thedailyblog--2020-03-29--Life in Lock Down: Day 4

Life in Lock Down: Day 4

March 29 : Usual wake up routine as RNZ snaps on my radio-clock .
Jim Mora ’ s voice slowly enters my conciousness ; there ’ s talk of a second wave of covid19 taking hold in South Korea ; the week in Parliament – not that there ’ s been much activity in the Debating Chamber ; the plight of New Zealanders stuck in Peru and having to pay extortionate prices for return air flights ( even if air flights *ARE* available ) … It is raining heavily outside .
My back yard will be a swamp fit for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will keep people inside .
Lurch out of bed… jug on… feed companion animal ( double check to make sure I give her cat food and not my coffee ) … prepare for Q+A on TVNZ .
Breakfast is figs and peanut butter on rye toast again ( which I love ) … Coffee ready… note pad… tablet… Jack Tame ’ s eternally youthful visage appears on screen .
He tells the nation there were eightythree new cases yesterday , taking the numbers up to 451 .
He wonders if this is going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … He presents his guests for the day… his first guest , Minister of Health David Clark .
Though nothing really new through the interview , Minister Clark did drive home the most basic point ; “ Ultimately it ’ s in our hands… I ’ ve heard reports of people playing touch rugby or going into business that are non-essential .
That can not continue .
We have zero tolerance for that kind of thing going on .
If people do those kinds of things we will need to stay in lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us .
So we ’ re asking every New Zealander to play their part .
… It ’ s about staying home , staying safe , and ultimately that will save lives.
” The problem of community workers without protective gear was raised .
These are essential support professionals who are often faced with numbers of clients – without any protection at all .
Jack ’ s next guest , Professor Shaun Hendy , an expert in modelling pandemic spread ; Jack opened describing a “ morbid alternative .
Researchers researchers at Auckland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures as many as eighty thousand New Zealanders could have died from Covid19 ” .
Professor Hendy expressed concern at potential growth of community transfers : locals inadvertently transferring the virus as they continued to ignore strict rules for personal “ bubbles .
He warned ; “ It could get very bad… the 80,000 figure that was the kind of the worst case scenario that we were looking at ; we ’ re not facing that now we ’ re taking these steps .
But we still have to be… still a possibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of deaths .
But , given the steps the government is taking , given the lockdown they ’ re taking , that ’ s reducing the possibility of that happening all the time .
By going into lockdown , us keeping to our bubbles , we ’ re protecing ourselves , by not having contact with other people who might be infected .
But also if we do get infected then we ’ re reducing the number of people we might go on to infect .
And that number… we want that number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So on average , right , every person is infecting less than one other person , and if we get that , then what we will see , we ’ ll actually contain and be able to eliminate the disease in New Zealand and that ’ s the number we ’ re looking for.
” He said that the number of possible deaths in New Zealand was “ still up in the air ” .
It depended on how New Zealanders observed the lock down .
Professor Hendy warned “ If not , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go on longer , and we still facing a scenario where we might have thousands of deaths.
” He also predicted restrictions to international travel until an effective vaccine had been developed .
Otherwise the country could be re-infected .
The next segment had reporter Whena Owen in various Wairarapa towns talking to people from rural and small town New Zealand .
Some interesting insights .
Eyebrows and alarms must have been raised when one gentleman – supposedly self-isolating in a campervan in one spot for the next three and a half weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the following day to speak to him ; Ms Owen ’ s report was followed by a crackly Skype interview with National Party Leader , Simon Bridges , now heading the Epidemic Response Committee .
The interview went fairly well and Mr Bridges gave a fair response to Jack Tame ’ s questioning of his disastrous speech in Parliament on 18 March .
But the Opposition Leader couldn ’ t help himself and took another swipe at the Coalition government ’ s increase to welfare payments .
Which is ironic when considering how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may well up up as WINZ “ clients ” .
Following on was an interview with Grant Webster , CEO of Tourism Holdings Ltd .
While confirming the massive damage wrought to tourism , Mr Webster suggested that post-lockdown , New Zealand might reinvent itself as a “ high end ” destination with “ lower end ” tourism “ falling away ” .
If true , it could prove a significant boon to our natural environment that has been severely impacted by large numbers of tourists .
DoC could finally spend it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservation , rather than building carparks and toilets .
Mr Webster predicted that 2020 and next next would both be “ tough ” .
He expressed the view that what would happen next would be “ covid19 related ” .
Perhaps the last interview was saved because of it ’ s chilling aspects .
Guardian US weekend editor , Martin Pengelly , gave a run-down of the covid19 crisis and chaos in the United States .
He described the situation as ; “ It ’ s very bad .
It ’ s very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or soon be over-whelmed .
US Navy medical ships , one ’ s in Los Angeles , one ’ s setting off for New York now .
Deadlock between state governments and Federal governments about resources , about ventilators , about the whole response .
… It got to this stage because of a number of factors , including the macro-factor of the US having no public health system .
There is access to public health , but no working system .
… New York , where I am , is [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst is coming.
” He called it a very confusing and bleak situation .
As the United States stands on the precipice of catastrophe , Trump is stroking his own ego , denying assistance to states that are governed by Democrat leaders ; Biden is struggling to remain relevant ; and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is being whispered about as the secret candidate to stand against the incumbent President .
On Youtube , The Young Turks ran a piece showing how Biden is not coping with what little media media attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mention is made of Governor Cuomo .
My txt-msg sent to Q+A was read out at the conclusion of the programme ; “ Shaun Hendy ’ spoint is simple : ongoing transmission depends on us .
Not govt .
Not foreigners .
Not even the virus .
It ’ s US.Thesooner people get their heads around this , the better outcome we have.
” – @ fmacskasy – 9:22 AM · Mar 29 , 2020 Writing and formatting this blogpost took up most of my late morning , early afternoon .
Managed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 2PM ; melted cheesy on rye bread with chopped onion , paprika , and basil .
And coffee .
Fed cat again .
( Cat got water , not coffee . )
By mid-afternoon , the weather has cleared up .
The sun is out .
This is not good .
This afternoon , I discovered that things have taken a turn-for-the-worst .
As I replied to a poster on The Daily Blog ; “ As at 1pm today the first person in Aotearoa New Zealand has died from covid19 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I don ’ t mind confessing that it is a frightening prospect to go to work tomorrow .
But I ’ m one of the “ lucky bastards ” who works in an essential service .
Lucky me .
If I catch the virus , my diabetes and age group ( to put it delicately I ’ m no longer in my 20s… ) will be two strikes against me .
I think the medical term is “ I ’ m f****d ” .
But I wouldn ’ t have it any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this explains my low tolerance threshold for those individuals who think this is a holiday and life is normal .
On a more mundane note , I had a txt-msg chat with a mate ; the 78th World Science Fiction Convention – aka CoNZealand – scheduled to take place 29 July to 2 August this year in Wellington has been effectively cancelled .
The irony should not escape us ; one of the most well-used plot-devices in science fiction literature and film ( remember the old 1970s television series , “ The Survivors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global annual sf fan gathering out of the water with a viral version of a photon torpedo .
5.45PM : Dinner is two egg sandwiches on rye .
Not much of an appetite , might try to eat something later .
Cat is happy though .
Watched TV1 news at 6PM , carrying the story of Aotearoa ’ s first covid19 fatality .
Will this drive home to New Zealanders just how f*****g serious this is ?
!
Short answer ?
Probably not .
I ’ m familiar with the New Zealand psyche @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Authority ; accompanied by a toxic bloated sense of entitlement which so many people seem afflicted with .
We ’ ve devoted an entire pop-culture to anti-establishment sentiments , with Goodbye Pork Pie probably our best effort .
For a small minority , requiring people to stay home is a challenge to do the polar opposite .
It will take more people to die before it slowly dawns on that tiny minority that , yes , This Is A Thing .
Might watch some Seth Meyers or Star Trek Continues later on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capt James Kirk bears a striking resemblance to William Shatner The Younger . )
Looking forward to relaxing and laughing to some of Seth Meyers ’ ascerbic satire and some nostalgia sf… 9.30PM : Hot mug of sugar free drinking chocolate and my cat on my lap , settled in to watch Miriama Kamo present her ‘ Sunday ’ programme .
The backgrounder on where viruses like H1N1 , SARS , and now covid19 spring from is a testament to humanity ’ s abuse of our surrounding natural environment .
It may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as if Nature is mightily pissed of at us and is giving the human race a swift kick up the pants .
Afterward , I sat back down at the computer to refresh my memory how long ago Aotearoa New Zealand experienced its first covid19 case .
Only a month and one day later , our country has 514 ( known ) cases .
I ’ m no mathematician – anything past the multiplication table escapes me – but even I recognise the steep rising curve in numbers .
At that rate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boldest call since we joined Great Britain in declaring war on Nazi Germany , the numbers would be in the tens of thousands by the end of the year .
The experts at Auckland University , as covered this morning in Q+A , knew pretty much what they were talking about .
It is half past ten at night as I put the finishing touches to todays entry to Life in Lockdown .
Work tomorrow .
I have latex gloves in my satchel – and nothing else .
A full hazmat suit would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in colours ?
Perhaps something ‘ Star Trekky ’ ?
( But not in red .
Trek fans know what I ’ m talking about . )
I should be so lucky .
And finally , let ’ s remember to all do our bit .
It ’ s not quantum mechanics , people .
You have a better chance at survival if you follow the protocols ; TVNZ Q+A : Minister of Health says there is enough protective equipment for health workers TVNZ Q+A : People should prepare themselves for the possibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Q+A looks at how one small town coped with shutting down life as we know it TVNZ Q+A : The shutdown could provide a reset for the tourism industry – Tourism Holdings CEO TVNZ : Q+A : Very confused , very bleak – New York journalist on the COVID-19 crisis in America Youtube : The Young Turks – Joe Biden GIVES UP Mid Interview NewstalkZB : ‘ A very sad day ’ – NZ has its first coronavirus death The Warehouse – where everyone gets a virus This blogpost will be re-published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s comments may be left here ( The Daily Blog ) or there ( Frankly Speaking ) .

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Lock Down: Day 4 – A photo essay with observations
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March 29: Usual wake up routine as RNZ snaps on my radio-clock. Jim Mora’s voice slowly enters my conciousness; there’s talk of a second wave of covid19 taking hold in South Korea; the week in Parliament – not that there’s been much activity in the Debating Chamber; the plight of New Zealanders stuck in Peru and having to pay extortionate prices for return air flights (even if air flights *ARE* available)…
It is raining heavily outside. My back yard will be a swamp fit for pukekos. I am relieved; this will keep people inside.
Lurch out of bed… jug on… feed companion animal (double check to make sure I give her cat food and not my coffee)… prepare for Q+A on TVNZ. Breakfast is figs and peanut butter on rye toast again (which I love)… Coffee ready… note pad… tablet…
Jack Tame’s eternally youthful visage appears on screen. He tells the nation there were eightythree new cases yesterday, taking the numbers up to 451. He wonders if this is going to be the “new normal”…
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
He presents his guests for the day… his first guest, Minister of Health David Clark.
.
.
Though nothing really new through the interview, Minister Clark did drive home the most basic point;
“Ultimately it’s in our hands… I’ve heard reports of people playing touch rugby or going into business that are non-essential. That cannot continue. We have zero tolerance for that kind of thing going on. If people do those kinds of things we will need to stay in lockdown longer because that behaviour affects all of us. So we’re asking every New Zealander to play their part.
… It’s about staying home, staying safe, and ultimately that will save lives.”
The problem of community workers without protective gear was raised. These are essential support professionals who are often faced with numbers of clients – without any protection at all.
Jack’s next guest, Professor Shaun Hendy, an expert in modelling pandemic spread;
.
.
Jack opened describing a “morbid alternative. Researchers researchers at Auckland University say that without intervention or preventative measures as many as eighty thousand New Zealanders could have died from Covid19”.
Professor Hendy expressed concern at potential growth of community transfers: locals inadvertently transferring the virus as they continued to ignore strict rules for personal “bubbles. He warned;
“It could get very bad… the 80,000 figure that was the kind of the worst case scenario that we were looking at; we’re not facing that now we’re taking these steps. But we still have to be… still a possibility that we could have tens of thousands of deaths.
But, given the steps the government is taking, given the lockdown they’re taking, that’s reducing the possibility of that happening all the time.
By going into lockdown, us keeping to our bubbles, we’re protecing ourselves, by not having contact with other people who might be infected. But also if we do get infected then we’re reducing the number of people we might go on to infect.
And that number… we want that number to get below ‘1’. So on average, right, every person is infecting less than one other person, and if we get that, then what we will see, we’ll actually contain and be able to eliminate the disease in New Zealand and that’s the number we’re looking for.”
He said that the number of possible deaths in New Zealand was “still up in the air”. It depended on how New Zealanders observed the lock down.
Professor Hendy warned “If not, these lock down measures would have to go on longer, and we still facing a scenario where we might have thousands of deaths.”
He also predicted restrictions to international travel until an effective vaccine had been developed. Otherwise the country could be re-infected.
The next segment had reporter Whena Owen in various Wairarapa towns talking to people from rural and small town New Zealand. Some interesting insights. Eyebrows and alarms must have been raised when one gentleman – supposedly self-isolating in a campervan in one spot for the next three and a half weeks – was gone when Ms Owen returned the following day to speak to him;
.
.
Ms Owen’s report was followed by a crackly Skype interview with National Party Leader, Simon Bridges, now heading the Epidemic Response Committee.
The interview went fairly well and Mr Bridges gave a fair response to Jack Tame’s questioning of his disastrous speech in Parliament on 18 March. But the Opposition Leader couldn’t help himself and took another swipe at the Coalition government’s increase to welfare payments. Which is ironic when considering how many of Mr Bridges’ voting base may well up up as WINZ “clients”.
Following on was an interview with Grant Webster, CEO of Tourism Holdings Ltd. While confirming the massive damage wrought to tourism, Mr Webster suggested that post-lockdown, New Zealand might reinvent itself as a “high end” destination with “lower end” tourism “falling away”.
If true, it could prove a significant boon to our natural environment that has been severely impacted by large numbers of tourists. DoC could finally spend it’s budget on its core purpose: conservation, rather than building carparks and toilets.
Mr Webster predicted that 2020 and next next would both be “tough”. He expressed the view that what would happen next would be “covid19 related”.
Perhaps the last interview was saved because of it’s chilling aspects. Guardian US weekend editor, Martin Pengelly, gave a run-down of the covid19 crisis and chaos in the United States.
.
.
He described the situation as;
“It’s very bad. It’s very very bad indeed.
Hospital system over-whelmed, or soon be over-whelmed. US Navy medical ships, one’s in Los Angeles, one’s setting off for New York now. Deadlock between state governments and Federal governments about resources, about ventilators, about the whole response.
… It got to this stage because of a number of factors, including the macro-factor of the US having no public health system. There is access to public health, but no working system.
… New York, where I am, is [an] alarming hot-spot [and] the worst is coming.”
He called it a very confusing and bleak situation.
As the United States stands on the precipice of catastrophe, Trump is stroking his own ego, denying assistance to states that are governed by Democrat leaders; Biden is struggling to remain relevant; and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is being whispered about as the secret candidate to stand against the incumbent President.
On Youtube, The Young Turks ran a piece showing how Biden is not coping with what little media media attention he has been getting. Again, mention is made of Governor Cuomo.
My txt-msg sent to Q+A was read out at the conclusion of the programme;
“Shaun Hendy’spoint is simple: ongoing transmission depends on us. Not govt. Not foreigners. Not even the virus. It’s US.Thesooner people get their heads around this, the better outcome we have.” – @fmacskasy – 9:22 AM · Mar 29, 2020
Writing and formatting this blogpost took up most of my late morning, early afternoon. Managed to stop for a bit of late lunch at 2PM; melted cheesy on rye bread with chopped onion, paprika, and basil. And coffee. Fed cat again. (Cat got water, not coffee.)
By mid-afternoon, the weather has cleared up. The sun is out. This is not good.
This afternoon, I discovered that things have taken a turn-for-the-worst. As I replied to a poster on The Daily Blog;
“As at 1pm today the first person in Aotearoa New Zealand has died from covid19. The numbers of infections has risen to 514.
.
.
I don’t mind confessing that it is a frightening prospect to go to work tomorrow. But I’m one of the “lucky bastards” who works in an essential service. Lucky me.
If I catch the virus, my diabetes and age group (to put it delicately I’m no longer in my 20s…) will be two strikes against me. I think the medical term is “I’m f****d”.
But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
(PS: In the event of my demise my Will is in my Filing Cabinet; someone feed my cat; and please clear my Browser History. )
Anyways, I think this explains my low tolerance threshold for those individuals who think this is a holiday and life is normal.
We lost “normal” last week.”
On a more mundane note, I had a txt-msg chat with a mate; the 78th World Science Fiction Convention – aka CoNZealand – scheduled to take place 29 July to 2 August this year in Wellington has been effectively cancelled. The irony should not escape us; one of the most well-used plot-devices in science fiction literature and film (remember the old 1970s television series, “The Survivors“?) – has blown a global annual sf fan gathering out of the water with a viral version of a photon torpedo.
5.45PM: Dinner is two egg sandwiches on rye. Not much of an appetite, might try to eat something later. Cat is happy though.
Watched TV1 news at 6PM, carrying the story of Aotearoa’s first covid19 fatality. Will this drive home to New Zealanders just how f*****g serious this is?! Short answer? Probably not.
I’m familiar with the New Zealand psyche of hyper-individualism; giving the two-fingered salute to Authority; accompanied by a toxic bloated sense of entitlement which so many people seem afflicted with. We’ve devoted an entire pop-culture to anti-establishment sentiments, with Goodbye Pork Pie probably our best effort. For a small minority, requiring people to stay home is a challenge to do the polar opposite.
It will take more people to die before it slowly dawns on that tiny minority that, yes, This Is A Thing.
Might watch some Seth Meyers or Star Trek Continues later on Youtube. (The actor who portrays Capt James Kirk bears a striking resemblance to William Shatner The Younger.) Looking forward to relaxing and laughing to some of Seth Meyers’ ascerbic satire and some nostalgia sf…
9.30PM: Hot mug of sugar free drinking chocolate and my cat on my lap, settled in to watch Miriama Kamo present her ‘Sunday’ programme. The backgrounder on where viruses like H1N1, SARS, and now covid19 spring from is a testament to humanity’s abuse of our surrounding natural environment.
It may be anthropomorphising it, but it certainly feels as if Nature is mightily pissed of at us and is giving the human race a swift kick up the pants.
Afterward, I sat back down at the computer to refresh my memory how long ago Aotearoa New Zealand experienced its first covid19 case.
It was 28 February.
.
.
Only a month and one day later, our country has 514 (known) cases.
I’m no mathematician – anything past the multiplication table escapes me – but even I recognise the steep rising curve in numbers. At that rate, had our PM not made perhaps the boldest call since we joined Great Britain in declaring war on Nazi Germany, the numbers would be in the tens of thousands by the end of the year. The experts at Auckland University, as covered this morning in Q+A, knew pretty much what they were talking about.
It is half past ten at night as I put the finishing touches to todays entry to Life in Lockdown.
Work tomorrow. I have latex gloves in my satchel – and nothing else. A full hazmat suit would be nice. Is there a choice in colours? Perhaps something ‘Star Trekky’? (But not in red. Trek fans know what I’m talking about.)
I should be so lucky.
And finally, let’s remember to all do our bit. It’s not quantum mechanics, people.
You have a better chance at survival if you follow the protocols;
.
.
And, in Frank Speak;
Stay the F**K home!!
.
.
.
References
TVNZ Q+A: Minister of Health says there is enough protective equipment for health workers
TVNZ Q+A: People should prepare themselves for the possibility of a longer lockdown – Scientist
TVNZ: Q+A looks at how one small town coped with shutting down life as we know it
RNZ: Coronavirus – Simon Bridges criticised for ‘politics-as-usual’ pot shots amid covid-19 crisis
TVNZ Q+A: The shutdown could provide a reset for the tourism industry – Tourism Holdings CEO
TVNZ: Q+A: Very confused, very bleak – New York journalist on the COVID-19 crisis in America
Youtube: The Young Turks – Joe Biden GIVES UP Mid Interview
NewstalkZB: ‘A very sad day’ – NZ has its first coronavirus death
CoNZealand
Wikipedia: The Survivors (1975)
NZ Herald: The life of Pie
RNZ: New Zealand confirms case of Covid-19 coronavirus
Previous related blogposts
The Warehouse – where everyone gets a virus
Life in Lock Down: Day 1
Life in Lock Down: Day 2
Life in Lock Down: Day 3
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This blogpost will be re-published on “Frankly Speaking“. Reader’s comments may be left here (The Daily Blog) or there (Frankly Speaking).
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= fs =


thedailyblog--2020-03-29--A capitalist crisis needs a socialist solution

The crisis engulfing the globe seems to be on a trajectory towards levels of economic decline not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
At that time unemployment surged to levels of 20 or more percent in the capitalist world , including New Zealand .
That crisis involved a massive share market plunge , financial companies and banks collapsing , with production and trade contracting .
Often the crisis was aggravated in different countries by governments accentuating the downturn through cutting spending to “ balance the books ” .
Capitalism has a business cycle of around every ten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer cycles and super crises every half-century or so that also may have an underlying cause .
This results in a much deeper recession or depression as was seen in the 1890s , 1930s and 1980s .
Economic data from the end of last year was showing a downturn was already taking place .
The current recession is actually well-overdue with the cycle being somewhat prolonged in part because it had been so weak compared to normal recoveries despite the severity of the 2008-9 downturn .
Normally upswings match the downturns , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stanley estimates the US economy will contract 30 percent on an annualised basis between April and June this year , after contracting 2.4 percent January to March .
An unemployment rate of over 12 percent is expected in the second quarter also – the highest since records began in 1948 .
Unemployment benefit claims surged to over 3 million a week last week .
France ’ s finance minister said the crisis was “ comparable only to the great recession of 1929 ” and noted that French industry was operating at only 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ German economic minister said that the crisis is testing “ the functionality of the market economy ” and that “ whole markets are completely breaking down ” .
The Financial Times estimates China ’ s economy has declined by 30 % .
So-called emerging markets are already in crisis .
New loans have been cancelled .
Loans are being called up .
Some currencies are down 20 % and since most debt is in US dollars this will soon make these countries insolvent and simply unable to pay .
Interest rates will increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact .
Argentina had already declared it couldn ’ t repay its debts in early February .
Others will follow .
The rulebook of “ responsible ” capitalist economic policy is being thrown out the door to save capitalism from its own destructive forces .
Money is being printed by central banks to throw at the problem , including $ 30 billion in New Zealand .
In theory this is actually unlawful for the European Central Bank to do as it is considered a precursor to inflation being unleashed .
Central Banks are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the private sector to try and ensure credit keeps flowing .
Government spending more than it gets in income , deficit spending , is now the rule .
And the numbers are big , often about 10 percent of GDP equivalent .
Combined the USA , the ECB , Japan , Germany , France , Italy , Spain , UK , Canada and Australia have announced $ 2.2tn in central bank measures and $ 4.3tn in central government measures .
This is the equivalent of 17 percent of the combined GDP of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GDP .
The Chinese central government has announced $ 587bn worth of measures , which is around 5 percent of its GDP .
What the government is actually doing is buying up as much distressed debt obligations from the private sector as they can to prevent a broader collapse .
So we have socialism for the rich .
All the losses of the private sector , all their reckless speculation and debt creation will be put on the government ’ s books to be absorbed by the state .
This is spelt out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the European Central Bank in the March 26 Financial Times : It is already clear that the answer must involve a significant increase in public debt .
The loss of income incurred by the private sector — and any debt raised to fill the gap — must eventually be absorbed , wholly or in part , on to government balance sheets .
Much higher public debt levels will become a permanent feature of our economies and will be accompanied by private debt cancellation .
While different European countries have varying financial and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reach immediately into every crack of the economy is to fully mobilise their entire financial systems : bond markets , mostly for large corporates , banking systems and in some countries even the postal system for everybody else .
And it has to be done immediately , avoiding bureaucratic delays .
Banks in particular extend across the entire economy and can create money instantly by allowing overdrafts or opening credit facilities .
When giving money to the top 1 % it must be done “ immediately ” , “ avoiding bureaucratic delays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including thankfully in New Zealand for now , workers , self-employed , unemployed , small business people are largely being left to their own devices .
But no government is insisting that the workers and the state get a hand in running these companies in a socially responsible way , protecting workers and the planet , after the crisis passes to ensure we don ’ t repeat the same old shit a decade from now .
Capitalism went through long depressions in the 1890s , 1930s , and a deep recession in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems to have been avoided since then by essentially allowing for a doubling of all forms of debt .
The period from the end of World war 2 in 1945 to 1975 was a period of very strong growth in capitalism because the world had been through the deep depression of the 1930s as well as experiencing the suppressed demand for consumer goods outside essentials during the war economy from 1939-1945 .
Capitalist ideologues thought they had suppressed the business cycle by adopting policies associated with the theories of British economist John Maynard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spending to counter a recession .
US President Richard Nixon famously declared “ We are all Keynesians now ” in 1971 .
However , the costs of maintaining a world empire with wars in Korea and Vietnam meant that deficit spending became endemic and ultimately lead to a breaking of paper currencies being linked to a real value in gold and unleashing inflation of 15 to 20 percent across the capitalist world .
A collapse of the US dollar was threatened .
The only way to protect the dollar and crush inflation was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever level was needed to “ restore confidence ” in the US dollar .
US Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volker was given that job and pushed the official cash rate to 20 % to achieve that .
All other interest rates soon followed and a deep recession ensued .
Financialisation followed as industrial companies made more money from lending than making things .
GE Money was more important than General Electric .
Manufacturing fled to cheaper countries like China , which now produces 30 % of world manufacturing .
It took decades for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels .
This helped account for the very moderate nature of the business cycles during the decades after the 1980s .
Business investment and therefore growth is constrained by the higher interest rates in the advanced capitalist world and encouraged investment shifting to China and other places where labour was cheaper .
Cutthroat capitalist competition also produced massive industrial specialisation and just-in-time supply lines .
These have been massively disrupted by the pandemic and the necessary health and economic responses which has exposed vulnerabilities for both sectors as a consequence that needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recover .
The limits of Keynesianism was exposed in the 1970s and will be exposed again as we grapple with the current crisis .
Policies like quantitative easing were not particularly inflationary after 2008 except for asset price bubbles , because nearly all of the newly printed money was handed directly to the big banks and the rest of the 1 % who control the various bond markets .
In a financial crisis , the money was hoarded or used to settle debts rather than put into broader circulation .
The money that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the same purposes but is also being paid directly to working people who will use it as a means of circulation .
As a general rule , the doubling of the supply of money as a means of circulation – i.e .
paper dollars or their electronic equivalent – will double prices .
That is a law of economic life the Keynes and his followers tried to ignore .
Price inflation will destabilise currencies , drive up interest rates , and threaten hyper-inflation like was threatened in the US in the 1970s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Venezuela today .
The crisis that is coming needs a socialist solution for working people .
The financial sector and all major monopolies need to be in public hands .
We can then democratically and collectively decide what we need to produce and how we produce it in a way that cares for the workers , consumers , and the planet for generations to come .
That system has a name .
It is called socialism .
And rather than being outdated , it is a name and a system whose time @ @ @

The crisis engulfing the globe seems to be on a trajectory towards levels of economic decline not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s. At that time unemployment surged to levels of 20 or more percent in the capitalist world, including New Zealand.
That crisis involved a massive share market plunge, financial companies and banks collapsing, with production and trade contracting. Often the crisis was aggravated in different countries by governments accentuating the downturn through cutting spending to “balance the books”.
Capitalism has a business cycle of around every ten years. There also seem to be longer cycles and super crises every half-century or so that also may have an underlying cause. This results in a much deeper recession or depression as was seen in the 1890s, 1930s and 1980s.
Economic data from the end of last year was showing a downturn was already taking place. The current recession is actually well-overdue with the cycle being somewhat prolonged in part because it had been so weak compared to normal recoveries despite the severity of the 2008-9 downturn. Normally upswings match the downturns, but not this time.
Economic analysts Morgan Stanley estimates the US economy will contract 30 percent on an annualised basis between April and June this year, after contracting 2.4 percent January to March. An unemployment rate of over 12 percent is expected in the second quarter also – the highest since records began in 1948. Unemployment benefit claims surged to over 3 million a week last week.
France’s finance minister said the crisis was “comparable only to the great recession of 1929” and noted that French industry was operating at only 25 percent of its normal level. The German economic minister said that the crisis is testing “the functionality of the market economy” and that “whole markets are completely breaking down”. The Financial Times estimates China’s economy has declined by 30%.
So-called emerging markets are already in crisis. New loans have been cancelled. Loans are being called up. Some currencies are down 20% and since most debt is in US dollars this will soon make these countries insolvent and simply unable to pay. Interest rates will increase as a consequence, intensifying the recessionary impact. Argentina had already declared it couldn’t repay its debts in early February. Others will follow.
The rulebook of “responsible” capitalist economic policy is being thrown out the door to save capitalism from its own destructive forces.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
Money is being printed by central banks to throw at the problem, including $30 billion in New Zealand. In theory this is actually unlawful for the European Central Bank to do as it is considered a precursor to inflation being unleashed. Central Banks are also guaranteeing loans from commercial banks to the private sector to try and ensure credit keeps flowing.
Government spending more than it gets in income, deficit spending, is now the rule. And the numbers are big, often about 10 percent of GDP equivalent.
Combined the USA, the ECB, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Canada and Australia have announced $2.2tn in central bank measures and $4.3tn in central government measures. This is the equivalent of 17 percent of the combined GDP of these countries, or 7.3 percent of world GDP. The Chinese central government has announced $587bn worth of measures, which is around 5 percent of its GDP.
What the government is actually doing is buying up as much distressed debt obligations from the private sector as they can to prevent a broader collapse.
So we have socialism for the rich. All the losses of the private sector, all their reckless speculation and debt creation will be put on the government’s books to be absorbed by the state.
This is spelt out by Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank in the March 26 Financial Times:
It is already clear that the answer must involve a significant increase in public debt. The loss of income incurred by the private sector — and any debt raised to fill the gap — must eventually be absorbed, wholly or in part, on to government balance sheets. Much higher public debt levels will become a permanent feature of our economies and will be accompanied by private debt cancellation.
While different European countries have varying financial and industrial structures, the only effective way to reach immediately into every crack of the economy is to fully mobilise their entire financial systems: bond markets, mostly for large corporates, banking systems and in some countries even the postal system for everybody else. And it has to be done immediately, avoiding bureaucratic delays. Banks in particular extend across the entire economy and can create money instantly by allowing overdrafts or opening credit facilities.
When giving money to the top 1% it must be done “immediately”, “avoiding bureaucratic delays”. With a few notable exceptions, including thankfully in New Zealand for now, workers, self-employed, unemployed, small business people are largely being left to their own devices.
But no government is insisting that the workers and the state get a hand in running these companies in a socially responsible way, protecting workers and the planet, after the crisis passes to ensure we don’t repeat the same old shit a decade from now.
Capitalism went through long depressions in the 1890s, 1930s, and a deep recession in the 1980s.
A new Great Depression seems to have been avoided since then by essentially allowing for a doubling of all forms of debt.
The period from the end of World war 2 in 1945 to 1975 was a period of very strong growth in capitalism because the world had been through the deep depression of the 1930s as well as experiencing the suppressed demand for consumer goods outside essentials during the war economy from 1939-1945.
Capitalist ideologues thought they had suppressed the business cycle by adopting policies associated with the theories of British economist John Maynard Keynes. This involved the government deficit spending to counter a recession. US President Richard Nixon famously declared “We are all Keynesians now” in 1971.
However, the costs of maintaining a world empire with wars in Korea and Vietnam meant that deficit spending became endemic and ultimately lead to a breaking of paper currencies being linked to a real value in gold and unleashing inflation of 15 to 20 percent across the capitalist world. A collapse of the US dollar was threatened. The only way to protect the dollar and crush inflation was to drive up the interest rates to whatever level was needed to “restore confidence” in the US dollar. US Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volker was given that job and pushed the official cash rate to 20% to achieve that. All other interest rates soon followed and a deep recession ensued.
Financialisation followed as industrial companies made more money from lending than making things. GE Money was more important than General Electric. Manufacturing fled to cheaper countries like China, which now produces 30% of world manufacturing. It took decades for interest rates to return to more normal levels. This helped account for the very moderate nature of the business cycles during the decades after the 1980s. Business investment and therefore growth is constrained by the higher interest rates in the advanced capitalist world and encouraged investment shifting to China and other places where labour was cheaper.
Cutthroat capitalist competition also produced massive industrial specialisation and just-in-time supply lines. These have been massively disrupted by the pandemic and the necessary health and economic responses which has exposed vulnerabilities for both sectors as a consequence that needs to be addressed if we are ever to recover.
The limits of Keynesianism was exposed in the 1970s and will be exposed again as we grapple with the current crisis.
Policies like quantitative easing were not particularly inflationary after 2008 except for asset price bubbles, because nearly all of the newly printed money was handed directly to the big banks and the rest of the 1% who control the various bond markets. In a financial crisis, the money was hoarded or used to settle debts rather than put into broader circulation. The money that is being created today will be used for the same purposes but is also being paid directly to working people who will use it as a means of circulation. As a general rule, the doubling of the supply of money as a means of circulation – i.e. paper dollars or their electronic equivalent – will double prices. That is a law of economic life the Keynes and his followers tried to ignore.
Price inflation will destabilise currencies, drive up interest rates, and threaten hyper-inflation like was threatened in the US in the 1970s and happened in Germany in the 1930s and Venezuela today.
The crisis that is coming needs a socialist solution for working people. The financial sector and all major monopolies need to be in public hands. We can then democratically and collectively decide what we need to produce and how we produce it in a way that cares for the workers, consumers, and the planet for generations to come.
That system has a name. It is called socialism. And rather than being outdated, it is a name and a system whose time has come.


thedailyblog--2020-03-29--LETTER TO THE KIDS

LETTER TO THE KIDS

Hi Guys – good to get your texts and the odd phone call – hope you ’ re all adapting to this unusual time .
Well , since I ’ m probably home most of the time , it ’ s not really that unusual for me , but it is hard for Mum because she loves to get out and about with her mates – and away from me .
Like the polio virus that swept the world when Mum and I were kids , this epidemic is a bad one and not to be taken lightly .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to be with us for the long term , an annual visitor like regular flu , for which we ’ ll get a jab .
Or it might be dealt with in the same way as MMR .
The trick now is to flatten the curve of Covid19 infection as it emerges in the community , like that creature in that scene from Alien , to give us time to get fully prepared to deal with its big-time onslaught later , which will come !
A plasma product , developed from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus , is being developed and may not be too far away , but a proven vaccine is likely to take longer , because of the time it takes to prove it ’ s proven .
Because Covid19 has such a long gestation period in someone infected , before symptoms start showing , the virus had time to get established here some weeks before we realized it .
And because the damn thing is so infectious , requiring us to trace all those who have been in touch with the infected person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well , so we have to have this lockdown , to slow the spread to give us time to catch up .
Things are going to get worse before they get better , but don ’ t let that overwhelm you and don ’ t become frightened to live your lives .
Practice all the keep safe protocols , keep things in perspective and you ’ ll be OK. And while you ’ re keeping yourselves safe , don ’ t forget the grocery workers , corner dairy and vege shop operators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meat processors , delivery truck drivers , food manufacturers , nurses , doctors , cops and essential services personnel and even the odd politician , who are all still working , to make us being safe , possible .
We ’ re experiencing the same fears the gay community did when Aids loomed as such a terrible threat to them , and as Ebola did to all those living in Africa .
Sadly back then many of us weren ’ t as concerned as we should have been , because we didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now we are .
The statistics of this virus suggest that , excepting for those over 60 , the mortality rate is actually quite low , but it ’ s the lag time between infection and detection , that ’ s the problem .
That ’ s when the virus is so easily passed on , and when , without this lockdown , it could so easily be passed to everyone in the community and probably wipe out most of us oldies , and a few of you lot too And while we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , give some thought to what we can learn from it , particularly how cooperation and caring for each other , not greed and meanness , is going to get us through , and how we might try and keep those principles alive when later we come to rebuild our lives , businesses , communities and our country , when coronavirus is conquered But for now – if you want to keep your baby sitters , grandkid minders , your sources of tried and true recipes , baby care and child-rearing advice , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garden veges and a reliable fishing trip buddy , with a boat , and who knows where the big ones are , stay away from us .

Hi Guys – good to get your texts and the odd phone call – hope you’re all adapting to this unusual time. Well, since I’m probably home most of the time, it’s not really that unusual for me, but it is hard for Mum because she loves to get out and about with her mates – and away from me.
Like the polio virus that swept the world when Mum and I were kids, this epidemic is a bad one and not to be taken lightly. But in the long term it’s likely to be with us for the long term, an annual visitor like regular flu, for which we’ll get a jab. Or it might be dealt with in the same way as MMR.
The trick now is to flatten the curve of Covid19 infection as it emerges in the community, like that creature in that scene from Alien, to give us time to get fully prepared to deal with its big-time onslaught later, which will come!
A plasma product, developed from the blood of people who have recovered from the virus, is being developed and may not be too far away, but a proven vaccine is likely to take longer, because of the time it takes to prove it’s proven.
Because Covid19 has such a long gestation period in someone infected, before symptoms start showing, the virus had time to get established here some weeks before we realized it.
And because the damn thing is so infectious, requiring us to trace all those who have been in touch with the infected person, and to trace all their contacts as well, so we have to have this lockdown, to slow the spread to give us time to catch up.
Things are going to get worse before they get better, but don’t let that overwhelm you and don’t become frightened to live your lives. Practice all the keep safe protocols, keep things in perspective and you’ll be OK.
And while you’re keeping yourselves safe, don’t forget the grocery workers, corner dairy and vege shop operators, market gardeners, horticulturists and farmers, meat processors, delivery truck drivers, food manufacturers, nurses, doctors, cops and essential services personnel and even the odd politician, who are all still working, to make us being safe, possible.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
We’re experiencing the same fears the gay community did when Aids loomed as such a terrible threat to them, and as Ebola did to all those living in Africa. Sadly back then many of us weren’t as concerned as we should have been, because we didn’t feel personally threatened, but now we are.
The statistics of this virus suggest that, excepting for those over 60, the mortality rate is actually quite low, but it’s the lag time between infection and detection, that’s the problem. That’s when the virus is so easily passed on, and when, without this lockdown, it could so easily be passed to everyone in the community and probably wipe out most of us oldies, and a few of you lot too
And while we’re working to beat this thing, give some thought to what we can learn from it, particularly how cooperation and caring for each other, not greed and meanness, is going to get us through, and how we might try and keep those principles alive when later we come to rebuild our lives, businesses, communities and our country, when coronavirus is conquered
But for now – if you want to keep your baby sitters, grandkid minders, your sources of tried and true recipes, baby care and child-rearing advice, knitting, home handyman help, fresh garden veges and a reliable fishing trip buddy, with a boat, and who knows where the big ones are, stay away from us .
Love Mum and Dad


thedailyblog--2020-03-29--Dr Liz Gordon: Making fake news out of a real virus

I can honestly claim to be the one that spotted Boris was out of sorts the other day .
He doesn ’ t look too good to me , I ventured .
The stress must be getting to him .
And , if I had substituted ‘ virus ’ instead of ‘ stress ’ , I would have been bang on .
And jolly good , too – he deserves it for all his jolly posturing and manic hand-shaking .
What do you mean that ’ s a little harsh ?
Come on – you think so too .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is so narcissistic that he will only take it seriously when he has experienced it .
Get the virus to acknowledge the truth of what is going on .
Around the world , some on the extreme right have treated the virus as if it is a leftist plot .
This has two elements that I can see : • The populace of the world was deliberately infected by the Chinese , in a plot for world domination .
Thus , the phrase the ‘ Chinese virus ’ , pushed by Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week , “ The Pangolin ’ s Revenge ” is just as likely a scenario .
• The ‘ deep state ’ has plotted to force extreme measures on states that will lead to economic meltdown as a way to get rid of the American President and institute a more social democratic system and reduce inequalities .
If only !
But it is true that the virus has a way of cutting through extremist bullshit , exposing bad ( and good ) leadership and hopefully bringing out a more altruistic response in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saving the planet , temporarily .
In case you have not yet been introduced to the Johns Hopkins dashboard , it provides daily updates on the spread of the virus .
If you are bored , watching this can eat up minutes and hours .
It is an excellent summary .
That ’ s all for the moment from my little bubble .
As my beloved swimming is not available , I am doing online exercises , and our session starts soon .
I feel comfortable and secure .
I hope you all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a researcher and a barrister , with interests in destroying neo-liberalism in all its forms and moving towards a socially just society .
She usually blogs on justice , social welfare and education topics .

I can honestly claim to be the one that spotted Boris was out of sorts the other day. He doesn’t look too good to me, I ventured. The stress must be getting to him.
And, if I had substituted ‘virus’ instead of ‘stress’, I would have been bang on. And jolly good, too – he deserves it for all his jolly posturing and manic hand-shaking. What do you mean that’s a little harsh? Come on – you think so too.
Trump needs to get it too. He is so narcissistic that he will only take it seriously when he has experienced it. Get the virus to acknowledge the truth of what is going on.
Around the world, some on the extreme right have treated the virus as if it is a leftist plot. This has two elements that I can see:
The populace of the world was deliberately infected by the Chinese, in a plot for world domination. Thus, the phrase the ‘Chinese virus’, pushed by Trump and others. My alternative formulation, penned last week, “The Pangolin’s Revenge” is just as likely a scenario. The ‘deep state’ has plotted to force extreme measures on states that will lead to economic meltdown as a way to get rid of the American President and institute a more social democratic system and reduce inequalities.
If only! But it is true that the virus has a way of cutting through extremist bullshit, exposing bad (and good) leadership and hopefully bringing out a more altruistic response in us all. Oh yes, and saving the planet, temporarily.
In case you have not yet been introduced to the Johns Hopkins dashboard, it provides daily updates on the spread of the virus. If you are bored, watching this can eat up minutes and hours. It is an excellent summary.
That’s all for the moment from my little bubble. As my beloved swimming is not available, I am doing online exercises, and our session starts soon.
I feel comfortable and secure. I hope you all do, too.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
Dr Liz Gordon is a researcher and a barrister, with interests in destroying neo-liberalism in all its forms and moving towards a socially just society. She usually blogs on justice, social welfare and education topics.


thedailyblog--2020-03-29--What we need now to fight the pandemic

What we need now to fight the pandemic

We need ( 1 ) Universal Basic Income for All ( 2 ) A freeze or massive reduction in rent @ @ @ @ @ ) Hazard pay at time and a half for all Essential workers ( 4 ) @ @ @ @ @ ( 5 ) Factories to start mass production of n95 masks , respirators , ventilators @ @ @ @ @ ) Safer alternatives to food distribution than Supermarket Viral Hubs ( 7 ) RPEs for @ @ @ @ @ aged care workers ( 8 ) Nationalisation of all companies facing market collapse .

We need
(1) Universal Basic Income for All
(2) A freeze or massive reduction in rent and mortgage repayments
(3) Hazard pay at time and a half for all Essential workers
(4) PPEs for all Essential workers
(5) Factories to start mass production of n95 masks, respirators, ventilators and shields.
(6) Safer alternatives to food distribution than Supermarket Viral Hubs
(7) RPEs for all our health workers and aged care workers
(8) Nationalisation of all companies facing market collapse.


thedailyblog--2020-03-28--Life in Lock Down: Day 3

Life in Lock Down: Day 3

March 28 : First day of the first weekend in Lock Down .
It feels like it ’ s been weeks since only Level 3 was declared last Tuesday , only four days ago .
Woke up this morning to RNZ ; coffee ; toast , pat and fed my companion animal .
Finished off Day 2 blogpost in time to watch Newshub Nation .
Listened to Dr Sandhya Ramanathan describe the extraordinary lengths to carefully decontaminate before and after leaving her hospital , followed by further decon-protocols at her home .
It made the precautions we are taking for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But considering my employers ( a nationwide NGO ) have no Pandemic Policy in place that I ’ m aware off , we ’ ve used our initiative and common sense .
Political commentators Neale Jones and Matthew Hooton were both singing from the same “ song sheet ” .
There ’ s nothing quite like an amoral , apolitical , non-sentient deadly virus to focus the mind .
As I begin this blogpost , it was raining heavily .
Normally not a weather situation I ’ d be happy with , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is a blessing from Nature .
It may help keep people off the streets , parks , beaches , etc , and ( except for short walks in their immediate area ) stay at home ; I won ’ t be driving around today to observe what others are doing .
Which restricts my reporting , but if I ’ m to follow my own demands of others – I stay home .
Aside from short walks along my own road , observing strict two metre rule , staying home means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the emails/txts read out by Kim Hill all that much difficult to stomach .
Idiots were justifying why the rules did not apply to them and why , as surfers and mountain bikers , they were more expert at judging risk than all the medical professions in the world .
As at today , the number of covid19 cases in Aotearoa New Zealand has jumped by eightythree cases and now stands at 451 .
But these thrill seeking morons on surf boards and mountain bikes seem to think they are bullet proof ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ surmise these surfers and bikers have had a few to many knocks to their soft skulls .
Breakfast ( coffee , toast with tomato and toast with fresh , ripe fig ) .
Watched “ Newshub Nation “ .
Sent “ tweet ” to “ Nation ” producers ; “ Anyone else thanking the gods that production of masks is a local NZ industry and not “ exported ” to overseas manufacturers… like China ?
“ Finish Day 2 of “ Living under the Lock Down “ .
Watched Seth Myers on Youtube @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action on the virus epidemic hitting the US .
Evidently , Trump ’ s approval ratings now stands at 49 to 60 % , of Americans saying he ’ s doing a “ good job “ .
Wait till the body count starts to mount up , and footage of body bags fills the evening television news .
Footage like that killed public support for American involvement in the Vietnam War .
Listened to Ministry of Health press conference .
Covid19 cases now up to 451 .
Two are in ICU .
John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was blunt when he called out spectacularly moronic behaviour from some people ; “ I have heard today that some people were playing touch rugby and frisbee in parks , that ’ s just stupid .
People need to stop doing that sort of thing .
COVID can transfer on a frisbee from one person to another .
With touch rugby , it is quite obvious .
Please , don ’ t do it .
Don ’ t be stupid.
” Email to my organisation regarding possible ‘ re-jigging ’ of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to .
( The fewer clients , the smaller our ‘ bubble ’ . )
4.30PM : Did I just see what I think I saw out my window ?
Guy drives up in white canopied hilux ute .
Ute has a company logo on the side relating to an early childhood company ; Guy goes inside a house , by himself .
Comes out about ten minutes later with two children ( around 8 to 10 years old ? )
.
Woman comes with them .
Was she providing a child care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Whichever the case , it appears that two children are moving between two adults , as well as both having adult-to-adult contact .
I sincerely hope they constitute one “ bubble ” .
What is the likelihood ?
Watched 6PM TV1 News .
Shouted myself to a bowl of ( sugar free ) chocolate ice cream .
7PM : Went for walk around my block .
Weather was autumnal , overcast , chilly , but had stopped raining .
Must have seen five other human beings in my walk .
One followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me a wide circle ; gave him a wave , cheery smile , and a big “ Thank You !
” I usually pick up plastic detritus along the way ; bottles , tops , coffee cup lids , straws , lollypop sticks , etc .
Tonight I touched nothing .
Not worth the risk .
The Kiwirail Park ’ n ’ Ride carpark was utterly empty .
Not even one vehicle ; Came home , put on Julee Cruise CD for some soft-but-dark background music .
When the world feels like it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no short part to the human tendency for self-destructive dumbness ) , you want an appropriate soundtrack .
Either Ms Cruise or Smashing Pumpkins ’ “ The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning “ .
9PM ( ish ) : Phoned my partner .
We don ’ t live together and because I work in the community , with a larger-than-desirable- “ bubble ” , we have decided to isolate from each other .
She has her “ bubble ” , I have mine .
If I catch covid19 – which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I won ’ t be able to infect her .
So for one month , we chat over the phone but nothing more .
I work in the community and am at higher risk than most othersWe are foregoing contact to mitigate risk to her .
All these things , I do because it is necessary .
So people will excuse me and understand why when I see others casually disregarding keeping to a “ bubble ” ; not observing the two-metre protocol ; enjoying themselves with frisbees , surfing , boating , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a wee bit miffed .
Their ’ s is the sharp end of self-entitlement .
Watched some America news channel news clips on You Tube .
The slow disintergration of the United States is like a driving past a vast car pile-up on the motor-way ; grimly fascinating .
You don ’ t want to watch the carnage… but you can ’ t help yourself , wondering what is next .
With my companion cat on my lap , time for a brief check on Twitter .
Received lovely compliment re Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sent back reply .
Simon Bridges just can ’ t f*****g help himself , can he ?
!
?
Come on , Mr Bridges , really ?
!
There are umpteen sources of news .
Closing nonessential ones -even if distasteful- may save lives If you have concerns , do what adults do : talk to each other .
Its what youre paid to do Ive stopped using the nationalnotfittogovern .
You stop politicking Time for bed .
Maybe read another chapter of SS-GB , an alternative Earth history novel by Len Deighton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tomorrow brings .
TVNZ ’ s Q+A is on at 9AM , then… ?
For those people who do not understand the manner in which contagion spreads , Dr Siouxsie Wiles , microbiologist sums it up in simple terms ; “ Because people can spread the virus for a few days before they have any symptoms , each person who contracts the virus can unwittingly pass it on to several of their whānau , friends and colleagues .
Then each one of them can unwittingly pass it on to several of their whānau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if , left unchecked , the number of cases grows exponentially .
This is what we are seeing in so many countries overseas .
Spinoff cartoonist Toby Morris ’ s illustration of that concept has circled the globe in recent days.
” – Siouxsie Wiles , 26 March 2020 And for those simple souls who still don ’ t get it , illustrator Toby Morris has drawn a pretty picture with crayons ; Newshub Nation : I don ’ t want to be a hero , I want to live RNZ : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zealand , two patients in intensive care NPR : Trump ’ s Approval Hits New High , But A Rally-Around-The-Flag Effect Is Small The Spinoff : Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris – You ’ re waking up in lockdown New Zealand .
Here ’ s how it works The Warehouse – where everyone gets a virus This blogpost will be re-published in five days on “ Frankly Speaking “ .
Reader ’ s comments may be left here ( The Daily Blog ) or there ( Frankly Speaking ) .

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Lock Down: Day 3 – A photo essay with observations
.
March 28: First day of the first weekend in Lock Down. It feels like it’s been weeks since only Level 3 was declared last Tuesday, only four days ago.
Woke up this morning to RNZ; coffee; toast, pat and fed my companion animal. Finished off Day 2 blogpost in time to watch Newshub Nation. Listened to Dr Sandhya Ramanathan describe the extraordinary lengths to carefully decontaminate before and after leaving her hospital, followed by further decon-protocols at her home.
It made the precautions we are taking for our clients seem so utterly amateurish. But considering my employers (a nationwide NGO) have no Pandemic Policy in place that I’m aware off, we’ve used our initiative and common sense.
Political commentators Neale Jones and Matthew Hooton were both singing from the same “song sheet”. There’s nothing quite like an amoral, apolitical, non-sentient deadly virus to focus the mind.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
As I begin this blogpost, it was raining heavily. Normally not a weather situation I’d be happy with, but today and for the next three weeks, it is a blessing from Nature. It may help keep people off the streets, parks, beaches, etc, and (except for short walks in their immediate area) stay at home;
.
.
I won’t be driving around today to observe what others are doing. Which restricts my reporting, but if I’m to follow my own demands of others – I stay home. Aside from short walks along my own road, observing strict two metre rule, staying home means staying home.
Which made some of the emails/txts read out by Kim Hill all that much difficult to stomach. Idiots were justifying why the rules did not apply to them and why, as surfers and mountain bikers, they were more expert at judging risk than all the medical professions in the world.
As at today, the number of covid19 cases in Aotearoa New Zealand has jumped by eightythree cases and now stands at 451.
But these thrill seeking morons on surf boards and mountain bikes seem to think they are bullet proof? Or virus proof?
I can only surmise these surfers and bikers have had a few to many knocks to their soft skulls.
Spent the day…
Breakfast (coffee, toast with tomato and toast with fresh, ripe fig).
Shower. Coffee.
Watched “Newshub Nation“. Sent “tweet” to “Nation” producers; “Anyone else thanking the gods that production of masks is a local NZ industry and not “exported” to overseas manufacturers… like China?“
Twitter
Brunch. Coffee.
Twitter
Finish Day 2 of “Living under the Lock Down“.
Twitter.
Elevenses
Watched Seth Myers on Youtube calling out Trump for his lack of action on the virus epidemic hitting the US. Evidently, Trump’s approval ratings now stands at 49 to 60%, of Americans saying he’s doing a “good job“. Wait till the body count starts to mount up, and footage of body bags fills the evening television news. Footage like that killed public support for American involvement in the Vietnam War.
Lunch
Twitter
Listened to Ministry of Health press conference. Covid19 cases now up to 451. Two are in ICU. John Ombler, the All of Government Controller, was blunt when he called out spectacularly moronic behaviour from some people;
“I have heard today that some people were playing touch rugby and frisbee in parks, that’s just stupid. People need to stop doing that sort of thing. COVID can transfer on a frisbee from one person to another. With touch rugby, it is quite obvious. Please, don’t do it. Don’t be stupid.”
Twitter
Email to my organisation regarding possible ‘re-jigging’ of our rosters and number of clients we attend to. (The fewer clients, the smaller our ‘bubble’.)
Twitter
Afternoon tea
Twitter. A bit of laundry washing.
4.30PM: Did I just see what I think I saw out my window? Guy drives up in white canopied hilux ute. Ute has a company logo on the side relating to an early childhood company;
.
.
Guy goes inside a house, by himself. Comes out about ten minutes later with two children (around 8 to 10 years old?). Woman comes with them. Was she providing a child care service? Were they a separated couple? Whichever the case, it appears that two children are moving between two adults, as well as both having adult-to-adult contact.
I sincerely hope they constitute one “bubble”. What is the likelihood?
.
.
Twitter
Late afternoon tea
Watched 6PM TV1 News. Shouted myself to a bowl of (sugar free) chocolate ice cream.
7PM: Went for walk around my block. Weather was autumnal, overcast, chilly, but had stopped raining. Must have seen five other human beings in my walk. One followed the two metre distance perfectly, giving me a wide circle; gave him a wave, cheery smile, and a big “Thank You!”
I usually pick up plastic detritus along the way; bottles, tops, coffee cup lids, straws, lollypop sticks, etc. Tonight I touched nothing. Not worth the risk.
The Kiwirail Park’n’Ride carpark was utterly empty. Not even one vehicle;
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Came home, put on Julee Cruise CD for some soft-but-dark background music. When the world feels like it’s falling apart (due in no short part to the human tendency for self-destructive dumbness), you want an appropriate soundtrack. Either Ms Cruise or Smashing Pumpkins’ “The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning“.
9PM(ish): Phoned my partner. We don’t live together and because I work in the community, with a larger-than-desirable-“bubble”, we have decided to isolate from each other. She has her “bubble”, I have mine. If I catch covid19 – which is more likely than her getting it – I won’t be able to infect her. So for one month, we chat over the phone but nothing more.
I work in the community and am at higher risk than most othersWe are foregoing contact to mitigate risk to her. All these things, I do because it is necessary.
So people will excuse me and understand why when I see others casually disregarding keeping to a “bubble”; not observing the two-metre protocol; enjoying themselves with frisbees, surfing, boating, and other thoughtless behaviour… I am more than a wee bit miffed. Their’s is the sharp end of self-entitlement.
Watched some America news channel news clips on You Tube. The slow disintergration of the United States is like a driving past a vast car pile-up on the motor-way; grimly fascinating. You don’t want to watch the carnage… but you can’t help yourself, wondering what is next.
With my companion cat on my lap, time for a brief check on Twitter. Received lovely compliment re Day 2 of my Lock Down diary. Sent back reply.
And then… This;
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Simon Bridges just can’t f*****g help himself, can he?!?
I responded;
Come on,Mr Bridges,really?!There are umpteen sources of news. Closing nonessential ones -even if distasteful- may save lives If you have concerns,do what adults do: talk to each other. Its what youre paid to do Ive stopped using the nationalnotfittogovern. You stop politicking
Time for bed. Maybe read another chapter of SS-GB, an alternative Earth history novel by Len Deighton. Then lights out and see what tomorrow brings. TVNZ’s Q+A is on at 9AM, then…?
Meanwhile…
For those people who do not understand the manner in which contagion spreads, Dr Siouxsie Wiles, microbiologist sums it up in simple terms;
“Because people can spread the virus for a few days before they have any symptoms, each person who contracts the virus can unwittingly pass it on to several of their whānau, friends and colleagues. Then each one of them can unwittingly pass it on to several of their whānau, friends and colleagues. This means that if, left unchecked, the number of cases grows exponentially. This is what we are seeing in so many countries overseas. Spinoff cartoonist Toby Morris’s illustration of that concept has circled the globe in recent days.” – Siouxsie Wiles, 26 March 2020
And for those simple souls who still don’t get it, illustrator Toby Morris has drawn a pretty picture with crayons;
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References
Newshub Nation: I don’t want to be a hero, I want to live
Twitter: JackyNinjaKitty – “Stay at Home” – 28 March 2020
RNZ: Coronavirus – 83 new cases in New Zealand, two patients in intensive care
NPR: Trump’s Approval Hits New High, But A Rally-Around-The-Flag Effect Is Small
US History: The Vietnam War
Mediaworks/Newshub: Coronavirus – Infected being abused online, Kiwis ignoring rules by playing sport
Twitter: Simon Bridges – closure community papers – 28 March 2020
The Spinoff: Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris – You’re waking up in lockdown New Zealand. Here’s how it works
Previous related blogposts
The Warehouse – where everyone gets a virus
Life in Lock Down: Day 1
Life in Lock Down: Day 2
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Acknowledgement: Slane
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This blogpost will be re-published on “Frankly Speaking“. Reader’s comments may be left here (The Daily Blog) or there (Frankly Speaking).
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= fs =


thedailyblog--2020-03-28--The mandate for revolutionary restructuring has never been stronger

Vladimir Lenin said “ There are decades where nothing happens ; and there are weeks where decades happen ” – and it definitely feels like events in time are speeding up .
It must certainly feel like that for Jacinda Ardern – becoming Labour leader , being appointed Prime Minister , having a baby , wrestling with New Zealand First , the Christchurch Mosque attack , Whakaari/White Island , and now Covid-19 .
The other Lennon – John Lennon , sang ‘ life ’ s what happens when you ’ re busy making other plans ’ , and while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy promises in Coalition with New Zealand First , it feels like we ’ ve had several decades of events in less than a triennium .
So while the fresh water , welfare , fisheries , conservation and other reforms promised before the last election continue to languish , it ’ s times like these that the steady hand of Jacinda ( the real mother of the nation ? )
lends calm .
Never think you ’ re too small to make a difference – after all , look at the Corona Virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an end to the world as we know it .
Who would have imagined even three weeks ago , the world we live in today ?
Humans are adaptable and quickly we adjust ( sort of ) to the new normal .
But the enormity of the disruption to the pre-C-19 world is almost unfathomable .
Planes across the world , grounded .
Cruise liners abandoned and redundant .
New Zealand ’ s biggest foreign exchange earner – tourism – dead in the water .
A few weeks ago , who would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images of ice rinks appropriated as morgues as hospitals are full in industrialised nations like Italy would have been unimaginable three months ago .
We ’ re so lucky here in New Zealand that we are distant from the world , but the number of inbound traveler related Covid-19 infections show that we ’ re not that distant at all , as long as planes continue to fly .
The good thing is , now they ’ re not .
Continual adjustment will be necessary as we go through the various stages of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anxiety about the imminent arrival of the disease as real-time media connections have shown its effects elsewhere , to anxiety about whether we have enough food and toilet paper ( cue panic shopping ) , to anxiety about how we ’ ll pay our rent/mortgage/other bills , through to boredom ; feeling stir crazy , frustrated , worried about distant loved ones , horror about the ravages of the disease in countries with fools for leaders and underdeveloped health care systems .
And the economy , our jobs , KiwiSaver , the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been clearly and reassuringly informed , we anticipated , expected , and mostly supported the lock-down when it came .
Some of us easily accessed the government subsidies when we lost our incomes .
We ( generally ) queued respectfully when goods and access to supermarkets were rationed .
Some key elements to the civilised civic order we ’ ve experienced , have been the ( generally ) consistent messages , the knowledge that these radical and unprecedented measures were not taken lightly ( shutting down the economy to protect public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that food supply chains would be preserved .
Food stability is everything in a time of crisis and makes the difference between social calm and anarchy .
However , supply – and demand – chains are only as strong as their weakest links .
Disruptions in any part of the chain can lead to blockages – in traffic modelling , they ’ re called jamitons .
So if we don ’ t have the workers to pick the fruit or harvest the fish , or the truck drivers to transport it , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the shopkeepers to dispense , or the consumers to buy it , nationally and internationally , the chain can break .
We want to break the Corona virus chain but not the food supply .
Internationally , realignments of food supply chains are happening with geopolitical implications as trade and access realignments take shape .
( Note for example , tuna wars ) .
Commerce is like traffic , is like water flow – it will go where access is easiest , most profitable , most efficient .
Fortunately , in New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own – including toilet paper- and as the Chinese market reopens , we are well placed .
So immediate domestic and re-emerging international food trade as a source of foreign exchange , looks better here than for some .
There was no need to fight over toilet paper , and there was no good reason to queue for guns .
Given that NZ ’ s agricultural sector is well poised to benefit from China ’ s recovery , there ’ s no reason to delay the Government ’ s freshwater reforms , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will veto them , and the call to hold off the minimum wage increase goes on .
But today is only Day Three .
The sun is continuing to ( weakly ) shine .
So far so good .
Trust in our leaders , the rule of law , the hard calls that have been made – has real currency .
In the rural area where I live , birds , and kids on bikes have reclaimed the road space .
When I ride my bike around the block , my neighbours all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful .
There is little traffic , few planes .
The siren went off for the volunteer fire brigade , usually meaning a car crash , but for the vollies ’ sake hopefully this time it ’ s just someone who ’ s lit an un-permitted fire .
My vege garden is flourishing .
I don ’ t have to go to the shop .
We are collectively re-evaluating what and who are essential services and workers – and it ’ s not the CEO on his multi-million-dollar salary , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the health provider .
But the peace belies the pain .
Unemployment is expected to rise from its pre-C-19 level of around 4 % to perhaps 30 % .
Whole huge sectors of the economy will be unlikely to recover – tourism , hospitality , international education .
Air New Zealand ’ s revenue is 90 % down on previous forecasts .
SkyCity says its future will be dramatically different with implications ( ie redundancies ) for many of its staff .
The usual unemployment benefit stand down time has been scrapped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applications have been received , and many tens of thousands paid already .
In Australia , it ’ s expected two million people could become unemployed .
In the United States 3.3million Americans applied for the unemployment benefit in one week .
The United Nations warns that globally , 25 million jobs could be lost .
What also of those in Iran , Palestine , Yemen , Syria and refugee camps around the world ?
Those of us warning that tourism , hyper-globalisation , and late-stage capitalism was unsustainable , have been proven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we have been ‘ living a fragile fiction ’ .
So , what next ?
Bifurcations in the prevailing order such as this profound disruption , are lines in the sand – defining moments in time .
Crises characteristically obliterate the redundant ways of the past , and there ’ s no going back .
Already people speculate on the BC-Before-Covid-19 and PC -Post-Covid-19 eras .
Grant Robertson says , ‘ the entire structure of New Zealand could need rethinking ’ .
Because of our distant place in the world , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based pandemic response and compliant populace , we should ( mostly ) survive this crisis without it turning into an apocalypse , but it is a chance for the Government to be revolutionary .
With high public support , trust and confidence – high levels of political capital ( we ’ re all socialists now ) , there ’ s a stronger mandate than ever to make radical change .
It ’ s not just about bailing out companies or letting sectors continue to pollute waterways , appeasing the interests of capital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ home heating payments or the welfare state .
It ’ s not just about a UBI .
It ’ s not about rent freezes or a New Green Deal .
It ’ s about fundamental reform of the ownership and stewardship of production , as a condition of bail-outs , an end to monopolies and duopolies , an end to ghost houses held by speculators for their capital gains , an end to inequality of wages and powers between the CEOs and the real essential workers .
It ’ s about an end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animals which has given rise to this pandemic in the first place – not just in unregulated wet markets in Asia , but in factory farms here at home .
It ’ s all these things , and more .
All things have to change , because everything has changed .
So while the Government is reassuringly adept at managing the crisis as it ’ s currently unfolding , it ’ s time also , to consider more deeply , the restructured shape of the future , for good .
The mandate has @ @ @ @

Vladimir Lenin said “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen” – and it definitely feels like events in time are speeding up. It must certainly feel like that for Jacinda Ardern – becoming Labour leader, being appointed Prime Minister, having a baby, wrestling with New Zealand First, the Christchurch Mosque attack, Whakaari/White Island, and now Covid-19.
The other Lennon – John Lennon, sang ‘life’s what happens when you’re busy making other plans’, and while the Labour Party were busy struggling to implement policy promises in Coalition with New Zealand First, it feels like we’ve had several decades of events in less than a triennium. So while the fresh water, welfare, fisheries, conservation and other reforms promised before the last election continue to languish, it’s times like these that the steady hand of Jacinda (the real mother of the nation?) lends calm.
Never think you’re too small to make a difference – after all, look at the Corona Virus – microscopic and yet it has brought an end to the world as we know it. Who would have imagined even three weeks ago, the world we live in today? Humans are adaptable and quickly we adjust (sort of) to the new normal. But the enormity of the disruption to the pre-C-19 world is almost unfathomable. Planes across the world, grounded. Cruise liners abandoned and redundant. New Zealand’s biggest foreign exchange earner – tourism – dead in the water. A few weeks ago, who would have even imagined ‘lock-down’? The images of ice rinks appropriated as morgues as hospitals are full in industrialised nations like Italy would have been unimaginable three months ago.
We’re so lucky here in New Zealand that we are distant from the world, but the number of inbound traveler related Covid-19 infections show that we’re not that distant at all, as long as planes continue to fly. The good thing is, now they’re not.
Continual adjustment will be necessary as we go through the various stages of grief in our isolation journey – from anxiety about the imminent arrival of the disease as real-time media connections have shown its effects elsewhere, to anxiety about whether we have enough food and toilet paper (cue panic shopping), to anxiety about how we’ll pay our rent/mortgage/other bills, through to boredom; feeling stir crazy, frustrated, worried about distant loved ones, horror about the ravages of the disease in countries with fools for leaders and underdeveloped health care systems. And the economy, our jobs, KiwiSaver, the future!
With Jacinda in charge, we’ve been clearly and reassuringly informed, we anticipated, expected, and mostly supported the lock-down when it came. Some of us easily accessed the government subsidies when we lost our incomes. We (generally) queued respectfully when goods and access to supermarkets were rationed.
Some key elements to the civilised civic order we’ve experienced, have been the (generally) consistent messages, the knowledge that these radical and unprecedented measures were not taken lightly (shutting down the economy to protect public health!!), and reassurances that food supply chains would be preserved. Food stability is everything in a time of crisis and makes the difference between social calm and anarchy.
However, supply – and demand – chains are only as strong as their weakest links. Disruptions in any part of the chain can lead to blockages – in traffic modelling, they’re called jamitons. So if we don’t have the workers to pick the fruit or harvest the fish, or the truck drivers to transport it, or the wharfies to load and unload, or the shopkeepers to dispense, or the consumers to buy it, nationally and internationally, the chain can break. We want to break the Corona virus chain but not the food supply. Internationally, realignments of food supply chains are happening with geopolitical implications as trade and access realignments take shape. (Note for example, tuna wars). Commerce is like traffic, is like water flow – it will go where access is easiest, most profitable, most efficient. Fortunately, in New Zealand, we grow much of our own – including toilet paper- and as the Chinese market reopens, we are well placed. So immediate domestic and re-emerging international food trade as a source of foreign exchange, looks better here than for some. There was no need to fight over toilet paper, and there was no good reason to queue for guns. Given that NZ’s agricultural sector is well poised to benefit from China’s recovery, there’s no reason to delay the Government’s freshwater reforms, though as usual, Shane Jones says NZF will veto them, and the call to hold off the minimum wage increase goes on.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
But today is only Day Three. The sun is continuing to (weakly) shine. So far so good. Trust in our leaders, the rule of law, the hard calls that have been made – has real currency. In the rural area where I live, birds, and kids on bikes have reclaimed the road space. When I ride my bike around the block, my neighbours all call out and wave. Everything is peaceful. There is little traffic, few planes. The siren went off for the volunteer fire brigade, usually meaning a car crash, but for the vollies’ sake hopefully this time it’s just someone who’s lit an un-permitted fire. My vege garden is flourishing. I don’t have to go to the shop. We are collectively re-evaluating what and who are essential services and workers – and it’s not the CEO on his multi-million-dollar salary, it’s the rubbish collector, the supermarket worker and the health provider.
But the peace belies the pain. Unemployment is expected to rise from its pre-C-19 level of around 4% to perhaps 30%. Whole huge sectors of the economy will be unlikely to recover – tourism, hospitality, international education. Air New Zealand’s revenue is 90% down on previous forecasts. SkyCity says its future will be dramatically different with implications (ie redundancies) for many of its staff. The usual unemployment benefit stand down time has been scrapped. Hundreds of thousands of wage subsidy applications have been received, and many tens of thousands paid already. In Australia, it’s expected two million people could become unemployed. In the United States 3.3million Americans applied for the unemployment benefit in one week. The United Nations warns that globally, 25 million jobs could be lost.
What also of those in Iran, Palestine, Yemen, Syria and refugee camps around the world?
Those of us warning that tourism, hyper-globalisation, and late-stage capitalism was unsustainable, have been proven correct. As the doomsday preppers suspected, we have been ‘living a fragile fiction’. So, what next?
Bifurcations in the prevailing order such as this profound disruption, are lines in the sand – defining moments in time. Crises characteristically obliterate the redundant ways of the past, and there’s no going back. Already people speculate on the BC-Before-Covid-19 and PC -Post-Covid-19 eras. Grant Robertson says, ‘the entire structure of New Zealand could need rethinking’. Because of our distant place in the world, and our steady, firm leadership, science based pandemic response and compliant populace, we should (mostly) survive this crisis without it turning into an apocalypse, but it is a chance for the Government to be revolutionary.
With high public support, trust and confidence – high levels of political capital (we’re all socialists now), there’s a stronger mandate than ever to make radical change. It’s not just about bailing out companies or letting sectors continue to pollute waterways, appeasing the interests of capital. It’s not just about winter home heating payments or the welfare state. It’s not just about a UBI. It’s not about rent freezes or a New Green Deal. It’s about fundamental reform of the ownership and stewardship of production, as a condition of bail-outs, an end to monopolies and duopolies, an end to ghost houses held by speculators for their capital gains, an end to inequality of wages and powers between the CEOs and the real essential workers. It’s about an end to our mass incarceration and abuse of animals which has given rise to this pandemic in the first place – not just in unregulated wet markets in Asia, but in factory farms here at home. It’s all these things, and more. All things have to change, because everything has changed.
So while the Government is reassuringly adept at managing the crisis as it’s currently unfolding, it’s time also, to consider more deeply, the restructured shape of the future, for good. The mandate has never been stronger.