thedailyblog--2020-09-28--The Confident Traveller Led Astray – Ode to Winston

Where are you going , Winston , We have lost count of the summers Since first you ventured forth .
@ @ @ @ @ find you , Do you not fear mishap ?
Oh ye of little faith .
@ @ @ @ @ bested But while my star still leads me on , The light that leads you @ @ @ @ @ from quite a different source – A flame that ’ s near , not far @ @ @ @ @ the queen .
She is the one you follow , Oh cursed is the news @ @ @ @ @ now my folly ’ s known .
To have thought the baubles of my trade @ @ @ @ @ .
But now it ’ s clear the stardust , Whose lustre led me on @ @ @ @ @ me to share , And all my hopes are gone .
Did we not warn @ @ @ @ @ your path could end ?
To which it might descend ?
Grasp you now , @ @ @ @ @

Where are you going, Winston,
Son of the winterless north?
We have lost count of the summers
Since first you ventured forth.
This track on which we find you,
Unmarked on any map,
Leads travellers to strange places.
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Do you not fear mishap?
Countless roads I’ve travelled,
Oh ye of little faith.
Not once have I been bested
By spectre, ghoul or wraith.
My enemies take courage
From wishful thoughts and lies,
But while my star still leads me on,
Its light their spite defies.
The light that leads you, Winston,
That glimmer you call a star,
It comes from quite a different source –
A flame that’s near, not far.
Your guide is called Jacinda,
Of all our hearts the queen.
She is the one you follow,
T’is hers, the lustrous sheen.
Oh cursed is the news you bring me!
For now my folly’s known.
To have thought the baubles of my trade
Were made for me alone.
But now it’s clear the stardust,
Whose lustre led me on,
Was never meant for me to share,
And all my hopes are gone.
Did we not warn you, Winston
Of where your path could end?
Of places strange and unforeseen
To which it might descend?
See how Jacinda hastens?
How quickly her light doth fade?
Grasp you now, in the gathering dark,
The dreadful mistake you’ve made?


thedailyblog--2020-09-28--What?  No benefit increases

What?  No benefit increases

Now we know .
It is official .
No more pretence of working on the fundamental WEAG reforms to core benefits .
No plans to address the rising child poverty rates projected by Treasury under the current COVID recession .
Just more rhetoric around how paid work solves everything and some minor policies that should have been done 3 years ago .
On Sunday 27th September Q & A both Carmel Sepuloni and Louise Upston spoke of the need for more jobs and training .
Neither mentioned the valuable work of parenting .
Judith Collins displayed her feeling for farmers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the tough work of farming animals , but what about affirmation of the vital work of procreation and raising the next generation , mostly by women , battling on , raising children in impoverished circumstances ?
And in ageing society in which very soon the elderly will outnumber youth on whom they will depend ?
Neither Sepuloni nor Upston mentioned that quality , well paid flexible work will be even harder to find for those on benefits with children in the recession .
Both of these women benefited from the Training Incentive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to escape the low wage cycle .
This policy , along with allowing beneficiaries to earn a realistic amount should have been part of the 100 days plan following the 2017 election , not an election bribe that doesn ’ t even have a start date .
The child poverty data is two years out of date by the time it is officially reported so that government can always say it doesn ’ t reflect ‘ this ’ or ‘ that ’ policy introduced subsequently .
The first report of progress on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collected in 2018/2019 , for example doesn ’ t pick up Labour ’ s full family package .
Using 2018/2019 data Stats NZ tell us • None rates of low-income have generally declined from 2017/18 , but most of these decreases are not statistically significant Yet on Q & A on Sunday we hear that the government is proud of these outcomes , citing that 18,000 children have been lifted above the 50 % After Housing Cost ( AHC ) line .
Some who were close to the 50 % line , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the line but 235,000 children are still below it .
Many children fall well below this line : 168,000 children below the very low 40 % AHC representing 15 % of children .
That is where they look set to stay .
Who asks the question-why are 15 % of our children under the 40 % line ?
How are they helped by the relentless focus on paid work as the way out of poverty mantra ?
Why do we deny these children the full Working for Families package on the grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The first three-year targets are supposed to be reached by 2020/21 ( year ending June 2021 ) and be reported on in 2022 .
Even if government ’ s 3 -year targets are met on the 50 % after housing costs primary measure ( which they won ’ t be ) there will be still be 20 % , or around one in five children below this line .
In the meantime , COVID has changed things for the worse and even by 2022 we will not be picking up the full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The $ 25 a week increase in core benefits was swallowed up in reduced hardship and accommodation assistance .
Many hardly noticed .
Besides , the poorest of all , couples with children on benefits got only $ 12.50 gross increase each .
CPAG modelling shows that without WEP doubling , the couple with two children on Jobseeker support in Auckland requires $ 208 extra per week over and above their core benefit and accommodation supplement to reach the 50 % AHC poverty line .
The $ 25 a week was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures show us is that there needs to be a very substantial boost so that the worst off families can be released from the noose of highly targeted supplementary payments and trips to foodbanks to eat .
We also need a programme of debt forgiveness and removal of all sanctions that cripple parents .
In spite of COVID relief , the indicators from the social sector are that the worst-off families are worse off than ever with no relief in sight .
Then on 1 October the Winter Energy Payment ends removing $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stretched budgets .
At the same time , other wage subsidies are phasing out forcing many more onto the bleak welfare system .
The children in these families face a grim Christmas of toxic stress , food insecurity , ill health , debt and poor housing .
Just where is the transformation we expected ?
CPAG continues to call for all families receiving benefits to be made eligible for all family support tax credits so those families under the 40 % line on benefits would receive at least another $ 72.50 a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should have been done three years ago .
It wont of course be enough on its own , but it is very well focused spending if child poverty is to be tackled , will return all weekly child tax credits to their rightful role of child poverty prevention .
It is also a way to stop policies that say parenting is not proper work .

Now we know. It is official. No more pretence of working on the fundamental WEAG reforms to core benefits. No plans to address the rising child poverty rates projected by Treasury under the current COVID recession. Just more rhetoric around how paid work solves everything and some minor policies that should have been done 3 years ago.
On Sunday 27th September Q & A both Carmel Sepuloni and Louise Upston spoke of the need for more jobs and training. Neither mentioned the valuable work of parenting.
Judith Collins displayed her feeling for farmers who she feels are not valued enough for the tough work of farming animals, but what about affirmation of the vital work of procreation and raising the next generation, mostly by women, battling on, raising children in impoverished circumstances? And in ageing society in which very soon the elderly will outnumber youth on whom they will depend?
Neither Sepuloni nor Upston mentioned that quality, well paid flexible work will be even harder to find for those on benefits with children in the recession. Both of these women benefited from the Training Incentive Allowance as sole parents themselves that allowed them to escape the low wage cycle. This policy, along with allowing beneficiaries to earn a realistic amount should have been part of the 100 days plan following the 2017 election, not an election bribe that doesn’t even have a start date.
The child poverty data is two years out of date by the time it is officially reported so that government can always say it doesn’t reflect ‘this’ or ‘that’ policy introduced subsequently. The first report of progress on child poverty reduction targets, based data collected in 2018/2019, for example doesn’t pick up Labour’s full family package. Using 2018/2019 data Stats NZ tell us
rates of low-income have generally declined from 2017/18, but most of these decreases are not statistically significant
material hardship rates show no significant change from 2017/18 to 2018/19
Yet on Q&A on Sunday we hear that the government is proud of these outcomes, citing that 18,000 children have been lifted above the 50% After Housing Cost (AHC) line. Some who were close to the 50% line, the low-lying fruit, may have been lifted over the line but 235,000 children are still below it. Many children fall well below this line: 168,000 children below the very low 40% AHC representing 15% of children. That is where they look set to stay.
Who asks the question-why are 15% of our children under the 40% line? How are they helped by the relentless focus on paid work as the way out of poverty mantra? Why do we deny these children the full Working for Families package on the grounds their parents need an incentive to work?
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
The first three-year targets are supposed to be reached by 2020/21 (year ending June 2021) and be reported on in 2022. Even if government’s 3 -year targets are met on the 50% after housing costs primary measure (which they won’t be) there will be still be 20%, or around one in five children below this line.
In the meantime, COVID has changed things for the worse and even by 2022 we will not be picking up the full negative impact of the lockdown and recession. The $25 a week increase in core benefits was swallowed up in reduced hardship and accommodation assistance. Many hardly noticed. Besides, the poorest of all, couples with children on benefits got only $12.50 gross increase each. CPAG modelling shows that without WEP doubling, the couple with two children on Jobseeker support in Auckland requires $208 extra per week over and above their core benefit and accommodation supplement to reach the 50% AHC poverty line.
The $25 a week was not ‘nothing’, but what the figures show us is that there needs to be a very substantial boost so that the worst off families can be released from the noose of highly targeted supplementary payments and trips to foodbanks to eat. We also need a programme of debt forgiveness and removal of all sanctions that cripple parents.
In spite of COVID relief, the indicators from the social sector are that the worst-off families are worse off than ever with no relief in sight. Then on 1 October the Winter Energy Payment ends removing $40-60 dollars a week from already over stretched budgets. At the same time, other wage subsidies are phasing out forcing many more onto the bleak welfare system. The children in these families face a grim Christmas of toxic stress, food insecurity, ill health, debt and poor housing. Just where is the transformation we expected?
CPAG continues to call for all families receiving benefits to be made eligible for all family support tax credits so those families under the 40% line on benefits would receive at least another $72.50 a week. This could be enacted immediately and should have been done three years ago. It wont of course be enough on its own, but it is very well focused spending if child poverty is to be tackled, will return all weekly child tax credits to their rightful role of child poverty prevention. It is also a way to stop policies that say parenting is not proper work.


thedailyblog--2020-09-28--Cruelty Destroys Young Mums:  Boss Demands $35,000 to Stop Dismissal – More Evil Than We Thought

It ’ s Worse Than We Think Two young mothers are crushed by the casual cruelty of their exploiter .
A soon-to-be father was refused leave to attend his spouse in labour .
A young mother was told to send her baby to India so she could work more unpaid hours .
A husband was asked for $ 35,000 for his wife to keep her job .
The exploiter outfoxes MBIE and state justice .
It is left to the citizens of Tokoroa to organise and demand justice for the victims .
My previous article on the exploiter distressed many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges against Challenge petrol station owners Harjit Singh and his son Udamjit Singh from Tokoroa .
These two exploiters now owe $ 130,000 just in unpaid wages for three employees .
There will be more .
The OneUnion team went to Tokoroa last Friday to meet the workers and talk to locals .
The reality of the exploitation is even worse than we thought .
My team spoke to the spouse of ER , one of the petrol station workers we are representing .
We thought we had correlated all the case details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases .
When Sarah and ER chatted to our team , we realised it was worse .
Sarah says when the boss went to India for three months , ER was required to work 15 hours every day from opening to closing , for the entire time .
Not a single day off .
That ’ s over 100 hours a week for 13 weeks .
When Harjit returned , ER got his first day off in three months .
Within four hours the boss called him back to work .
Sarah through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so hard and the boss couldn ’ t even hack four hours , when he makes ER work daily stretches of 15 hours.
” The couple told the boss they were expecting a child and arranged for two weeks parental leave .
On the day of Sarah going into labour she phoned ER to leave and take her to the hospital .
For hours ER was crying on the phone to Harjit , begging to send someone to relieve him .
He wouldn ’ t .
We asked why ER didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frightened because Harjit said if he did , ER would lose his visa .
Sarah says “ this blackmail was the worst part.
” It took three hours before the boss arrived .
Sarah was in hospital for three days .
On the fourth day , Harjit rescinded ER ’ s leave and demanded he to return to work .
Through tears Sarah said “ they took away the most important and magical moments of our life.
” Shortly after this outrage , ER ’ s employment was terminated after he asked for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unpaid hours reduced so he could help his family .
Yes , you read that right .
He was summarily dismissed .
ER didn ’ t get the visa support he was promised .
He didn ’ t even get the holiday pay he was owed .
The exploiter then deliberately dragged out the legal process for nearly two years .
The workers tell us Harjit was coming into the petrol station every day , whilst at the same time telling the Mediation Service he was bedridden , and couldn ’ t even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were so embarrassed at his many bald-faced lies they quit in succession .
Harjit went through five lawyers .
When the Employment Relations Authority finally instructed Harjit to attend an investigation meeting , he transferred ownership of the station to his son , three days before the meeting .
Then he liquidated his company .
The ERA have washed their hands of it and say it ’ s now our responsibility to deal with the liquidator .
The liquidator tells us to naff off .
As a result of the termination , ER @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liable for deportation .
As new parents , and ER newly unemployed , the couple had to borrow thousands of dollars to apply for a partnership visa .
Sarah said she is traumatised and has become consumed by this injustice .
She thinks about it every day .
On Friday , the OneUnion team went to the local supermarket to distribute leaflets and to assess the mood of the locals about Harjit and Udamjit Singh ’ s exploitation .
Many of them had read my Daily Blog article online and were delighted people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everyone knew about the father and son ’ s exploitation .
Samples of the comments were : “ God , we really hope you get justice we will do everything we can to help ” ; three-quarters of people said they would attend a protest : “ Let us know when the protest will be .
We will be there.
” Others read the flyer in their cars and then came back to express their condolences , and to let Sarah know they would tell everyone they knew .
The local Cosmopolitan Club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over ten locals who volunteered for any campaign .
Our team got to meet Sarah ’ s mum .
Her mother , a kuia in the finest sense , couldn ’ t understand how the law and “ the system have failed.
” My team said she was in a quiet fury and almost lost for words .
She did say “ I knew how horrible this all was , because I have never seen grown men like my son-in-law cry the way he had been .
This really hit us in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know what a crushed heart feels like , it gets worse .
We met another young mother on Friday .
I ’ ll call her KT .
She also worked for this father-and-son criminal racket .
She wasn ’ t one of the workers we were representing .
But after reading my Daily Blog article she drove from Tauranga on Friday with her partner to see us .
Two years ago , both her and her husband needed to have jobs , hoping that with their employer ’ s support one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the father , agreed to employ KT .
Unfortunately , her husband could only find a job in Tauranga .
As such they had to live in different towns .
Although her contract was for 40 hours a week , and KT had a newly born baby , Harjit insisted she work up to 60 hours a week .
The additional hours were unpaid .
This was very hard on KT and her daughter .
Harjit found a diary in which KT was recording her hours of work .
He confiscated it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He confiscated that too .
KT had no choice but to endure this to keep her job .
For a while KT ’ s mother came to visit from India and was able to look after her granddaughter .
Business owners near the Challenge station said they remember watching “ the poor girl work all day.
” KT was working 12-hour shifts .
The locals said they “ could see she was being abused.
” When we told the local neighbours the truth on Friday they were outraged .
One of the locals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girl who obviously broke her back all day as her baby was at home with his grandma.
” After KT ’ s mother ’ s visitor permit ended , she had to return to India .
KT asked Harjit to reduce her hours to just the 40 hours in her employment agreement , so she could spend time with her baby .
He said no .
He said it wasn ’ t his problem .
If she wanted his support for her visa , the baby had to go to India .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better life for them and their family .
Both parents have to work long hours and endure exploitive conditions .
They have to endure this abuse in the hope of getting a permanent visa with their employer ’ s support .
I have come across several parents who have had to send their children away .
KT ’ s baby is now in India .
It is heart wrenching .
Migrants tell me of only knowing their babies by Skype .
They miss their babies ’ first steps , their first words , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot .
One day out of the blue , KT ’ s employment ends .
Udamjit the son , phones KT to say his father has sold the petrol station to him .
This was of course the manoeuvre to avoid the ERA .
As such , Udamjit was now the boss and said she was not to come to work anymore .
She was dismissed from that very moment .
KT never returned to the station and has never received her final wage .
Nor her holiday pay .
KT ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking about her visa support .
Harjit replied the couple would now have to pay him $ 35,000 to support the visa for KT .
The husband told him where to go .
The couple now live in Tauranga on one income .
They went to a lawyer .
They are now $ 5,700 poorer and their lawyer got them nothing .
With the COVID 19 pandemic they have even had his income dramatically reduced , and can ’ t afford to be reunited with their child .
KT is owed $ 32,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them for free .
The OneUnion team say KT and her husband are a lovely couple .
The couple are still in shock that someone could do this to them .
The couple say Harjit and Udamjit have destroyed their lives .
One of our team was a young volunteer and was in tears .
On their way back to Auckland she texted that KT is “ the loveliest girl , quiet and shy but with a beautiful nature ” .
Both couples and their friends were incredibly grateful for our support .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ grateful ?
They have to thank people they have never met , because they can ’ t get simple justice we used to all take for granted ?
Prime Minister Needs to Step Up Our employment laws are a joke .
They protect bosses .
Our institutions are failing .
How does it take 18 months to even get a hearing in the Employment Relations Authority ?
How is it that MBIE inspectors tell bosses the name of employees who reported them on their confidential exploiter hotline ?
Our commercial laws are corrupt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transfer his business to another exploiter , and then get away with his crime with the press of a button ?
It ’ s clear there is one law for bosses and one for workers .
A worker would already be in prison if they did a fraction of what this boss did .
Blatant exploitation is becoming a normal state .
Migrants are terrified of being deported if they speak up for themselves .
That ’ s because it ’ s true .
Immigration officers turn up on their doorsteps with deportation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports them .
Some of our bureaucracy is bloated , and we have lazy politicians at the wheel .
After this election the new prime minister needs keep Andrew Little as Workplace Minister .
She needs to also appoint another senior MP as the Immigration Minister , who has the seniority and the political will to ensure the exploiters are firmly held to account and the exploited get prompt justice .
The only suitable person I can think of is David Parker .
What to do ?
New Zealanders have to step up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their neighbourhoods .
Here is my immediate action list : • None I will write to Challenge NZ to demand they investigate Harjit and Udamjit Singh ’ s actions .
If either of them are guilty ( they are ) , Challenge must rescind their contract .
• None I will formally request MBIE Labour Inspectorate , IRD and Immigration NZ to investigate these two men .
• None We will launch a petition in Tokoroa to get 1000 citizens to sign up to a campaign to end exploitation in Tokoroa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account .
• None We will organise a public rally in Tokoroa in a month ’ s time .
Our demand is that Harjit and Udamjit Singh to apologise to these workers and put things right for them .
Otherwise they should leave town .
• None Will you help ?
If you know anything about Harjit Singh or his son Udamjit Singh , or could help in some way , email justice @ oneunion.org.nz .
I ’ d like to get our UTU bus to Tokoroa .
Would you make a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Please go here .
Matt McCarten is the National Director of One Union and an UTU Trustee

It’s Worse Than We Think
Two young mothers are crushed by the casual cruelty of their exploiter. A soon-to-be father was refused leave to attend his spouse in labour. A young mother was told to send her baby to India so she could work more unpaid hours. A husband was asked for $35,000 for his wife to keep her job. The exploiter outfoxes MBIE and state justice. It is left to the citizens of Tokoroa to organise and demand justice for the victims.
My previous article on the exploiter distressed many readers. OneUnion have filed serious exploitation charges against Challenge petrol station owners Harjit Singh and his son Udamjit Singh from Tokoroa. These two exploiters now owe $130,000 just in unpaid wages for three employees. There will be more. The OneUnion team went to Tokoroa last Friday to meet the workers and talk to locals. The reality of the exploitation is even worse than we thought.
My team spoke to the spouse of ER, one of the petrol station workers we are representing. We thought we had correlated all the case details when we originally filed the workers’ cases. When Sarah and ER chatted to our team, we realised it was worse. Sarah says when the boss went to India for three months, ER was required to work 15 hours every day from opening to closing, for the entire time. Not a single day off. That’s over 100 hours a week for 13 weeks. When Harjit returned, ER got his first day off in three months. Within four hours the boss called him back to work. Sarah through tears said on Friday “ER works so hard and the boss couldn’t even hack four hours, when he makes ER work daily stretches of 15 hours.”
The couple told the boss they were expecting a child and arranged for two weeks parental leave. On the day of Sarah going into labour she phoned ER to leave and take her to the hospital. For hours ER was crying on the phone to Harjit, begging to send someone to relieve him. He wouldn’t.
We asked why ER didn’t just leave. ER said he was frightened because Harjit said if he did, ER would lose his visa. Sarah says “this blackmail was the worst part.” It took three hours before the boss arrived. Sarah was in hospital for three days. On the fourth day, Harjit rescinded ER’s leave and demanded he to return to work. Through tears Sarah said “they took away the most important and magical moments of our life.”
Exploiter Sacks Young Father And Outfoxes ERA
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Shortly after this outrage, ER’s employment was terminated after he asked for his holiday pay and to have his unpaid hours reduced so he could help his family. Yes, you read that right. He was summarily dismissed. ER didn’t get the visa support he was promised. He didn’t even get the holiday pay he was owed. The exploiter then deliberately dragged out the legal process for nearly two years.
The workers tell us Harjit was coming into the petrol station every day, whilst at the same time telling the Mediation Service he was bedridden, and couldn’t even take a conference call. His lawyers were so embarrassed at his many bald-faced lies they quit in succession. Harjit went through five lawyers.
When the Employment Relations Authority finally instructed Harjit to attend an investigation meeting, he transferred ownership of the station to his son, three days before the meeting. Then he liquidated his company. The ERA have washed their hands of it and say it’s now our responsibility to deal with the liquidator. The liquidator tells us to naff off.
The Human Damage: The Community Rallies
As a result of the termination, ER lost his visa sponsorship which made him liable for deportation. As new parents, and ER newly unemployed, the couple had to borrow thousands of dollars to apply for a partnership visa. Sarah said she is traumatised and has become consumed by this injustice. She thinks about it every day.
On Friday, the OneUnion team went to the local supermarket to distribute leaflets and to assess the mood of the locals about Harjit and Udamjit Singh’s exploitation. Many of them had read my Daily Blog article online and were delighted people were stepping up for these workers. Everyone knew about the father and son’s exploitation. Samples of the comments were: “God, we really hope you get justice we will do everything we can to help”; three-quarters of people said they would attend a protest: “Let us know when the protest will be. We will be there.”
Others read the flyer in their cars and then came back to express their condolences, and to let Sarah know they would tell everyone they knew. The local Cosmopolitan Club have been tremendous. We picked up over ten locals who volunteered for any campaign.
Our team got to meet Sarah’s mum. Her mother, a kuia in the finest sense, couldn’t understand how the law and “the system have failed.” My team said she was in a quiet fury and almost lost for words. She did say “I knew how horrible this all was, because I have never seen grown men like my son-in-law cry the way he had been. This really hit us in the heart.”
And just when you think you know what a crushed heart feels like, it gets worse.
Young Mother Told to Send Baby to India
We met another young mother on Friday. I’ll call her KT. She also worked for this father-and-son criminal racket. She wasn’t one of the workers we were representing. But after reading my Daily Blog article she drove from Tauranga on Friday with her partner to see us.
Two years ago, both her and her husband needed to have jobs, hoping that with their employer’s support one of them could get permanent residency. Harjit, the father, agreed to employ KT. Unfortunately, her husband could only find a job in Tauranga. As such they had to live in different towns.
Although her contract was for 40 hours a week, and KT had a newly born baby, Harjit insisted she work up to 60 hours a week. The additional hours were unpaid. This was very hard on KT and her daughter. Harjit found a diary in which KT was recording her hours of work. He confiscated it. She started a new diary. He confiscated that too. KT had no choice but to endure this to keep her job.
For a while KT’s mother came to visit from India and was able to look after her granddaughter. Business owners near the Challenge station said they remember watching “the poor girl work all day.” KT was working 12-hour shifts. The locals said they “could see she was being abused.” When we told the local neighbours the truth on Friday they were outraged. One of the locals said “she is such a sweet girl who obviously broke her back all day as her baby was at home with his grandma.”
After KT’s mother’s visitor permit ended, she had to return to India. KT asked Harjit to reduce her hours to just the 40 hours in her employment agreement, so she could spend time with her baby. He said no. He said it wasn’t his problem. If she wanted his support for her visa, the baby had to go to India.
Many migrants want so badly to build a better life for them and their family. Both parents have to work long hours and endure exploitive conditions. They have to endure this abuse in the hope of getting a permanent visa with their employer’s support.
I have come across several parents who have had to send their children away. KT’s baby is now in India. It is heart wrenching. Migrants tell me of only knowing their babies by Skype. They miss their babies’ first steps, their first words, their tears. The parents cry a lot.
The Brutality of Evil
One day out of the blue, KT’s employment ends. Udamjit the son, phones KT to say his father has sold the petrol station to him. This was of course the manoeuvre to avoid the ERA. As such, Udamjit was now the boss and said she was not to come to work anymore. She was dismissed from that very moment. KT never returned to the station and has never received her final wage. Nor her holiday pay.
KT’s husband was furious and went to Harjit asking about her visa support. Harjit replied the couple would now have to pay him $35,000 to support the visa for KT. The husband told him where to go.
The couple now live in Tauranga on one income. They went to a lawyer. They are now $5,700 poorer and their lawyer got them nothing. With the COVID 19 pandemic they have even had his income dramatically reduced, and can’t afford to be reunited with their child. KT is owed $32,000. Of course, we will represent them for free.
The OneUnion team say KT and her husband are a lovely couple. The couple are still in shock that someone could do this to them. The couple say Harjit and Udamjit have destroyed their lives. One of our team was a young volunteer and was in tears. On their way back to Auckland she texted that KT is “the loveliest girl, quiet and shy but with a beautiful nature”.
Both couples and their friends were incredibly grateful for our support. But why should workers have to be grateful? They have to thank people they have never met, because they can’t get simple justice we used to all take for granted?
Prime Minister Needs to Step Up
Our employment laws are a joke. They protect bosses. Our institutions are failing. How does it take 18 months to even get a hearing in the Employment Relations Authority? How is it that MBIE inspectors tell bosses the name of employees who reported them on their confidential exploiter hotline? Our commercial laws are corrupt. How does an exploiter get to transfer his business to another exploiter, and then get away with his crime with the press of a button? It’s clear there is one law for bosses and one for workers. A worker would already be in prison if they did a fraction of what this boss did.
Blatant exploitation is becoming a normal state. Migrants are terrified of being deported if they speak up for themselves. That’s because it’s true. Immigration officers turn up on their doorsteps with deportation papers within 14 days after an exploiter reports them. Some of our bureaucracy is bloated, and we have lazy politicians at the wheel.
After this election the new prime minister needs keep Andrew Little as Workplace Minister. She needs to also appoint another senior MP as the Immigration Minister, who has the seniority and the political will to ensure the exploiters are firmly held to account and the exploited get prompt justice. The only suitable person I can think of is David Parker.
What to do?
New Zealanders have to step up. Communities have to own this abuse in their neighbourhoods.
Here is my immediate action list:
I will write to Challenge NZ to demand they investigate Harjit and Udamjit Singh’s actions. If either of them are guilty (they are), Challenge must rescind their contract.
I will formally request MBIE Labour Inspectorate, IRD and Immigration NZ to investigate these two men.
We will launch a petition in Tokoroa to get 1000 citizens to sign up to a campaign to end exploitation in Tokoroa, and to hold these two exploiters to account.
We will organise a public rally in Tokoroa in a month’s time. Our demand is that Harjit and Udamjit Singh to apologise to these workers and put things right for them. Otherwise they should leave town.
Will you help?
If you know anything about Harjit Singh or his son Udamjit Singh, or could help in some way, email justice@oneunion.org.nz.
I’d like to get our UTU bus to Tokoroa. Would you make a small koha to help get us there? Please go here.
Matt McCarten is the National Director of One Union and an UTU Trustee


thedailyblog--2020-09-29--Election Pledges for Palestine find strong support

Last week the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa sent out three election pledges to all candidates in all parties standing in the 2020 election .
We want candidates to sign up to the pledges which aim to turn New Zealanders ’ strong support for Palestinian human rights into effective policies requiring Israel to follow United Nations resolutions and international law .
New Zealand votes the right way at the United Nations but takes no effective steps to back this up with practical policies .
The outcome is 53 years of brutal military occupation of Palestinian land by Israel – the longest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every day Israel steals more Palestinian land , bulldozes more Palestinian homes and murders anyone resisting its cruel occupation .
This must be stopped – and our pledges show the way forward .
Initial responses have been very encouraging .
For example most Green party candidates have got back to us already including all current Green MPs supporting all three pledges .
As we say in the introduction to the pledges : New Zealand has been here before .
In the 1970s and 1980s New Zealanders gave strong support to the struggle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 the focus has shifted to Palestine and the racist , apartheid policies of the Israeli government towards Palestinians .
The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is asking all candidates for the 2020 general election to pledge support for the human rights of all Palestinians based on international law and United Nations resolutions .
New Zealand has been here before .
In the 1970s and 1980s New Zealanders gave strong support to the struggle of black South Africans against apartheid .
In 2020 the focus has shifted to Palestine and the racist , apartheid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nobel Peace prize winner and South African Archbishop , Desmond Tutu , says in relation to Israeli policies “ we should name it apartheid and boycott ” .
“ I have witnessed the racially segregated roads and housing in the Holy Land that reminded me so much of the conditions we experienced in South Africa under apartheid , ” says Tutu .
“ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades-long support for the apartheid regime.
” I support Palestinians ’ rights to self-determination in an independent Palestinian state in historic Palestine and I support the application of international law and United Nations resolutions in achieving this goal .
• I oppose the illegal annexation by Israel of large areas of the Occupied Palestinian Territories under the so called ‘ Trump Plan ’ .
The Trump Plan is strictly between the US and Israel to bypass well established international law principles and United Nations resolutions for resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict .
It has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the New Zealand government expressing serious concern .
To achieve diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates , the Israeli government has recently delayed its annexation plan , but has explicitly not cancelled it .
• I support New Zealand relations with Israel being conditional on Israel ’ s compliance with its international law responsibilities , in particular the issues of occupation , human rights and the right of return for Palestinian refugees .
Until Israel complies , I will support the New Zealand government ; • suspending its range of bilateral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of products of illegal settlements made in the Occupied Palestinian Territories • instructing the Superannuation Fund to disinvest in any Israeli company complicit in settlement activities or land confiscation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories • I oppose the use of Israeli military detention for Palestinian children and the use of “ administrative detention ” of Palestinians whereby they are incarcerated for prolonged periods without charge or trial .
Therefore I pledge to support the recommendations of Defence for Children Palestine and will support a government public statement , tabled in the New Zealand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of military courts and military detention for Palestinian children and for New Zealand to work with other countries at the United Nations to stop these inhumane practices .

Last week the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa sent out three election pledges to all candidates in all parties standing in the 2020 election.
We want candidates to sign up to the pledges which aim to turn New Zealanders’ strong support for Palestinian human rights into effective policies requiring Israel to follow United Nations resolutions and international law.
New Zealand votes the right way at the United Nations but takes no effective steps to back this up with practical policies. The outcome is 53 years of brutal military occupation of Palestinian land by Israel – the longest military occupation in modern history.
Meanwhile every day Israel steals more Palestinian land, bulldozes more Palestinian homes and murders anyone resisting its cruel occupation.
This must be stopped – and our pledges show the way forward.
Initial responses have been very encouraging. For example most Green party candidates have got back to us already including all current Green MPs supporting all three pledges.
As we say in the introduction to the pledges:
New Zealand has been here before. In the 1970s and 1980s New Zealanders gave strong support to the struggle of black South Africans against apartheid.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
In 2020 the focus has shifted to Palestine and the racist, apartheid policies of the Israeli government towards Palestinians.
Pledges for Palestine
14 September 2020
Dear election candidate,
The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is asking all candidates for the 2020 general election to pledge support for the human rights of all Palestinians based on international law and United Nations resolutions.
New Zealand has been here before. In the 1970s and 1980s New Zealanders gave strong support to the struggle of black South Africans against apartheid.
In 2020 the focus has shifted to Palestine and the racist, apartheid policies of the Israeli government towards Palestinians.
Nobel Peace prize winner and South African Archbishop, Desmond Tutu, says in relation to Israeli policies “we should name it apartheid and boycott”.
“I have witnessed the racially segregated roads and housing in the Holy Land that reminded me so much of the conditions we experienced in South Africa under apartheid,” says Tutu.
“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.”
Candidate pledges for Palestine
I support Palestinians’ rights to self-determination in an independent Palestinian state in historic Palestine and I support the application of international law and United Nations resolutions in achieving this goal.
In particular:
I oppose the illegal annexation by Israel of large areas of the Occupied Palestinian Territories under the so called ‘Trump Plan’.
The Trump Plan is strictly between the US and Israel to bypass well established international law principles and United Nations resolutions for resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict. It has been condemned by governments throughout the world with the New Zealand government expressing serious concern. To achieve diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, the Israeli government has recently delayed its annexation plan, but has explicitly not cancelled it.
I support New Zealand relations with Israel being conditional on Israel’s compliance with its international law responsibilities, in particular the issues of occupation, human rights and the right of return for Palestinian refugees.
Until Israel complies, I will support the New Zealand government;
suspending its range of bilateral agreements with Israel
prohibiting the importation of products of illegal settlements made in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
instructing the Superannuation Fund to disinvest in any Israeli company complicit in settlement activities or land confiscation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
ending arms and military equipment purchases from Israeli companies
I oppose the use of Israeli military detention for Palestinian children and the use of “administrative detention” of Palestinians whereby they are incarcerated for prolonged periods without charge or trial.
Therefore I pledge to support the recommendations of Defence for Children Palestine and will support a government public statement, tabled in the New Zealand parliament, condemning Israel’s use of military courts and military detention for Palestinian children and for New Zealand to work with other countries at the United Nations to stop these inhumane practices.


thedailyblog--2020-09-29--I agree with Arundhati Roy: We have a “portal” to break with the past and imagine a world anew

It is obvious that there will be a Labour-Greens government after the election given their 20 point advantage over National and Act in the polls .
With luck NZ First will be eliminated .
Winston Peters is occasionally on the right side of some issues ( minimum wage , heavy rail ) but is a brake on needed changes to empower unions and migration reforms .
Labour will form a coalition with the Greens whether they can form a government on their own or not .
This is MMP politics , they know they will be needed in the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they are needed to form a government , just as NZ First has done in the past .
But the Greens should prioritise making policy gains not trophies like the Deputy Prime Minister ’ s position which was prioritised by NZ First and The Alliance under Jim Anderton .
This is not the tail wagging the dog .
Many Green Party policies are actually overwhelmingly favoured in many polls on the issues that are of concern to New Zealanders .
But policies to actually deal with the existing problems meaningfully have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are locked into a strategy of protecting the status-quo rather than challenging it .
It is understandable for the National Party which is simply a tool of big business to be a conservative brake on change or a promoter of free-market fundamentalism , but it is unbecoming for a party that claims to represent working people like Labour to do the same .
However , both Labour and National were complicit in the so-called neo-liberal revolution of the 1980s and 90s that locked in a pro-business framework for every aspect of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to challenge its own legacy of pro-market fundamentalism being imposed by the state since then .
This conservative , piecemeal orientation on issues has become baked into the DNA of the Labour Party , preventing them from taking any fundamentally progressive positions .
One product of this new system was the creation of a powerful class of highly paid executives who dominate private businesses and state and local government agencies .
They appoint themselves to various jobs for a three to six year term and then move on with no responsibility being taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be measured .
Often their behaviour is venal and corrupt and again there are no consequences if caught except to maybe have to go to another country for a while .
The CEO job description seems to be limited to the need to “ cut costs ” wherever they go .
Cutting costs means cutting workers wages , whilst boosting the incomes of themselves or board members , or paying dividends to shareholders .
A perfect example is the current BNZ Chairman and former CEO of Auckland City Council , Doug McKay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ full of lunatics and activists.
” They can often preside over a failing business and still get appointed to another role .
That was true of Doug McKay also .
The merged Auckland City Council was established by the National/Act government to eliminate forms of elected control over public assets .
New commercial boards were stacked with business people and highly paid CEOs with a corporate background like the Auckland City Council itself .
The highly paid board and chief executive at Watercare had one job to do which was to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Auckland , as another example , fought year after year against its workers getting basic union rights and collective agreements .
This entrenched system of corporate control is considered to be too powerful to challenge or to move in a new direction .
So , Labour is reduced to looking for ways to solve problems by simply incentivising and rewarding good behaviour by paying people to do the right thing .
The problem is that it is often still more profitable to do the wrong thing .
That is why farmers remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emissions Trading Scheme which is meant to produce favourable changes for the climate .
The Labour Party ’ s fear of challenging this system means its proposals for the climate , cleaning up rivers , welfare reform and expanding access to a living wage , fail to make real progress .
Even the policy that the Prime Minister announced as her priority – eliminating child poverty , has essentially stalled according to the group that should know , the Child Poverty Action Group .
The post-Covid world , however , gives us another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action is needed .
The wonderful Indian writer Arundhati Roy described the crisis we face as a portal : Historically , pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew .
This one is no different .
It is a portal , a gateway between one world and the next .
We can choose to walk through it , dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred , our avarice , our data banks and dead ideas , our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us .
Or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little luggage , ready to imagine another world .
And ready to fight for it .
In the post-Covid world no one can claim we don ’ t have the money to do what is needed .
The debate is simply over how we spend the money we print .
Of course , there will be financial and monetary limits to that process which we will encounter , but everyone accepts we need to spend billions of dollars .
But , is the current spending of those billions on simply keeping the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our imagination and ambition ?
Labour ’ s refusal to put forward policies they know will be popular to fix the climate and rivers , and to give beneficiaries a real boost to incomes , means the Greens have a responsibility to demand that the new government do so .
There are also huge infrastructure deficits in health , education , transport , and energy because previous governments refused to tax the wealthy whilst unfairly overtaxing working people .
Wealth inequality has exploded to extortionate levels in New Zealand like everywhere else in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wealthiest 1 % of around 38,000 people “ have $ 141bn in trusts .
Another 150,000 or so people , rounding out the rest of the wealthiest 5 % , have trusts worth a further $ 122bn.
” These trusts are used to conceal wealth and avoid tax .
Overall , the wealthiest 10 % have 59 % of all the country ’ s assets , and the middle classes around 39 % .
That leaves the poorest half of the country with just 2 % .
The billionaire class internationally has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Share markets and property values also continue to reach new levels of grotesqueness .
Meanwhile millions of ordinary working people have lost their jobs .
There is no better time to say to the 1 % it is time for you to pay your share .
The tax reform proposed by Labour does nothing to address these issues .
Restoring a new rate of 39 cents in the dollar for those who earn over $ 180,000 a year will only affect 2 % of taxpayers and bring in a modest $ 500 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high rates of tax on ordinary workers ’ incomes compared to other countries and we are one of the few who have no exemption from tax for the first $ 10,000 or $ 20,000 .
This allowed the National Party to pretend to be a friend of the workers by proposing some modest “ temporary ” tax cuts for them .
But , the Labour Party has ruled out any tax reform to target wealth and the growing intergenerational inequality that goes with it .
It was simply politically stupid not to allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxation to be explored by the Tax Working Group .
As a consequence , they ended up proposing a capital gains tax that couldn ’ t be explained politically .
What was actually needed , was a reform that told 80 % of working people that they would pay less tax , the next 10 % would pay much the same but the top 10 % would pay significantly more through various wealth taxes .
That would have been achievable without scaring the horses over taxing home ownership when that would be seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people ’ s retirement homes without reducing their other taxes at the same time .
The Greens actually did make their own proposal for a limited wealth tax quite effectively with a policy that only taxed “ net ” wealth above $ 1 or $ 2 million and used the extra tax in a targeted way to pay for a significant increase in incomes for non-working Kiwis .
For that reason alone they deserve the party vote this election to keep dragging Labour towards policies that the overwhelming majority of people want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small step towards the portal that we all dream of crossing though .

It is obvious that there will be a Labour-Greens government after the election given their 20 point advantage over National and Act in the polls. With luck NZ First will be eliminated. Winston Peters is occasionally on the right side of some issues (minimum wage, heavy rail) but is a brake on needed changes to empower unions and migration reforms.
Labour will form a coalition with the Greens whether they can form a government on their own or not. This is MMP politics, they know they will be needed in the future.
The Greens can press the advantage if they are needed to form a government, just as NZ First has done in the past. But the Greens should prioritise making policy gains not trophies like the Deputy Prime Minister’s position which was prioritised by NZ First and The Alliance under Jim Anderton.
This is not the tail wagging the dog. Many Green Party policies are actually overwhelmingly favoured in many polls on the issues that are of concern to New Zealanders. But policies to actually deal with the existing problems meaningfully have been resisted by Labour and National because they are locked into a strategy of protecting the status-quo rather than challenging it.
It is understandable for the National Party which is simply a tool of big business to be a conservative brake on change or a promoter of free-market fundamentalism, but it is unbecoming for a party that claims to represent working people like Labour to do the same.
However, both Labour and National were complicit in the so-called neo-liberal revolution of the 1980s and 90s that locked in a pro-business framework for every aspect of the state’s operations. Labour has refused to challenge its own legacy of pro-market fundamentalism being imposed by the state since then. This conservative, piecemeal orientation on issues has become baked into the DNA of the Labour Party, preventing them from taking any fundamentally progressive positions.
One product of this new system was the creation of a powerful class of highly paid executives who dominate private businesses and state and local government agencies. They appoint themselves to various jobs for a three to six year term and then move on with no responsibility being taken for success or failure – however that may be measured. Often their behaviour is venal and corrupt and again there are no consequences if caught except to maybe have to go to another country for a while.
The CEO job description seems to be limited to the need to “cut costs” wherever they go. Cutting costs means cutting workers wages, whilst boosting the incomes of themselves or board members, or paying dividends to shareholders. A perfect example is the current BNZ Chairman and former CEO of Auckland City Council, Doug McKay, who denounced Waiheke Island residents as “full of lunatics and activists.” They can often preside over a failing business and still get appointed to another role. That was true of Doug McKay also.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
The merged Auckland City Council was established by the National/Act government to eliminate forms of elected control over public assets. New commercial boards were stacked with business people and highly paid CEOs with a corporate background like the Auckland City Council itself. The highly paid board and chief executive at Watercare had one job to do which was to ensure supply but they failed. The Ports of Auckland, as another example, fought year after year against its workers getting basic union rights and collective agreements.
This entrenched system of corporate control is considered to be too powerful to challenge or to move in a new direction. So, Labour is reduced to looking for ways to solve problems by simply incentivising and rewarding good behaviour by paying people to do the right thing. The problem is that it is often still more profitable to do the wrong thing. That is why farmers remain exempt from paying their share under the Emissions Trading Scheme which is meant to produce favourable changes for the climate.
The Labour Party’s fear of challenging this system means its proposals for the climate, cleaning up rivers, welfare reform and expanding access to a living wage, fail to make real progress.
Even the policy that the Prime Minister announced as her priority – eliminating child poverty, has essentially stalled according to the group that should know, the Child Poverty Action Group.
The post-Covid world, however, gives us another chance to address all the issues where action is needed.
The wonderful Indian writer Arundhati Roy described the crisis we face as a portal:
Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next.
We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.
In the post-Covid world no one can claim we don’t have the money to do what is needed. The debate is simply over how we spend the money we print. Of course, there will be financial and monetary limits to that process which we will encounter, but everyone accepts we need to spend billions of dollars. But, is the current spending of those billions on simply keeping the current system ticking over really the limit to our imagination and ambition?
Labour’s refusal to put forward policies they know will be popular to fix the climate and rivers, and to give beneficiaries a real boost to incomes, means the Greens have a responsibility to demand that the new government do so.
There are also huge infrastructure deficits in health, education, transport, and energy because previous governments refused to tax the wealthy whilst unfairly overtaxing working people. Wealth inequality has exploded to extortionate levels in New Zealand like everywhere else in the world. New research shows that the wealthiest 1% of around 38,000 people “have $141bn in trusts. Another 150,000 or so people, rounding out the rest of the wealthiest 5%, have trusts worth a further $122bn.” These trusts are used to conceal wealth and avoid tax. Overall, the wealthiest 10% have 59% of all the country’s assets, and the middle classes around 39%. That leaves the poorest half of the country with just 2%. The billionaire class internationally has massively increased their wealth during the pandemic Share markets and property values also continue to reach new levels of grotesqueness. Meanwhile millions of ordinary working people have lost their jobs. There is no better time to say to the 1% it is time for you to pay your share.
The tax reform proposed by Labour does nothing to address these issues. Restoring a new rate of 39 cents in the dollar for those who earn over $180,000 a year will only affect 2% of taxpayers and bring in a modest $500 million a year. New Zealand has relatively high rates of tax on ordinary workers’ incomes compared to other countries and we are one of the few who have no exemption from tax for the first $10,000 or $20,000. This allowed the National Party to pretend to be a friend of the workers by proposing some modest “temporary” tax cuts for them.
But, the Labour Party has ruled out any tax reform to target wealth and the growing intergenerational inequality that goes with it.
It was simply politically stupid not to allow a reform of the whole system of taxation to be explored by the Tax Working Group. As a consequence, they ended up proposing a capital gains tax that couldn’t be explained politically. What was actually needed, was a reform that told 80% of working people that they would pay less tax, the next 10% would pay much the same but the top 10% would pay significantly more through various wealth taxes. That would have been achievable without scaring the horses over taxing home ownership when that would be seen as an additional tax on some working people’s retirement homes without reducing their other taxes at the same time.
The Greens actually did make their own proposal for a limited wealth tax quite effectively with a policy that only taxed “net” wealth above $1 or $2 million and used the extra tax in a targeted way to pay for a significant increase in incomes for non-working Kiwis.
For that reason alone they deserve the party vote this election to keep dragging Labour towards policies that the overwhelming majority of people want to see implemented. It will be a small step towards the portal that we all dream of crossing though.


thedailyblog--2020-09-29--MUST READ: Cannabis referendum: fear and lies outgun the truth

The cannabis referendum campaign has become a battle of truth versus lies – and the facts are losing .
While the various Yes campaigns focus on sharing facts and building points of agreement , the modus operandi of the Nopers is to spread fear , misunderstanding and distrust .
While some recent polls have shown Yes and No tied in a dead heat , or too close to call , the latest TVNZ Colmar Brunton poll of intending voters shows Hope trailing Nope by 35 % to 53 % .
That poll should throw all supporters of truth and justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is far from lost ; the worst we can do now is give up or opt-out because it ’ s too hard or “ they ’ ll never do it anyway “ .
That sort of despondent , confused , thinking is exactly what the Nopers are hoping for .
On the contrary : these polls show every vote will count , and the difference between winning and losing will come down to voter turnout .
There are far more people who don ’ t vote than the difference between Yes and No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unique ability to inspire people to vote .
It raises turnout everywhere cannabis ballots have been held .
Cannabis ballots may even have helped elect Obama to his second term as US President , by bringing out more progressive voters .
But in order to overcome the Noper ’ s tactics of fear and division , we first need to understand them .
We perhaps also shouldn ’ t give them too much credit : Covid-19 is the number one issue this year , and everything else has taken a back seat .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ worry already floating about it ’ s no wonder the Nopers have been able to play on that with their huge budget for fearmongering .
A battle of good vs evil , and facts vs bullshit Alex Braae at The Spinoff has written about how Bob McCroskie and Family First run their Nope campaign .
It is clear they are a well-resourced and formidable campaign machine .
The Nopers are holding meetings at churches and community halls , using slick presentations that sound truthy-enough to stoke fear and apprehension .
But the Noper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide letterbox deliveries and high profile billboards are full of lies .
Funding for the Nope campaign comes from religious conservatives and wowsers , such as the Church of Scientology .
Their advice comes from US lobbyists such as SAM USA , and drug testing firms who stand to make lots of money if prohibition is retained .
Their tactics are to drown out the truth in a barrage of fake news , false information , and outright lies .
They do this safe in the knowledge that their pockets are deep , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules on the side of advertisers – or won ’ t even consider it – and any ruling would come after the referendum and wouldn ’ t stop any ad .
So they just keep pumping out their false narrative , designed to stoke fear and apprehension among voters .
Their doctored image of Featherston ’ s Kia Ora Dairy , which Say Nope To Dope paid to run in newspapers nationwide , was wrong in almost every aspect and backfired by outraging residents of the Wairarapa town .
However , it had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on fear .
While pumping out a fire hose of disinformation , the Nopers also encourage their supporters to lay false complaints against those who push the truth about cannabis and its associated laws ; the good folk supporting the Yes campaign .
The NZ Drug Foundation won a previous ruling against a false complaint about their ads .
Last week Make It Legal fought off another spurious complaint .
Both were laid with the ASA about demonstrably true claims that voting Yes would make medicinal access easier and cheaper .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all along – and I also say that as the CEO of a licensed medicinal cannabis company .
The truth is , medicinal access even under our new rules is still far too difficult and too expensive for most people .
Access to medicinal cannabis comes down to personal income .
Those who can afford it get access , while everyone else must remain in the illicit market .
Voting Yes would allow patients to grow their own , or go to a shop and buy low-dose products over the counter .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that wouldn ’ t make access “ easier and cheaper ” – but facts have never stopped the Nopers .
Thankfully , the industry-led ASA ruled that Make It Legal ’ s claims were fair enough .
Yes campaign plays nice while Nopers get away with murder This could be seen on TVNZ ’ s Q & A with Jack Tame which had a cannabis referendum debate , featuring Green MP Chloe Swarbrick and AUT professor Khylee Quince presenting the case for Yes , and the NZ Medical Association ’ s Dr Kate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for No .
The two guests who supported Yes were respectful , didn ’ t interrupt and tried to discuss the matter at hand .
The Nopers , true to form , interrupted with false claims and distractions , or mouthed truthy-sounding platitudes designed to stoke fear and worry about what might happen .
Chloe made a big mistake at the outset of the debate .
In hindsight , our campaign has been making the same mistake over and over again .
We build agreement and display our reasonableness by opening with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harm , but we question how society can best deal with it .
Rather than building agreement so we can all move forward , that position actually cedes ground to the Nopers , and frames the discussion as “ cannabis is harmful ” .
It implies that all use is harmful , and that strong intervention by state agencies is justified and desirable .
Yet the truth is that the vast majority of cannabis use is not harmful , and no intervention is justified .
The Otago and Christchurch longitudinal studies , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of New Zealanders have tried cannabis ( so it is normal ) , but only around 10 per cent or so experience harms from their use .
The researchers of both those studies , Prof Joe Boden and Prof Ritchie Poulson , notably support a Yes vote .
Facts don ’ t seem to matter to National MP Nick Smith , a prominent campaigner for Nope .
He ’ s a good debater who could argue either side , and I suspect he ’ s just doing his job to get National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t possibly believe the stuff he ’ s saying , could he ?
On Q & A Nick Smith claimed : 1 .
“ This is not about medicinal cannabis.
” Actually patients and doctors are supporting Yes because existing scheme is too hard and too expensive .
In fact , the only increase in cannabis use seen in US states that have legalised has been older folk obtaining over-the-counter “ adult use ” cannabis for their aches and pains .
2 “ Legalisation will increase cannabis use and harm… it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact , underage use in Canada dropped by half in just one year after legalisation .
The road carnage Smith shouts about is based on flawed data : ESR included drivers with any trace of cannabinoids , which can linger for months , but only included drunk drivers who were over the legal limit ( to be consistent , they should also have included anyone who drank any alcohol in recent months ) .
3 “ Legalisation will not eliminate the black market and gang harm ” .
Smith is actually confirming prohibition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lucrative illicit market that supports organised crime .
Legalisation may not “ eliminate ” it completely , but that ’ s better than supporting the status quo which created that market in the first place .
4 “ A billion dollar dope industry with 420 stores around NZ ( concentrated in our most vulnerable communities ) whose motive will be to push this drug and sell more.
” In fact , that billion dollar cannabis industry already exists , with hundreds of tinny shops already in vulnerable communities .
Cannabis won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it could be brought under control and out from the shadows .
The model proposed by the referendum would generate $ 675 million for local health and education , plus $ 200 million in income tax , plus GST , plus savings from ineffective and counterproductive law enforcement .
5 “ Timing could not be worse for combo of dole and dope.
” In fact , making cannabis legal could help New Zealand ’ s economy by generating 5000 legitimate and taxpaying jobs ( according to BERL ) , with more vocational pathways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on TV3 ’ s Paddy Gower on Weed , the host had a blast catching up with various potheads and growers ( I had my own catch up with Paddy on 95bfm ’ s Marijuana Media – listen to the podcast here ) .
The king of “ gotcha journalism ” had been commissioned to produce a follow up to last year ’ s 2-part series on medicinal cannabis .
Those two shows had a ground shifting effect on the public ’ s perception of medicinal cannabis patients and providers .
Where previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had changed to full support .
People saw on mainstream television the way prohibition had denied safe and affordable access to patients struggling with debilitating and painful conditions .
They saw how medicinal cannabis helped them .
They saw they sky did not fall , and they were reassured .
So we had high hopes for this week ’ s referendum-themed follow up .
It was certainly filled with cannabis eye-candy .
There were lots of scenes of consumption and flowering plants , from illegal grows hidden in cupboards and basements to high-tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything , the show proved cannabis use is widespread and entrenched in New Zealand .
It isn ’ t going away .
Hopefully the primetime mainstream media slot for the show provoked some good discussions among the families watching it .
Hopefully they learned something .
Hopefully they ’ re now a bit less likely to accept the lies and fear served up by the Nopers .
Because the truth about cannabis , if people knew it , would literally set them free .
Chris Fowlie is the president of the National Organisation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .

The cannabis referendum campaign has become a battle of truth versus lies – and the facts are losing.
While the various Yes campaigns focus on sharing facts and building points of agreement, the modus operandi of the Nopers is to spread fear, misunderstanding and distrust.
And it’s working.
While some recent polls have shown Yes and No tied in a dead heat, or too close to call, the latest TVNZ Colmar Brunton poll of intending voters shows Hope trailing Nope by 35% to 53%.
That poll should throw all supporters of truth and justice into a sweaty panic!
The battle is far from lost; the worst we can do now is give up or opt-out because it’s too hard or “they’ll never do it anyway“. That sort of despondent, confused, thinking is exactly what the Nopers are hoping for.
On the contrary: these polls show every vote will count, and the difference between winning and losing will come down to voter turnout. There are far more people who don’t vote than the difference between Yes and No in these polls.
Cannabis has a unique ability to inspire people to vote. It raises turnout everywhere cannabis ballots have been held. Cannabis ballots may even have helped elect Obama to his second term as US President, by bringing out more progressive voters.
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But in order to overcome the Noper’s tactics of fear and division, we first need to understand them.
We perhaps also shouldn’t give them too much credit: Covid-19 is the number one issue this year, and everything else has taken a back seat.
With so much fear, anxiety and worry already floating about it’s no wonder the Nopers have been able to play on that with their huge budget for fearmongering.
A battle of good vs evil, and facts vs bullshit
Alex Braae at The Spinoff has written about how Bob McCroskie and Family First run their Nope campaign. It is clear they are a well-resourced and formidable campaign machine.
The Nopers are holding meetings at churches and community halls, using slick presentations that sound truthy-enough to stoke fear and apprehension.
But the Noper’s full page newspaper ads, nationwide letterbox deliveries and high profile billboards are full of lies.
Funding for the Nope campaign comes from religious conservatives and wowsers, such as the Church of Scientology.
Their advice comes from US lobbyists such as SAM USA, and drug testing firms who stand to make lots of money if prohibition is retained.
Their tactics are to drown out the truth in a barrage of fake news, false information, and outright lies.
They do this safe in the knowledge that their pockets are deep, that the Advertising Standards Authority almost always rules on the side of advertisers – or won’t even consider it – and any ruling would come after the referendum and wouldn’t stop any ad.
So they just keep pumping out their false narrative, designed to stoke fear and apprehension among voters.
Their doctored image of Featherston’s Kia Ora Dairy, which Say Nope To Dope paid to run in newspapers nationwide, was wrong in almost every aspect and backfired by outraging residents of the Wairarapa town.
However, it had the intended effect of getting nationwide coverage based on fear.
While pumping out a fire hose of disinformation, the Nopers also encourage their supporters to lay false complaints against those who push the truth about cannabis and its associated laws; the good folk supporting the Yes campaign.
The NZ Drug Foundation won a previous ruling against a false complaint about their ads. Last week Make It Legal fought off another spurious complaint. Both were laid with the ASA about demonstrably true claims that voting Yes would make medicinal access easier and cheaper.
I’ve been saying the same thing all along – and I also say that as the CEO of a licensed medicinal cannabis company. The truth is, medicinal access even under our new rules is still far too difficult and too expensive for most people.
Access to medicinal cannabis comes down to personal income. Those who can afford it get access, while everyone else must remain in the illicit market.
Voting Yes would allow patients to grow their own, or go to a shop and buy low-dose products over the counter. It’s pretty hard to deny that that wouldn’t make access “easier and cheaper” – but facts have never stopped the Nopers.
Thankfully, the industry-led ASA ruled that Make It Legal’s claims were fair enough.
Yes campaign plays nice while Nopers get away with murder
This could be seen on TVNZ’s Q&A with Jack Tame which had a cannabis referendum debate, featuring Green MP Chloe Swarbrick and AUT professor Khylee Quince presenting the case for Yes, and the NZ Medical Association’s Dr Kate Braddock and National MP Nick Smith arguing for No.
The two guests who supported Yes were respectful, didn’t interrupt and tried to discuss the matter at hand.
The Nopers, true to form, interrupted with false claims and distractions, or mouthed truthy-sounding platitudes designed to stoke fear and worry about what might happen.
Chloe made a big mistake at the outset of the debate. In hindsight, our campaign has been making the same mistake over and over again. We build agreement and display our reasonableness by opening with a statement that we all agree cannabis causes harm, but we question how society can best deal with it.
Rather than building agreement so we can all move forward, that position actually cedes ground to the Nopers, and frames the discussion as “cannabis is harmful”. It implies that all use is harmful, and that strong intervention by state agencies is justified and desirable.
Yet the truth is that the vast majority of cannabis use is not harmful, and no intervention is justified. The Otago and Christchurch longitudinal studies, for example, found that up to 80% of New Zealanders have tried cannabis (so it is normal), but only around 10 per cent or so experience harms from their use.
The researchers of both those studies, Prof Joe Boden and Prof Ritchie Poulson, notably support a Yes vote.
Facts don’t seem to matter to National MP Nick Smith, a prominent campaigner for Nope. He’s a good debater who could argue either side, and I suspect he’s just doing his job to get National elected. I mean, he couldn’t possibly believe the stuff he’s saying, could he? On Q&A Nick Smith claimed:
1. “This is not about medicinal cannabis.” Actually patients and doctors are supporting Yes because existing scheme is too hard and too expensive. In fact, the only increase in cannabis use seen in US states that have legalised has been older folk obtaining over-the-counter “adult use” cannabis for their aches and pains.
2 “Legalisation will increase cannabis use and harm… it is called dope for good reason.” In fact, underage use in Canada dropped by half in just one year after legalisation. The road carnage Smith shouts about is based on flawed data: ESR included drivers with any trace of cannabinoids, which can linger for months, but only included drunk drivers who were over the legal limit (to be consistent, they should also have included anyone who drank any alcohol in recent months).
3 “Legalisation will not eliminate the black market and gang harm”. Smith is actually confirming prohibition does not work and has created a lucrative illicit market that supports organised crime. Legalisation may not “eliminate” it completely, but that’s better than supporting the status quo which created that market in the first place.
4 “A billion dollar dope industry with 420 stores around NZ ( concentrated in our most vulnerable communities) whose motive will be to push this drug and sell more.” In fact, that billion dollar cannabis industry already exists, with hundreds of tinny shops already in vulnerable communities. Cannabis won’t be invented by the referendum, but it could be brought under control and out from the shadows. The model proposed by the referendum would generate $675 million for local health and education, plus $200 million in income tax, plus GST, plus savings from ineffective and counterproductive law enforcement.
5 “Timing could not be worse for combo of dole and dope.” In fact, making cannabis legal could help New Zealand’s economy by generating 5000 legitimate and taxpaying jobs (according to BERL), with more vocational pathways and increased regional economic opportunities.
Paddy on Weed
Meanwhile on TV3’s Paddy Gower on Weed, the host had a blast catching up with various potheads and growers (I had my own catch up with Paddy on 95bfm’s Marijuana Media – listen to the podcast here).
The king of “gotcha journalism” had been commissioned to produce a follow up to last year’s 2-part series on medicinal cannabis. Those two shows had a ground shifting effect on the public’s perception of medicinal cannabis patients and providers.
Where previously there had been some hesitation, this had changed to full support. People saw on mainstream television the way prohibition had denied safe and affordable access to patients struggling with debilitating and painful conditions. They saw how medicinal cannabis helped them. They saw they sky did not fall, and they were reassured.
So we had high hopes for this week’s referendum-themed follow up. It was certainly filled with cannabis eye-candy. There were lots of scenes of consumption and flowering plants, from illegal grows hidden in cupboards and basements to high-tech licensed grows for medicinal production.
If anything, the show proved cannabis use is widespread and entrenched in New Zealand. It isn’t going away.
Hopefully the primetime mainstream media slot for the show provoked some good discussions among the families watching it. Hopefully they learned something. Hopefully they’re now a bit less likely to accept the lies and fear served up by the Nopers.
Because the truth about cannabis, if people knew it, would literally set them free.
–
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--2020-09-30--Conversation In An American Bar

Conversation In An American Bar

“ JESUS WEPT !
Turn it off , Jerry , I ’ ve seen enough !
” “ Don ’ t you touch that remote , barman !
Me and my friends are enjoying watching the President beat the living crap out of Sleepy Joe Biden , senile old bastard.
” Jerry sizes-up the huge man in front of him .
The bulging biceps , the impressive amount of ink , the MAGA cap on his head , and nods .
“ Sorry , Carl ” , he says , moving down the bar and pouring his old friend a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ No , no , it ’ s alright , Jerry .
I shouldn ’ t have asked you to deny your patrons their gladiatorial sport.
” “ Gladiatorial ?
Doesn ’ t that imply two evenly matched fighters ?
Not much evidence of equality in this contest .
More like a face-off between a Christian and a lion.
” “ What does it say about this country , Jerry , that this is the choice we ’ ve been given ?
Between a septuagenarian grifter and a septuagenarian dotard .
Three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best candidates we can come up with for President of these United States are Donald Trump and Joe Biden !
” “ What it says , Carl , is that the people of this country are hoping that a Democrat Dad or a Republican Pop will sort everything out .
Not themselves , they don ’ t really trust themselves .
And certainly not their kids .
The younger generation are a complete mystery to them .
They ’ re reaching back to those times in their lives when they turned to Mom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first marriage crashed and burned .
When their second business failed .
When their eldest daughter got pregnant to that drug dealer .
When the factory closed and they lost their job .
Those moments when they were at a loss .
When they were scared .
When they needed help.
” Carl throws back his beer and brings the glass down on the bar with a crack .
A great cheer goes up from the MAGA men .
Carl looks up at the big screen and turns away quickly from the bewildered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Poor old bastard really is getting a shellacking – as Obama used to say .
And all those guys in the caps : why in God ’ s name are they cheering-on a New York billionaire who pays $ 750 a year in taxes ?
Jeez , that ’ s less than half what those guys pay the IRS .
Dammit !
They ’ re all working stiffs , just like you and me .
Why can ’ t they see that Trump is not their friend ?
” “ Oh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that ain ’ t true .
He ’ s been a better friend to them than Hilary Clinton would ever have been .
He gets them , Carl .
He knows them .
They ’ re the guys he used to josh around with on his daddy ’ s building sites when he was a teenager .
Remember Nixon ’ s Hard Hats from the 1970s ?
The guys who beat the living shit out of those anti-war hippies outside the New York Stock Exchange .
Trump ’ s always known that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full of liberals.
” “ Oh , don ’ t , Jerry .
Don ’ t say that – not when it ’ s true.
” “ And I ’ ll tell you something else .
At some place , deep , deep down , they get him , too .
They know that only Fat Cats can get Fat Cats .
Guys like them , working stiffs , as you call them , they worked out long ago exactly how much power they don ’ t have .
The guys who worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all run by the Mob .
Look the wrong way at those wise-guys – let alone stand against one of them for the presidency of the union – and likely as not you ’ d end up in the foundations of one of old man Trump ’ s tenement buildings.
” “ Yeah , well , it wasn ’ t always like that , was it ?
” “ Wasn ’ t it ?
What was Franklin Delano Roosevelt , if not a Fat Cat from upstate New York ?
What else was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the guy went to Choate and Harvard !
You know what his daddy told him , Carl ?
As he was preparing to send his little boy to the White House ?
He said , ‘ Son , to become President of the United States you only need three things .
The first is , money .
The second is , money .
And the third is , money.
’ And , guess what , Joe Kennedy had plenty of all three !
” “ Yeah , well , Clinton wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neither was Obama.
” “ And didn ’ t it show , Carl ?
Didn ’ t it show !
They couldn ’ t do enough for the big boys on Wall Street .
Look at Obama , when he summoned the big bankers to the White House .
Man , they were quaking in their boots .
They thought Obama was going to go after them with an axe .
Did he ?
Like hell he did !
He told them not to worry .
He bailed out their banks .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Street ?
Fuck Main Street !
Ordinary folks – like those guys in the caps – they have never been too big to fail.
” “ Oh my God !
Did I just hear Trump tell the Proud Boys to ‘ stand back and stand by ’ ?
” “ Judging by the cheers and the fist-pumping , Carl , I think that ’ s exactly what you heard.
” “ Jesus Christ !
What they hell is it with this guy ?
Does he really want a civil war ?
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Of course he wants a civil war .
It ’ s what he ’ s wanted from the very beginning .
Not just because he ’ s broke .
Not just because he owes the IRS .
Not just because he ’ s likely to be indited on multiple charges if Biden beats him .
But because the United States is all played out .
He knows it .
Those guys in the MAGA caps know it .
Wall Street knows it .
The military know it .
About the only people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic National Committee and the mainstream news media.
” “ Jeez , Jerry , lighten-up will ya .
It ’ s not that bad.
” “ Actually , Carl , it is that bad .
This country ’ s tired , bone-tired , of pretending to be something it ’ s not .
It ’ s tired of trying to live up to Lincoln ’ s “ better angels ” .
Everybody knows that the stories America tells herself are the worst kind of lies .
We ’ re a vicious , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always will be .
How does Bob Dylan put it in his song , Blind Willy McTell ?
‘ Well , God is in his heaven , and we all want what ’ s his .
But , power and greed , and corruptible seed , seem to be all that there is.
’ ” “ Carl , I ’ m just getting started .
You know I love to read history.
” “ Oh yeah .
We all know about you and your history books , Jerry.
” “ Well , let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republic .
It was brought down by wealthy men .
Not aristocrats , mind you , but plutocrats .
And do you know how these Fat Cat Romans , brought it down ?
By siding with the plebs against the aristocrats .
By promising to look after them – and keeping their promise .
By pledging to expand the Empire – and making Rome great again .
By sharing with the plebs the wealth which the Senate and People of Rome plundered from the tribes and cities they conquered .
I tell you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to end exactly the same way .
It ’ s going to be brought down by an unholy alliance of the very rich and the very poor .
It ’ s going to be destroyed by an American Caesar.
” Carl ’ s response is drowned out by the guys at the end of the bar breaking into a chant :

“JESUS WEPT! Turn it off, Jerry, I’ve seen enough!”
“Don’t you touch that remote, barman! Me and my friends are enjoying watching the President beat the living crap out of Sleepy Joe Biden, senile old bastard.”
Jerry sizes-up the huge man in front of him. The bulging biceps, the impressive amount of ink, the MAGA cap on his head, and nods.
“Sorry, Carl”, he says, moving down the bar and pouring his old friend a free glass beer by way of apology.
“No, no, it’s alright, Jerry. I shouldn’t have asked you to deny your patrons their gladiatorial sport.”
“Gladiatorial? Doesn’t that imply two evenly matched fighters? Not much evidence of equality in this contest. More like a face-off between a Christian and a lion.”
“What does it say about this country, Jerry, that this is the choice we’ve been given? Between a septuagenarian grifter and a septuagenarian dotard. Three hundred and thirty million Americans and the best candidates we can come up with for President of these United States are Donald Trump and Joe Biden!”
“What it says, Carl, is that the people of this country are hoping that a Democrat Dad or a Republican Pop will sort everything out. Not themselves, they don’t really trust themselves. And certainly not their kids. The younger generation are a complete mystery to them. They’re reaching back to those times in their lives when they turned to Mom and Dad for help. When their first marriage crashed and burned. When their second business failed. When their eldest daughter got pregnant to that drug dealer. When the factory closed and they lost their job. Those moments when they were at a loss. When they were scared. When they needed help.”
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Carl throws back his beer and brings the glass down on the bar with a crack.
“Another?”
“Thanks, Jerry.”
A great cheer goes up from the MAGA men. Carl looks up at the big screen and turns away quickly from the bewildered expression on Sleepy Joe’s face.
“Poor old bastard really is getting a shellacking – as Obama used to say. And all those guys in the caps: why in God’s name are they cheering-on a New York billionaire who pays $750 a year in taxes? Jeez, that’s less than half what those guys pay the IRS. Dammit! They’re all working stiffs, just like you and me. Why can’t they see that Trump is not their friend?”
“Oh, come on, Carl, you know that ain’t true. He’s been a better friend to them than Hilary Clinton would ever have been. He gets them, Carl. He knows them. They’re the guys he used to josh around with on his daddy’s building sites when he was a teenager. Remember Nixon’s Hard Hats from the 1970s? The guys who beat the living shit out of those anti-war hippies outside the New York Stock Exchange. Trump’s always known that the American working-class ain’t exactly full of liberals.”
“Oh, don’t, Jerry. Don’t say that – not when it’s true.”
“And I’ll tell you something else. At some place, deep, deep down, they get him, too. They know that only Fat Cats can get Fat Cats. Guys like them, working stiffs, as you call them, they worked out long ago exactly how much power they don’t have. The guys who worked for Trump senior, their unions were all run by the Mob. Look the wrong way at those wise-guys – let alone stand against one of them for the presidency of the union – and likely as not you’d end up in the foundations of one of old man Trump’s tenement buildings.”
“Yeah, well, it wasn’t always like that, was it?”
“Wasn’t it? What was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, if not a Fat Cat from upstate New York? What else was Jack Kennedy? Jesus Christ, Carl, the guy went to Choate and Harvard! You know what his daddy told him, Carl? As he was preparing to send his little boy to the White House? He said, ‘Son, to become President of the United States you only need three things. The first is, money. The second is, money. And the third is, money.’ And, guess what, Joe Kennedy had plenty of all three!”
“Yeah, well, Clinton wasn’t from a rich family, and neither was Obama.”
“And didn’t it show, Carl? Didn’t it show! They couldn’t do enough for the big boys on Wall Street. Look at Obama, when he summoned the big bankers to the White House. Man, they were quaking in their boots. They thought Obama was going to go after them with an axe. Did he? Like hell he did! He told them not to worry. He bailed out their banks. He rescued Wall Street. What about Main Street? Fuck Main Street! Ordinary folks – like those guys in the caps – they have never been too big to fail.”
“Oh my God! Did I just hear Trump tell the Proud Boys to ‘stand back and stand by’?”
“Judging by the cheers and the fist-pumping, Carl, I think that’s exactly what you heard.”
“Jesus Christ! What they hell is it with this guy? Does he really want a civil war?”
“Isn’t it obvious, Carl? Of course he wants a civil war. It’s what he’s wanted from the very beginning. Not just because he’s broke. Not just because he owes the IRS. Not just because he’s likely to be indited on multiple charges if Biden beats him. But because the United States is all played out. He knows it. Those guys in the MAGA caps know it. Wall Street knows it. The military know it. About the only people who don’t know it are the Democratic National Committee and the mainstream news media.”
“Jeez, Jerry, lighten-up will ya. It’s not that bad.”
“Actually, Carl, it is that bad. This country’s tired, bone-tired, of pretending to be something it’s not. It’s tired of trying to live up to Lincoln’s “better angels”. Everybody knows that the stories America tells herself are the worst kind of lies. We’re a vicious, rapacious people: always have been, always will be. How does Bob Dylan put it in his song, Blind Willy McTell? ‘Well, God is in his heaven, and we all want what’s his. But, power and greed, and corruptible seed, seem to be all that there is.’”
“Man, you need a drink!”
“Carl, I’m just getting started. You know I love to read history.”
“Oh yeah. We all know about you and your history books, Jerry.”
“Well, let me tell you something about the Roman Republic. It was brought down by wealthy men. Not aristocrats, mind you, but plutocrats. And do you know how these Fat Cat Romans, brought it down? By siding with the plebs against the aristocrats. By promising to look after them – and keeping their promise. By pledging to expand the Empire – and making Rome great again. By sharing with the plebs the wealth which the Senate and People of Rome plundered from the tribes and cities they conquered. I tell you, Carl, the American republic is going to end exactly the same way. It’s going to be brought down by an unholy alliance of the very rich and the very poor. It’s going to be destroyed by an American Caesar.”
Carl’s response is drowned out by the guys at the end of the bar breaking into a chant:
“USA! USA! USA!”