International

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Operation warped

Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, December 20th, 2020 - 30 comments

Donald Trump has spent the past week stuffing up the vaccine roll out in some states, fighting attempts to cancel the Trump wall and blaming China for Russian hacks on American institutions and corporations.

Shock horror, trickle down does not work

Written By: - Date published: 7:31 am, December 18th, 2020 - 54 comments

In yet another study academics at the London School of Economics have concluded that trickle down leads to higher income inequality but do not have any significant effect on economic growth or unemployment.

The Government’s finances are in very good shape

Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, December 17th, 2020 - 66 comments

The Government’s finances are in remarkably good shape.  Who would have predicted that dealing properly with a global pandemic would have had better results for the economy than timidly dealing with it and trying to ensure that economic activity continued? But by international levels our Government debt is already low and maybe now is the time to spend on vital areas such as poverty, climate change and the housing crisis.

Nanaia Mahuta – Peacebroker

Written By: - Date published: 6:07 pm, December 16th, 2020 - 22 comments

“Do I believe that there might be an opportunity for New Zealand to create a different environment and have a conversation? Yes, I do.” Nanaia Mahuta told Reuters on Tuesday the country would be willing to help negotiate a truce between neighbouring Australia and regional heavyweight China, who are caught in an escalating trade and diplomatic spat. Great idea.

What does Steinlager and the Pacific anti nuclear movement have in common?

Written By: - Date published: 10:07 am, December 16th, 2020 - 25 comments

In as blatant a case of cultural and historical misappropriation as you can imagine the makers of Steinlager has produced a dumbed down video that distorts the history of decades of opposition to French Nuclear testing in the Pacific in an effort to sell beer.

Brexit revisited

Written By: - Date published: 7:19 am, December 13th, 2020 - 19 comments

With Brexit looming there is talk of unfinished customs software and the possibility of chaos around ports, the UK’s food supply being compromised, and potential skirmishes with France at fishing spots.  And Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron are refusing to talk to Boris Johnson.  Hang on England, this is going to get wild.

Blind-sided by Five Eyes

Written By: - Date published: 2:34 pm, December 12th, 2020 - 13 comments

It has been good to see some pushback in the media questioning the wisdom of  Mahuta’s FiveEyes alignment as the first public act of her tenure as our Foreign Minister. Chris Trotter writes in interest.co.nz that upsetting New Zealand’s most significant trading partner seems like a very silly thing to do. Others include Bryce Edwards […]

A joy to read

Written By: - Date published: 9:24 am, December 10th, 2020 - 18 comments

There are the odd occasions when you find a political opinion that is a joy to read and quite revealing. An analysis piece by the Bagehot columnist that refers to the Conservatives as the dysmorphic Tory party completes its transition from the natural party of government into a British version of the Taliban…

Assisted dying law in New Zealand and the UK

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, December 9th, 2020 - 65 comments

Assisted Dying

There is now growing recognition internationally that the right to a dignified death is a fundamental human right. Assisted dying is not about reducing health care costs or pressuring those who are frail, old or disabled to end their life prematurely. It is about allowing those with a terminal illness the choice to die rather than face a period of significant physical decline and suffering before the end of their life.

What happens when the Covid vaccine becomes available?

Written By: - Date published: 7:42 am, December 4th, 2020 - 60 comments

The United Kingdom has used emergency procedures to approve for general use the Pfizer Covid vaccine.  But this will nor provide overnight respite from Covid.  How do you handle the mass vaccination of pretty well the whole planet?  And what are the implications for New Zealand’s border policy?

“Beyond Jacinda” – Colin James and Cr Tamatha Paul

Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, December 3rd, 2020 - 20 comments

Colin James and Councillor Tamatha Paul will discuss Colin’s paper “Beyond Jacinda” on Monday 7 December at 5:30pm at Baptist Church, 46-48 Boulcott Street Wellington. It will also be shown on Zoom and available on YouTube. Registration links below. All Welcome.

Power across the Tasman

Written By: - Date published: 8:22 am, November 30th, 2020 - 25 comments

Australia is likely to have less of an issue with raging bush fires this year. La Niña is likely to give a break to the droughts with a wetter East Coast. Doesn’t stop record heatwaves as is happening at present. Climate change in action. What is also happening is equally predictable – the power systems get affected as well. Interesting to consider for similar climate issues here hitting our power. 

Maiden Speech – Ibrahim Omer take a bow

Written By: - Date published: 9:11 pm, November 26th, 2020 - 9 comments

Ibrahim Omer, refugee, trade unionist, and living wage advocate gave his maiden speech today in Parliament.  If you want to watch an outstanding speech and shed a tear or two watch this.

Trump loses the presidency, but Trumpism lives on

Written By: - Date published: 12:30 am, November 19th, 2020 - 8 comments

The reality is that the United States is a poor example of a functioning democracy in 2020.

Trump’s chances of winning the Presidential Election through legal action

Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, November 18th, 2020 - 19 comments

To win the Presidential Election Donald Trump has to win multiple legal challenges in multiple states.  So far his cases have not gone very well.

The million MAGA muppet march

Written By: - Date published: 9:33 am, November 16th, 2020 - 37 comments

America is in some trouble.  Covid19 is surging.  The third wave is hitting hard.  Suddenly 100,000 daily new infections is not a scary possibility, 200,000 is.  And a group of Americans have been persuaded that Trump has had the election stolen off him.

Some men just want to see the World burn

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, November 12th, 2020 - 58 comments

Normally when you lose an election you say nice things about the winner and make way for them. But is Trump doing this in the US of A? No sirree. From refusing Biden transition resources to instructing officials not to cooperate with Biden’s team to mass sackings of Defense officials to various failed cases Trump is obstructing the transition every step of the way.

What should the left make of the US election result?

Written By: - Date published: 7:43 am, November 10th, 2020 - 76 comments

Now the dust is settling on the US election result the one question I have is why was it even close?

A tsunami of wing clipped kiwi?

Written By: - Date published: 9:52 am, November 9th, 2020 - 45 comments

The rush back home has definitely been happening and appears to mainly be constrained at present by the limits on quarantine facilities. It has already helped to mitigate the drops in immigration and probably will in the future. Nowhere near as economically important and productive as our exports. But useful for reducing unemployment for those not exposed to the export economy.

Lawyers, guns and money

Written By: - Date published: 8:05 am, November 9th, 2020 - 51 comments

Over in the United States of America the country is descending into chaos. But so far the farcical type of chaos as opposed to the violent type of chaos and this is a good thing.

Donald Trump’s letter to Joe Biden

Written By: - Date published: 8:53 am, November 8th, 2020 - 19 comments

It is customary for outgoing Presidents to leave for the incoming President a short letter of introduction. The Standard has managed to obtain a early draft copy of Donald Trump’s letter to Joe Biden drafted while he was playing golf.

President Biden and Vice President Harris.

Written By: - Date published: 6:54 am, November 8th, 2020 - 92 comments

At last. All of the main US media organisations have now called the election for for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris with Pennsylvania. The eventual electoral college vote looks to be over 300 – well above the 270 required as Arizona and Nevada are called. It looks like Georgia will wind up the same way.

If Biden wins, then what?

Written By: - Date published: 11:29 am, November 7th, 2020 - 39 comments

I hope that I am not tempting fate by saying this but a Biden presidency seems almost inevitable. But presuming he prevails the transition is going to be one of the most difficult and most important in America’s history.

This is how you do it America

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, November 7th, 2020 - 79 comments

Day four of the US election (general discussion thread).

In support of Nanaia Mahuta

Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, November 6th, 2020 - 70 comments

Some elements of the right as well as Comrade Chris Trotter have decided to attack Nanaia Mahuta’s appointment as Foreign Affairs minister.  In my view they could not be more wrong and I believe she will be an outstanding Minister of Foreign Affairs.

US Election day three

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, November 6th, 2020 - 38 comments

General discussion thread for the US election.

US election 2020: the morning after

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, November 5th, 2020 - 155 comments

General discussion thread for the US election.

Updated at 0651

US Election 2020

Written By: - Date published: 6:36 pm, November 3rd, 2020 - 137 comments

General discussion page for the US Elections 2020.

The Covid crisis

Written By: - Date published: 11:43 am, November 1st, 2020 - 51 comments

A surge in Covid infections in Europe and in the United States is raising the specter that the most pessimistic predictions about the disease and its effect on the health system may occur.   And right wing governments appear to be spectacularly unable to deal with the crisis.

UK Labour suspends Corbyn for stating the obvious about anti-semitism in the Party

Written By: - Date published: 7:36 pm, October 30th, 2020 - 35 comments

Following a report into anti-semitism in the UK Labour party, Corbyn said it exists in the Party but it is over-stated and the campaign against it is politically-motivated by opponents inside and outside the Party. He was instantly suspended from the party and had the whip removed by leader Sir Keir Starmer, which seems excessive and will cause further discord. Corbyn is not an anti-Semite.

On the US election.

Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, October 30th, 2020 - 30 comments

This year forecasting the U.S. election has an interesting additional element, with Trump and the Republican Party gearing up to steal the election if it is not a landslide for their opponents. It is going to be difficult with Joe Biden currently estimated at a 89% probability of winning the electoral college.