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- Date published:
6:00 am, January 1st, 2025 - 16 comments
Categories: open mike -
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Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.
The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
Where the CoC want to take us.
Very American, but germane.
https://open.substack.com/pub/robertreich/p/the-20-realities-of-the-american?r=aax0&utm_medium=ios
”I don’t intend for these 20 realities to make you more cynical about the system or resigned to its intransigence.
To the contrary, the first step toward changing the system is to understand it. We need to see where the system is today in order to have a baseline for measuring how much worse it will become under Trump and his lackeys in Congress and the Supreme Court.
Seeing the system for what it is and what it will be under a second term of Trump will empower you to join with others to resist Trump, and eventually change the system for the better.”
Nailed it in three short sentences.
"The increasing weaponisation of disinformation in politics – a critical threat."
https://christinapagel.substack.com/p/the-increasing-weaponisation-of-disinformation
Trump Medicare pick Dr. Oz says uninsured 'don’t have right to health' in resurfaced clip
Substitute Reti or Seymour.
Health, housing, education, power!
In the NZ context, what happens to all these big businesses that rely on low-wage workers to make their obscene profits, when said workers dry up because they've died young/ become ill/are living under bridges?
Are Reti's private hospitals going to give their staff full medical insurance in order to hang onto them? Does that extend to the people who clean them?
There's still an awful lot of jobs that can't be replaced my AI or robots in the forseeable future, although they would do a better job than politicians.
"Broke that one". ""Bring me another temporary visa worker"!
Yep, that sounds about right. I trust that these same businesses will provide new-builds to accommodate all these new imports?
If the bulk of NZ business managers had any brains, they would realise keeping customers poor, unhealthy and living under bridges, is NOT "good for business".
'
Genocide Denier Streamers
"There is no evidence"
"Really?"
I'm think we've been played by a very sophisticated phys-op.
For those with good experience of life under their belt, and looking for a good 2025 Resolution, gird yourself to go for Local Government this year.
Go on. Be a candidate.
You don't have to aspire to be an MP or anything.
Just put all that activism into good use.
You may even find you help more people than you thought you could.
I had 2 terms as a Local Board member and if you are community minded, it is a great way to serve your local area. You can achieve real results in your neighbourhood and work with other great people. It is excellent experience for many other things. It is easier if you are standing with a team of likeminded people.
Actually that is not quite the full story.
The protesters exercising their legal right to protest, standing on a public street, were threatened by the police with arrest if they didn't move away from the ASB Tennis stadium.
The mountain of evidence that Israel is committing genocide against the population of Gaza, can no longer be denied by Western Governments and media.
My new year prediction;
Global protests and legal action against any sporting links with the state of Israel while it is carrying out its genocide in Gaza will continue and grow in size and determination.
This leaves all countries with a choice – Start restricting civil liberties, or start restricting ties with Israel.
New Zealand has decided to start putting restrictions on the right to protest against visiting Israeli sports people with links to the IDF. As the ASB protest has shown,
Australia by contrast has decided to start putting restrictions on visiting Israeli spokespeople and Israeli visitors with links to the IDF.
I predict that both trends will continue;
Some countries will increase the crack down on civil liberties, and the right to protest.
Some countries will go in the other direction and start cutting ties with Israel.
As police move on protesters in Auckland by threatening to arrest them.
And Britain restricts the right to publicly protest against the genocide.
As the genocide deepens and becomes apparent to all.
I wonder, which way will New Zealand go?
Will we follow Britain's or Australia's example?
Britain's, most likely. NZ has "form" when it comes to protests (as in cracking down on).
Massey's Cossacks (1913).
The 1951 waterfront lockout.
The 1981 Springbok tour, with its Red Squads, etc.
Regular blocking off of Free Tibet demonstrations from the view of visiting Chinese "dignitaries".
Supporting Genocide is not OK.
Keeping their policy of politics in sport, ASB classic restricts the attendance of Russian tennis players, because of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
This can only be read as opposing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Keeping their policy of politics in sport, ASB classic allows the attendance of Israeli tennis players, without restriction, despite Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza.
From the NZ Herald
This can only be read as supporting Israel's genocide in Gaza.
From Christmas carols in London, to Toitu Te Tiriti shirts in Auckland.
It is inevitable that continued Western political support for Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza will lead to restrictions on personal freedoms at home.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360537889/security-insisted-lawyer-take-his-toitu-te-tiriti-shirt-asb-classic-they-later-called-it
Rules based order. Get with it.