Break Left!
A simple and obvious message to the Green Party that others have ignored to their cost. Please don’t join that list.
Politics
social democracy
This Bloody Vote.
Disentangling the veritable plate of spaghetti that’s been set before us this election.
Andrew Little – Last Labour PM of NZ?
A wee bit of speculation for a long week-end.
Labour’s Manifesto
Old school Social Democracy. (Remember that?)
Bringing Liberalism Down.
It isn’t always wise to tackle an adversary head on and sometimes, with a bit of smarts, two birds can be had with one stone. This post is about halting the march of liberalism and killing the potential of fascism.
Encouraging Signs
A refreshing shift in NZ’s political environment.
Key gives up on us, keeps International Democratic Union.
The Herald informs us that Key is going on the speaking circuit and will go back into finance (not that he ever left). Like John Howard before him, he also intends to carry on chairing the International Democratic Union of right-wing parties. Not a surprise.
Is US Green Party’s Jill Stein the new people’s champion?
Plus she makes Fox News reporters’ heads explode.
Welsh Assembly.
A post to illustrate how fixed term parliaments work…off the back of some really woeful reportage.
Making Like Private Frazer
Political awakenings.
Fixed Term Parliaments
An argument in favour of New Zealand adopting Fixed Term Parliaments Act legislation.
Political Strategy for a Progressive Majority
Sir Michael Cullen discussed political strategy at the “Destination- Next Progressive Majority” seminars held recently by the Fabian Society in Auckland and Wellington. He started by sharing what he used to say to his students when they were facing a test – “never forget to state the obvious.” For a progressive majority that means “get more votes than the others” – he had some good ideas how.
Human Synergistics, Richard Prebble, and the end of government
Back in March 1988 David Lange had a clear idea about what lay ahead for New Zealanders as the long-term consequences of Roger Douglas’ psychopathic worshipping of the metaphysical Invisible Hand gradually materialised.
Revolutionary Spain, Revolutionary Syria, and the Bastards We Vote For.
It seems that just as the 30’s offered the chance to turn dreams into reality, Syria is offering that chance up to ‘the left’ today. Suddenly, for me, the recent travel bans and the passport confiscation laws etc make sense since we are potentially looking at an international influx of non-nutters and non- psychopaths as happened during the Spanish Revolution of the 30s.
A calculated feeding of the beasts within
The social democracy of my youth has radically collapsed into our current culture of individualism, privatisation and personal greed.
This is not business as usual. This is not some hippy over-reaction. This is serious shit!
New author Mandy Hager joins us with some reflections on having become a grandmother: “So that’s why I’m speaking out now, every opportunity I get. Not because I like the exposure (shudder), but because I love this tiny little person and I will fight for his future, come what may. It’s the right thing to do. …”
Gough 1916-2014
When Gough Whitlam was PM of Austrialia, it was a time when people were looking forward to a more inclusive, caring, and egalitarian society: a time of hope. His PM-ship ended in controversy.
Where is this Democracy they Speak of?
There’s a rumour going around that we live in a democracy.
“Predistribution”: From Miliband to Cunliffe
Ed Miliband got the idea of pre-distribution from Jacob Hacker. Cunliffe has followed. Can “pre-distribution” underpin a new direction for the left in NZ: one relevant to the challenges of the 21st century, especially in countering the too wide inequality gap & re-instating social democracy?
Green Party for democracy
Yesterday in Question Time, Green MP Holly Walker challenged to government’s anti-democratic rush to enable the government to over-ride local councils on housing. Today Russel Norman challenges the Key government’s anti-democratic processes. This weekend there is a democratic Green Party conference.
The failures of visual special effects
I “attended” a fascinating “town hall” meeting last week of artists from around the world in the Visual Special Effects sector. Ignited by […]
Fabians: Social Democracy in Aotearoa
Next Monday evening in Auckland, Professor Peter Davis will present a seminar asking what does social democracy have to offer in addressing our current discontents (loss of sovereignty, emigration of some of our best and brightest, commodity-dependent standard of living, structural deficit, inability to retain our key assets, solidifying underclass)?
Peter Davis on Social Democracy
Dr Peter Davis on “Sovereignty, sustainable development and social justice. Priorities for social democracy in Aotearoa New Zealand,” tomorrow evening Thursday August 2 5:30 GLBT4 Old Government Buildings, Wellington. All welcome.
Getting some accountability at PoAL
Darien Fenton has a bill in the ballot designed to put public ports back on the OIA.
It’s about time – there’s been no accountability or transparency at our ports for too long.
It will be interesting to see the government’s response.
Gross National Happiness
Happiness surrounds us in our lives; our music tells us to be happy, our facebook profiles suggest we’re always happy, and most of us have a willingness to work for material happiness. Yet happiness is a subject often missing from political discourse in our country, suppressed by talk of dairy and the dollar which dominates the halls of Parliament.