Off The Pages…
…and into the world.
democratic participation
political education
Hager on politics and journalism
A couple of nights ago Nicky Hager gave his Bruce Jesson lecture on “Investigative journalism in the age of media meltdown: from National Party Headquarters to Afghanistan”. It is well worth a solid read, particularly his nine actions for democratic renewal.
On Democracy
KJT defends the principle of Democracy against the same old arguments. Most of the objections apply to any system which allows the public a say in Government. As again we have the party in Government telling us, “We won the election. We can do whatever we want. A dictatorship.
No asset sales without a referendum!
Peter Dunne would be really, really smart to back the Green amendment. He could still vote for the asset sales law but claim some moral high ground in saying ‘no sales until after the referendum’. Then, when the result is overwhelming opposition, he can do the commonsense shuffle and switch to opposing asset sales. It would be too late to stop the law passing but it might just save Dunne’s skin in 2014.
Give the future a vote
How to we improve the consideration of long term issues in the political process? How do we build in incentives to take these issues seriously?
Turnout and the media
A Herald editorial today outlines some possible reasons for falling voter turnout. It left one important reason off the list…
NRT on Democracy 101
No Right Turn takes Key to task on his perception of a “large majority”.
An Occupation Occupied. What’s Next?
Last week, several occupations ‘popped up’ around New Zealand. Well, they didn’t exactly pop up, did they? They weren’t more or less spontaneous, as in numerous countries in the Middle East, N. Africa, Europe and more recently, in Wall Street.
In New Zealand, there was, and is, no general out-pouring of anger or frustration from across large sectors of society. In New Zealand, the Occupations are contrived…pre-planned and organised.
Over or Into The Wall?
Will the protests around the world hit the brick wall of ingrained habits? Or will we manage to get over, around or beneath that particular barrier to progress?
Lower the voting age?
Mana has proposed lowering the voting age. I’m in favour.
Disengaged
Why are the young so disengaged from the political process? 2011 is shaping up to be even worse than last election.
Fabian seminar
Another Fabian seminar in Auckland: Ian Pool & Natalie Jackson – Our Demographic Dividend Wasted. Thursday 9th June, 7.00pm, in the Ellen Melville Hall, Freyberg Place.
The Right’s MMP conundrum
If there is one silver lining to the cloud of a National government, it is that the MMP referendum has come up on their watch. It rather cripples their attack lines.
Fabians lecture
“Inequality in New Zealand” with David Craig Venue: St John’s Church Hall, 176 Willis St, Wellington Time: Wednedsay May 11th, 5:30 PM
Fabians lecture
“Capital Gains Tax” with Craig Elliffe and Chye-ching Huang
Venue: Owen Glenn Building, University of Auckland
Time: May 5th, 6:30 PM
Fabians lecture
“Reconstructing Christchurch” with Peter Harris and Hon Lianne Dalziel. Venue: St John’s Church Hall, 176 Willis St, Wellington When: April 27th, 5:30 PM
What is important to voters?
DPF reckons “that issues of policy are less important to voters than issues of competence”. What an impoverished view of democracy! Perhaps he should look a little deeper than last week’s poll…
Fabians lecture
Bernard Hickey speaks about “The Plan for the Productive Economy” Venue: Ellen Melville Hall, High Street, Auckland. Time: 6:30pm, Thursday 21 April.
Candidate Conference
This weekend just gone there was a conference in Wellington for Labour candidates to get us all up to speed with the campaign. We’re ready to go out there and make it happen.
Why Revolutions Stumble and Fall
Democracy doesn’t suddenly magically appear as though from a conjurers hat. We know that, right? So why are revolutions seeking democracy D.O.A?
Diplomatic Stupidity
Do the wikileak cables illustrate just how stupid the diplomatic community is? What’s it all about? And why is our media not focussing any attention on this strange state of affairs where governments are seemingly informed by deaf and blind diplomats mouthing off?
An indelible stain on parliamentary lawmaking
Andrew Geddis (Associate Professor of Law at Otago and writer at Pundit) is an expert on democratic theory. He has become required reading for politics junkies. His latest piece — a brutally honest analysis of the recent work of the Law and Order select committee — should be required reading for everybody.
Help the Campaign for MMP, they’re Internet illiterates
One thing that the election in Britain brought home to me, was how much I’m grateful for having Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) representation here. I didn’t start that way. Over time, I’ve grown to appreciate the gradual progress and stability offered by MMP. However the people at the Campaign for MMP could do with a little help in the Internet age. They’re operating like it was 1993.
Newswipe
If you’re not familiar with the manifold reasons why the news you get from corporate media is crap, here’s Charlie Brooker’s Newswipe. It’s funny, incisive and merciless.
It’s also a very damning indictment of the modern Fourth Estate that explodes the myths around corporations acting as watchdogs on behalf of citizens against powerful anti-democratic interests.
Remember this?
Pascal’s Bookie dug up this classic in the comments: Congratulations…. You always knew that politics would be exciting, but I guess that neither […]
Equality Trust
Fancy a link to a well laid-out repository of comparative social statistics with sound credentials, all arranged to demonstrate why inequality is bad […]
The Good Oil: Blast the Right
God knows you’ll never hear this sort of stuff from the transnational corporate duopolies that are our erstwhile msm, so many thanks to […]