Posts by dcnbwz
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It looks to me like certain factions of the National party are moving into Trump like politics, one faction with a definite agenda of getting to be leader. It's going to be pretty awful to watch/listen and even worse to think what damage it could do to our democratic system. I guess the best way to combat this is to call out bad behaviour whereever possible.
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Actually a fan of cds.......I know, an outcast these days.....but also a victim of the record companies war on vinyl in the late 80s. Before you know it, the collection is cds.....and to be honest for the most part they sound great, are fairly robust, and maintain their quality. But I realise I'm in the minority here.
Definitely can't understand the tape revival though - they were rubbish the first time around!
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I'm one of the people that Finlay MacDonald described as mewling in his Radio NZ piece. Metiria would have been a fantastic advocate inside parliament, and it upsets me greatly to see someone of great integrity, who really does have the people of New Zealand at heart, get treated this way.
Yes I know, it's a game, there's rules etc etc, but right now I'm pretty saddened by the state of New Zealand, particularly the way Metiria was scrutinised and abused in the mainstream media, and by certain political parties (David Seymour in particular). I know Mathew Hooton takes great pleasure in victories like these for the right but that's the thing - it's a game to people like him. It's not to the New Zealanders who ARE in poverty, who can't afford to feed and house themselves and their families, who are under an incredibly punitive welfare system, with little hope of escaping it.
I am upset that the failing health system, the failing mental health system, the failing corrupt police, the juked unemployment stats, the health of the rivers and conservation areas, and more and more are not under the same scrutiny. The increasing amounts of homelessness. The increasing inequality. The failures on housing.
Why is this not front and centre this election? We are in serious trouble, and this government needs to be held to account in ways it hasn't had to.
Instead the bullies seem to have won, aided and abetted by a corporate driven right wing media.
Thank you for the post Russell, and the opportunity to post.
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Polity: Decrypting “social investment”, in reply to Marc C,
Fantastic post Marc. Staggering that the opposition parties stumble on, where clearly there are so many areas they could focus on, actually strategise and produce real alternatives. Instead they continue to fight against coalition, and squabble over the populist base.
We are being betrayed by this government and the politics it espouses, compounded by an ever more complicit media.
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The instances of these drivers' behaviour, which one of the previous commenters got right in terms of this being an assault, is disgusting. I believe these people are representative of the bullying selfish behaviour that has been fostered in our culture over the last twenty or so years, encouraged by the likes of Hosking, Henry, and the current government (yes I know that might be a long bow but their behaviour has been similar in their treatment of everyday citizens).
I don't really know how to change this - it's clear that these individuals really truly lack any kind of empathy, and no doubt see cyclists as some kind of "threat" to their odd vision of freedoms or rights. It's actually very sad to see this.....I've also no doubt that these people are also being squeezed, and a cyclist becomes an easy target of frustration as they have their views reinforced by exposure to the likes of Hosking etc.
I hope someone files a police complaint against the car pictured too!
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The emails should be accessible through 5 eyes?
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Man there's some revolting stuff in there.
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There are large aspects of aggressive corporate methods in the way this country has been run that have no place in a civil society. Arguably no place in business either.
To constantly attack the poor and unspoken for is disgusting. The naked greed and nepotism on show equally so. Unfortunately the discourse has gone so far one way that even a rational argument is seen as being "communist", "conspiracy theorist" and or "red". How these abusive politics can be combated, well, I just don't know.
But this is far too important now for nothing to be done. So how can we start getting the so called msm to start behaving like journalists? And how can we ensure that these crimes don't go unanswered?
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What concerns me most Russell, is that once again the major issues like the concerted attack on our democracy from the far right and corporate interests over the last 8 or so years, to the illegality of actions by ministers and the prime minister's office are being drowned out in a sea of attempted diversions.
"It's a left wing smear campaign", "Look, a tax cut!", cries of foul from the very person who himself deals in stolen and underhand material etc etc and the mainstream media focus on this rather than the fact that we have a corrupt government, right from the very top! And it seems they're getting away with it!!
I tend to start becoming inarticulate with rage and helplessness at this point, the latest polls are a case in point. No examination of actual policy, no highlighting the poverty and despair of people out there, the hijacking of the education system, asset sales that didn't need to be cut, etc etc - just a focus presidential style on an irrelevant debate. Look at the nice man Mr key, he's back.
We need a constitution. We need a code of ethics enforceable by law for the so called representatives to have to adhere to. We need representation by people in our society, not career politicians fasttracked through a corporate path into high ranking positions. We need a media to stand up and actually do some investigation, to hold power to account (present company and a few other blogs excepted of course!). And most of all, we need accountablity!
Look at Campbell live last night to see just how much Christchurch has been abandoned.
We need this government and it's backers held to account. They have no doubt broken laws......but they have also broken our democracy.
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Hard News: Fluency, ease of manner - and…, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,
Exclusive due to the favourable reporting? Interesting to note that there is an admission that Key got a major statement wrong during his Campbell Live "discourse". Just makes that whole appearance seem even more like it was designed to take John Campbell down rather than actually answer questions about anything important.