Brazil turns right
Brazil has elected as its next President a 63-year-old former paratrooper who built his campaign around pledges to crush corruption, crime and a supposed communist threat.
International
us politics
Media Thriving on its Own Shit.
When purveyors of propaganda come to believe their own spin and start entertaining really quite idiotic conspiracy theories and abandoning any pretense of being in possession of rational thought, then we’ve got a problem.
Democracy and peace in the USA
In the land of the free and the brave there is news of voting machines changing votes from Democrat to Republican candidates, mass stripping of voting rights and closing of voting booths in Democrat areas, and right wing extreme violence caused by escalating rhetoric from the POTUS.
Oil and morality
The death of Jamal Khashoggi raises the important question can we still question the morality of Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia Admits Killing Khashoggi
Saudi Arabia sensationally fesses up to killing missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But it was all his own fault, apparently.
Saudi Arabia and the United States
Saudi Arabia is preparing to admit that the U.S. resident and investigative reporter did indeed die in their embassy in Turkey.
Reprehensible People.
“Kavanaugh” – the name lends itself to being enunciated with a certain pluminess, don’t you think?
Another reminder that climate change is happening
Hurricane Michael is exactly the sort of weather event that climate change scientists predicted would occur because of climate change.
National’s firearms forums – what could go wrong?
National has launched a series of public meetings to discuss a major issue. Not child poverty or climate change or how badly wrong Steven Joyce’s $11.5 billion hole claim was, but guns.
Shake It Up, Taylor Swift, Shake It Up
There is a long a proud history of musicians adding their weight to the Democratic cause in the United States, but Taylor Swift’s recent action is about as on-message as you can get.
At least Labour wants to save the planet
The Government is consulting on changes to the Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Bill to prevent further offshore drilling permits being issued. Locally the right are saying it will make things worse. And in the US of A the Trump administration has conceded that out of control climate change is inevitable.
It’s America Again
It would fit the karma of a leftie universe if the United States was now suffering from its political choices. But it’s the reverse: the United States economy is roaring and President Trump is starting to be rewarded for delivering what he promised.
Meanwhile in America …
America has had an interesting week with Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court all but confirmed, Donald Trump’s finances being the subject of an intensive review by the New York Times and Trump being filmed boarding Air Force One with a piece of toilet paper stuck to his shoe.
Ardern is the anti Trump
While the local right have spent the last week nit picking at Jacinda Ardern something significant has happened internationally. Jacinda Ardern has emerged as the western leader who is the antithesis of Donald Trump.
The Kavanaugh confirmation hearing
The Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearing last week showed two extremes, one person describing a painful event in her past life and another person angrily denying that anything happened and claiming it was all about him.
Jacinda Ardern on the Late Show
Video of Jacinda Ardern on Stephen Colbert’s Late Show.
Trump laughed at for waving his toad at UN
What can one say about Trump’s daft bragging at the UN, that raised a chorus of laughter at what he was saying. Clearly his toad is out of control.
The War on Drugz
Jacinda Ardern has announced that New Zealand will not sign up to Donald Trump’s global call to action on drugs. Will Simon Bridges do the responsible thing and agree with her that the announcement is a misplaced attempt to continue the currently failing approach to drugs?
Quite a day or two then!
A quick smorgasbord of reported news from Syria, to China and Sweden, to antisemitism and (hidden behind the links) an interview with (hopefully) the first woman who will serve as President of the USA.
Updated
North Carolina and Hurricane Florence
North Carolina Republicans’ refusal to accept that climate change exists means that Hurricane Florence’s effects are going to be greater than they should be.
“That day” in September.
Towers bore me.
The Global Financial Crisis 10 Years On
Ten years ago this week massive financial businesses in the United States started collapsing. How has the world recovered from this?
Ardern and Pelosi.
There is something very wrong with “our” media when it takes a stand-up comedian to alert people to important stuff. But anyway…
The Trump New York Times Op ed
Donald Trump thinks that the anonymous opinion writer in the New York times may have committed an act of treason. Others think that this is an act of loyalty to the country.
Worst campaign video ever?
Repbulican Ron Desantis has released what may be the worst campaign video ever.
Let Chelsea Manning speak
Chelsea Manning wants to visit New Zealand and talk about how evil war is and what should be done to stop it. We should let her.
Manafort convicted and Cohen takes deal
In Trump’s America Paul Manafort has been convicted on eight counts and Michael Cohen has entered into a deal with prosecutors admitting campaign finance breaches at the behest of “the candidate”.
Elizabeth Warren and Accountable Capitalism
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren is proposing a law change that would require US corporations to consider its workers and community in company decisions and prevent political donations from being made unless 75% of shareholders agreed.
RIP Aretha Franklin
Soul diva Aretha Franklin has died aged 76.
Is Tova O’Brien really a closet leftie?
Matthew Hooton has claimed that Tova O’Brien is an extreme left-wing, anti-National Party journalist intent in bringing Simon Bridges down. Hyperbole much?
About freedom of speech
Simon Wilson in the Herald neatly skewers suggestions that Donald Brash is a free speech warrior and raises important issues about the interplay between free speech and attacks on “political correctness” also known as tolerance and respect.
United Sanctions of America
The US State department has announced sanctions on Russia for the use of Novichok nerve agent. The ruble has plunged, the Russians are furious and Donald Trump is saying … nothing.
Wanna know why?
Should we defend global institutions?
With the world facing environmental, economic and social crises now more than ever before is a time for strong international institutions.
Guest post: The end of Neoliberalism – What went wrong?
The Left predicted the death of neoliberalism after the global financial crisis of 2008. But since then inequality has increased and new right nationalism is on the ascendancy. How should the left respond?
The Pied Piper
If we’re living in a global village, is the name of the village Hamelin?
World peace may be needed to deal with climate change
Imagine what we could do about climate change if there were no wars.