Corrupt US

Written By: - Date published: 8:21 pm, March 10th, 2020 - 60 comments
Categories: campaigning, corruption, democracy under attack, elections, International, us politics - Tags: , , , , ,

In a few hours from now (if I’m getting my time zones right), Americans will hit the polling booths in another six primary states. Not to put too fine a point on it, but I reckon Bernie Sanders is fucked.

If you’re an outsider running for high office, then it’s possible to overcome a Party establishment. And sure, a Bernie Sanders could also overcome the concerted efforts of various corporate actors out to thwart him. He could also quite conceivably overcome wall to wall, 24/7 mainstream media coverage that’s largely only looking to hang negative memes from his campaign and/or compile a list of “gotcha!”s.

Bernie could maybe even get away with throwing in a bit of self sabotage – insist Biden, a man who epitomises the very thing he claims to represent an existential threat to, is his friend and a decent guy. He could throw surrogates under the bus if they point to Biden’s obvious corruption. And when asked whether Biden can defeat Trump, he could even be so stupid as to say “yes” and still win at the ballot box.

Or at least, he could if the votes being cast at the ballot box (for those citizens who can actually get to a ballot box) corresponded with election results (those that were actually counted). But they don’t.

When California was called for Bernie Sanders with barely 1% of the vote counted, I admit I was a bit puzzled as to how the likes of CNN could call it at such an early point in the process. Well, it turns out that CNN gets the results of exit polling conducted by Edison Research. Those polls gave Sanders a 15% winning margin in California. Yet according to TDMS research…

The unobservable computer counts cut his lead by half (to 7.3%). In the total delegate count to date, substituting the estimated California and Texas exit poll delegate apportionments for the apportionments derived from the computer counts, results in candidate Sanders currently leading candidate Biden by 42 delegates instead of trailing by 45. (my emphasis)

See. No-one can beat that kind of fuckery.

And the pattern, with discrepancies always advantageous to the favoured “establishment” candidate, repeats across Vermont (+26% for Biden), Massachusetts( +16% for Biden) South Carolina (+8.5% for Biden) and New Hampshire (+12% for Buttigeig)…

Interestingly, TDMS  had previously looked at the exit poll results in 2016 and stacked them against published results. Guess what? While almost all of the Republican Primary results from that year fell within established margins of error for such polling, the Democratic Primary results were all out of whack.

Anyway. Here’s what the The United States Agency of International Development (USAID), has to say about such exit polls –

Detecting fraud: Exit polls provide data that is generally indicative of how people voted. A discrepancy between the aggregated choices reported by voters and the official results may suggest, but not prove, that results have been tampered with.

So yeah. I guess people will argue what they will argue or dismiss based on their preferred candidate, while some will just casually reckon to “fuck election integrity”.

Meanwhile, CODEPINK and The Grayzone are calling on the Organisation of American States (OAS) to provide emergency international election observers. Laughable, right? I mean, what in God’s name would the self proclaimed “home of democracy” be needing with election observers?

Certainly, by November, no observers will be required when, in the words of Chris Hedges, the voters are to vote for – 

The consolidation of oligarchic power under Donald Trump or the consolidation of oligarchic power under Joe Biden.

60 comments on “Corrupt US ”

  1. lprent 1

    Welcome to the joys of advance voting.

    As I remember the news articles that I read in advance of Super Tuesday (digs around) but after South Carolina (digs some more), indicated that there was a high turnout in California in advance voting. Which is where much of the exit polling would have been looking at…

    Try this one… https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-03-02/klobuchar-buttigieg-california-primary

    The population of advance voters is not the same as those voting on the day. Early voters are usually the ones who are more committed and more likely to vote closely to their ideological beliefs than to news media.

    The on-the-day voters are also changing opinions due to events over the previous 3 weeks. In particular to events like a win elsewhere or to candidates dropping out.

    Indeed, all the research tends to indicate that on-the-day voters effectively are the now voters – the ones who are more likely to make a decision at the polling booth – which leads to name recognition voting. Like winning South Carolina or getting endorsements from people, that they recognise.

    Plus that there was a largish drop out from advance votes for candidates who dropped out (changes the percentages in a one-on-one comparison) and their on-the-day voters shifting to someone else – usually unequally.

    Not to mention that at least in California, there were some significiant changes in how the election was being run this time. Although even though the count probably won’t be finished until April 3rd (FFS), that doesn’t seem to have affected turnout. https://abc7news.com/5986202/

    Basically you should look at the numbers more closely rather than counting on eating carrots before they’re harvested – beetles are always ready to eat the vote carrots.

    • Bill 1.1

      This is an answer about polling those early votes/postal votes in the thread below the South Carolina post from the TDMS site.

      From the President of Edison Research:
      Edison has two methods of reaching people who voted early or by mail. They conduct a regular telephone survey in the week or two leading up to the election to reach those who have already voted by mail, specifically geared toward states where bigger groups of the population vote by mail (like Arizona, Washington, Colorado and more).

      They also place interviewers at early voting locations in states where majorities vote before election day (like Tennessee, North Carolina and Texas)

      • lprent 1.1.1

        That is what I pointed out. The estimates for the 'exit voting' on advance voting only reflect how the advance voters voted. They don't bind

        If there was a 15% lead in advance voting up to 3 weeks before polling day, but if (say) only a third or a half had voted using that technique – then you can't assume (as you have) that the same proportions will apply for the other half or 2/3rds in the polling booth on election day. They usually don't.

        Events happen, opinion shifts, and the statistical group who pre-voted are unlikely to fully reflect the group who voted on the day.

        I used to see it all of the time when I was looking at the drawn out process of the postal votes in Auckland local body elections. Here the people who voted early weren't the ones that we wanted to see voting – they were far more likely to have voted for National in drag (Citizens and Ratepayers).

        • Nic the NZer 1.1.1.1

          Pretty amazing that these results could be used in early reporting. If they are exit polls of only the postal part of the ballot this should be stated clearly reported when cited.

          • Bill 1.1.1.1.1

            They aren't polls of postal votes. Postal votes appear to be factored in, but essentially the exit polls are polling of people as they leave the polling station.

        • bill 1.1.1.2

          The exit polling conducted by Edison is by way of polling voters who have just left the voting booth.

          As per my comment above, it seems they collect some data on postal data and presumably feed that into their stated and varied margins of error that apply to different candidates in each set of results they publish.

          But picking up on what you say about people shifting their preferences.

          Can we reasonably assume many early or postal votes would have gone to Warren in her home state of Massachusetts? In that instance, the exit polling would have underestimated her vote share if she had been dropping out of favour post- S. Carolina, yes?

          Yet, in Massachusetts, the reported count (the result) was a 14% drop (over double the margin of error) for Warren when compared to the exit polls.

          I'm no statistician, but the links I provided appear thorough and robust. I strongly suggest you peruse them

    • Cindy 1.2

      The latest vote to report in California will be skewed even more toward Bernie… why? Because it will include the provisional ballots that we manage to actually get counted (big effort to not count them) and the vote by mail ballots that were initially rejected by the signature verification machines and then later accepted when humans looked at them. There was a massive effort to hand out provisional ballots in Bernie strongholds… heavily Latinx communities and precincts where a lot of young people (college students, etc) vote. This is very intentional and form of voter suppression. On the initially rejected by the machines and later accepted by humans vote by mail ballots, in 2016, these went very heavily for Bernie… the machine accepted ones went heavily for Hillary Clinton… imagine that! The first ones were including in the sampling for the supposedly "random" 1% mandatory audit… the later ones were not… imagine that! I will also point out that the absentee votes in South Carolina and very very suspicious in their overwhelming dominance for Biden, much higher than the same day vote.

  2. A 2

    Figured it would be Biden, but also thought he would pull out at a point further along due to "health reasons" at which point the pre-selected candidate will run. Guess we will see.

  3. adam 3

    Nothing to see here – move on.

  4. Ad 4

    Hang in there Bill.

  5. Andre 5

    Let's ponder how many different people in how many different organisations would be needed to pull off what's being insinuated here.

    There would need to be employees within Edison Research and CNN 'adjusting' the results of exit polls in coordination with all the state Democratic Party organisations involved (and remember, the state organisations are independent from each other and the DNC). Then those involved in the "unobservable computer counts" would have to be involved – in somehow providing a mechanism to manipulate the results and then actually doing so.

    Out of all these (probably thousands) of people that would have to be coordinated in manipulating results and making it possible to manipulate results, not a single one is sufficiently dedicated to democratic principles and/or sympathetic to Bernie's ideas to preserve evidence and blow the whistle? Really?

    Or maybe, just maybe, what is observed is the entirely natural result of a previously very chaotic fluid situation with multiple moderate candidates splitting the vote, that was quickly resolved by the undecided moderate majority coalescing around Biden triggered by the South Carolina vote showing Biden was indeed a popular viable candidate.

    edit: Oh, and all of this sophisticated widespread conspiracy would have to be carried out in perfect secrecy with the DNC coordinating it all. Has the hilariously inept DNC ever displayed even a tiny fraction of the unity, competence and discipline that would be required to pull it off?

    • bill 5.1

      Let's ponder how many different people in how many different organisations would be needed to pull off what's being insinuated here.

      In the case of electronic voting, not many. Read the link I provided to The New York Book of Reviews on voting machines in the post. (under "unobservable computer counts" in the first block of quoted text)

      I can't see why there would be any fuckery at play with the exit polls. The whole point is that the final count does not correspond with the exit polls and their margins of error.

      • Andre 5.1.1

        CNN's exit polls:

        https://edition.cnn.com/election/2020/entrance-and-exit-polls/california/democratic

        Latest vote counts (not all complete):

        https://www.thegreenpapers.com/

        Looking at just a few of them, they look quite close.

        CA: Biden exit 24% vote 27% Bernie exit 36% vote 34%

        MA: Biden exit 34% vote 34% Bernie exit 28% vote 27%

        VA: Biden exit 54% vote 53% Bernie exit 23% vote 23%

        Note that the exit poll numbers for California are different to the ones claimed in your TDMS Research piece. This is apparently because

        [1] Exit poll (EP) downloaded from CNN’s website by TDMS on election night, March 3, 2020 at 11:00 PM ET. Candidates’ exit poll percentage/proportion derived from the gender category. Number of EP respondents: 2,350. As this first published exit poll was subsequently adjusted towards conformity with the final computerized vote count, the currently published exit poll differs from the exit poll used here and available through the link below.

        (quote from your TDMS Research footnote)

        I'll leave it to readers to form their own opinions as to whether it reflects a genuine difference between early and late exit poll respondents, CNN/ Edison Research fuckery, fuckery by dude publishing stuff in teh webz (look the guy up if you want to consider that possibility) or something else.

        It's entirely plausible there's a significant difference between early deciders, where those with their hearts set on Bernie would be overrepresented, and late deciders who hadn't decided which moderate to go for until the late coalescence around Biden would be overrepresented. Hence the steady increase in Biden's vote share as the late mailed ballots are ever so slowly counted.

        It's also entirely plausible there's a systematic difference between those that vote by mail, and are more difficult to capture in exit polling, and those that turn up to deal with the lines and hassle of polling booths and are easy to capture for exit polling.

        As for the voting machines, they are not universally used (rarely used is a fairer description), and there are several vendors. Are they all in on the same conspiracy?

        Looking at the states that voted on Super Tuesday, your piece says electronic machines are used in "California (again, for the most populous county)", "Texas (for at least Dallas and Travis counties)", "Colorado (for early voting)", " Arkansas (at least four counties)", "North Carolina (for the most populous county)". All of that adds up to just a tiny fraction of the votes cast on Super Tuesday.

        Furthermore, it would be astonishing if the vote distributions coming out of the voting machines weren't closely scrutinised for redflags in comparison to the huge majority of votes cast by other methods. Going off the 2016 experience, the election officials involved will be well aware of the likelihood of allegations of impropriety from disappointed BernieBro cultists.

        To be sure, the flaws in those machines means using them is a really crap idea. But leveraging those flaws that might affect a tiny portion of the votes cast into building a conspiracy of election-changing fraud? Really?

        • Bill 5.1.1.1

          You're looking at the wrong figures Andre. The percentage differences that matter are the ones relating to a per candidate basis.

          Take Massachusetts. Warrens percentage drop was 14.7%. But the drop she records in relation to the overall vote is 3.7%.

          Yes, the exit poll numbers are adjusted by CNN to better fit vote counts as time passes. That's a known and doesn't invalidate the original exit poll results in any way whatsoever. You do understand that it's not the veracity of the exit polls that's in question, yes?

          On the early vote versus actual day vote scenario, I'll just repeat for you what I wrote in response to Lynn above –

          Can we reasonably assume many early or postal votes would have gone to Warren in her home state of Massachusetts? In that instance, the exit polling would have underestimated her vote share if she had been dropping out of favour post- S. Carolina, yes?

          Yet, in Massachusetts, the reported count (the result) was a 14% drop (over double the margin of error) for Warren when compared to the exit polls.

          • Andre 5.1.1.1.1

            The CNN exit poll for Massachusetts gave Warren a 20.9% share, from 1443 respondents. This result has a margin of error of 2.1% (95% CI).

            Warren's actual vote share in Massachusetts was 21.4%, well within the exit poll's margin of error.

            • bill 5.1.1.1.1.1

              Again Andre – you're looking at the wrong figures. To repeat. The important numbers – the ones that indicate fuckery – are the difference in the numbers for Warren (or who-ever) when looking at their exit polling numbers compared to their reported count.

              Read the links that provide ample explanation and stop trolling with 'stupid'. Thank you.

        • Bill A 5.1.1.2

          Andre in your skew answer me this . The same company Edison Research does exit polling for Republican primary also in 2016 and 2020 they were all within the margin of error.

          If there was a flaw in the method it would also show in the Republican primary.

          If it was random it would show on both sides

          So why is it that every time the discrepancy outside of the margin of error always favors the DNC favored candidate ? Hillary in 2016 and Biden in 2020 with i think 1 exception.

          States with paper trail were within margin of error. State with unobserved machine counts are where the discrepancies show up.

          In 2008 Between Obama and Hillary strangely enough there were no such discrepancies.

          Of course your bias shows in your reply

  6. Tiger Mountain 6

    The US political scene has the potential to do any leftists head in. So many systemic ‘fixes’ are in already to preserve oligarchical hegemony, that it is amazing anyone turns out. On Super Tues the majority of contests were “open” primaries, so the results can be affected by Republicans! or whoever turns up.

    South Carolina was vote herded by Mr Clyburn–a DNC favourite–will any Democrat go near the state again before November? It is clearly a Trump state–yet a major harbinger for the pundits in the Democratic nomination process. I don’t buy the “noble working class has spoken and critics should butt out” line over SC from TRP and other centre line huggers that post here. The SC working class wouldn’t even vote to go Union at Boeing!
    https://labornotes.org/blogs/2017/02/viewpoint-boeing-vote-was-not-referendum-organizing-south

    Bernie has run an actual campaign with countless rallies and gatherings–Biden’s has been a phantom campaign–now with unimaginably huge backing, the billionaires are all in for him. They will keep him out of the public eye and charge on. A Union AFL/CIO Biden/Sanders debate scheduled prior to Florida Primary has been cancelled due to “Corona virus” uh huh…will in fact there ever be a one on one Sanders/Biden debate now?

    All the previous candidates have had “the call” and Elizabeth Warren (so far) seems the only one not to have shown their inner weasel. From the Buttigieg sponsored vote rigging application in Iowa to the millions of dollars spent by Bloomberg it has been a rotten affair. What a man Bernie Sanders is, and the disparate peoples movements that have enabled Sanders MkII, standing strong against that pile!

    • Phil 6.1

      South Carolina was vote herded by Mr Clyburn–a DNC favourite

      He's literally the House Majority Whip and has been a long-standing senior member of the Black Congressional Caucus. Maybe you could be a little less patronising next time and describe him by his role rather than like someone's favorite flavour of icecream.

      It is clearly a Trump state–yet a major harbinger for the pundits in the Democratic nomination process.

      SC was the first state that black voters (approx 40% of the overall democratic primary electorate) got to make their voice heard en masse. It *is* important for understanding trends and forces in the nomination process.

      • bill 6.1.1

        50% of African Americans polled who had voted for Biden, said they had voted for Biden because of Clyburn's endorsement.

        Some black folks are less than impressed at what Clyburn has enabled. Try the vid below from about 5min 30 sec for a taster, aye?

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUj8T50PZ20&t=21s

        • Sabine 6.1.1.1

          maybe some of that shit is what puts people of the Saint?

          https://twitter.com/blackwomenviews/status/1236352623428673539

          or this shit here, but then he 'condems' it. 🙂

          https://www.businessinsider.com.au/bernie-sanders-condemns-attacks-against-elizabeth-warren-after-super-tuesday-2020-3?r=US&IR=T

          or this shit

          https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-02-19/bernie-sanders-supporters-toxic-online-culture

          personally i my fave has quit the race and now its a race of three old white man and i am like so many in the US. If i had to vote for any of the three old white man i would have to don a full body hazmat suit, bring a barge pole to push the button with and then sanitze for hte rest of the year in a tub of liquid alcohol.

          But fact is that the US has the enviable choice of thee old white man. And two of these guys have some of the worst supporters ever.

          p

          • Bill 6.1.1.1.1

            Confused where you get the "two old white men" thing from.

            Sanders, Biden and Gabbard (a 40 something non-Christian woman of colour) are the three remaining candidates.

            Of course, the DNC has changed the rules (yet again) – this time to exclude Tulsi Gabbard from the upcoming CNN debate.

            • Phil 6.1.1.1.1.1

              Oh, please, Bill, get off it. Gabbard hasn't qualified for the Dem debate stage since November and, as far as I can tell, never polled higher than about 2% nationally.

            • Andre 6.1.1.1.1.2

              Gabbard has won 0.71% of the votes cast so far. You think that should get her a spot on the stage? Really?

              • Bill

                The debate rules put in place by the DNC – that they claimed were immutable right up until they changed them to allow Bloomberg in – state that any person who has won a delegate qualifies to be in debates.

                Gabbard has a delegate.

                • Phil

                  Yeah, getting into the debate REALLY helped Bloomberg, didn't it?

                  The qualification thresholds have, entirely reasonably, increased for every debate and narrowed the field. Statistically speaking, if the polling was representative of regular commenters on this blog, literally no-one other than you gives a single fuck about Gabbard's campaign.

                • Andre

                  Getting a delegate was one of the ways to qualify for the tenth debate on 25th February.

                  There were no announced qualifications for the eleventh debate until the requirement of 20% of the pledged delegates awarded by March 15, announced on March 6. Qualification rules for the eleventh debate weren't changed, they simply hadn't been finalised.

                  Unless you got a link that says otherwise?

                  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Democratic_Party_presidential_debates#Qualification_11

                  • Bill

                    Sure. The rules were changed post Super Tuesday. What's your point?

                    • Andre

                      The rules for qualifying for the eleventh debate did not exist before the March 6th announcement of what they were going to be. They were not, repeat, not changed.

                      Nobody with any authority ever asserted or promised the rules would remain the same from the tenth debate to the eleventh debate, that I'm aware of or can find.

                      Some Tulsi fanbois may have had a head explosion when Tulsi met the bar too late for the previous debate that had already happened, but that's not actually the same as meeting rules that have yet to be announced for a future debate. That's just a lack of understanding of how time works.

                    • RedLogix

                      As a "Tulsi fanboi" whose head hasn't exploded, it's still clear to me that the DNC establishment went out of their way to ensure she wasn't going to get a hearing.

                      All other considerations aside … who would you actually prefer as a US President … an intelligent woman with an articulate story to tell about US foreign policy, or Joe Biden's doddery establishment fuckery?

                      And just for the record, I strongly supported Sanders in 2016, but the context changed in 2020. I think he should not have run this time, but rather committed his formidable campaigning powers to supporting younger voices.

                    • Andre

                      @RedLogix: I'm assuming that comment was aimed at me.

                      Looks to me more like the DNC declined to take the opportunity to create contorted rules to bring Tulsi into the debate. Given her very low support level, and that she's 2:1 underwater unfavourable/favourable with Democratic voters, I can't see much incentive for the DNC to go out of their way for her.

                      Sure I'd love to have an articulate woman with a story to tell about US foreign policy as president, provided that foreign policy was something I could at least choke down. Tulsi's enthusiasm for authoritarian dictators and nationalism, and droning the fuck out foreign brown people whose religion she doesn't like using a bloated military means she's not that person.

                    • RedLogix

                      Tulsi's enthusiasm for authoritarian dictators and nationalism, and droning the fuck out foreign brown people whose religion she doesn't like using a bloated military means she's not that person.

                      Having actually listened to her speak at length I really wonder exactly how you managed to twist what she is saying into that smeary mess. But then again if you're getting your info from the Dem mainstream I'm not surprised.

                      Sure she isn’t ‘progressive’ enough to make anyone happy around here, but in purely pragmatic terms of governing a nation like the USA she’s a better fit than Sanders TBH.

                    • Andre

                      I didn't think Jacobin was a mainstream Dem source. Learn something every day, I s'pose.

                      https://www.jacobinmag.com/2017/05/tulsi-gabbard-president-sanders-democratic-party

                    • RedLogix

                      I realise the left is in love with anything Islam at the moment and any discussion or criticism of fundamentalist terrorism is off-limits. So … no comment.

            • Sabine 6.1.1.1.1.3

              i have no use for Gabbard. None. And she is some 300+ delegates short to being even mentioned. Like this is pulling at straws. At the very best this chick should get hired by either Fox or RT and then she did well for her. And no, she was not excluded, she got 1 – i repeat 1 delegate (from her Native Samoa) and thus needs a bit more to get into any debate. Now it is set at delegate count and not money raised. But she will look nice on RT or Fox whinging about the Democrats while not once mentioning the shenanigans of hte republicans.

              Ask her constituence in Hawaii how well they did, and look just at how much support she got from her native American Samoa.

              There are three old white men running. 🙂 One is the sitting bullshitter and the others are still fighting about whom will be the selected bullshitter for the D's to go after the sitting bullshitter for the R.s.

              As for Bernie, he wasted almost 4 years doing fuck all. And again, this is the choice the public has to make, which of the three mediocre white men to elevate as that is the only choice there ever was.

              None of these three are the solution to anything.

        • Phil 6.1.1.2

          50% of African Americans polled who had voted for Biden, said they had voted for Biden because of Clyburn's endorsement.

          Right. Even in the hyper-online world of 2020, some old-fashioned personal endorsements still matter.

    • bill 6.2

      will in fact there ever be a one on one Sanders/Biden debate now?

      Apparently not. CNN the DNC have decided the next "head to head" will in fact be a seated affair where each candidate fields audience questions. So…no opportunity to debate one on one, and no mutual grilling by journalists or moderators on specific points…just (surely not vetted!) audience questions from a (representative?) audience.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LikgDwzMvCQ&t=314s

  7. Adrian Thornton 7

    Voting Biden for anyone in the states who earns less than 100K is like voting for your old slave master, and for the rest of the world it means a big fuck you to anyone who cares what shape the planet will be left in for our children and grandchildren..because as we know now these so called moderate centrist liberals have no answers for climate change and never will..that is a fact.

    Here is an indication to what a Biden White House will most probably look like..it makes me feel a bit sick..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0NRqQVw2nk

  8. Tiger Mountain 8

    The 2020 US General Election so far has been a masterclass in US ruling class corruption, – “do you really want to know how a sausage is made”…

    The Democrats Abroad Primary voting (3-10 March) should have closed now, and will that ever be fully reported in a timely manner, as per California, unless favourable to Joe? Predictions from pundits are for a huge absentee mail in vote in Michigan too, following a 2018 change.

  9. another factor in all of this…the closure of Voting booths..which arguably, in some states, favours Republicans..but most definitely leaves the most disadvantaged cut off from chance to engage in American style Democracy…6 hour wait times in Texas…"Hey Mr McDonald's manager..I may be a little late for my shift…"

    https://www.kctv5.com/news/local_news/kansas-city-mayor-turned-away-at-polling-location-on-election/article_8e2b2c5e-62cc-11ea-89ac-1ba48ed21669.html?fbclid=IwAR1zpcO0d7vYIDPfGNU

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/02/texas-polling-sites-closures-voting

    https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/03/texas-primary-lines/

  10. Tiger Mountain 10

    The more you delve into US political innards the more you wonder why anyone bothers…
    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/your-candidate-dropped-out-some-michigan-residents-can-vote-twice-n1151891

  11. Phil 11

    Just after 2pm NZT and Michigan has been called for Biden. Whatever flickering flame of hope Sanders had of clinching the nomination has been extinguished. Farewell, good man.

  12. Ad 12

    Why isn't Sanders doing better than last time?

    Surely Biden is weaker than Hillary was?

    • Andre 12.1

      Biden's history is somewhat bland and innocuous. Hillary's history includes decades of smears.

      Biden has a willy. Hillary doesn't.

      Biden's caricature is the uncle that's friendly goofy, slightly-not-with-it but fun anyway. Hillary's caricature was shrill, calculating, evasive and devious.

      Hillary’s strengths are being articulate and prepared and capable and having thought things through. Biden’s strengths are … not those. But apparently those don’t matter to the broader American electorate.

    • Phil 12.2

      I think the harshest lesson to learn from 2016, in hindsight, is that it was more of an Anti-Hillary movement than it ever was a Pro-Bernie movement.

      Biden also still gets some reflective glow from the Obama era.

      • McFlock 12.2.1

        But why were white men so much more anti HRC than they are anti-Biden?

        https://twitter.com/ryanstruyk/status/1237546951026946048

        • Sabine 12.2.1.1

          30 years of vilifying starting with her not wanting to sit at home baking cookies when dear hubby was governor of arkansas. Literally she is the most vilified person in us politics, and fwiw, she is either the most genius of all villains – no bodies are ever found, or she is just good at what she is but she has a vagina rather then a penis and thus can not be godly. After all women shall not teach men, or something like that the bible says.

          Also quite a few of evangelics and armageddon and pro 'forced pregnancy' white men would never ever ever vote for a women, they would vote to repeal the 19th ammendment to remove the right to vote for women and to be honest some of the women in thise cults would probably do the same. Cause we are made for making sandwiches, babies and sexually pleasing hubby. Sentient doormats in essence.

          • weston 12.2.1.1.1

            sounds like you bought 'dear' hillery's Tulsi is a russian mole story hook line and sinka sabine ?Since hillery has the clinton family fortune to fall back on and hence any amount of cash to give her lawyers i doubt tulsi will ever see much of the 50 mil from her lawsuit still it might induce HC to lie a little less openly perhaps ?

  13. mat simpson 13

    Imagine if Bernie had reacted this way.

    The establishment mask is beginning too slip.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQF30eCZuvs

  14. Ad 15

    Tough day there Bill.

    If it's any consolation I feel as disappointed with our own government.

    I'd like Sanders in Cabinet at HUD.

    • RedLogix 15.1

      + lots.

      I've been through the Sanders disappointment in 2016 so I'm feeling it less the second time around. As I said elsewhere in 2020 the context has changed and I think he should have not run this time. It only badly split an already underdog progressive field.

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    I WAS A CAPTAIN COOK MAN, Grant Robertson was a Robbie Burns man. If you know anything about the great student pubs of Dunedin in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, those allegiances should tell you a lot. While I was at varsity, the “Cook” had a reputation for entertaining more ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    7 hours ago
  • Spray, spray, spray. There we go. Problem solved.
    Good old WD40. Is there nothing it can't do?Door squeaking? No problem, WD-40.Chewing gum stuck to the carpet? No worries, WD-40. Crayon marks? Spanner rusted up? Zipper won't undo? WD-40. WD-40. WD-40. It can even waterproof your shoes, I hear.(More Than A Feilding makes no warranty as to the efficacy of WD40 ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    8 hours ago
  • Taxpayers might be piste off, as govt lending to ski field is lifted to $50m – but more corporate ...
    Buzz from the Beehive The distributions of two dollops of corporate welfare have been proudly announced in government press statements today, but neither mentions or relates to the further taxpayer funding for ski fields on the skids. The government’s official website tells of $7 million being provided to boost aerospace ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    9 hours ago
  • The police know they suck at the OIA
    In recent years I've done a long series of posts poking into police OIA data and how it hides how badly the police suck at carrying out their obligations under the Act. And in a response to a recent request, it seems the police have been doing the same. A ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    9 hours ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s disdain for the Press debate
    Christopher Luxon evidently thinks this election is SO in the bag that he can afford to spurn the still-undecideds, the entire South Island, and the old Christchurch money that still reads the Press and shops at Ballantynes. We should all shed a tear for the National Party candidates across the ...
    11 hours ago
  • ELIZABETH RATA: Two Treaties of Waitangi – the Articles Treaty and the Principles Treaty
    Elizabeth Rate writes – There are two versions of the Treaty of Waitangi.  The first is the 1840 Treaty – the ‘Articles Treaty’. The second is what I call the ‘Principles Treaty’. It dates from 1986 when the principles were first included in legislation. Astonishingly, the parliamentary ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    14 hours ago
  • Tuesday’s Chorus: When it's ok to borrow to invest
    Mayor Wayne Brown, a Northland land-banker himself, appears relaxed about borrowing to invest in land but not in, for example, transport infrastructure and services. File photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: You couldn’t make this stuff up. A mayor determined to cut council debt by selling shares in a monopoly business because ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    14 hours ago
  • How well do our Rapid Transit Stations perform
    As we invest in our public transport network, it’s critical that we not only invest in transformative projects like the City Rail Link, but that we also get as much use as we can out of the network we already have – which will also maximise the outcomes of those ...
    17 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Ten reasons Labour’s support has halved
    The Labour Government was elected with 50 per cent of the vote three years ago, but current opinion polls show their vote could halve in this year’s election, which would be one of the biggest plunges in political history. Most polls have Labour on about 26 per cent. And the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    17 hours ago
  • Elizabeth Rata: Two Treaties of Waitangi: The Articles Treaty and the Principles Treaty
    Commentary There are two versions of the Treaty of Waitangi.  The first is the 1840 Treaty – the ‘Articles Treaty’. The second is what I call the ‘Principles Treaty’. It dates from 1986 when the principles were first included in legislation. Astonishingly the parliamentary representatives who inserted the word ‘principles’ ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    17 hours ago
  • Climate Emergency!
    It’s hard not to become a bit blasé towards climate change headlines. Flooding kills hundreds - blah. Catastrophic droughts - blah blah. One-in-a-hundred year events happening every year - blah blah blah.The earth had its highest temperature on record - again. Think we’ve read that one.So many articles telling us ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    18 hours ago
  • The Kākā Project: The economics of sufficiency
    The Kākā’s climate correspondent and had a chat with environmental historian and author Catherine Knight about why ‘feel good' actions like recycling and owning an electric car are unlikely to be enough to create a transition to zero emissions, let alone a just one. Knight says comments like ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    19 hours ago
  • Chippy misses a chance
    National leader Christopher Luxon has pulled out of any rescheduling of tonight’s Press debate, which has had to be cancelled because Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has Covid. The cancellation has given National an excuse to avoid a debate, which was always going to be a risk for Luxon. But ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    20 hours ago
  • The Angry Majority.
    The People's Champion vs The People's Prosecutor: It is the news media’s job to elicit information from politicians – not to prosecute them. Peters’ promise to sort out TVNZ should be believed. If he finds himself in a position to carry out his threat, then it will only be because ...
    1 day ago
  • Verrall is chuffed by govt’s latest push into pay equity while Woods enthuses about an $11m spend ...
    Buzz from the Beehive The headline on a ministerial press statement curiously expresses the government’s position when it declares:   Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers. Is it not enough to declare just one commitment? Or is the government’s commitment to pay equity being declared sector by ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • A very worthy coalition partner for Seymour and Luxon
    There have been 53 New Zealand Parliaments so far. The 39th of them was elected in 1978. It was a parliament of 92 MPs, most of them men. The New Zealand Music Awards that year named John Rowles Male Vocalist of the Year and — after a short twelve months ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Labour still protecting the status quo
    Aotearoa has a cost of living crisis. And one of the major drivers of this crisis is the supermarket duopoly, who gouge every dollar they can out of us. Last year, the Commerce Commission found that the duopoly was in fact anti-competititve, giving the government social licence to fix the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s myths about the desolated state of the economy
    Familiarity breeds consent. If you repeat the line “six years of economic mis-management” about 10,000 times, it sounds like the received wisdom, whatever the evidence to the contrary. Yes, the global pandemic and the global surge in inflation that came in its wake occurred here as well – but if ...
    1 day ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Hapless Hipkins and his racism
    Michael Bassett writes – Without so much as batting an eyelid, Chris Hipkins told an audience on Saturday that there had been “more racism” in this election campaign than ever before. And he blamed it on the opposition parties, National, Act and New Zealand First. In those ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • BRIAN EASTON: The ‘recession’ has been called off, but some households are still struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates. Brian Easton writes – Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Monday’s Chorus: Richie Poulton's lament
    “You can't really undo what happens during childhood”, said the director of the Dunedin longitudinal study. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Richie Poulton, the director of the world-leading Dunedin longitudinal study showing how devastating poverty in early life is, died yesterday. With his final words, he lamented the lack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • North-western downgrades
    This is a guest post from reader Peter N As many of us know, Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi are well into progressing works on the northwestern interim “busway” with services to kick off in just over a month from now on Sunday 12th November 2023. Some of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago
  • Has Webworm Found New Zealand’s Weirdest School?
    Hi,Before we talk about weird schools people choose to send their kids to, a few things on my mind. I adored the Ask Me Anything we did last week. Thanks for taking part. I love answering your weird and nosy questions, even questions about beans.I am excited and scared as Mister ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Another mother of a budget
    A National government would make spending cuts on a scale not seen since the 1990 – 96 Bolger government.That much was confirmed with the release of their Fiscal Plan on Friday.Government spending is currently high as a percentage of GDP — as high as it was during the Muldoon ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • A crucial week starts as early voting opens in the NZ Elections … it’s been a ride so far. Are y...
    Chris Hipkins down with Covid, at least for 5 days isolation, National continue to obfuscate, ACT continues to double-down on the poor and Winston… well, he’s being Winston really. Voters beware: this week could be even more infuriating than the last. No Party is what they used to be ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    2 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 24, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 30, 2023. Story of the Week We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation The renowned US ...
    3 days ago
  • Clusterf**ck of Chaos.
    On the 11th of April 1945 advancing US forces liberated the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald near Weimar in Germany. In the coming days, under the order of General Patton, a thousand nearby residents were forced to march to the camp to see the atrocities that had been committed in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • The party of business deals with the future by pretending it isn’t coming
    Years and years ago, when Helen Clark was Prime Minister and John Key was gunning for her job, I had a conversation with a mate, a trader who knew John Key well enough to paint a helpful picture.It was many drinks ago so it’s not a complete one. But there’s ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • 2023 More Reading: September (+ Old Phuul update)
    Completed reads for September: The Lost Continent, by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne Flatland, by Edwin Abbott All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque The Country of the Blind, by H.G. Wells The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles ...
    3 days ago
  • Losing The Left.
    Descending Into The Dark: The ideological cadres currently controlling both Labour and the Greens are forcing “justice”, “participation” and “democracy” to make way for what is “appropriate” and “responsible”. But, where does that leave the people who, for most of their adult lives, have voted for left-wing parties, precisely to ...
    3 days ago
  • The New “Emperor’s New Clothes”.
    “‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
    3 days ago
  • BRYCE EDWARDS: The vested interests shaping National Party policies
      Bryce Edwards writes – As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    5 days ago
  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago
  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    6 days ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    7 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    7 days ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    1 week ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    1 week ago
  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Youth justice programme expands to break cycle of offending
    The successful ‘Circuit Breaker’ fast track programme designed to stop repeat youth offending was launched in two new locations today by Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis. The programme, first piloted in West and South Auckland in December last year, is aimed at children aged 10-13 who commit serious offending or continue ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Major milestone with 20,000 employers using Apprenticeship Boost
    The Government’s Apprenticeship Boost initiative has now supported 20,000 employers to help keep on and train up apprentices, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni announced in Christchurch today. Almost 62,000 apprentices have been supported to start and keep training for a trade since the initiative was introduced in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Government supporting wood processing jobs and more diverse industry
    The Government is supporting non-pine tree sawmilling and backing further job creation in sawmills in Rotorua and Whangarei, Forestry Minister Peeni Henare said.   “The Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan identified the need to add more diversity to our productions forests, wood products and markets,” Peeni Henare said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Government backing Canterbury’s future in aerospace industry
    The Government is helping Canterbury’s aerospace industry take off with further infrastructure support for the Tāwhaki Aerospace Centre at Kaitorete, Infrastructure Minister Dr Megan Woods has announced. “Today I can confirm we will provide a $5.4 million grant to the Tāwhaki Joint Venture to fund a sealed runway and hangar ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Updated forestry regulations increase council controls and require large slash removal
    Local councils will have more power to decide where new commercial forests – including carbon forests – are located, to reduce impacts on communities and the environment, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “New national standards give councils greater control over commercial forestry, including clear rules on harvesting practices and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • New Zealand resumes peacekeeping force leadership
    New Zealand will again contribute to the leadership of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a senior New Zealand Defence Force officer returning as Interim Force Commander. Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced the deployment of New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
    The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
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    1 day ago
  • Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
    The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
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    1 day ago
  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
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    2 days ago
  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
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    3 days ago
  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
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    6 days ago
  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
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    6 days ago
  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
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    7 days ago
  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
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    1 week ago
  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
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    1 week ago
  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
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    2 weeks ago
  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
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    3 weeks ago
  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
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    3 weeks ago
  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
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    3 weeks ago

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