US China trade talks and New Zealand
Donald Trump’s trade war with China is way, way bad for New Zealand.
International
us politics
Is there a middle ground on climate change
It has been reported that US Presidential hopeful Joe Biden is hoping to craft a middle ground position between the extraordinarily strong scientific consensus suggesting we have a climate crisis and the industry supported anti scientific knee jerk opposition to doing anything.
The Brady Papers
Anne-Marie Brady submitted to yesterday’s Select Committee Inquiry into foreign interference in our elections, making copious reference to her “Magic Weapons” paper of 2017. She didn’t mention another paper which casts a much different light on her independence and purpose
Watch out Iran
National Security Advisor John Bolton has announced that the US is sending an aircraft carrier and a bomber task force to the Middle East.
10,000 lies
The Washington Post tracker of Trump whoppers suggests that he has told his 10,000th presidential lie.
Should white supremacists be preferred over ISIS?
According to media sources in the United States Twitter won’t autoban white supremacists because too many GOP Politicians would be banned.
Splitters!
David Moffett, a Former board member of the New Conservative Party has announced the launch of a new new conservative party.
Confirmation bias
The internet neatly divides us into separate isolated tribes with polarised views of what are the issues and what is reality. How do we engage in a civilised discussion to educate each other and reach a consensus of what we should be doing?
The Mueller report
Robert Mueller’s report has now been released and questions are being asked at the benign spin that the White House has been allowed to engage in to describe it before its release.
Trump’s border problem
Donald Trump has considered taking some extraordinary steps to quell a surge in migration through the southern boarder of the United States.
Trump’s tax returns and the Mueller investigation
Donald Trump and his supporters have been celebrating Mueller’s finding as interpreted by William Barr. But with Congress formally requesting his tax records and with the Mueller report not being yet released the celebration could be premature.
Did Hanson’s One Nation Party seek funding from the NRA and the Koch Brothers?
Pauline Hanson’s One Australia party is trying to defend claims that it should funding to oppose gun restrictions from the NRA and the Koch Brothers by stating that its chief of staff was drunk.
Trump: Nyet Collusion!
The Mueller report apparently clears Donald Trump of collusion. However, charges of obstruction of justice against his team remain possible.
The trouble with Facebook
The Government and some major corporations have called for changes to Facebook in the way it operates.
Mueller Report Complete
The Mueller report has dropped. The next few days are going to be crucial for the Trump presidency.
The power of compassionate politics
Jacinda Ardern has shown over the past week that she is one of the country’s best leaders.
Mike Hosking’s unusual take on the Christchurch massacre
Mike Hosking has delivered an analysis of the Mosque murders that omits saying the massacre occurred in a mosque or that all the victims were of the Muslim faith or that the terrorist was a right wing extremist.
Magicked-Up Weapons
I’m glad Anne-Marie Brady will get the chance to present her “Magic Weapons” paper to the select committee examining the last election. At long last it might get given some proper critical examination, of its content as well as it provenance. In my opinion it reads like a long list of the blindingly obvious, mixed with a large dose of conspiracy theory. It certainly doesn’t show much sign of the sort of critical thinking one might expect from an academic.
Venezuela, China and Russia
In the new world order of robber barons in which most states are collectively so weak that they no longer effective resistance against large corporations, we should start to view states as diplomatic fronts for corporations.
Kim Hill eviscerates Chris Christie on National radio
Chris Christie agreed to be interviewed by Kim Hill about his recently released book. It seems like he did not know what he was letting himself in for.
Cohen Testifies: LIVE
Live video coverage of Michael Cohen’s testimony to the House Oversight committee
GCSB head Hampton gazumped by Pompeo
On Wednesday GCSB chief Andrew Hampton told a Select Committee there was absolutely “no pressure” publicly or privately on his decision to block Huawei. On Thursday US Secretary of State Pompeo publicly warned that “United States would not be able to partner with or share information with countries that adopt Huawei Technologies Co Ltd systems.” What a difference a day makes.
Bernie runs again
Bernie Sanders has announced he will seek the Democratic candidacy for the presidency and has described Trump as being a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe and someone who is undermining American democracy.
What China crisis?
Claims that New Zealand is at a crisis point in terms of its relationship with China appear to be somewhat overegged.
Walls and Bridges
It’s been a horror week for two leaders and a leader who will never be leader.
TRP casts a wary and weary eye over three political zombies whose time appears up.
And, oh, Jeremy Corbyn.
Spark vs Spooks
Spark wants Huawei’s 5G technology because its the best and the cheapest. The GCSB spooks don’t want us to have it because 5Eyes and because the US has yanked their chain. The Prime Minister says no decision has been made – the media and the world think it is a goneburger. We should support New Zealand’s Spark, not US corporate interests.
The problems with America’s political system
In a series of simple questions shows all that is wrong with the American political system.
Trump restarts Nuclear Arms race
Donald Trump has announced that the US will be withdrawing from the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and Russia has also given notice. Stand by as the nuclear arms race restarts.
Trump’s brilliant strategy to dismantle US dollar hegemony
Polymath economist Professor Michael Hudson’s latest article is a geopolitical panoramic masterpiece, sparked by outrage at a series of concurrent events on January 31 which he predicts means that 2019 will be the “year of global fracture.” Definitely worth a read.
Auckland’s yellow jacket protest
Some observations on yesterday’s yellow jacket protest in Auckland. Basically it was pretty mundane but continued vigilance is important.
The world cannot afford to have billionaires
American politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has said that it is immoral to have a world that allows for billionaires. She may well be right.
I’m so tired of you America
Every day it’s getting harder to even wake up and hear of the latest outrage to political decency in the United States.
Trump’s Worst Day
The Trump shutdown is over, as the doofus President waves the white flag. And in Florida, his trusted advisor Roger Stone is led away in handcuffs to face charges of lying to the Mueller enquiry. Good times, people, good times!
Venezuela Coup
A coup attempt is underway in Venezuala. Opposition leader Juan Guaidó has declared himself interim President. There is no immediate response from President Nicholas Maduro, who appears to still retain the support of the military.
Enter Sandmann
The young racist who was filmed smugly grinning at a native American elder has put out a statement justifying his actions. Trump will be proud. Bigly proud.
The stoopid it burns …
Donald Trump has tweeted that he wants there to be more global warming.