The women who worked in factories , offices and on the land ; the kids who collected waste paper and scrap metal ; the grandparents who tended “ Victory Gardens ” and knitted socks for the “ boys overseas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rationing , deep fear and agonising loss , but New Zealanders had come through their national ordeal , together , and they were enormously proud of their resilience .
Moreover , most of them were equally proud of the government that had guided them through – re-electing Fraser ’ s Labour Party in 1946 .
In leading New Zealand through the Covid-19 Pandemic , Jacinda could do a lot worse than allow herself to be guided by the spirit of collective sacrifice and co-operation that animated the New Zealanders of 80 years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no opportunity to prove their mettle in the way their parents and grandparents did during the global struggle against fascism .
In the weeks and months to come , Jacinda ’ s Government must do everything it can to ensure that we are given our chance .
A top-down , government-knows-best approach will not secure the public “ buy-in ” crucial to keeping the people of this country together .
If the response to the Covid-19 Pandemic is not crafted and delivered by all of us , working together , for all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrenching tragedies that lie ahead will not bind our communities more closely together , they will tear them apart .
Good leaders do not attempt to carry their people , they allow themselves to be carried by them .
We can be strong , we can be kind , and we will be okay , Jacinda .
Count on it .

THE COALITION GOVERNMENT’S greatest political challenge over the next 6-12 months will be keeping up morale. If it fails to hold the nation together, then it will be swept out of office on a tsunami of fear, anger and recrimination.
Only a very small number of New Zealanders can draw upon historical experience to help them through the unfolding Covid-19 crisis. Assuming people’s coherent memories kick in from around the age of 7, to recall the onset of the Great Depression in 1929 you would need to have been born in 1922 – making you 98! To have clear memories of the outbreak of the World War II, in September 1939, you would need to be 88. Most of us have never experienced anything like the present crisis. If our morale is not to crumble in the face of mass illness, a rising death toll, and something pretty close to economic collapse, then the Government will have to box very clever indeed.
It is, therefore, to be hoped that Jacinda and her colleagues, in addition to being briefed by scientists, physicians and senior civil-servants, call upon the services of New Zealand’s historians – especially those with knowledge of “The Home Front” during World War II. The Government needs to know how this country kept up its morale during six long years of war. Especially important to understand, is how we coped with the first three years of the war – when nearly all the news was bad. What prevented us from falling to pieces when the Germans and the Japanese were winning on just about every front?
Critical to the maintenance of public morale was the near complete control exercised by the wartime government over information and the means of communicating it. The daily newspapers, radio broadcasts, cinema newsreels – even private letters – were strictly censored. The Government’s key objective was to ensure that every citizen received the same information about the war.
While no government can prevent people spreading rumours and speculation, the state does have the power to punish those responsible. During World War II, persons found guilty of spreading “alarm and despondency” faced harsh penalties. To be convicted of attempting to undermine the government and/or the war effort, or, even worse, give “aid and comfort to the enemy” – i.e. commit treason – could mean execution.
There can be little doubt that had the Internet existed in 1940, one of the first things the Labour Party leader and wartime prime minister, Peter Fraser, would have done is bring it under strict state control. Inevitably, Jacinda Ardern will have been briefed by the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) and the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) on the practicalities of controlling the Internet, should the situation deteriorate to the point where such action becomes necessary. If that sounds fanciful, just consider the fact that in 2019, governments around the world shut down the Internet on nearly 200 occasions. Given the Internet’s crucial economic role, the NZ Government would be loath to take such a drastic step. But, if fake news was inciting major unrest: rioting in the streets; a run on the banks; or massive and prolonged panic buying; Jacinda and her colleagues would be left with little choice.
Controlling the crisis “narrative”, however, is just the start. Keeping up public morale is best achieved by encouraging all citizens to “do their bit” for victory. In the present circumstances, “doing our bit” might involve joining neighbourhood units dedicated to assisting the elderly and those in “self-isolation” with food and medicine deliveries. Such groups could also serve as the Government’s “eyes and ears”: reporting possible new cases of infection and enforcing the quarantine. “Doing our bit” might also involve working in the “instant factories” set up to manufacture protective masks and clothing, and construct additional ICU facilities. This sort of state-directed production is already underway in the United Kingdom and the United States. If New Zealanders could lead the world in medical equipment innovation; protective gear, and electrical appliance design, then this manufacturing proposition shouldn’t be beyond our powers!
During World War II, the NZ Government gave itself more-or-less unlimited powers to intervene in and control every aspect of the market. Obviously, this included the labour force. Just about anyone could be “manpowered” (sorry, but this was the 1940s!) anywhere. In 2020, with the supply of immigrant farm labour shut off, keeping up agricultural and horticultural production (our principal source of overseas funds now that tourism and education have been taken out of the export mix) may require those without work to accept being “person-powered” to the nation’s orchards and dairy farms.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
When World War II came to an end in 1945 the sense of collective achievement was huge. Clearly, the suffering and dangers endured by New Zealand’s soldiers, sailors and airmen in direct conflict with the enemy could not be shared by everyone, but just about everyone contributed something to the war effort. The women who worked in factories, offices and on the land; the kids who collected waste paper and scrap metal; the grandparents who tended “Victory Gardens” and knitted socks for the “boys overseas”. There had been shortages, rationing, deep fear and agonising loss, but New Zealanders had come through their national ordeal, together, and they were enormously proud of their resilience. Moreover, most of them were equally proud of the government that had guided them through – re-electing Fraser’s Labour Party in 1946.
In leading New Zealand through the Covid-19 Pandemic, Jacinda could do a lot worse than allow herself to be guided by the spirit of collective sacrifice and co-operation that animated the New Zealanders of 80 years ago. Most Kiwis alive today have had no opportunity to prove their mettle in the way their parents and grandparents did during the global struggle against fascism. In the weeks and months to come, Jacinda’s Government must do everything it can to ensure that we are given our chance.
A top-down, government-knows-best approach will not secure the public “buy-in” crucial to keeping the people of this country together. If the response to the Covid-19 Pandemic is not crafted and delivered by all of us, working together, for all of us, then the many hardships and wrenching tragedies that lie ahead will not bind our communities more closely together, they will tear them apart. Good leaders do not attempt to carry their people, they allow themselves to be carried by them.
We can be strong, we can be kind, and we will be okay, Jacinda. Count on it.


thedailyblog--2020-03-20--Trump’s Covid-19 Programme: Crisis Response, Turning Tables, and Corona-tion

One of the curious concepts in a crisis is the way in which the ‘ old rules ’ don ’ t so much not apply , as seem actively turned upon their head .
We ’ ve seen this , just these past few days , in the European Union – wherein Germany ’ s pirouetted from being the most trenchant possible supporter of the ( Common ) Market Uber Alles for much of the past decade , and particularly as applies Mediterranean members of the Union and the borderless movement of peoples within the Schengen area … through to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its borders and endeavouring to prohibit German private enterprise from exporting vitally needed medical products to Italy .
Yet European Union hypocrisy is nothing new nor especially remarkable .
An escalating crisis was always going to place some considerable strain upon the ideological adherence to principles which didn ’ t make sense for many member nations and their populaces even in the ‘ peace-time ’ of relative calm .
What ’ s rather more interesting are recent happenings within American politics – wherein we ’ ve witnessed an almost lightning-speed enactment of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ First they ignore you , then they laugh at you , then they fight you , then you win ” .
Consider the case of Andrew Yang .
A year ago , he was virtually unknown even inside politihack/beltway circles .
He ’ d gathered a small but enthusiastic following in the memeosphere thanks in no small part to his UBI concept – the so-called “ Bag ” of a thousand dollars a month to every ordinary American adult .
For the first year and a half of his candidacy ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of November 2017 ) , both he and his signature policy were either ignored or just flat-out derided .
As he made his way further into the secondary-shade of the side-of-stage spotlight , the mockery only intensified .
It didn ’ t matter that he ’ d put together a frankly impressive case for his vision in book form or via a string of alt-media appearances .
What he was selling was too far outside the ‘ acceptable ’ and the reasoning for his cause – while intellectually understandable by anybody capable of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – seemed too remote , so far abstract in concept as to basically be science-fantasy for many .
A situation deliberately not helped by various political commentators and candidates going out of their way to vocally disparage or more subtly insinuate against him and his Bag as he gradually began to gain more prominence .
In fact , he wasn ’ t even just derided as an also-ran by a number of his fellow Democrats .
He began to be presented as almost actively dangerous in a not entirely dissimilar manner to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders – somebody pushing an ideological platform that the Republicans would rip apart come November as barely-reconstructed post-Soviet “ socialism ” .
Or something .
But , like I say – in a crisis , the ‘ old rules ’ don ’ t so much cease to apply as they quite rapidly appear to be turned outright upon their collective head .
It was therefore only slightly surprising to hear that some on the American right wing of politics had started to see the sense in Yang ’ s UBI proposal once the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To be fair , they were simply picking up upon something that Democratic Congresswoman ( and fellow Democratic Presidential aspirant ) Tulsi Gabbard had put into her proposal for a Corona virus response package – a UBI to assist ordinary Americans through the crisis , rather than simply shoveling money into top-down stockbroker-caste oriented ‘ stimulus ’ in the vague hopes that the rising tide of customary platitudes would somehow lift all boats .
That didn ’ t necessarily mean that the entire spectrum of American politics had suddenly shifted upon the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frankly astonishing to see GoP guys like Mitt Romney come out in favour of the full-scale UBI proposal ( at least for the duration of the crisis ) , and find themselves effectively opposed by Democratic darlings like Kamala Harris ( who belatedly wound up engaged in a bidding-war of a sort , attempting to argue DOWN the level of the benefit should it be put through ) .
Yet the real head-turning was still to come .
Donald Trump , the same man who just a few days before had been castigating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a “ socialist ” [ or , in rest-of-the-world terms , a relatively moderate social democrat ] put forward his support for … well , let me put it this way .
He hasn ’ t just supported the rollout of a short-term UBI ( something I ’ m suspecting even a few weeks ago many Republicans would have castigated as “ far left ” “ failed economics ” “ welfare dependency ” or something had anyone else done it ) , a suspension of housing evictions and foreclosures , or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers ’ rights as a result of the crisis … … he ’ s actively invoked the Defense Production Act , a piece of Korean War era legislation itself consciously enacted as a resurrection/continuation of the FDR-era full-scale Government-directed mobilization of the American economy and society in order to establish and maintain a war footing .
As in , a total-war footing , not the general war-for-fun-and-profit skirmish-level stuff by comparison that America treats , quite literally , as “ business as usual ” .
What does this mean ?
To put it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Command of the U.S. Economy .
As in , subject to the conditions of the Act , the President now has the legal power ( and , in fact , legal duty ) to direct the allocation of resources in relevant sectors , and under terms dictated by the state .
To be sure , the bits which would enable the institution of price and wage controls are rather less available for use than they were in 1950 ( as they ’ re no longer a Presidential auto-power under the Act , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar legislative lapsing has meant that the previous ability to nationalize businesses and even entire industries , is now commuted down to the mere ability to make them offers they are literally ( with the exception of the production of biological or chemical weaponry , except if the President specifically demands it ) not allowed to refuse .
Or , phrased another way … all of that “ crazy ” “ Socialism ” which the Republicans have been up in arms about all these years , has just in legal principle come back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you were being coy about it , slash you were in the unenviable position of being a Trump-associated or Fox-appearing spin-doctor , you ’ d counter-claim that the state having the ability to command ( not just regulate – command ) economic activity and dictate to private enterprise isn ’ t “ socialism ” , with the maintenance of contract and private exchange meaning that capitalism is still in force in Corporate America .
And this is not incorrect , in much the same way that notionally private enterprise in post-Deng @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it a somewhat pantomime market economy .
Although given the way the Trump Administration ’ s taken to using the word “ China ” over the past few years , they ’ d probably not appreciate that as a talking point .
In any case , in their hearts of hearts ( insofar as they may have them – probably in jars on shelves in their crypts/offices somewhere ) , the right-wingers of America who ’ re fundamentally OK with what ’ s just happened because it ’ s Trump doing it rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or *gasp* self-declared “ socialist ” … are probably psychologically adjusting to it because they never really believed in the downright libertarian “ free markets and free men ” claptrap anyway .
[ I ’ ve often , as an aside , noted that that ’ s exactly the wrong way around as a statement of priority – free markets and then , almost as an after-thought , free men ; but , then , with some Hannah Arendt in head and positive freedom as a concept in mind , I ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free men ” is a contradiction in terms anyway .
But then I digress ] Instead , the same mouths which so aggressively decry the American equivalent to the “ Nanny-state ” , are actually quite enthused about all manner of social and economic control elsewhere .
They ’ d like to think of it , no doubt , as the Stern Father State instead .
Although the typology for most of them that instead comes to mind – for me , anyway – is what somebody once declared to be the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more removed and less compassionate or caring than a direct parent , and mostly concerned with moralizing at you except where it benefits them personally .
The example given being regulating and shaming the sexual conduct of young women via a combination of direct laws and related constraint of funding for medical elements that might be thought of as relating to same … except when said Rich Uncle State-eers are the personal beneficiaries of the conduct in question , of course ] .
So how does this pertain to Trump ?
Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least vaguely amenable to Steve Bannon ’ s proposition to recongeal the Republican Party as a Workers ’ Party ( seriously – that was his vision .
Maybe Republicans as gun-toting “ socialists ” isn ’ t just something from the Spanish Civil War after all ) , following the latter ’ s ouster , a lot of that seemed to be on the back-slide ; sacrificed ‘ pon the altar of “ progress ” for measures more popular with the business class .
That created something of an ‘ opening ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stress the relative ) left of the American political spectrum , for the Democrats to try and reconnect with the ordinary people they theoretically already represent ; which was largely , predictably , squandered in earnest in favour of chasing after other priorities – but nevertheless DID manage to further empower a formerly fringe candidate by the name of Bernie Sanders , amongst others .
This may or may not have amounted to anything come November , but then this sudden onset of Crisis emerged ; and Trump found himself in the ineluctable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks conspiciously talking down as a non-issue and non-event , something that had just swallowed most of the stock market gains made during the course of his presidency in a matter of hours , and devoured a $ 1.5 trillion dollar directly-aimed Wall St rescue package for a between-courses additional-appetizer .
What could he do ?
What should he do ?
Avoid at all costs being known as a Herbert Hoover in the early phases of the Depression , or more pointedly perhaps – a Nero at the Fire of Rome .
Net @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the concept of the “ Imperial Presidency ” to a whole ‘ nother level and openly pushing policy-planks that the Democratic establishment ( ever mind the Republicans ) would have ( in fact , were ) attacked as absurdly left , just a week or two ago .
And being actively cheered for it by much of ‘ right wing ’ America , because at the end of the day , everything in their ( and most other ) politics is made up and only the sports-team branding actually seems to matter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ case of “ only Nixon could go to China ” anymore .
It has been suggested that for many a key narrative player in public life – you either die a hero , or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain .
In Trump ’ s case , pending how well the rest of the Corona / Covid-19 response goes of course , it ’ s possible that he ’ s avoided ( politically ) dying a Nero – and may yet see himself live long enough to become a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m a little surprised to find myself saying this – but if it leads to a genuine and maintained shift away from the neoliberal economic perversity of modern American socio-financial life , particularly as applies the beginnings of a genuine UBI … maybe that ’ s not an entirely terrible thing .
Certainly , his continuing to do worse-than-nothing could hardly be something to be welcomed .
Oh , and speaking of “ heroes ” and complexly curving narrative arcs … where is Andrew Yang now ?
Being requested by the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the rollout of their UBI effort .
It ’ s not how he intended to get there , of course ; yet less than six weeks after he suspended his Presidential campaign , Yang might yet find himself and his concept the ‘ hero we need ’ right now , all the same .

One of the curious concepts in a crisis is the way in which the ‘old rules’ don’t so much not apply, as seem actively turned upon their head.
We’ve seen this, just these past few days, in the European Union – wherein Germany’s pirouetted from being the most trenchant possible supporter of the (Common) Market Uber Alles for much of the past decade, and particularly as applies Mediterranean members of the Union and the borderless movement of peoples within the Schengen area … through to its more recent enthusiasm for locking down its borders and endeavouring to prohibit German private enterprise from exporting vitally needed medical products to Italy.
Yet European Union hypocrisy is nothing new nor especially remarkable. An escalating crisis was always going to place some considerable strain upon the ideological adherence to principles which didn’t make sense for many member nations and their populaces even in the ‘peace-time’ of relative calm.
What’s rather more interesting are recent happenings within American politics – wherein we’ve witnessed an almost lightning-speed enactment of that famed maxim so often misattributed to Gandhi : “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”.
Consider the case of Andrew Yang. A year ago, he was virtually unknown even inside politihack/beltway circles. He’d gathered a small but enthusiastic following in the memeosphere thanks in no small part to his UBI concept – the so-called “Bag” of a thousand dollars a month to every ordinary American adult.
For the first year and a half of his candidacy (he filed to run on the 6th of November 2017), both he and his signature policy were either ignored or just flat-out derided. As he made his way further into the secondary-shade of the side-of-stage spotlight, the mockery only intensified. It didn’t matter that he’d put together a frankly impressive case for his vision in book form or via a string of alt-media appearances. What he was selling was too far outside the ‘acceptable’ and the reasoning for his cause – while intellectually understandable by anybody capable of thinking a few decades into the future – seemed too remote, so far abstract in concept as to basically be science-fantasy for many.
A situation deliberately not helped by various political commentators and candidates going out of their way to vocally disparage or more subtly insinuate against him and his Bag as he gradually began to gain more prominence.
In fact, he wasn’t even just derided as an also-ran by a number of his fellow Democrats. He began to be presented as almost actively dangerous in a not entirely dissimilar manner to the DNC Establishment’s take on Bernie Sanders – somebody pushing an ideological platform that the Republicans would rip apart come November as barely-reconstructed post-Soviet “socialism”. Or something.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
But, like I say – in a crisis, the ‘old rules’ don’t so much cease to apply as they quite rapidly appear to be turned outright upon their collective head.
It was therefore only slightly surprising to hear that some on the American right wing of politics had started to see the sense in Yang’s UBI proposal once the threat of Covid-19 became more pronouncedly apparent. To be fair, they were simply picking up upon something that Democratic Congresswoman (and fellow Democratic Presidential aspirant) Tulsi Gabbard had put into her proposal for a Corona virus response package – a UBI to assist ordinary Americans through the crisis, rather than simply shoveling money into top-down stockbroker-caste oriented ‘stimulus’ in the vague hopes that the rising tide of customary platitudes would somehow lift all boats.
That didn’t necessarily mean that the entire spectrum of American politics had suddenly shifted upon the issue, however – and it was frankly astonishing to see GoP guys like Mitt Romney come out in favour of the full-scale UBI proposal (at least for the duration of the crisis), and find themselves effectively opposed by Democratic darlings like Kamala Harris (who belatedly wound up engaged in a bidding-war of a sort, attempting to argue DOWN the level of the benefit should it be put through).
Yet the real head-turning was still to come.
Donald Trump, the same man who just a few days before had been castigating Bernie Sanders as ‘crazy’ for being a “socialist” [or, in rest-of-the-world terms, a relatively moderate social democrat] put forward his support for … well, let me put it this way. He hasn’t just supported the rollout of a short-term UBI (something I’m suspecting even a few weeks ago many Republicans would have castigated as “far left” “failed economics” “welfare dependency” or something had anyone else done it), a suspension of housing evictions and foreclosures, or a notable expansion in leave entitlements and other workers’ rights as a result of the crisis …
… he’s actively invoked the Defense Production Act, a piece of Korean War era legislation itself consciously enacted as a resurrection/continuation of the FDR-era full-scale Government-directed mobilization of the American economy and society in order to establish and maintain a war footing. As in, a total-war footing, not the general war-for-fun-and-profit skirmish-level stuff by comparison that America treats, quite literally, as “business as usual”.
What does this mean? To put it quite simply, the President is now in Command of the U.S. Economy.
As in, subject to the conditions of the Act, the President now has the legal power (and, in fact, legal duty) to direct the allocation of resources in relevant sectors, and under terms dictated by the state. To be sure, the bits which would enable the institution of price and wage controls are rather less available for use than they were in 1950 (as they’re no longer a Presidential auto-power under the Act, but require Congressional approval); and similar legislative lapsing has meant that the previous ability to nationalize businesses and even entire industries, is now commuted down to the mere ability to make them offers they are literally (with the exception of the production of biological or chemical weaponry, except if the President specifically demands it) not allowed to refuse.
Or, phrased another way … all of that “crazy” “Socialism” which the Republicans have been up in arms about all these years, has just in legal principle come back out of the Cold [storage].
If you were being coy about it, slash you were in the unenviable position of being a Trump-associated or Fox-appearing spin-doctor, you’d counter-claim that the state having the ability to command (not just regulate – command) economic activity and dictate to private enterprise isn’t “socialism”, with the maintenance of contract and private exchange meaning that capitalism is still in force in Corporate America. And this is not incorrect, in much the same way that notionally private enterprise in post-Deng People’s Republic of China makes it a somewhat pantomime market economy.
Although given the way the Trump Administration’s taken to using the word “China” over the past few years, they’d probably not appreciate that as a talking point.
In any case, in their hearts of hearts (insofar as they may have them – probably in jars on shelves in their crypts/offices somewhere), the right-wingers of America who’re fundamentally OK with what’s just happened because it’s Trump doing it rather than an openly centre, centre-left, or *gasp* self-declared “socialist” … are probably psychologically adjusting to it because they never really believed in the downright libertarian “free markets and free men” claptrap anyway. [I’ve often, as an aside, noted that that’s exactly the wrong way around as a statement of priority – free markets and then, almost as an after-thought, free men; but, then, with some Hannah Arendt in head and positive freedom as a concept in mind, I’d probably argue that “free markets and free men” is a contradiction in terms anyway. But then I digress]
Instead, the same mouths which so aggressively decry the American equivalent to the “Nanny-state”, are actually quite enthused about all manner of social and economic control elsewhere. They’d like to think of it, no doubt, as the Stern Father State instead.
Although the typology for most of them that instead comes to mind – for me, anyway – is what somebody once declared to be the “Rich Uncle State” [as in, more removed and less compassionate or caring than a direct parent, and mostly concerned with moralizing at you except where it benefits them personally. The example given being regulating and shaming the sexual conduct of young women via a combination of direct laws and related constraint of funding for medical elements that might be thought of as relating to same … except when said Rich Uncle State-eers are the personal beneficiaries of the conduct in question, of course].
So how does this pertain to Trump? Well, while he’d previously seemed at least vaguely amenable to Steve Bannon’s proposition to recongeal the Republican Party as a Workers’ Party (seriously – that was his vision. Maybe Republicans as gun-toting “socialists” isn’t just something from the Spanish Civil War after all), following the latter’s ouster, a lot of that seemed to be on the back-slide; sacrificed ‘pon the altar of “progress” for measures more popular with the business class.
That created something of an ‘opening’ over on the relative (and I stress the relative) left of the American political spectrum, for the Democrats to try and reconnect with the ordinary people they theoretically already represent; which was largely, predictably, squandered in earnest in favour of chasing after other priorities – but nevertheless DID manage to further empower a formerly fringe candidate by the name of Bernie Sanders, amongst others.
This may or may not have amounted to anything come November, but then this sudden onset of Crisis emerged; and Trump found himself in the ineluctable position of having spent the past few weeks conspiciously talking down as a non-issue and non-event, something that had just swallowed most of the stock market gains made during the course of his presidency in a matter of hours, and devoured a $1.5 trillion dollar directly-aimed Wall St rescue package for a between-courses additional-appetizer.
What could he do? What should he do? Avoid at all costs being known as a Herbert Hoover in the early phases of the Depression, or more pointedly perhaps – a Nero at the Fire of Rome.
Net result? We now have Trump taking the concept of the “Imperial Presidency” to a whole ‘nother level and openly pushing policy-planks that the Democratic establishment (ever mind the Republicans) would have (in fact, were) attacked as absurdly left, just a week or two ago.
And being actively cheered for it by much of ‘right wing’ America, because at the end of the day, everything in their (and most other) politics is made up and only the sports-team branding actually seems to matter. It’s probably not even a case of “only Nixon could go to China” anymore.
It has been suggested that for many a key narrative player in public life – you either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. In Trump’s case, pending how well the rest of the Corona / Covid-19 response goes of course, it’s possible that he’s avoided (politically) dying a Nero – and may yet see himself live long enough to become a Patrician.
And who knows. I’m a little surprised to find myself saying this – but if it leads to a genuine and maintained shift away from the neoliberal economic perversity of modern American socio-financial life, particularly as applies the beginnings of a genuine UBI … maybe that’s not an entirely terrible thing. Certainly, his continuing to do worse-than-nothing could hardly be something to be welcomed.
Oh, and speaking of “heroes” and complexly curving narrative arcs … where is Andrew Yang now?
Being requested by the White House to go along and help them with the rollout of their UBI effort.
It’s not how he intended to get there, of course; yet less than six weeks after he suspended his Presidential campaign, Yang might yet find himself and his concept the ‘hero we need’ right now, all the same.


thedailyblog--2020-03-22--Time to rethink everything especially super policy

When share markets crash , it becomes clear that shares are only ever a potential claim on resources .
They have to be converted into money before they can command the basics of survival .
When the music stops , few want to buy any more .
Today ’ s share market crash reflects not just the bursting of a speculative bubble but also a loss of faith in the viability of the underlying businesses associated with tourism and travel .
While housing is a real asset and still gives shelter , its monetary value can also fall steeply and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retirement spending can rapidly diminish .
New Zealand has had the strongest speculative housing bubble in the Western world .
What happens next is not hard to predict .
The emerging poverty among older New Zealanders was noted in the RPRC report on fiscal sustainability for the 2019 retirement income review .
Much of this poverty is driven by the inadequacy of the benefit system for those aged 50-65 , and the way the housing market has become a speculative bonanza for the well-off instead of providing basic healthy housing for everyone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole lot worse .
We also questioned the unscrutinised expansion of the NZ Super fund as if that was going to help us “ afford ” NZ Super .
As share markets crumble , the old adage from Economist Nicholas Barr ( Myths my grandpa taught me ) that pensioners ” cant eat pound note butties ” takes on a new relevance .
What Barr means is that a store of paper assets including money itself is not always a guarantee of the expected standard of living .
The future depends on there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
CO-VID 2019 calls into question the belief that a treasure chest like the NZ Super fund will save us .
Even worse , the NZSF is projected to deliver only a trickle , and that only by 2050 .
Under the current formula the fall in the value of the fund may push even this meagre contribution much further out .
Imagine if instead of squirrelling away $ 1-2 billion a year to this ring-fenced fund , we had used the money to shore up the health system so it was capable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we had protected the welfare system so we didn ’ t have such a large number of families homeless , ill , and subsisting in overcrowded , badly built homes .
These families will be joined by many more as jobs fail and the social costs of the failure to mend the social deficits become even more exposed in a crisis .
Will they too have to queue for supplementary payments because benefits are patently inadequate ?
Poverty , existing ill-health and overcrowding make for a very fertile ground for the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now face include designing enduring redistribution packages , keeping up the supply of basic commodities and essential services , and strengthening the public sector in light of 21st century , challenges that private enterprise is clearly incapable of solving .
It is not to be found in storing up treasure on earth “ where rust doth corrupt and moth decay ” for some mythical future .
The security of the future of old people in NZ does not depend on the NZ Super fund , nor on the untrammelled and unstable economic growth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It depends vitally on the health , education and security of the workforce and their children , the strength of our collective institutions , and a rapid reinvigoration of the ethos of public service .

When share markets crash, it becomes clear that shares are only ever a potential claim on resources. They have to be converted into money before they can command the basics of survival. When the music stops, few want to buy any more. Today’s share market crash reflects not just the bursting of a speculative bubble but also a loss of faith in the viability of the underlying businesses associated with tourism and travel.
While housing is a real asset and still gives shelter, its monetary value can also fall steeply and its potential to provide a buffer for retirement spending can rapidly diminish. New Zealand has had the strongest speculative housing bubble in the Western world. What happens next is not hard to predict.
The emerging poverty among older New Zealanders was noted in the RPRC report on fiscal sustainability for the 2019 retirement income review. Much of this poverty is driven by the inadequacy of the benefit system for those aged 50-65, and the way the housing market has become a speculative bonanza for the well-off instead of providing basic healthy housing for everyone. Housing stress is bound to become a whole lot worse.
We also questioned the unscrutinised expansion of the NZ Super fund as if that was going to help us “afford” NZ Super. As share markets crumble, the old adage from Economist Nicholas Barr ( Myths my grandpa taught me) that pensioners ” cant eat pound note butties” takes on a new relevance. What Barr means is that a store of paper assets including money itself is not always a guarantee of the expected standard of living. The future depends on there being actual “butties” to consume.
CO-VID 2019 calls into question the belief that a treasure chest like the NZ Super fund will save us. Even worse, the NZSF is projected to deliver only a trickle, and that only by 2050. Under the current formula the fall in the value of the fund may push even this meagre contribution much further out.
Imagine if instead of squirrelling away $1-2 billion a year to this ring-fenced fund, we had used the money to shore up the health system so it was capable of handling the pandemic. Imagine if we had protected the welfare system so we didn’t have such a large number of families homeless, ill, and subsisting in overcrowded, badly built homes. These families will be joined by many more as jobs fail and the social costs of the failure to mend the social deficits become even more exposed in a crisis. Will they too have to queue for supplementary payments because benefits are patently inadequate? Poverty, existing ill-health and overcrowding make for a very fertile ground for the spread of the virus.
The major challenges we now face include designing enduring redistribution packages, keeping up the supply of basic commodities and essential services, and strengthening the public sector in light of 21st century, challenges that private enterprise is clearly incapable of solving. It is not to be found in storing up treasure on earth “where rust doth corrupt and moth decay” for some mythical future.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
The security of the future of old people in NZ does not depend on the NZ Super fund, nor on the untrammelled and unstable economic growth driven by tourism and rapid population growth. It depends vitally on the health, education and security of the workforce and their children, the strength of our collective institutions, and a rapid reinvigoration of the ethos of public service.


thedailyblog--2020-03-22--Tragic news today that coronavirus has reached the Gaza Strip – but you can do something to help!

With the illegal , Israeli blockade of Gaza and brutal military occupation of the West Bank the results will be catastrophic but we can do something to help NOW .
Several organisations have got together to write to the Prime Minister urging action .
You can add your voice here www.psna.nz/petition We can ’ t expect help from Israel government .
Prime Minister Netanyahu says Palestinians are an existential threat to Israel and the only way to deal with Palestinians is to beat them up – not once but repeatedly beat them up – until its unbearable .
Netanyahu and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see devastation to Palestinian families and communities living in overcrowded refugee camps and under a brutal military occupation and blockade .
Here is the letter you can sign at www.psna.nz/petition The more than two million people living in the blockaded Gaza strip in Palestine are being left to face the Coronavirus with hopelessly inadequate medical facilities and extreme overcrowding – conditions in which the virus will spread rapidly and devastatingly unless action is taken now .
The usual medical and public policy advice to Palestinians can not hope to deal with this terrifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus enters Gaza , containment and treatment under the Israeli blockade will be nearly impossible .
Gaza ’ s hospitals are already unable to cope with “ normal ” medical situations .
In March last year the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory , Mr. Jamie McGoldrick , reported on Gaza ’ s “ chronic power outages , gaps in critical services , including mental health and psychosocial support , and shortages of essential medicines and supplies.
” In similar vein the Israeli human rights organisation B ’ Tselem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Gaza ’ s barely functioning hospitals are dealing with the fallout from thousands of injuries which have resulted from murderous Israeli sniper fire on demonstrators in the ” Great March of Return ” protests on the Gaza side of the security fence .
97 % of all Gaza ’ s water is not fit to drink and Gazan hospitals don ’ t have enough clean water even for medical staff to wash safely .
Simply calling on people to wash their hands regularly and keep social distances is a recipe for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little better in the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank where , as a result of Israeli ’ s brutal military occupation , medical facilities are also inadequate with serious shortages of basic medical equipment , trained personnel and essential medical supplies .
The looming human catastrophe is clear .
When medically well supplied countries like Italy and South Korea have struggled to contain the virus there is no way the hospitals in Gaza or the occupied Palestinian territories will be able to cope .
Each year New Zealand votes at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s military occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza .
It ’ s now critical for the government to back up those votes with effective political action .
We urge you to put the welfare of Palestinians alongside concern for New Zealanders and speak out calling for Israel to end its blockade of Gaza and military occupation of the Palestinian territories and allow Palestinians to access the medical supplies and equipment they need to deal with this crisis .
Anglican Church of Aotearoa , New Zealand and Polynesia Maori Vice-President @ @ @ @ @ @

Tragic News that coronavirus has reached Gaza.
With the illegal, Israeli blockade of Gaza and brutal military occupation of the West Bank the results will be catastrophic but we can do something to help NOW.
Several organisations have got together to write to the Prime Minister urging action. You can add your voice here www.psna.nz/petition
We can’t expect help from Israel government. Prime Minister Netanyahu says Palestinians are an existential threat to Israel and the only way to deal with Palestinians is to beat them up – not once but repeatedly beat them up – until its unbearable.
Netanyahu and the Israeli establishment will be unmoved to see devastation to Palestinian families and communities living in overcrowded refugee camps and under a brutal military occupation and blockade.
Here is the letter you can sign at www.psna.nz/petition
Palestine Solidarity – combined organisations’ letter to the Prime Minister
20 March 2020
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
Jacinda Ardern
Prime Minister
Parliament Buildings
Wellington
Email j.ardern@ministers.govt.nz
Kia ora Ms Ardern,
Covid 19 and Gaza
The more than two million people living in the blockaded Gaza strip in Palestine are being left to face the Coronavirus with hopelessly inadequate medical facilities and extreme overcrowding – conditions in which the virus will spread rapidly and devastatingly unless action is taken now.
The usual medical and public policy advice to Palestinians cannot hope to deal with this terrifying scenario. Health officials warn that if the virus enters Gaza, containment and treatment under the Israeli blockade will be nearly impossible.
Gaza’s hospitals are already unable to cope with “normal” medical situations. In March last year the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, Mr. Jamie McGoldrick, reported on Gaza’s “chronic power outages, gaps in critical services, including mental health and psychosocial support, and shortages of essential medicines and supplies.”
In similar vein the Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem has reported that, even before coronavirus, Gaza’s barely functioning hospitals are dealing with the fallout from thousands of injuries which have resulted from murderous Israeli sniper fire on demonstrators in the ”Great March of Return” protests on the Gaza side of the security fence.
97% of all Gaza’s water is not fit to drink and Gazan hospitals don’t have enough clean water even for medical staff to wash safely. Simply calling on people to wash their hands regularly and keep social distances is a recipe for an unmitigated human catastrophe.
The situation is little better in the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank where, as a result of Israeli’s brutal military occupation, medical facilities are also inadequate with serious shortages of basic medical equipment, trained personnel and essential medical supplies.
The looming human catastrophe is clear. When medically well supplied countries like Italy and South Korea have struggled to contain the virus there is no way the hospitals in Gaza or the occupied Palestinian territories will be able to cope.
Each year New Zealand votes at the United Nations for the end of Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza.
It’s now critical for the government to back up those votes with effective political action. We urge you to put the welfare of Palestinians alongside concern for New Zealanders and speak out calling for Israel to end its blockade of Gaza and military occupation of the Palestinian territories and allow Palestinians to access the medical supplies and equipment they need to deal with this crisis.
Na,
John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
Jeremy Rose, Marilyn Garson, Fred Albert and David Weinstein
Members of Sh’ma Koleinu – Alternative Jewish Voices
(Marilyn worked in Gaza 2011 to 2015)
Cardinal John Dew
Catholic Archbishop of Wellington
Philip Richardson
Bishop, Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki
Archbishop and Primate
Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
Anjum Rahman
Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand
Julie Webb-Pullman
(Julie has lived and worked in Gaza since 2008 – currently visiting New Zealand)
Roger Fowler
Kia ora Gaza
Mike Treen
National Director Unite Union
Convenor Global Peace and Justice Aotearoa
Syd Keepa
Maori Vice-President of the Council of Trade Unions
Annette Sykes
Maori human rights lawyer
Janfrie Wakim
Palestine Human Rights Campaign
Leslie and Marian Bravery
Authors of “In Occupied Palestine”
Kevin McBride
Pax Christie
Megan Hutching
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Jim Consedine
NZ Catholic Workers Movement


thedailyblog--2020-03-23--Shut it down – but we don’t need to restart with the same old shit

It is inevitable as a country that we needed to rapidly move to level three and four in our response to be able to suffocate the spread of the virus .
This will shut down most economic activity and working people must be protected beginning the workers in the front line of confronting the crisis .
The government must ensure all working people , in jobs or not , receive a living allowance through the next six months or until it is abundantly evident we have conquered the viral threat .
Any essential service like those in transport , food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tries to sack workers or shut down its operations and walk away should be taken over by the government to ensure continuity .
Private hospitals care should be nationalised and integrated with the public system .
The problem with the current system is that it is based on commodity production for profit .
If businesses can ’ t make money they won ’ t invest .
If banks can ’ t make money they won ’ t lend .
For 150 years that system spread across the globe and revolutionised production and trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth at an average rate of 3 % .
This rate allowed it to double in size each quarter-century .
But increasingly that system has become inimical to the survival of the human race and the planet we live on .
The system ’ s short-term profit-seeking myopia is also destroying the atmosphere we breathe and has allowed global warming to reach the level where there will soon be irreversible feedback loops we can ’ t control .
The way we produce and distribute food destroys the soil and poisons our diets .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an example .
The land and waterways are being plundered so Fonterra can use coal to dry the milk into a powder of very modest nutritional value to be exported to China and eaten by a middle class that is convinced it should despite widespread lactose intolerance .
Vast forests that are the lungs of the planet are being gobbled up for short term exploitation and profit .
We produce vastly more than we actually need as businesses compete with each other to become number one and destroy their rivals .
Vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroyed if they can ’ t be sold for a profit .
Capitalism ’ s crises are actually crises of overproduction of commodities relative to the system ’ s ability to seel the collective proceeds of humanity ’ s effort for a profit .
The last few decades have seen an explosion of debt as the only way to keep the system ticking over .
That accumulated debt mountain has become the systems Achilles heal .
It is toppling over today and it will take us down with it .
The Covid 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the system over and we will never be the same again .
We face a crisis like the Great Depression of the 1930s with 20-30 percent levels of unemployment across the globe unless we decide to go in a completely new direction for the recovery that is needed .
The greed of the one percent drove the reckless debt creation and frenzied stock market rise .
Private equity companies have taken over more and more companies and loaded them with debt to avoid tax while they restructure and rip up workers ’ rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most major companies do share buybacks which pushed up share prices and rewarded the existing stockholders .
The bailouts that happen as a consequence of the crisis and recovery that is to come should not be a bailout of the shareholders like in 2008 but a bailout of the workers .
When we restart production and distribution working people should be in charge of what , when and how this is done .
Air New Zealand has for example , effectively been completely nationalised to ensure its survival .
But the new Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of planes it currently has because the planet can ’ t keep using air transport as the principal means of moving people and freight around the globe to protect the climate .
Everyone ’ s job should be protected and transitioned to new occupations if the new 30-hour workweek we will adopt for the jobs in the future ( with 40 hours pay ) can ’ t employ them all .
A new Air NZ Board shouldn ’ t be appointed because of their ability to create the biggest and most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their legal obligation .
We need a board that can count money but also has environmentalists , scientists , engineers , airline workers .
Their job is to have a plan for the future of the airline and industry which can be put to the people for a vote .
Maybe we could look at the use of airships as an alternative for example .
The board members would receive a very modest reward for their public service rather than showered in money like today .
No one would earn a salary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should start at the living wage .
Except for the US , we don ’ t use private profit companies to manage health care , education and many other services .
All other key monopolies and services like banking , insurance , energy production and distribution , transport should also be run as public services with democratic planning and workers co-management and control .
Today , in the crisis we have , humanity ’ s basic instinct to care for each other comes to the fore when we are allowed .
Competitive capitalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those values based on the solidarity needed to transition from Ape to Man and the earliest forms of collective hunting , gathering and farming that created us as humans .
That collective solidarity must be restored at the heart of the new way of doing everything that this world now needs for its survival in the very short and very long term .

It is inevitable as a country that we needed to rapidly move to level three and four in our response to be able to suffocate the spread of the virus.
This will shut down most economic activity and working people must be protected beginning the workers in the front line of confronting the crisis.
The government must ensure all working people, in jobs or not, receive a living allowance through the next six months or until it is abundantly evident we have conquered the viral threat.
Any essential service like those in transport, food distribution, or health care, that tries to sack workers or shut down its operations and walk away should be taken over by the government to ensure continuity.
Private hospitals care should be nationalised and integrated with the public system.
The problem with the current system is that it is based on commodity production for profit. If businesses can’t make money they won’t invest. If banks can’t make money they won’t lend. For 150 years that system spread across the globe and revolutionised production and trade globally. It has achieved almost continuous growth at an average rate of 3%. This rate allowed it to double in size each quarter-century. But increasingly that system has become inimical to the survival of the human race and the planet we live on. The system’s short-term profit-seeking myopia is also destroying the atmosphere we breathe and has allowed global warming to reach the level where there will soon be irreversible feedback loops we can’t control. The way we produce and distribute food destroys the soil and poisons our diets. Take New Zealand’s Dairy industry as an example. The land and waterways are being plundered so Fonterra can use coal to dry the milk into a powder of very modest nutritional value to be exported to China and eaten by a middle class that is convinced it should despite widespread lactose intolerance. Vast forests that are the lungs of the planet are being gobbled up for short term exploitation and profit. We produce vastly more than we actually need as businesses compete with each other to become number one and destroy their rivals. Vast numbers of commodities are produced and then destroyed if they can’t be sold for a profit. Capitalism’s crises are actually crises of overproduction of commodities relative to the system’s ability to seel the collective proceeds of humanity’s effort for a profit. The last few decades have seen an explosion of debt as the only way to keep the system ticking over. That accumulated debt mountain has become the systems Achilles heal. It is toppling over today and it will take us down with it.
Late capitalism has reached an impasse.
The Covid 19 virus was the trigger that has tipped the system over and we will never be the same again.
We face a crisis like the Great Depression of the 1930s with 20-30 percent levels of unemployment across the globe unless we decide to go in a completely new direction for the recovery that is needed.
The greed of the one percent drove the reckless debt creation and frenzied stock market rise. Private equity companies have taken over more and more companies and loaded them with debt to avoid tax while they restructure and rip up workers’ rights.
The last decade has also seen most major companies do share buybacks which pushed up share prices and rewarded the existing stockholders.
The bailouts that happen as a consequence of the crisis and recovery that is to come should not be a bailout of the shareholders like in 2008 but a bailout of the workers.
When we restart production and distribution working people should be in charge of what, when and how this is done.
Air New Zealand has for example, effectively been completely nationalised to ensure its survival. But the new Air NZ should be happy to have half the number of planes it currently has because the planet can’t keep using air transport as the principal means of moving people and freight around the globe to protect the climate.
Everyone’s job should be protected and transitioned to new occupations if the new 30-hour workweek we will adopt for the jobs in the future (with 40 hours pay) can’t employ them all.
A new Air NZ Board shouldn’t be appointed because of their ability to create the biggest and most profitable airline possible. That is currently their legal obligation. We need a board that can count money but also has environmentalists, scientists, engineers, airline workers. Their job is to have a plan for the future of the airline and industry which can be put to the people for a vote. Maybe we could look at the use of airships as an alternative for example. The board members would receive a very modest reward for their public service rather than showered in money like today.
No one would earn a salary of more than $200,000 and all wages should start at the living wage.
Except for the US, we don’t use private profit companies to manage health care, education and many other services.
All other key monopolies and services like banking, insurance, energy production and distribution, transport should also be run as public services with democratic planning and workers co-management and control.
Today, in the crisis we have, humanity’s basic instinct to care for each other comes to the fore when we are allowed. Competitive capitalism has been a barrier to the flowering of those values based on the solidarity needed to transition from Ape to Man and the earliest forms of collective hunting, gathering and farming that created us as humans. That collective solidarity must be restored at the heart of the new way of doing everything that this world now needs for its survival in the very short and very long term.


thedailyblog--2020-03-23--Dr Liz Gordon: Will COVID 19 kill neo-liberalism?

Neo-liberalism is designed upon three main planks – a free market unencumbered by state interference , an assumption of individual rather than collective values and the existence of a free marketplace in which we all operate .
Neo-liberalism produces not only particular types of values affecting how humans live , but particular forms of markets ( profit-making ) ( including drug companies ) , specific methods of interaction in society and modes of governance .
In all four areas , the virus sounds a death knell ( or perhaps merely a mortal blow ) to prevailing neo-liberal modes .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their own desires , is much more likely to spread the coronavirus than contain it .
If governments order social isolation , then homo economicus falls back on those familiar maxims of ‘ fake news ’ or personal exclusivity ( it doesn ’ t count for me ) .
Economic man is a slippery bugger , hard to contain and unlikely to easily comply to state rules .
The neo-liberal marketplace is ‘ free ’ .
There is a degree of separation between the needs of the public for , say , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the drug companies for profits .
While in theory a drug company can charge their own price for such a cure , in reality social demand and expectations may require a more humanitarian response .
As well , drug companies tend to work on a long game , and may not be flexible enough to respond quickly .
This has been recognised all around the world with funds being quickly made available to universities and other public sector research organisations in search of a vaccine or a cure .
Neo-liberalism has changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ideas are more easily contested today and we are more oppositional .
In the workplace , competitive models often dominate and there is little sense in working for the common good .
We have become more macho .
It was really interesting this afternoon sitting outside a large shop and watching people going in .
While the shop itself regulated social distance at the checkout ( with taped spaces ) , outside young men clustered together and postured , revelling in the non-obedience to the sensible rules of play .
This brings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today at level 3 , moving on to level 4 , are considerably draconian .
The appeal that is made is to the common good – the good of all New Zealanders .
It cuts across race , class and other inequalities .
Once again , it is emphasised that we are all in this together , backed up with an economic package that promises to leave no-one behind .
It is a radically social democratic package and will face resistance .
Neo-liberal thinking and actions can only shrivel and die under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government is putting into place .
To this point things are very hopeful .
Perhaps no-one will die here .
A month ’ s isolation is not too big a price for most , although for those who are dying of other diseases , or the virus , it is scary that they may not see out this period and reap its rewards in the future .
I noticed that Simon Bridges has come , however late , to the party .
No beneficiaries were bashed in his post-announcement speech , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government or someone for whom opposition is a holy duty , this is a change indeed .
And beyond that ?
Is it too much to think that we will be changed forever , or at least for the foreseeable future ?
Having cut us down to size , reminded us that we are but animals spinning around on our small rock , will the Covid-19 leave us better , more empathetic , more careful people ?
Will the shadows of Rogernomics , Ruthanasia and their legacy , which have stuck with us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last be eradicated as surely as Smallpox ?
We shall see .
This virus might be the making of this government and the heralding of a new political era in Aotearoa .
Dr Liz Gordon is a researcher and a barrister , with interests in destroying neo-liberalism in all its forms and moving towards a socially just society .
She usually blogs on justice , social welfare and education topics .

Neo-liberalism is designed upon three main planks – a free market unencumbered by state interference, an assumption of individual rather than collective values and the existence of a free marketplace in which we all operate.
Neo-liberalism produces not only particular types of values affecting how humans live, but particular forms of markets (profit-making) (including drug companies), specific methods of interaction in society and modes of governance.
In all four areas, the virus sounds a death knell (or perhaps merely a mortal blow) to prevailing neo-liberal modes. The mass of humanity, acting freely according to their own desires, is much more likely to spread the coronavirus than contain it. If governments order social isolation, then homo economicus falls back on those familiar maxims of ‘fake news’ or personal exclusivity (it doesn’t count for me). Economic man is a slippery bugger, hard to contain and unlikely to easily comply to state rules.
The neo-liberal marketplace is ‘free’. There is a degree of separation between the needs of the public for, say, a cure for Covid-19 and the needs of the drug companies for profits. While in theory a drug company can charge their own price for such a cure, in reality social demand and expectations may require a more humanitarian response. As well, drug companies tend to work on a long game, and may not be flexible enough to respond quickly. This has been recognised all around the world with funds being quickly made available to universities and other public sector research organisations in search of a vaccine or a cure.
Neo-liberalism has changed the way we interact with one another. Ideas are more easily contested today and we are more oppositional. In the workplace, competitive models often dominate and there is little sense in working for the common good. We have become more macho. It was really interesting this afternoon sitting outside a large shop and watching people going in. While the shop itself regulated social distance at the checkout (with taped spaces), outside young men clustered together and postured, revelling in the non-obedience to the sensible rules of play.
This brings us to governance. The rules announced today at level 3, moving on to level 4, are considerably draconian. The appeal that is made is to the common good – the good of all New Zealanders. It cuts across race, class and other inequalities. Once again, it is emphasised that we are all in this together, backed up with an economic package that promises to leave no-one behind. It is a radically social democratic package and will face resistance. Neo-liberal thinking and actions can only shrivel and die under the onslaught of kindness and social care that the government is putting into place.
To this point things are very hopeful. Perhaps no-one will die here. A month’s isolation is not too big a price for most, although for those who are dying of other diseases, or the virus, it is scary that they may not see out this period and reap its rewards in the future.
I noticed that Simon Bridges has come, however late, to the party. No beneficiaries were bashed in his post-announcement speech, and he strongly put his support behind the government or someone for whom opposition is a holy duty, this is a change indeed.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
And beyond that? Is it too much to think that we will be changed forever, or at least for the foreseeable future? Having cut us down to size, reminded us that we are but animals spinning around on our small rock, will the Covid-19 leave us better, more empathetic, more careful people? Will the shadows of Rogernomics, Ruthanasia and their legacy, which have stuck with us like a particularly nasty virus, at last be eradicated as surely as Smallpox?
We shall see. This virus might be the making of this government and the heralding of a new political era in Aotearoa.
Dr Liz Gordon is a researcher and a barrister, with interests in destroying neo-liberalism in all its forms and moving towards a socially just society. She usually blogs on justice, social welfare and education topics.


thedailyblog--2020-03-24--A Call to do Better By Nature

A Call to do Better By Nature

2020 started with an existential bang .
Catastrophic bushfires , drought , international undiplomatic brinkmanship and now Covid-19 , it ’ s felt like we ’ ve ticked off the full apocalyptic list .
The yellow smoke-filled skies in January made us realise how interconnected planetary systems are when things go bad .
Images of burned koalas and kangaroos and other eclectic and iconic Australian species emphasised how anthropogenic activities such as bush clearance interact with other forces such as climate change impacting animals we know and love .
Harmless and vulnerable life forms are already in trouble , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires , can tip fragile species over the balance .
But we seem unable to change our ways – koala and kangaroo culls still occur , deforestation continues , motorways are expanded through remaining habitat .
A 2019 study by The Nature Conservancy and Conservation Science Partners showed that only 5 % of the Earth ’ s land surface is unaffected by human impact .
They found 13 human-caused stressors across all terrestrial lands , biomes and ecological regions , including agriculture ; human settlement ; transportation , including railroads and minor roads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electrical infrastructure , including power lines .
52 % of ecological regions and 49 % of countries are considered moderately modified .
Only 30 % of terrestrial ecological regions and 18 % of the world ’ s countries have a low degree of land modification and retain most of their natural lands , which are distant from human settlements , agriculture and other modified environments .
The human reach is broad and deep .
Despite the warnings of ecologists and activists , for too long , the inertia of capitalist production and consumption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incremental but inevitable destruction .
But as long as we have had the distractions of TV , Netflix and cheap goods , we have been almost collectively oblivious – like the frog in the warming pot of water .
Last year we lost iconic individual animals like Voertrekker one of last the great tusker elephants , and Wolverine a rare Northern Right whale ; mistreatment of whole species is ongoing , including jaguars , lions and pangolins ; habitat fragmentation and ecosystem loss is the price we pay for farming , commodity extraction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see alterations to whole planetary systems , but still we ’ ve kept on with business as usual .
But the damage done – in the last fifty years of ‘ the great acceleration ’ especially , means we have less resilience for random – stochastic – events .
The damage done to koala habitat for roads and urbanisation for example , means they ’ re more vulnerable to fires .
The harm done to Maui and Hector ’ s dolphins through fishing , means they ’ re more vulnerable to disease .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ animals unleashes zoonotic disease such as Ebola , SARS , MERS and Covid-19 .
We ’ ve sliced and diced nature and now she ’ s fighting back .
It ’ s time for us to take stock .
As economies shut down and nature responds with cleaner air and seas , we need to learn lessons and do better by nature in the future .

2020 started with an existential bang. Catastrophic bushfires, drought, international undiplomatic brinkmanship and now Covid-19, it’s felt like we’ve ticked off the full apocalyptic list.
The yellow smoke-filled skies in January made us realise how interconnected planetary systems are when things go bad. Images of burned koalas and kangaroos and other eclectic and iconic Australian species emphasised how anthropogenic activities such as bush clearance interact with other forces such as climate change impacting animals we know and love. Harmless and vulnerable life forms are already in trouble, but big events like Australia’s summer fires, can tip fragile species over the balance. But we seem unable to change our ways – koala and kangaroo culls still occur, deforestation continues, motorways are expanded through remaining habitat.
A 2019 study by The Nature Conservancy and Conservation Science Partners showed that only 5% of the Earth’s land surface is unaffected by human impact. They found 13 human-caused stressors across all terrestrial lands, biomes and ecological regions, including agriculture; human settlement; transportation, including railroads and minor roads; mining; and energy production and electrical infrastructure, including power lines. 52% of ecological regions and 49% of countries are considered moderately modified. Only 30% of terrestrial ecological regions and 18% of the world’s countries have a low degree of land modification and retain most of their natural lands, which are distant from human settlements, agriculture and other modified environments. The human reach is broad and deep.
Despite the warnings of ecologists and activists, for too long, the inertia of capitalist production and consumption has kept us on a path of incremental but inevitable destruction. But as long as we have had the distractions of TV, Netflix and cheap goods, we have been almost collectively oblivious – like the frog in the warming pot of water. Last year we lost iconic individual animals like Voertrekker one of last the great tusker elephants, and Wolverine a rare Northern Right whale; mistreatment of whole species is ongoing, including jaguars, lions and pangolins; habitat fragmentation and ecosystem loss is the price we pay for farming, commodity extraction and ‘progress’; and we see alterations to whole planetary systems, but still we’ve kept on with business as usual.
But the damage done – in the last fifty years of ‘the great acceleration’ especially, means we have less resilience for random – stochastic – events. The damage done to koala habitat for roads and urbanisation for example, means they’re more vulnerable to fires. The harm done to Maui and Hector’s dolphins through fishing, means they’re more vulnerable to disease.
Urbanisation and mistreatment of wild and farmed animals unleashes zoonotic disease such as Ebola, SARS, MERS and Covid-19. We’ve sliced and diced nature and now she’s fighting back. It’s time for us to take stock. As economies shut down and nature responds with cleaner air and seas, we need to learn lessons and do better by nature in the future.