thedailyblog--2020-10-11--David Wakim Memorial Lecture – Telling lies about Palestine

Greetings and welcome to you all – thanks for coming this evening .
It ’ s nice to be back in Auckland – even if it is with a microphone rather than a megaphone !
It ’ s my privilege to be delivering this lecture in memory of David Wakim .
Dave was a wonderful humanitarian and I shared the end of a banner with him many times in protests for Palestinian rights .
I ’ m going to share one small story which underlines the man he was .
David and Janfrie ran a pharmacy in Eden quarter on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one day to buy a syringe – for making paint bombs .
( To make a paint bomb you put two holes in either end of an egg , blow out the egg contents , seal one end with a few drops of hot wax from a candle , use a syringe to fill the egg with paint and then seal that end with hot wax ) .
Neither David nor Janfrie were around but there were 2 or 3 other people in the shop and a helpful young man behind the counter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a decent big one .
Then this young man leaned forward over the counter towards me ( this was pre Covid ) and said in a quiet voice “ Would you like some clean needles with that ?
” I was immediately flustered and began to explain about paint bombs but that conversation wasn ’ t going anywhere so I paid and left quickly .
Part of Dave Wakim ’ s humanitarianism meant his pharmacy was part of the government ’ s needle exchange programme for drug addicts .
I remember Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s funeral saying Dave was never judgmental about any of the addicts who came for clean needles – they were always treated with dignity and respect .
Those of us who knew Dave remember him very fondly .
In this talk I won ’ t be using the term Zionism .
I try to avoid it for two reasons .
First it is confusing for the public .
Second it means different things to different people – for most of us it relates to the racist apartheid policies of the Israeli government but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ century movement for a Jewish homeland or it may simply mean the Jewish right to practise their faith and follow their cultural beliefs wherever in the world they are – something no-one could argue with .
Tonight I ’ m talking about the lies told about Palestine by the pro-Israeli lobby .
That might sound a bit downbeat and negative but I can assure you it is not .
I hope tonight you will go away feeling positive , clear headed and uplifted because we are on the right side of history and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago when at its very formation Israel delegitimised itself with brutal , blatantly racist , colonial policies towards Palestinians .
But because Israel was and is important for western imperialist powers as a beachhead in the oil-rich Middle East – the liberation of Palestinians has been held up .
And part of that hold-up has been a string of lies told about Palestine and Palestinians by the pro-Israeli lobby .
We are going to unravel some of those lies tonight .
Before we talk about the lies let ’ s celebrate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Western World in support of Palestinian human rights .
We are winning the debate – around the world and here in Aotearoa-New Zealand .
Internationally the pro-Palestinian campaigns are stronger .
The Boycott , Divestment and Sanctions movement is having important wins locally and internationally .
( BDS is a Palestinian-led movement which was launched in 2005 to uphold the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity ) More Jewish voices , both young and old , are speaking out here and around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palestinian solidarity activists are being called out for what they are .
Even members of the US congress who show strong support for Palestinian rights are winning their seats again when once the pro-Israeli lobby in the US would have been able to oust them .
Nothing illustrates the changes in thinking better than the key findings from a recent survey of Jewish Americans by the right-wing thinktank , The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs , which was released in July .
There were three main findings : • None One quarter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel and Zionism , including that Israel is racist , colonial and apartheid .
• None More than that , 31 percent , would vote for Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar regardless of Israel lobby smears of the two congresswomen as antisemitic .
• None Despite the efforts of Israel lobby organizations to blame the left for antisemitism , American Jews don ’ t buy it .
51 percent see the right wing as the source of most antisemitism , while only 1 percent see the left wing as primarily responsible for anti-semitism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equally ) Things are changing .
Israel ’ s narrative as the only peace-loving , democratic state in the Middle East surrounded by hostile Arab neighbours has been falling apart for years .
It ’ s a narrative on life-support because the Israeli narrative contradicts what people see as the reality of Israeli actions and policies on the ground in the Middle East .
It is failing so badly that the Israeli lobby has resorted to trying to make it illegal to campaign in favour of Palestinian human rights .
They have tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared illegal in some European countries and in various US states .
Their main defence strategy for Israeli policies are bogus claims of anti-semitism which they throw around like confetti against supporters of Palestinian human rights .
The latest effort has been to introduce a new definition of anti-semitism which tries to link criticism of Israel with anti-semitism .
All this effort to weaken criticism of Israel underlines the absolute important of the Boycott , Divestment and Sanctions movement – because BDS is Israel ’ s Achilles heel – their weak point and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the single most important strategy we have to build solidarity with Palestine and put pressure on Israel .
Let ’ s be clear : for the international solidarity movement the most important game in town is BDS .
This was neatly summed up by Nobel Peace prize winner and South African Archbishop , Desmond Tutu , when talking about Israeli government policies – “ we should name it apartheid and boycott ” Tutu also points the way when he talks about the importance of international solidarity to bring change for Palestinians : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without the help of people around the world , who through… non-violent means , such as boycotts and disinvestment , encouraged their governments and other corporate actors to reverse decades-long support for the apartheid regime , ” Israel is terrified of BDS .
The more successful we become in campaigning for BDS , the more desperate the pro-Israeli lobby will become to label us as anti-semitic .
Let me put it another way : If we are NOT being attacked with false claims of anti-semitism by the increasingly desperate pro-Israeli lobby then we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s important to say here that we must not downplay anti-semitism in the world – there is plenty of it and it is hideous .
We all know it when we see it .
I and many others at this talk tonight have joined public protests against anti-semitism for example when Jewish graves in the Symonds Street cemetery have been daubed with swastikas .
We abhor racism in all its forms whether it is anti-semitism , Islamophobia , white supremacy , anti-Palestinian or anti-Arab racism , anti-Maori or anti-Pasifika racism .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media pages and we condemn it wherever it occurs .
That ’ s been a long introduction – so let ’ s look at the most important lies told about Palestine by the pro-Israeli lobby : This map shows some of the 600 red dots which each represent a Palestinian village which was “ depopulated ” ( aka ethnic cleansing ) in 1948 .
And they knew .
In 1897 the rabbis of Vienna sent a fact-finding mission to Palestine , they famously reported back that the bride ‘ was beautiful but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implication of this wry remark — that the pro-Israeli lobby should look elsewhere was ignored .
As I said earlier spurious claims of anti-semitism have become common in defending Israeli policies .
They are a critically important part of the pro-Israeli strategy to distract from its racist policies towards Palestinians .
Former Israeli Minister of Education Shulamit Aloni spelt this tactic out very clearly when she appeared on a “ Democracy Now ” interview in 2002 .
She was asked why critics of Israel were often labelled anti-semitic .
She said : That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israeli strategy and we see it played out around the world and here in Aotearoa .
So how do we see the Israeli lobby working in New Zealand ?
The pro-Israeli lobby does its most despicable work behind closed doors with news editors , journalists , cartoonists , members of parliament , senior public servants , government ministers etc .
These people are intensely pressured whenever they speak out against Israel ’ s brutal military occupation and apartheid policies towards Palestinians .
Our own cartoonist Malcolm Evans dared to illustrate Israel as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Herald as a result .
The pro-Israeli lobby does not want the Palestinian struggle in our newspapers and general media .
The lobby applies pressure so these groups and individuals will “ silence themselves ” – in other words to self-censor – knowing if they report things unfavourable to Israel or take sides with the Palestinians they risk being called out publicly as being anti-semitic .
The pro-Israeli lobby acts like a mafia protection racket for racism and brutality , using bullying and political thuggery to constrain criticism of Israel and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Israel is losing .
It has a serious image problem .
They are spending many millions on propaganda campaigns and as I said earlier have resorted to trying to make campaigning for BDS a criminal offence in European countries and several states in the US .
Millions has been spent developing propaganda strategies – using the same public relations companies used by the likes of the tobacco industry , the private healthcare industry and pharmaceutical companies in the US .
Here are some of their propaganda manuals produced over the years : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how it is expressed in one of the manuals : And the last thing on Israeli propaganda .
Israel is deeply frustrated at spending 20 times more on propaganda but support for Palestinians keeps climbing .
Peddling lies about Palestine is a challenge for the Palestine Solidarity movement .
One of our roles is to counter these lies by : • None Telling the plain unvarnished truth of Israel ’ s refusal to abide by international law and United Nations resolutions .
• None Explaining the three aims of the BDS movement ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolutions ) • None Allowing Palestinian refugees to return to their land and homes in Israel ( UN resolution 194 ) • None Showing films such as the brilliant film “ Gaza Fights for Freedom ” • None Touring Palestinian speakers to advance their solutions for justice and enduring peace in the Middle East .
This needs to include Palestinians in Israel , in the West Bank , Gaza strip and in the diaspora • None Organising public demonstrations of support – eg our national day of action against annexation when 10 centres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MPs and community leaders to stand up for Palestinian human rights against spurious claims of anti-semitism from the pro-Israeli lobby • None Building local support for the Palestinian struggle within Maori and other indigenous organisations ( such as West Papua ) , Churches , Mosques , Synagogues , union groups and community organisations What are we calling for ?
We are NOT calling for negotiations – if we have the US and Israel on one side of the table and Palestinian representatives on the other the power imbalance is overwhelming .
It can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We are calling for BDS , as we did against South African apartheid , to require Israel to follow international law and United Nations resolutions BDS campaigns aiming at specific international targets such as – • None PUMA ( supports Israeli soccer teams in the occupied Palestinian land – and is the main sponsor of the Silver Ferns ) • None Hewlett Packard ( involved in providing technology which is used to surveil and oppress Palestinians living under military occupation • None Divestment from the Superfund and Kiwisaver providers from the 112 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council as being complicit in supporting illegal settlement building on Palestinian land .
I ’ m more of an activist than a speaker so I want to finish with what we can do together to develop and build the Palestinian struggle here in Aotearoa .
All of you ( aside from the pro-Israeli trolls on line ) are an important part of this movement and each and every one of you can take action .
The first step is to get on our Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa newsletter list ( Email secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to date and every fortnight we will ask you to take one simple on-line action .
If you can do just that the campaign will be that much stronger .
We need you !
We are on the right side of history and we are winning !

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā hau e whā, tēna koutou, tēna koutou, tēna koutou katoa
Te whare Columba Centre ki tū nei – tena koe, E ngā tangata whenua o tenei rohe – Ngāti Whātua kia ora koutou – ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou – e nga iwi o to mōtu tēna koutou tēna koutou, tēna tātau katoa
Greetings and welcome to you all – thanks for coming this evening. It’s nice to be back in Auckland – even if it is with a microphone rather than a megaphone!
It’s my privilege to be delivering this lecture in memory of David Wakim. Dave was a wonderful humanitarian and I shared the end of a banner with him many times in protests for Palestinian rights. I’m going to share one small story which underlines the man he was. David and Janfrie ran a pharmacy in Eden quarter on Dominion Road. I went in there one day to buy a syringe – for making paint bombs. (To make a paint bomb you put two holes in either end of an egg, blow out the egg contents, seal one end with a few drops of hot wax from a candle, use a syringe to fill the egg with paint and then seal that end with hot wax). Neither David nor Janfrie were around but there were 2 or 3 other people in the shop and a helpful young man behind the counter showed me various syringes and I decided on a decent big one. Then this young man leaned forward over the counter towards me (this was pre Covid) and said in a quiet voice “Would you like some clean needles with that?” I was immediately flustered and began to explain about paint bombs but that conversation wasn’t going anywhere so I paid and left quickly.
Part of Dave Wakim’s humanitarianism meant his pharmacy was part of the government’s needle exchange programme for drug addicts. I remember Graham Brazier from Hello Sailor at Dave’s funeral saying Dave was never judgmental about any of the addicts who came for clean needles – they were always treated with dignity and respect. Those of us who knew Dave remember him very fondly.
In this talk I won’t be using the term Zionism. I try to avoid it for two reasons. First it is confusing for the public. Second it means different things to different people – for most of us it relates to the racist apartheid policies of the Israeli government but for others it can mean the 19th century movement for a Jewish homeland or it may simply mean the Jewish right to practise their faith and follow their cultural beliefs wherever in the world they are – something no-one could argue with.
Tonight I’m talking about the lies told about Palestine by the pro-Israeli lobby. That might sound a bit downbeat and negative but I can assure you it is not.
I hope tonight you will go away feeling positive, clear headed and uplifted because we are on the right side of history and we are winning.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
In was 72 years ago when at its very formation Israel delegitimised itself with brutal, blatantly racist, colonial policies towards Palestinians. But because Israel was and is important for western imperialist powers as a beachhead in the oil-rich Middle East – the liberation of Palestinians has been held up. And part of that hold-up has been a string of lies told about Palestine and Palestinians by the pro-Israeli lobby. We are going to unravel some of those lies tonight.
Before we talk about the lies let’s celebrate to fact the tide is turning in the Western World in support of Palestinian human rights. We are winning the debate – around the world and here in Aotearoa-New Zealand.
Internationally the pro-Palestinian campaigns are stronger. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement is having important wins locally and internationally. (BDS is a Palestinian-led movement which was launched in 2005 to uphold the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity) More Jewish voices, both young and old, are speaking out here and around the world and nasty smears of anti-semitism directed against Palestinian solidarity activists are being called out for what they are. Even members of the US congress who show strong support for Palestinian rights are winning their seats again when once the pro-Israeli lobby in the US would have been able to oust them.
Nothing illustrates the changes in thinking better than the key findings from a recent survey of Jewish Americans by the right-wing thinktank, The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, which was released in July. There were three main findings:
One quarter of American Jews express intensely critical ideas about Israel and Zionism, including that Israel is racist, colonial and apartheid.
More than that, 31 percent, would vote for Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar regardless of Israel lobby smears of the two congresswomen as antisemitic.
Despite the efforts of Israel lobby organizations to blame the left for antisemitism, American Jews don’t buy it. 51 percent see the right wing as the source of most antisemitism, while only 1 percent see the left wing as primarily responsible for anti-semitism (12% blame left and right equally)
Things are changing. Israel’s narrative as the only peace-loving, democratic state in the Middle East surrounded by hostile Arab neighbours has been falling apart for years. It’s a narrative on life-support because the Israeli narrative contradicts what people see as the reality of Israeli actions and policies on the ground in the Middle East. It is failing so badly that the Israeli lobby has resorted to trying to make it illegal to campaign in favour of Palestinian human rights. They have tried, partially successfully, to have BDS declared illegal in some European countries and in various US states.
Their main defence strategy for Israeli policies are bogus claims of anti-semitism which they throw around like confetti against supporters of Palestinian human rights. The latest effort has been to introduce a new definition of anti-semitism which tries to link criticism of Israel with anti-semitism.
All this effort to weaken criticism of Israel underlines the absolute important of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement – because BDS is Israel’s Achilles heel – their weak point and because of that, it’s the single most important strategy we have to build solidarity with Palestine and put pressure on Israel.
Let’s be clear: for the international solidarity movement the most important game in town is BDS.
This was neatly summed up by Nobel Peace prize winner and South African Archbishop, Desmond Tutu, when talking about Israeli government policies – “we should name it apartheid and boycott”
Tutu also points the way when he talks about the importance of international solidarity to bring change for Palestinians:
“We could not have achieved our democracy without the help of people around the world, who through… non-violent means, such as boycotts and disinvestment, encouraged their governments and other corporate actors to reverse decades-long support for the apartheid regime,”
Israel is terrified of BDS. The more successful we become in campaigning for BDS, the more desperate the pro-Israeli lobby will become to label us as anti-semitic. Let me put it another way: If we are NOT being attacked with false claims of anti-semitism by the increasingly desperate pro-Israeli lobby then we are not doing our job.
It’s important to say here that we must not downplay anti-semitism in the world – there is plenty of it and it is hideous. We all know it when we see it. I and many others at this talk tonight have joined public protests against anti-semitism for example when Jewish graves in the Symonds Street cemetery have been daubed with swastikas. We abhor racism in all its forms whether it is anti-semitism, Islamophobia, white supremacy, anti-Palestinian or anti-Arab racism, anti-Maori or anti-Pasifika racism. We don’t tolerate it on our social media pages and we condemn it wherever it occurs.
That’s been a long introduction – so let’s look at the most important lies told about Palestine by the pro-Israeli lobby:
This map shows some of the 600 red dots which each represent a Palestinian village which was “depopulated” (aka ethnic cleansing) in 1948.
And they knew. In 1897 the rabbis of Vienna sent a fact-finding mission to Palestine, they famously reported back that the bride ‘was beautiful but married to another man.’ But the implication of this wry remark — that the pro-Israeli lobby should look elsewhere was ignored.
As I said earlier spurious claims of anti-semitism have become common in defending Israeli policies. They are a critically important part of the pro-Israeli strategy to distract from its racist policies towards Palestinians.
Former Israeli Minister of Education Shulamit Aloni spelt this tactic out very clearly when she appeared on a “Democracy Now” interview in 2002. She was asked why critics of Israel were often labelled anti-semitic. She said:
That’s a remarkably frank description of Israeli strategy and we see it played out around the world and here in Aotearoa.
So how do we see the Israeli lobby working in New Zealand?
The pro-Israeli lobby does its most despicable work behind closed doors with news editors, journalists, cartoonists, members of parliament, senior public servants, government ministers etc. These people are intensely pressured whenever they speak out against Israel’s brutal military occupation and apartheid policies towards Palestinians. Our own cartoonist Malcolm Evans dared to illustrate Israel as an apartheid state and lost his job at the Herald as a result.
The pro-Israeli lobby does not want the Palestinian struggle in our newspapers and general media. The lobby applies pressure so these groups and individuals will “silence themselves” – in other words to self-censor – knowing if they report things unfavourable to Israel or take sides with the Palestinians they risk being called out publicly as being anti-semitic.
The pro-Israeli lobby acts like a mafia protection racket for racism and brutality, using bullying and political thuggery to constrain criticism of Israel and to stifle Palestinian voices.
Despite all this, Israel is losing. It has a serious image problem. They are spending many millions on propaganda campaigns and as I said earlier have resorted to trying to make campaigning for BDS a criminal offence in European countries and several states in the US.
Millions has been spent developing propaganda strategies – using the same public relations companies used by the likes of the tobacco industry, the private healthcare industry and pharmaceutical companies in the US.
Here are some of their propaganda manuals produced over the years:
And propaganda they are. Here is how it is expressed in one of the manuals:
And the last thing on Israeli propaganda. Israel is deeply frustrated at spending 20 times more on propaganda but support for Palestinians keeps climbing.
Peddling lies about Palestine is a challenge for the Palestine Solidarity movement. One of our roles is to counter these lies by:
Telling the plain unvarnished truth of Israel’s refusal to abide by international law and United Nations resolutions.
Explaining the three aims of the BDS movement (all based on international law and UN resolutions) Ending the occupation of Palestinian territories (Security Council resolution 242) Ending Israel’s 65 apartheid laws against Palestinian Israelis ( www.adalah.org ) Allowing Palestinian refugees to return to their land and homes in Israel (UN resolution 194)
Showing films such as the brilliant film “Gaza Fights for Freedom”
Touring Palestinian speakers to advance their solutions for justice and enduring peace in the Middle East. This needs to include Palestinians in Israel, in the West Bank, Gaza strip and in the diaspora
Organising public demonstrations of support – eg our national day of action against annexation when 10 centres around Aotearoa took part
Challenging MPs and community leaders to stand up for Palestinian human rights against spurious claims of anti-semitism from the pro-Israeli lobby
Building local support for the Palestinian struggle within Maori and other indigenous organisations (such as West Papua), Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, union groups and community organisations
What are we calling for?
We are NOT calling for negotiations – if we have the US and Israel on one side of the table and Palestinian representatives on the other the power imbalance is overwhelming. It cannot possibly lead to a just settlement.
We are calling for BDS, as we did against South African apartheid, to require Israel to follow international law and United Nations resolutions
BDS campaigns aiming at specific international targets such as –
PUMA (supports Israeli soccer teams in the occupied Palestinian land – and is the main sponsor of the Silver Ferns)
Hewlett Packard (involved in providing technology which is used to surveil and oppress Palestinians living under military occupation
Divestment from the Superfund and Kiwisaver providers from the 112 companies identified by the UN Human Rights Council as being complicit in supporting illegal settlement building on Palestinian land.
Finally…
I’m more of an activist than a speaker so I want to finish with what we can do together to develop and build the Palestinian struggle here in Aotearoa. All of you (aside from the pro-Israeli trolls on line) are an important part of this movement and each and every one of you can take action. The first step is to get on our Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa newsletter list (Email secretary@PSNA.nz) We will keep you up to date and every fortnight we will ask you to take one simple on-line action. If you can do just that the campaign will be that much stronger.
We need you!
We are on the right side of history and we are winning!
Ka whawhai tonu matou! Ake Ake Ake
Kia ora.


thedailyblog--2020-10-12--The Second Time As Farce: National’s Election Campaign Falls Apart.

WHICH CAME FIRST , the Taxpayers ’ Union ’ s campaign against the Wealth Tax , or the National Party ’ s “ Stop the Wealth Tax Day ” ?
My money ’ s on the Taxpayer ’ s Union .
If the past week of the campaign has taught us anything , it ’ s that Judith Collins is making National ’ s campaign up as she goes along .
I suspect she read , or someone summarized , Richard Harman ’ s Politik post on the Taxpayers ’ Union ’ s direct mail shot .
I can just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hear her exclaim : “ What a good idea !
” Needless to say , she and her woefully inept campaign team then proceeded to cock the whole thing up .
If I ’ m wrong , however , and the whole exercise was , indeed , carefully planned in advance , then the Taxpayers ’ Union ’ s mail-shot must have been timed to arrive in its targeted mailboxes just in time to underscore the media ’ s coverage of Collins ’ “ Stop The Wealth Tax Day ” event .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the parties began their final dash for the finish-line , the voters were to be treated to a classic , last-minute , National Party demolition job .
There is actually at least one piece of evidence to support this theory .
On the final “ Politics ” panel before the election , Trish Sherson and Neale Jones joined RNZ ’ s Kathryn Ryan , to discuss the state-of-play just five days out from polling-day .
In the course of that discussion , Sherson told listeners that a letter explaining the impact of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future fortunes had turned up in her letter-box .
Surely , this was the mail-shot exposed by Richard Harman in last Thursday ’ s Politik post ?
So far , so good .
On paper , this sequence does indeed have all the hallmarks of a potentially ruinous National Party hit .
We have only to cast our minds back to Steven Joyce ’ s superbly-timed attack on Labour ’ s tax policy in the final weeks of the 2017 general election .
In concert with his “ There ’ s an $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial plan ” assault on Grant Robertson ’ s economic competence , National ’ s attack on the Opposition ’ s proposed Capital Gains Tax delivered a devastating blow to Jacinda ’ s and Labour ’ s credibility .
Still , you must remember what Karl Marx had to say about history repeating itself ?
No ?
Well then , allow me to supply the quote : “ Hegel remarks somewhere that all great , world-historical facts and personages occur , as it were , twice .
He has forgotten to add : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second as farce.
” We could spend some time debating whether Stephen Joyce is , or ever was , a “ world historical personage ” , but what is not in doubt is that he was pretty damn good at running election campaigns .
If Joyce had been master-minding the joint National Party/Taxpayers ’ Union hit , then “ Stop the Wealth Tax Day ” would have set in motion a dangerous , hard-to-counter Opposition effort designed to strip 5 percentage points off the Labour Party at a point in the campaign when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective counter-attack .
But – and it ’ s a really , really big BUT – Joyce is running National ’ s campaign .
According to Politik ’ s editor , Richard Harman , Collins has become her own campaign manager .
Now , as a lawyer , you might think that the Leader of the Opposition would be familiar with the old saying : “ The lawyer who defends himself has a fool for a client.
” Well the same applies , with bells on , to the management of election campaigns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who decide to manage their own campaign ?
That ’ s right , you call them losers .
What looked like a truly tremendous plan of attack on paper , simply could not survive the fog of Judith .
The Ancient Greeks used to say that those whom the Gods sought to destroy they first made mad ; these days they just make them incompetent .
The degree to which National ’ s number-crunchers cocked-up the calculations at the core of their “ Stop The Wealth Tax ” Facebook post simply beggars belief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guys who never stop telling us that when it comes to number-crunching , National leaves Labour in its dust .
And yet , when critiquing the Wealth Tax , the Nats ’ not only failed comprehensively to get the numbers right , but were also , clearly , unable to grasp even the rudiments of the Greens ’ proposed fiscal instrument .
No wonder that , for just about the first time since the days of Roger Douglas , the “ Business Community ” prefers a Labour finance minister ( Grant Robertson ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul Goldsmith ) .
It was such a debacle that I almost ( and that word , almost , needs to be ) felt sorry for the National Party .
Their soldiers lifted up their rifles , took careful aim at their enemies , pulled their triggers , and discovered that the party ’ s armourers had failed to supply them with live rounds .
The poor bastards were firing blanks !
I do not , however , feel the least bit sorry for the mainstream news media .
What I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richard Harman broke the story about the Taxpayers ’ Union ’ s mail-shot early in the morning of Thursday , 9 October .
With the honourable exception of The Daily Blog , it was studiously ignored .
No one that I ’ m aware of thought to ask Judith Collins if she was aware of the Taxpayers ’ Union ’ s plans .
No one from RNZ picked-up on Sherson ’ s description of the letter she received over the weekend .
The parallels between this attack and the similarly timed , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been missed completely .
Okay , it happened 15 years ago , but are we really expected to accept that today ’ s political journalists lack the capacity to link the events of the present with those of even the relatively recent past ?
Obviously , the politicians don ’ t think so .
Why else would the National front-bencher ( once again , this information is sourced from Harman ’ s Politikwebsite ) have leaked Denise Lee ’ s critical e-mail directly to the media ?
Waiting around for the modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dissatisfaction with Judith Collins in National ’ s caucus all by themselves is clearly regarded as a fool ’ s errand .
When it comes to making sure the news media knows WTF ’ s going on , spoon-feeding would appear to be the order of the day !
We have already seen what has happened to the National Party , now that experienced players like Stephen Joyce are no longer in control of their election campaigns .
It ’ s amateur night in Tory Town .
But , God alone knows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ability to maintain a properly informed electorate when experienced professional journalists like Richard Harman finally retire .
Democracy defeated both Nazism and Stalinism : whether or not it can survive the sheer incompetence of its contemporary practitioners and reporters , is an open question .

WHICH CAME FIRST, the Taxpayers’ Union’s campaign against the Wealth Tax, or the National Party’s “Stop the Wealth Tax Day”? My money’s on the Taxpayer’s Union. If the past week of the campaign has taught us anything, it’s that Judith Collins is making National’s campaign up as she goes along. I suspect she read, or someone summarized, Richard Harman’s Politik post on the Taxpayers’ Union’s direct mail shot. I can just see Collins’s eyebrows arching wickedly and hear her exclaim: “What a good idea!” Needless to say, she and her woefully inept campaign team then proceeded to cock the whole thing up.
If I’m wrong, however, and the whole exercise was, indeed, carefully planned in advance, then the Taxpayers’ Union’s mail-shot must have been timed to arrive in its targeted mailboxes just in time to underscore the media’s coverage of Collins’ “Stop The Wealth Tax Day” event. According to this script: just as the parties began their final dash for the finish-line, the voters were to be treated to a classic, last-minute, National Party demolition job.
There is actually at least one piece of evidence to support this theory. On the final “Politics” panel before the election, Trish Sherson and Neale Jones joined RNZ’s Kathryn Ryan, to discuss the state-of-play just five days out from polling-day. In the course of that discussion, Sherson told listeners that a letter explaining the impact of the Wealth Tax on her family’s future fortunes had turned up in her letter-box. Surely, this was the mail-shot exposed by Richard Harman in last Thursday’s Politik post?
So far, so good. On paper, this sequence does indeed have all the hallmarks of a potentially ruinous National Party hit. We have only to cast our minds back to Steven Joyce’s superbly-timed attack on Labour’s tax policy in the final weeks of the 2017 general election. In concert with his “There’s an $11 billion hole in Labour’s financial plan” assault on Grant Robertson’s economic competence, National’s attack on the Opposition’s proposed Capital Gains Tax delivered a devastating blow to Jacinda’s and Labour’s credibility.
Still, you must remember what Karl Marx had to say about history repeating itself? No? Well then, allow me to supply the quote:
“Hegel remarks somewhere that all great, world-historical facts and personages occur, as it were, twice. He has forgotten to add: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.”
We could spend some time debating whether Stephen Joyce is, or ever was, a “world historical personage”, but what is not in doubt is that he was pretty damn good at running election campaigns. If Joyce had been master-minding the joint National Party/Taxpayers’ Union hit, then “Stop the Wealth Tax Day” would have set in motion a dangerous, hard-to-counter Opposition effort designed to strip 5 percentage points off the Labour Party at a point in the campaign when Labour is least equipped to mount an effective counter-attack.
But – and it’s a really, really big BUT – Joyce is not running National’s campaign. According to Politik’s editor, Richard Harman, Collins has become her own campaign manager. Now, as a lawyer, you might think that the Leader of the Opposition would be familiar with the old saying: “The lawyer who defends himself has a fool for a client.” Well the same applies, with bells on, to the management of election campaigns. What do you call the candidates who decide to manage their own campaign? That’s right, you call them losers. What looked like a truly tremendous plan of attack on paper, simply could not survive the fog of Judith.
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The Ancient Greeks used to say that those whom the Gods sought to destroy they first made mad; these days they just make them incompetent. The degree to which National’s number-crunchers cocked-up the calculations at the core of their “Stop The Wealth Tax” Facebook post simply beggars belief. After all, these are the guys who never stop telling us that when it comes to number-crunching, National leaves Labour in its dust. And yet, when critiquing the Wealth Tax, the Nats’ not only failed comprehensively to get the numbers right, but were also, clearly, unable to grasp even the rudiments of the Greens’ proposed fiscal instrument. No wonder that, for just about the first time since the days of Roger Douglas, the “Business Community” prefers a Labour finance minister (Grant Robertson) to National’s economic spokesperson (Paul Goldsmith).
It was such a debacle that I almost (and that word, almost, needs to be stressed ) felt sorry for the National Party. Their soldiers lifted up their rifles, took careful aim at their enemies, pulled their triggers, and discovered that the party’s armourers had failed to supply them with live rounds. The poor bastards were firing blanks!
I do not, however, feel the least bit sorry for the mainstream news media. What I’m actually feeling is anger and disgust. Richard Harman broke the story about the Taxpayers’ Union’s mail-shot early in the morning of Thursday, 9 October. With the honourable exception of The Daily Blog, it was studiously ignored. No one that I’m aware of thought to ask Judith Collins if she was aware of the Taxpayers’ Union’s plans. No one from RNZ picked-up on Sherson’s description of the letter she received over the weekend. The parallels between this attack and the similarly timed, and targeted, Exclusive Brethren attack of 2005 have been missed completely. Okay, it happened 15 years ago, but are we really expected to accept that today’s political journalists lack the capacity to link the events of the present with those of even the relatively recent past?
Obviously, the politicians don’t think so. Why else would the National front-bencher (once again, this information is sourced from Harman’s Politikwebsite) have leaked Denise Lee’s critical e-mail directly to the media? Waiting around for the modern gallery journalist to ferret out the level of dissatisfaction with Judith Collins in National’s caucus all by themselves is clearly regarded as a fool’s errand. When it comes to making sure the news media knows WTF’s going on, spoon-feeding would appear to be the order of the day!
We have already seen what has happened to the National Party, now that experienced players like Stephen Joyce are no longer in control of their election campaigns. It’s amateur night in Tory Town. But, God alone knows what will happen to the mainstream media’s ability to maintain a properly informed electorate when experienced professional journalists like Richard Harman finally retire. Democracy defeated both Nazism and Stalinism: whether or not it can survive the sheer incompetence of its contemporary practitioners and reporters, is an open question.


thedailyblog--2020-10-13--Billy Te Kahika’s crude anti-semitism must be condemned and rejected

Anti-semitic conspiracy theories promoted by Billy Te Kahika in this week ’ s stuff investigation must be condemned .
Like @ @ @ @ @ , anti-Jewish racism must be denounced alongside Islamophobia , white supremacy , anti-Palestinian racism and @ @ @ @ @ a lot of decent New Zealanders who have been drawn into conspiracy theories through the @ @ @ @ @ people look for easy answers to the big problems they , and the world , @ @ @ @ @ will never be found in racism or racist conspiracy theories , such as those supported @ @ @ @ @ those held , and acted on , by the Christchurch gunman .
With regard to @ @ @ @ @ calling for all parties to give wholehearted support to the Palestinian struggle for human rights @ @ @ @ @ New Zealanders stood alongside black South Africans in the struggle against South African apartheid , @ @ @ @ @ Palestinians in the struggle against Israeli apartheid .

Anti-semitic conspiracy theories promoted by Billy Te Kahika in this week’s stuff investigation must be condemned.
Like racism in all its forms, anti-Jewish racism must be denounced alongside Islamophobia, white supremacy, anti-Palestinian racism and anti-Arab racism.
There are a lot of decent New Zealanders who have been drawn into conspiracy theories through the internet in recent years as people look for easy answers to the big problems they, and the world, face.
However these answers will never be found in racism or racist conspiracy theories, such as those supported by Billy Te Kahika or those held, and acted on, by the Christchurch gunman.
With regard to the election, PSNA is calling for all parties to give wholehearted support to the Palestinian struggle for human rights and self-determination.
Just as New Zealanders stood alongside black South Africans in the struggle against South African apartheid, we must also stand alongside Palestinians in the struggle against Israeli apartheid.


thedailyblog--2020-10-14--Let’s Make Jacinda Break Her Promises.

Let’s Make Jacinda Break Her Promises.

IF THE ACTUAL RESULT on Saturday evening is anything like the latest UMR poll , Jacinda Ardern will have a problem .
UMR has Labour on 50 and the Greens on 6 percent .
Replicated in the polling-booths , those numbers would give the centre-left a higher percentage of the votes cast than Mickey Savage ’ s government received in 1938 .
Jacinda would have a problem because , unlike Mickey Savage , she lacks a clear and comprehensive plan for economic and social change .
It gets worse .
In assembling her unbeatable electoral coalition , and holding it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an explicit promise not to enact the sort of urgent fiscal programme the country requires .
This will be the new government ’ s dilemma .
How to do what needs to be done without breaking its word , and without breaking up the cross-class alliance of voters that brought it to power .
To overcome this dilemma , the prospective Labour-Green Government will have to devise some way of persuading its working-class , middle-class and ruling-class supporters to pursue change together .
The Government ’ s objective : to create a broad-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Zealand through the Covid Recession to the point where a united and purposeful response to Climate Change can begin .
Jacinda and her team will have to lead this discussion , but they must not be left to lead it alone .
Peter Dreier , writing in the Huffington Post , recalled an important anecdote from the early years of President Franklin D. Roosevelt ’ s “ New Deal ” .
( FDR ’ s administration ’ s broad programme to meet the multiple challenges of the Great Depression . )
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists who sought his support for bold legislation .
He listened to their arguments for some time and then said , ‘ You ’ ve convinced me .
Now go out and make me do it.
’ ” Fifty years ago , the institutions upon which a centre-left government could rely for that sort of coercion would have been the Federation of Labour , the NZ University Students Association , the major Christian denominations ’ social service organisations , the universities , and a host of NGOs and progressive pressure groups .
Today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or , at least , the ones that have survived ! )
could be relied upon to avail themselves of such a huge opportunity .
The successor organisation to the Federation of Labour , the NZ Council of Trade Unions , which should be chomping at the bit to “ go out and make ” a centre-left government do its duty , is a morally and organisationally moribund organisation .
The vast majority of New Zealand workers are employed in the private sector , but only 8 percent of private-sector workers are unionised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of one kind or another , and the unions they belong to dominate the CTU completely .
In practical terms , this leaves the majority of New Zealand workers not only unprotected but unrepresented .
What this suggests is that one of the most useful initiatives the new Labour-Green Government could take would be to radically re-constitute the New Zealand labour movement .
On this very blogsite , Matt McCarten has published a series of articles detailing the atrocious exploitative practices already deeply embedded in the New Zealand workforce .
Along with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dramatically increase union density in the private sector would go a long way to bring the NZ working-class back on to the political stage .
The effectiveness of this reform would be further enhanced by facilitating the creation of a national organisation composed exclusively of unions representing private sector workers .
The history of the CTU has demonstrated conclusively that the interests of public and private sector workers can not be reconciled within a single organisation .
It has also shown that ruthless centralisation and democracy make for extremely uncomfortable bedfellows .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activist ally for a centre-left government than a working-class once again recognised as a vital part of New Zealand society .
If Covid taught us anything , it ’ s that this country ’ s most essential workers do not wear suits and ties !
Another re-constitution more-or-less-guaranteed to produce enthusiastic activist allies for a centre-left government would be the restoration of universal membership provisions to the nation ’ s university student associations , and , in the spirit of the union reforms , a revitalisation of democracy on the nation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the radical re-organisation of student representation .
Democratisation would occur across the whole university system , restoring the decision-making powers of academic staff in the management of the nation ’ s institutions of higher learning .
Universities are not businesses and they should not be run as if they are .
These sectional reforms would be matched by a general restoration and reinvigoration of citizens ’ rights generally .
The powers of employers to gag their employees are in need of radical curtailment .
Freedom of expression shouldn ’ t be restricted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own home .
Human rights do not cease to apply simply because workers are required to operate on their bosses ’ real estate .
By the same token , access to the courts should not be rationed according to the size of a citizen ’ s bank balance .
Nor should the prohibitive cost of legal representation deprive ordinary New Zealanders of their day in court .
Jacinda and her team have given no irrevocable promises in regard to any of the above .
Interestingly , very similar reforms were undertaken by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Labour Party acted as midwife for The Federation of Labour , and the associated legislation mandating universal union membership ( via the closed shop ) made the FoL a real and admirably democratic force for the advancement of workers ’ interests for 50 years .
FDR , likewise , through his radical Secretary of Labour ( and only woman in his cabinet ) Frances Perkins , made sure that the drive towards union organisation would be assisted by strongly facilitative legislation .
It didn ’ t hurt that the President , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if he was an industrial worker , then he would most certainly be a union member .
As Peter Dreier put it in his Huffington Post article : “ Even in the middle of the Depression , Roosevelt understood that the more effectively people created a sense of urgency and crisis , the easier it would be for him to push for progressive legislation — what we now call the New Deal .
FDR used his bully pulpit , including radio addresses , to educate Americans about the problems the nation faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bold action to address the crisis , and to urge them to make their voices heard.
” Because one thing is absolutely certain : the representatives of business , the leading civil servants , think tank policy researchers , lobbyists and right-wing journalists ( is there any other kind ? )
will be making voices heard .
A consensus can not be forged where agreement is already unanimous .
New Zealand has suffered from one-sided conversations for far too long .
Helping to create a two-sided conversation should be Labour ’ s and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jacinda and her colleagues to break their promise not to introduce a Wealth Tax is not only unfair it is unwise .
A consensus for change has never arisen out of a series of polite discussions – or base betrayals .
A better New Zealand becomes possible only when its citizens muster sufficient democratic force to guarantee themselves a fair hearing .
Change will only come when New Zealanders are strong enough to Jacinda break her promises .

IF THE ACTUAL RESULT on Saturday evening is anything like the latest UMR poll, Jacinda Ardern will have a problem. UMR has Labour on 50 and the Greens on 6 percent. Replicated in the polling-booths, those numbers would give the centre-left a higher percentage of the votes cast than Mickey Savage’s government received in 1938. Jacinda would have a problem because, unlike Mickey Savage, she lacks a clear and comprehensive plan for economic and social change.
It gets worse. In assembling her unbeatable electoral coalition, and holding it together, Jacinda has had to give an explicit promise not to enact the sort of urgent fiscal programme the country requires. This will be the new government’s dilemma. How to do what needs to be done without breaking its word, and without breaking up the cross-class alliance of voters that brought it to power.
To overcome this dilemma, the prospective Labour-Green Government will have to devise some way of persuading its working-class, middle-class and ruling-class supporters to pursue change together. The Government’s objective: to create a broad-based consensus around the policies needed to steer New Zealand through the Covid Recession to the point where a united and purposeful response to Climate Change can begin. Jacinda and her team will have to lead this discussion, but they must not be left to lead it alone.
Peter Dreier, writing in the Huffington Post, recalled an important anecdote from the early years of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal”. (FDR’s administration’s broad programme to meet the multiple challenges of the Great Depression.)
“FDR once met with a group of activists who sought his support for bold legislation. He listened to their arguments for some time and then said, ‘You’ve convinced me. Now go out and make me do it.’”
Fifty years ago, the institutions upon which a centre-left government could rely for that sort of coercion would have been the Federation of Labour, the NZ University Students Association, the major Christian denominations’ social service organisations, the universities, and a host of NGOs and progressive pressure groups. Today, virtually none of these institutions (or, at least, the ones that have survived!) could be relied upon to avail themselves of such a huge opportunity.
The successor organisation to the Federation of Labour, the NZ Council of Trade Unions, which should be chomping at the bit to “go out and make” a centre-left government do its duty, is a morally and organisationally moribund organisation. The vast majority of New Zealand workers are employed in the private sector, but only 8 percent of private-sector workers are unionised. Most unionised workers are public servants of one kind or another, and the unions they belong to dominate the CTU completely. In practical terms, this leaves the majority of New Zealand workers not only unprotected but unrepresented.
What this suggests is that one of the most useful initiatives the new Labour-Green Government could take would be to radically re-constitute the New Zealand labour movement. On this very blogsite, Matt McCarten has published a series of articles detailing the atrocious exploitative practices already deeply embedded in the New Zealand workforce. Along with the workplace reforms already promised, legislation to dramatically increase union density in the private sector would go a long way to bring the NZ working-class back on to the political stage.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
The effectiveness of this reform would be further enhanced by facilitating the creation of a national organisation composed exclusively of unions representing private sector workers. The history of the CTU has demonstrated conclusively that the interests of public and private sector workers cannot be reconciled within a single organisation. It has also shown that ruthless centralisation and democracy make for extremely uncomfortable bedfellows.
It is difficult to imagine a more enthusiastic activist ally for a centre-left government than a working-class once again recognised as a vital part of New Zealand society. If Covid taught us anything, it’s that this country’s most essential workers do not wear suits and ties!
Another re-constitution more-or-less-guaranteed to produce enthusiastic activist allies for a centre-left government would be the restoration of universal membership provisions to the nation’s university student associations, and, in the spirit of the union reforms, a revitalisation of democracy on the nation’s campuses. This would not stop at the radical re-organisation of student representation. Democratisation would occur across the whole university system, restoring the decision-making powers of academic staff in the management of the nation’s institutions of higher learning. Universities are not businesses and they should not be run as if they are.
These sectional reforms would be matched by a general restoration and reinvigoration of citizens’ rights generally. The powers of employers to gag their employees are in need of radical curtailment. Freedom of expression shouldn’t be restricted to a citizen’s spare time in their own home. Human rights do not cease to apply simply because workers are required to operate on their bosses’ real estate. By the same token, access to the courts should not be rationed according to the size of a citizen’s bank balance. Nor should the prohibitive cost of legal representation deprive ordinary New Zealanders of their day in court.
Jacinda and her team have given no irrevocable promises in regard to any of the above. Interestingly, very similar reforms were undertaken by the First Labour Government (1935-1949). The Labour Party acted as midwife for The Federation of Labour, and the associated legislation mandating universal union membership (via the closed shop) made the FoL a real and admirably democratic force for the advancement of workers’ interests for 50 years. FDR, likewise, through his radical Secretary of Labour (and only woman in his cabinet) Frances Perkins, made sure that the drive towards union organisation would be assisted by strongly facilitative legislation. It didn’t hurt that the President, himself, was willing to publicly declare that if he was an industrial worker, then he would most certainly be a union member.
As Peter Dreier put it in his Huffington Post article:
“Even in the middle of the Depression, Roosevelt understood that the more effectively people created a sense of urgency and crisis, the easier it would be for him to push for progressive legislation — what we now call the New Deal. FDR used his bully pulpit, including radio addresses, to educate Americans about the problems the nation faced, to explain why the country needed bold action to address the crisis, and to urge them to make their voices heard.”
Because one thing is absolutely certain: the representatives of business, the leading civil servants, think tank policy researchers, lobbyists and right-wing journalists (is there any other kind?) will be making their voices heard. A consensus cannot be forged where agreement is already unanimous. New Zealand has suffered from one-sided conversations for far too long. Helping to create a two-sided conversation should be Labour’s and the Greens’ top priority.
Expecting Jacinda and her colleagues to break their promise not to introduce a Wealth Tax is not only unfair it is unwise. A consensus for change has never arisen out of a series of polite discussions – or base betrayals. A better New Zealand becomes possible only when its citizens muster sufficient democratic force to guarantee themselves a fair hearing.


thedailyblog--2020-10-14--Toke the vote: ranking party cannabis policies

With just a few days left of voting , the cannabis referendum is too close to call .
Every vote will count , and the result could be determined by turnout and enrolment , especially among youth and those who don ’ t normally vote .
This election , it will be those who are most disenfranchised – those who usually have the least say , those who have opted out of a system that is broken for them , those who have been so oppressed for generations that they normally see no point in voting – who have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference .
That ’ s because support for Yes and No in the cannabis referendum is really close – although Yes appears to be narrowly pulling in front .
Pollsters only publish results from people who say they intend to vote .
If a person says they ’ re not going to vote , the poll caller ends the conversation and tries someone else .
Non-voters and unenrolled people do not show up in any polls .
So those really tight , “ too close to call ” , polls could actually have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referendum could pass comfortably , but only if progressives and non-voters heed the call and show up to have their say .
But passing the referendum is just the beginning , not the end .
Assuming Yes wins , we will need to steer the Bill through parliament , including public submissions , with a new roster of incoming MPs .
So it ’ s not just about voting Yes , but also ensuring we have the best mix of parties and MPs in the next parliament .
This will come down to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know 1.2 million Kiwis have already voted .
Mike Hosking and the Boomers will be voting .
Your racist uncle is voting .
Your boss is voting .
Your mates who drink beer while complaining about lazy pot smokers – well , they ’ re voting too .
A good twenty per cent of eligible voters pass up on the opportunity to vote .
They mostly come from the left , and I suspect they would mostly support voting Yes – if they are motivated enough to vote .
Moreover , around 1-in-7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s over 600,000 voters – a sizeable block !
With that in mind , I ’ ve gone through the cannabis policies and public statements from our parties and their leaders , to give some guidance for those who toke and vote , and to those who are voting Yes and want the referendum Bill to be supported in the next Parliament .
Greens : The tactical and rational vote .
The Greens got us medicinal cannabis , the referendum , the MoDA law change , and Chloe is the only parliamentarian going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Greens are truly our champions of reform , and we need a strong Green presence in the next parliament to ensure the referendum Bill is boldly supported .
TOP : The principled vote .
Possibly the best cannabis policy on offer .
And I went to school with Geoff Simmons – a great guy and he really understands this .
But will they get in ?
ALCP : The protest vote .
As a co-founder of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party back in 1996 they will always have a place in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ballot sends a message that this is your number one issue .
But realistically they have little chance of getting to 5 % .
Labour : The sensible vote .
The referendum bill – or anything else if it loses – will only pass with Labour ’ s support .
Our progress to date has only happened because Labour allowed it , and making any progress in the next Parliament will require a Labour-led Government , because it ’ s clear that National will do the opposite .
But points off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a Yes vote .
National : The angry prohibitionist vote .
Current leader Judith Collins has instructed all National MPs to cast their personal votes against the cannabis referendum .
National ’ s policies are a mish mash of the usual , tired , “ tough on crime ” cliches like smashing gangs and building prisons .
If the referendum passes National will support the Bill to Select Committee but if they lead the next Government National has made it clear the Bill would die there , even if a majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ACT : The hypocritical vote .
The libertarians at ACT should be champions of drug law reform , but like with his own End of Life Choice referendum , leader David Seymour has found it more convenient to not campaign on either issue , lest he spook his new friends from the gun lobby who now stack ACT ’ s party list .
It seems ACT will apply the principles of freedom of choice and personal responsibility to weapons lovers and end of life , but not extend those same principles to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First : The contrarian vote .
We can thank Winston for gifting us the cannabis referendum , and also curse him for the same because it would have been so much better to just pass a law .
The old grump won ’ t say how he will vote .
Maori Party : The unknown vote .
No written policy , but co-leader John Tamihere says he is voting yes .
The Maori Party previously supported medicinal reforms , and advocated for decriminalisation , not legalisation .
Having your say – and increasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really couldn ’ t be easier .
Just take your Easy Vote card to your nearest voting place .
They ’ re open now until election day on Saturday .
But if you ’ re not enrolled yet , or didn ’ t get one in the mail , don ’ t worry you can just roll up to any voting place and enrol on the spot .
You don ’ t need ID , and you don ’ t need an Easy Vote card .
It ’ s super easy to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing we can all do is motivate the non-voters we know , and support them to vote Yes .
There will be someone in your life .
Maybe more than a few ?
Give them a call or pop round for a visit .
You are allowed to check in with your friends and whanau on election day , get them in the car and take them to a voting place .
This is the mahi we need to do to make it legal .
It ’ s not hard , and you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fowlie is the president of the National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws NZ Inc ; developer of the CHOISE model for cannabis social equity ; CEO of Zeacann Limited , a cannabis science company ; co-founder of the New Zealand Medical Cannabis Council ; co-founder of The Hempstore Aotearoa ; resident expert for Marijuana Media on 95bFM ; cannabis blogger for The Daily Blog , and court-recognised independent expert witness for cannabis .
The opinions expressed here are his own .

With just a few days left of voting, the cannabis referendum is too close to call. Every vote will count, and the result could be determined by turnout and enrolment, especially among youth and those who don’t normally vote.
This election, it will be those who are most disenfranchised – those who usually have the least say, those who have opted out of a system that is broken for them, those who have been so oppressed for generations that they normally see no point in voting – who have a real chance this time to make a difference.
That’s because support for Yes and No in the cannabis referendum is really close – although Yes appears to be narrowly pulling in front. Pollsters only publish results from people who say they intend to vote. If a person says they’re not going to vote, the poll caller ends the conversation and tries someone else.
Non-voters and unenrolled people do not show up in any polls. So those really tight, “too close to call”, polls could actually have an election day blow out and the referendum could pass comfortably, but only if progressives and non-voters heed the call and show up to have their say.
But passing the referendum is just the beginning, not the end. Assuming Yes wins, we will need to steer the Bill through parliament, including public submissions, with a new roster of incoming MPs.
So it’s not just about voting Yes, but also ensuring we have the best mix of parties and MPs in the next parliament.
This will come down to who is motivated the most. We know 1.2 million Kiwis have already voted. Mike Hosking and the Boomers will be voting. Your racist uncle is voting. Your boss is voting. Your mates who drink beer while complaining about lazy pot smokers – well, they’re voting too.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
A good twenty per cent of eligible voters pass up on the opportunity to vote. They mostly come from the left, and I suspect they would mostly support voting Yes – if they are motivated enough to vote.
Moreover, around 1-in-7 Kiwis already choose cannabis. That’s over 600,000 voters – a sizeable block!
With that in mind, I’ve gone through the cannabis policies and public statements from our parties and their leaders, to give some guidance for those who toke and vote, and to those who are voting Yes and want the referendum Bill to be supported in the next Parliament.
Ranking the 2020 party cannabis policies
Greens: The tactical and rational vote. The Greens got us medicinal cannabis, the referendum, the MoDA law change, and Chloe is the only parliamentarian going out of her way advocating for change. The Greens are truly our champions of reform, and we need a strong Green presence in the next parliament to ensure the referendum Bill is boldly supported.
TOP: The principled vote. Possibly the best cannabis policy on offer. And I went to school with Geoff Simmons – a great guy and he really understands this. But will they get in?
ALCP: The protest vote. As a co-founder of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party back in 1996 they will always have a place in my heart, and ticking the leaf on the ballot sends a message that this is your number one issue. But realistically they have little chance of getting to 5%.
Labour: The sensible vote. The referendum bill – or anything else if it loses – will only pass with Labour’s support. Our progress to date has only happened because Labour allowed it, and making any progress in the next Parliament will require a Labour-led Government, because it’s clear that National will do the opposite. But points off for Jacinda Ardern not voicing her support for a Yes vote.
National: The angry prohibitionist vote. Current leader Judith Collins has instructed all National MPs to cast their personal votes against the cannabis referendum. National’s policies are a mish mash of the usual, tired, “tough on crime” cliches like smashing gangs and building prisons. If the referendum passes National will support the Bill to Select Committee but if they lead the next Government National has made it clear the Bill would die there, even if a majority of New Zealanders have voted for it.
ACT: The hypocritical vote. The libertarians at ACT should be champions of drug law reform, but like with his own End of Life Choice referendum, leader David Seymour has found it more convenient to not campaign on either issue, lest he spook his new friends from the gun lobby who now stack ACT’s party list. It seems ACT will apply the principles of freedom of choice and personal responsibility to weapons lovers and end of life, but not extend those same principles to the 1-in-7 Kiwis who choose cannabis.
NZ First: The contrarian vote. We can thank Winston for gifting us the cannabis referendum, and also curse him for the same because it would have been so much better to just pass a law. The old grump won’t say how he will vote.
Maori Party: The unknown vote. No written policy, but co-leader John Tamihere says he is voting yes. The Maori Party previously supported medicinal reforms, and advocated for decriminalisation, not legalisation.
Having your say – and increasing the turn out
Voting in New Zealand really couldn’t be easier. Just take your Easy Vote card to your nearest voting place. They’re open now until election day on Saturday. But if you’re not enrolled yet, or didn’t get one in the mail, don’t worry you can just roll up to any voting place and enrol on the spot. You don’t need ID, and you don’t need an Easy Vote card. It’s super easy to vote. Just do it!
The other thing we can all do is motivate the non-voters we know, and support them to vote Yes. There will be someone in your life. Maybe more than a few? Give them a call or pop round for a visit. You are allowed to check in with your friends and whanau on election day, get them in the car and take them to a voting place. This is the mahi we need to do to make it legal. It’s not hard, and you can make a real difference.
—
Chris Fowlie is the president of the National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws NZ Inc; developer of the CHOISE model for cannabis social equity; CEO of Zeacann Limited, a cannabis science company; co-founder of the New Zealand Medical Cannabis Council; co-founder of The Hempstore Aotearoa; resident expert for Marijuana Media on 95bFM; cannabis blogger for The Daily Blog, and court-recognised independent expert witness for cannabis. The opinions expressed here are his own.


thedailyblog--2020-10-14--Personal responsibility? Let’s have more of it Judith!

National Party leader Judith Collins says obesity is about personal responsibility .
So come on Judith , why aren ’ t you demanding more personal responsibility from : • Farmers who pollute our waterways , abuse their livestock and expect the rest of us to pay for their methane emissions ?
• Politicians who use their ministerial positions to promote the private business interests of their partners ?
( Ooops sorry Judith – that ’ s about you ! )
• Employers who took the government Covid subsidy , posted big profits then sacked workers ?
• Governments which cancel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own ministers have stomach-stapling operations ?
( Sorry again Judith – that ’ s about the National Party ! )
• Banks which make billions in profits while a third of our children live below the poverty line ?
• Government ’ s which pay public service chief executives ’ obscene salaries for screwing over workers and beneficiaries ?
• Politicians who benefit from the welfare state but then slash that help from the next generation ?
( Yes Judith – National again ) Most of these apply to the Labour Party just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hypocrisy of Judith Collins calling for more personal responsibility is hard-wired into her DNA as National Party leader .

National Party leader Judith Collins says obesity is about personal responsibility.
So come on Judith, why aren’t you demanding more personal responsibility from:
Landlords who charge massive rents for cold, damp, rat-infested hovels?
Employers who steal workers’ wages?
Farmers who pollute our waterways, abuse their livestock and expect the rest of us to pay for their methane emissions?
Politicians who use their ministerial positions to promote the private business interests of their partners? (Ooops sorry Judith – that’s about you!)
Employers who took the government Covid subsidy, posted big profits then sacked workers?
Governments which cancel healthy guidelines for school tuckshops while their own ministers have stomach-stapling operations? (Sorry again Judith – that’s about the National Party!)
Banks which make billions in profits while a third of our children live below the poverty line?
Government’s which pay public service chief executives’ obscene salaries for screwing over workers and beneficiaries?
Politicians who benefit from the welfare state but then slash that help from the next generation? (Yes Judith – National again)
Most of these apply to the Labour Party just as much as National but the spiteful hypocrisy of Judith Collins calling for more personal responsibility is hard-wired into her DNA as National Party leader.


thedailyblog--2020-10-15--Jacinda Will Keep Us Moving – To The Same Place.

IF , AS EVERYONE ANTICIPATES , Labour wins the election , it is important to understand that , for Jacinda Ardern , little will change .
She will still be Prime Minister , with all that entails .
The constant flow of information from her officials will not slow .
The daily decisions of government will still have to be made .
Yes , there will be a new cabinet , but the key figures in that cabinet will still be her closest allies : Grant Robertson , Chris Hipkins , Meagan Woods .
For Jacinda , the next few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by how much everything has changed , but by how much of it has remained the same .
Depending on how the votes fall , Labour may , or may not , have to decide what sort of relationship it wishes to establish with the Greens .
If , as National is desperately hoping , the Greens are forced out of Parliament , the matter will have resolved itself .
If , however , National ’ s soufflé rises too little , too late , and the Greens squeak back into Parliament , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determined by whether or not the seats they hold are needed to form a working government majority .
Obviously , if Labour needs the Greens to make up the numbers of power , then Jacinda will be obliged to offer James Shaw , Marama Davidson and , perhaps , three of their parliamentary colleagues , seats at the Cabinet Table .
But , if Labour has the numbers to govern alone , then they will have a choice to make : to govern with the Greens – or without them .
A not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against a voluntary coalition with the Greens .
Many will be furious with them for refusing to hose down National ’ s Wealth Tax allegations in the final days of the campaign .
They will argue ( with some justification ) that Shaw ’ s and Davidson ’ s refusal to simply take the Wealth Tax off the table provided Judith Collins with the only weapon capable of influencing the election ’ s outcome .
That ’ s not something they ’ ll let Jacinda forget .
Their argument will be simple and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trusted – not when it counts .
Let them sit on the cross-benches for three years .
See if that improves their judgement .
The Prime Minister and her closest advisors are much more likely , however , to heed the advice of that hardest of hardball politicians , President Lyndon Baines Johnson , who , when his advisers pressed him to put the formidable FBI Director , J Edgar Hoover , out to pasture , memorably quipped : “ It ’ s probably better to have him inside the tent , pissing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pissing in.
” The last thing Jacinda and Labour needs is a Green Party , positioned well to their left and feeling morally obliged to criticise every move Labour makes for the entire term .
Better by far to slap them in the handcuffs of Collective Cabinet Responsibility – the doctrine which requires cabinet ministers to defend even those government policies they have argued and voted against .
The Greens should therefore be very wary of smiling Labour leaders bearing gifts of ginger cake and kindness !
In the best of all possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join any form of coalition government .
In that world , the Greens would not need to be told that the only thing capitalism truly fears , or has the slightest reason to fear , is -capitalism .
Liberalism , even in its most radical manifestations ( embodied to a decidedly unhealthy degree in the current crop of Greens ) remains indissolubly wedded to the core principles of the profit-driven system .
When the Green Party was first formed , more than 30 years ago , it quickly attracted a swathe of hard-core @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sue Bradford , refugees from the communist organisations driven out of Jim Anderton ’ s NewLabour Party ) .
By no means all of these “ eco-socialist ” anti-capitalists have exited the Greens , but it is indisputable that the party has become much more capitalist-friendly since James Shaw was elected co-leader .
Only stupid capitalists fear the likes of Shaw .
Smart capitalists all know him to be a man they can do business with .
To avoid disappointment , and that all-too-familiar disillusionment that sets in among leftists after every Labour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand that “ doing business ” is the default setting of the system our representatives are elected to administer .
Capitalist democracy has almost nothing to do with the emancipation of those on the receiving end of its economic and social injustices ; it is , rather , as one of capitalism ’ s better analysts , Joseph Schumpeter , pointed out : all about securing “ an orderly circulation of elites ” .
National is demonstrating – to a hilarious degree – all the signs of an elite which has become exhausted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power to reconstitute and re-energise itself .
Labour , by contrast , has drawn around it an impressive cross-section of the professional and administrative strata responsible for keeping this country going .
Though few New Zealanders would express it in such a fashion : Jacinda ’ s and Labour ’ s general handling of the Covid-19 crisis proved both to be highly effective defenders of the capitalist status quo .
She , and they , kept the lights on .
And that , in the absence of an alternative team of lighting engineers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 95 percent of New Zealanders ’ expectations .
Maybe , as the world descends further into epidemiological and economic panic , and the planet itself turns aggressively on its dominant species , Jacinda , Labour and the Greens will prove themselves unequal to the challenge of keeping the lights on .
At that point , we will begin in earnest the search for an elite dedicated to the creation of new kind of economic , social , political and ecological order .
That ’ s generally the way it works : the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existence a new one .
When our very survival turns on the creation and election of -capitalists , then rest assured , we will find them – and vote for them .
In the meantime , as the French are wont to declare : plus ça change , plus c ’ est la même chose .
The more things change , the more they remain the same .

IF, AS EVERYONE ANTICIPATES, Labour wins the election, it is important to understand that, for Jacinda Ardern, little will change. She will still be Prime Minister, with all that entails. The constant flow of information from her officials will not slow. The daily decisions of government will still have to be made. Yes, there will be a new cabinet, but the key figures in that cabinet will still be her closest allies: Grant Robertson, Chris Hipkins, Meagan Woods. For Jacinda, the next few days and weeks will not be distinguished by how much everything has changed, but by how much of it has remained the same.
Depending on how the votes fall, Labour may, or may not, have to decide what sort of relationship it wishes to establish with the Greens. If, as National is desperately hoping, the Greens are forced out of Parliament, the matter will have resolved itself. If, however, National’s soufflé rises too little, too late, and the Greens squeak back into Parliament, then their relationship with Labour will be determined by whether or not the seats they hold are needed to form a working government majority.
Obviously, if Labour needs the Greens to make up the numbers of power, then Jacinda will be obliged to offer James Shaw, Marama Davidson and, perhaps, three of their parliamentary colleagues, seats at the Cabinet Table. But, if Labour has the numbers to govern alone, then they will have a choice to make: to govern with the Greens – or without them.
A not inconsiderable number of Labour MPs will argue against a voluntary coalition with the Greens. Many will be furious with them for refusing to hose down National’s Wealth Tax allegations in the final days of the campaign. They will argue (with some justification) that Shaw’s and Davidson’s refusal to simply take the Wealth Tax off the table provided Judith Collins with the only weapon capable of influencing the election’s outcome. That’s not something they’ll let Jacinda forget. Their argument will be simple and brutal: The Greens cannot be trusted – not when it counts. Let them sit on the cross-benches for three years. See if that improves their judgement.
The Prime Minister and her closest advisors are much more likely, however, to heed the advice of that hardest of hardball politicians, President Lyndon Baines Johnson, who, when his advisers pressed him to put the formidable FBI Director, J Edgar Hoover, out to pasture, memorably quipped: “It’s probably better to have him inside the tent, pissing out, than outside the tent, pissing in.”
The last thing Jacinda and Labour needs is a Green Party, positioned well to their left and feeling morally obliged to criticise every move Labour makes for the entire term. Better by far to slap them in the handcuffs of Collective Cabinet Responsibility – the doctrine which requires cabinet ministers to defend even those government policies they have argued and voted against. The Greens should therefore be very wary of smiling Labour leaders bearing gifts of ginger cake and kindness!
In the best of all possible worlds, the Greens would refuse to join any form of coalition government. In that world, the Greens would not need to be told that the only thing capitalism truly fears, or has the slightest reason to fear, is anti -capitalism.
Liberalism, even in its most radical manifestations (embodied to a decidedly unhealthy degree in the current crop of Greens) remains indissolubly wedded to the core principles of the profit-driven system. When the Green Party was first formed, more than 30 years ago, it quickly attracted a swathe of hard-core anti-capitalists (many of them, like Sue Bradford, refugees from the communist organisations driven out of Jim Anderton’s NewLabour Party). By no means all of these “eco-socialist” anti-capitalists have exited the Greens, but it is indisputable that the party has become much more capitalist-friendly since James Shaw was elected co-leader. Only stupid capitalists fear the likes of Shaw. Smart capitalists all know him to be a man they can do business with.
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To avoid disappointment, and that all-too-familiar disillusionment that sets in among leftists after every Labour victory, progressive New Zealanders need to understand that “doing business” is the default setting of the system our representatives are elected to administer. Capitalist democracy has almost nothing to do with the emancipation of those on the receiving end of its economic and social injustices; it is, rather, as one of capitalism’s better analysts, Joseph Schumpeter, pointed out: all about securing “an orderly circulation of elites”.
National is demonstrating – to a hilarious degree – all the signs of an elite which has become exhausted, and needs a period out of power to reconstitute and re-energise itself. Labour, by contrast, has drawn around it an impressive cross-section of the professional and administrative strata responsible for keeping this country going.
Though few New Zealanders would express it in such a fashion: Jacinda’s and Labour’s general handling of the Covid-19 crisis proved both to be highly effective defenders of the capitalist status quo. She, and they, kept the lights on. And that, in the absence of an alternative team of lighting engineers, is pretty much the whole extent of 95 percent of New Zealanders’ expectations.
Maybe, as the world descends further into epidemiological and economic panic, and the planet itself turns aggressively on its dominant species, Jacinda, Labour and the Greens will prove themselves unequal to the challenge of keeping the lights on. At that point, we will begin in earnest the search for an elite dedicated to the creation of new kind of economic, social, political and ecological order. That’s generally the way it works: the failure of an old system calls into existence a new one.
When our very survival turns on the creation and election of anti -capitalists, then rest assured, we will find them – and vote for them. In the meantime, as the French are wont to declare: plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.
The more things change, the more they remain the same.


thedailyblog--2020-10-15--Government needs to stop the madness of “business as usual” in state and council bodies planning lay

Government needs to stop the madness of “business as usual” in state and council bodies planning layoffs

An urgent priority of the new government is to end the madness of business as usual in state or local government controlled bodies .
Decades of following a fundamentally wrong free-market and privatised agenda has led to massive underinvestment in health , education , transport , drainage .
The environment has become deeply degraded .
The money being printed is needed for these sectors to do a massive repair job .
Instead we see a universal madness being adopted as university after university .
council after council and transport agencies and health boards are announcing massive layoffs to meet their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great example .
They were instructed to sell themselves to private students from overseas .
Over the last 15 years there has been a massive increase in numbers so they now get around 15 % of their income from private students .
This was not used to expand access to NZ students access however since those numbers stagnated .
Instead it was used to cut spending in real terms for the sector .
Now all universities need a boost of income from the government to compensate for the lost overseas student income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs and services .
This is nuts – it has to stop .

An urgent priority of the new government is to end the madness of business as usual in state or local government controlled bodies.
Decades of following a fundamentally wrong free-market and privatised agenda has led to massive underinvestment in health, education, transport, drainage. The environment has become deeply degraded. The money being printed is needed for these sectors to do a massive repair job.
Instead we see a universal madness being adopted as university after university. council after council and transport agencies and health boards are announcing massive layoffs to meet their reduced post-covid budgets.
The universities are a great example. They were instructed to sell themselves to private students from overseas. Over the last 15 years there has been a massive increase in numbers so they now get around 15% of their income from private students. This was not used to expand access to NZ students access however since those numbers stagnated. Instead it was used to cut spending in real terms for the sector.
Now all universities need a boost of income from the government to compensate for the lost overseas student income. Instead they are implementing cuts to jobs and services.
This is nuts – it has to stop.


thedailyblog--2020-10-15--Newsflash! – Saturday’s election result is out! – Another victory for neo-liberalism!

Whichever parties form the government on Saturday it will be a victory for neoliberalism – the failed zombie policy given another dose of life support – this time most likely from Labour and the Greens .
Despite its failure in every aspect of New Zealand life it stumbles on for two reasons .
Firstly because it is supported by the rich and powerful – the people our main political parties need to fund their election campaigns and secondly because the progressive left have failed to provide an inspiring , credible alternative for the big majority of New Zealanders who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The first reason is clear enough to see .
The wealthiest 150 New Zealanders – most of whom declare incomes of less than $ 70,000 so don ’ t pay the top income tax rate – have been increasing their wealth exponentially for decades now , even during the ravages of Covid 19 .
This is the way the system is supposed to work : no matter what happens in ordinary peoples ’ lives the rich must get richer – and they are loving it .
Our main political parties are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago .
They are shell organisations which rely almost totally on big corporate donations to run their election campaigns .
Most of the super-rich don ’ t care whether we elect a Labour-led or a National-led government because the economic policies of each are barely distinguishable .
Neither of them is a threat to the rich getting even more obscenely rich .
Even the existential threat of climate change does not worry the rich .
Capitalism will solve the problem for them by simply revaluing land and resources and there will be rich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of humanity to survive in a desperately ravaged planet are of no concern to the rich .
Put another way – unless we dismantle the rule of the rich and take control of their unearned wealth the campaign to stop climate change and the destruction of our environment will fail .
The second reason is closer to home and deserves a dispassionate examination .
There have been several notable attempts to build a progressive alternative to neo-liberal capitalism – the Alliance and MANA Movement have been the most prominent – but they failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these movements were bold enough or ambitious enough .
It ’ s important for any movement to start from where people are at rather than where we think they should be or where we ’ d like them to be .
However , I think both movements underestimated the desire for real change and were seen as tinkering at the edges of Labour/National policies .
The policy differences were not significant enough to demand the attention of the majority of New Zealanders .
Today the situation out there in the real world is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dramatic and uncompromising drive for change .
Anything less will not deserve to be respected .
There is work to do .

Whichever parties form the government on Saturday it will be a victory for neoliberalism – the failed zombie policy given another dose of life support – this time most likely from Labour and the Greens.
Despite its failure in every aspect of New Zealand life it stumbles on for two reasons.
Firstly because it is supported by the rich and powerful – the people our main political parties need to fund their election campaigns and secondly because the progressive left have failed to provide an inspiring, credible alternative for the big majority of New Zealanders who have suffered as victims of failed economic policies.
The first reason is clear enough to see. The wealthiest 150 New Zealanders – most of whom declare incomes of less than $70,000 so don’t pay the top income tax rate – have been increasing their wealth exponentially for decades now, even during the ravages of Covid 19. This is the way the system is supposed to work: no matter what happens in ordinary peoples’ lives the rich must get richer – and they are loving it.
Our main political parties are a shadow of what they were 40 years ago. They are shell organisations which rely almost totally on big corporate donations to run their election campaigns. Most of the super-rich don’t care whether we elect a Labour-led or a National-led government because the economic policies of each are barely distinguishable. Neither of them is a threat to the rich getting even more obscenely rich.
Even the existential threat of climate change does not worry the rich. Capitalism will solve the problem for them by simply revaluing land and resources and there will be rich pickings. The struggles of the rest of humanity to survive in a desperately ravaged planet are of no concern to the rich. Put another way – unless we dismantle the rule of the rich and take control of their unearned wealth the campaign to stop climate change and the destruction of our environment will fail.
The second reason is closer to home and deserves a dispassionate examination. There have been several notable attempts to build a progressive alternative to neo-liberal capitalism – the Alliance and MANA Movement have been the most prominent – but they failed.
With hindsight I think neither of these movements were bold enough or ambitious enough. It’s important for any movement to start from where people are at rather than where we think they should be or where we’d like them to be. However, I think both movements underestimated the desire for real change and were seen as tinkering at the edges of Labour/National policies. The policy differences were not significant enough to demand the attention of the majority of New Zealanders.
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They weren’t inspiring or uplifting.
Today the situation out there in the real world is increasingly desperate and requires a bold, dramatic and uncompromising drive for change. Anything less will not deserve to be respected.
There is work to do.