Open mike 19/06/2025

Written By: notices and features - Date published: - 30 comments
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30 comments on “Open mike 19/06/2025”

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  2. 2

    Robert Reich sums up the purpose of government in 4.22 minutes.

    This should be compulsory viewing for the entire CoC cabinet, especially Luxon and Willis!

    P.S. I sent this to both Luxon and Willis, not in the expectation that they might watch it and learn something, but just, hopefully, to annoy the hell out of them!

    2. 2.2

      "The goal of government is to make life better for the people"

      What a radical idea. You think any government would actually consider doing it?

      I sent this to both Luxon and Willis, not in the expectation that they might watch it and learn something, but just, hopefully, to annoy the hell out of them!

      It would be literally in one ear and out the other, due to their hardwired ideology rendering their braincells incapable of processing alternative ideas. I heartily approve of you hope of annoying them- that we know they are capable of smiley

      1. 2.2.1

        What a radical idea.

        Yes, it is, rather! Quaint, old fashioned, perhaps even irrational. Especially if you are right-wing!

      1. 2.3.1

        Send it to that silly man Seymour too.

        yesSimple Seymour maximises shareholder returns – there's no such thing as society.
        Send it to Hipkins too, just in case he needs a refresher.

  3. 3

    The Obama/Springsteen United Front firms up: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/18/politics/obama-trump-resistance-analysis

    businesses that resist the administration’s bullying may have to deal with retribution like politically oriented investigations or mergers being held up.

    He even twice pointed to people who work in Trump’s Justice Department, painting them as a bulwark in upholding the Constitution in the face of the president’s threats. It was a significant call for a broad-scale resistance from the most popular and significant Democratic figure of the 21st century.

    A Gallup poll earlier this year showed Obama is by far the most popular living president, with 6 in 10 Americans and even 1 in 5 Republicans having a favorable opinion.

    https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2025/06/whos-the-boss-donald-trump-bruce-springsteen-war-words/

    Bruce Springsteen is touring right now in the U.K., and he’s putting out some really serious stuff,” Plant told the crowd. “So tune in to him.”

    https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/springsteen-vs-trump-all-artists-supporting-bruce-1235349389/

    In a wide-reaching interview with The New York Times published Wednesday (June 18), the rock star criticized everything from the politician’s leadership to his effect on the social fabric of the United States.

    https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/bruce-springsteen-president-trump-moron-american-tragedy-1236002745/

  4. 4

    US Immigration will now require students to unlock their media profiles.

    That's a big gulp for freedom of expression.

    But imagine if it were a condition of entry for anyone entering any country:

    A very polite internet, and a whole lot less hate.

    1. 4.1

      The land of free speech that cannot handle criticism of the Israeli occupation.

      When will they ban support for Ukraine?

    2. 4.2

      Looks like we're returning to the days when Un-American Activities were a thing.

      I went into USA a couple of times in the 70's, the immigration bloke had a huge black book on his desk that he checked to see if you featured. Also remember the place being very polite in comparison to our more direct approach.

        1. 4.2.1.1

          It's hard to classify Putin as communist in McCarthy's world view. McCarthy's targets were really much closer to Washington than Moscow, and pretty similar to MAGA's targets. Communist sympathies kinda equates to Woke today

  5. 5

    Aotearoa is either a belt or a road: https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/06/19/confusion-as-nz-becomes-midpoint-on-china-route-to-south-america/

    During the announcement, China Eastern Airlines Chairman Wang Zhiqing said, “we will be committed to … mutual exchanges and high-quality Belt and Road initiatives”. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the foreign policy position on Belt and Road was unchanged.

    “The New Zealand Government is not developing BRI initiatives.”

    The obvious thing to do is ask the PM whether we are belt or road, but so far no journo seems to have thought of that, which is why the Newsroom author cites a state of confusion. Perhaps nobody has realised that journo training still does not feature Schrodinger's cat as a mental model of reality. They'll stay confused until someone collapses the wave function for them: "Hey guys, you just ask the right person the right question and their reply creates reality."

    1. 7.1

      Kainga Ora is intent on selling off land and halting many of its planned developments.

      The proceeds would be put towards new housing or debt, and the agency would hold on to the remaining land for possible future development.

      The agency's plan will see it refocus as a landlord***, rather than a developer, and the number of houses it owned would stabilise from 2026.

      Not if the government is turfed out as it should be.

      The government is funding other social providers to build on their land (private developers being used – profit makers) but not KO on the land it owns/owned.

      In the 1990's the government as landlord charged market rents (to prepare for either selling off the lot to the private sector or handing the rest over to social providers to manage).

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/564594/kainga-ora-halts-hundreds-of-housing-developments-sells-vacant-land

  8. 8

    Wow, I wonder if Donald Trump realises what he said;

    “I may do it, I may not do it,” Trump said of a potential US strike in another exchange with reporters at the White House on Wednesday. “I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do."

    And then there's these little gems;

    “My supporters are more in love with me today, and I'm more in love with them, more than they even were at election time where we had a total landslide,” Trump told reporters as a new flagpole was erected at the White House, with machinery whirring in the background.

    “I may have some people that are a little bit unhappy now, but I have some people that are very happy, and I have people outside of the base that can't believe that this is happening, they're so happy,” he said.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360722787/israel-iran-conflict

    1. 9.1

      If Labour can show some sensible policies and if the Greens and TPM can keep their noses clean enough that the centre would tolerate having them in the mix, this will be the first one term National government.

  10. 10

    School lunches. Are they sorted ? Deputy PM gets zero scrutiny over the Omni shambles he rolled out there and the economic activity he took offshore.

    Does he still get to meddle in health along with Simeon and his henchmen?

  11. 11

    Does he still get to meddle in health along with Simeon and his henchmen?

    Many hands make shite work?

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