Give peace a chance

Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, October 10th, 2009 - 40 comments
Categories: International, obama - Tags:

So President Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace prize:

OSLO – President Barack Obama on Friday won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said. “Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future,” the committee said.

I must admit that this award surprises me. Yes Obama appears to be committed to reductions in nuclear weapons, and yes that is hugely significant. But on the other hand the Peace Prize does not exactly sit easily with America’s current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In many people’s eyes the Obama administration is indistinguishable from the preceding Bush regime when it comes to the exercising of American military power. Obama supporters who hoped for more are increasingly angry.

High profile anti-war campaigner Cindy Sheehan (who lost a son in Iraq) expresses this sense of betrayal and anger in one of her open letters to Obama:

President Obama,

I know that you are only fulfilling your campaign promises to increase the violence in Afghanistan and Pakistan and I notice that not a significant amount of troops have been withdrawn from Iraq. However, even with your hostile rhetoric and promises to escalate the violence, many people voted for you because they believed you were the peace candidate.

Since the election, you have betrayed the progressive base that gave you victory on many occasions already, but the cause that keeps many of us motivated is the continued carnage in the Middle East. What bothers me even more, especially, is the fact that the so-called anti-war movement has given you a nine-month free pass and thousands of people have died, including hundreds of our own troops.

Since you took office, 125 of our irreplaceable young have been killed in what you called a ‘dumb war’ in Iraq and 223 in what I call the “other dumb war,’ Afghanistan. I have been waiting for a mother of one of those needlessly killed troops to demand a meeting with you to ask you: for ‘What Noble Cause?’ her child was sacrificed. …

Count me among the disappointed. I hoped for more from Obama than a continuation of American wars. I can’t square that with a Peace Prize. He didn’t deserve it.

40 comments on “Give peace a chance ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. shaun 1
    10 October 2009 at 8:41 am

    It’s a joke. These are Obama’s achievements:
    – Troops are still dying in Iraq
    – Troops are still dying in Afghanistan
    – More troops are in Pakistan
    – America is more divided than it has ever been (Democrats vs. Republicans)
    – Iran is still well on its way to obtaining nuclear weapons

    & he beats Mandela (a man who truly united a nation).

    • sk 1.1
      10 October 2009 at 9:21 am

      It is shocking he beat Mandela. And the irony is that Obama’s victory speech in Chicago borrowed heavily from Mandela’s speech on election day in 1992 . ..

      • sk 1.1.1
        10 October 2009 at 6:05 pm

        Correction:Of course Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. It was Morgan Tsvangirai who was in the running this time.

  2. Tom Semmens 2
    10 October 2009 at 8:57 am

    Well, he got the Nobel Prize for not being George Bush, which only goes to show how pleased everyone was to see the back of that war criminal and economic dunce. Good on him. Let’s hope it spurs him to achieve more than just that though.

  3. gitmo 3
    10 October 2009 at 9:07 am

    I might be wrong but isn’t the peace prize the only one of the prizes decided upon by “non experts” and is the most political of the awards which why you get laughable results like Obama this year and Gore a few years back.

  4. marty mars 4
    10 October 2009 at 9:42 am

    the antichristobama camp are going to have fits – I expect that now that all of their greatest fears are realised, the reaction will be brutal

  5. Tom Semmens 5
    10 October 2009 at 9:53 am

    marty mars: Yes, the Nobel committee have gifted us hours of fun as we read the reaction. Already the KBR are unilaterally declaring war on Norway and pronouncing the Nobel prize an irrelevant frippery.

    Obama got the prize because he isn’t George W. Bush which in itself is revealing of how deeply loathed the criminal Bush/Cheney regime was amongst practically all the Western intelligensia. No doubt about it, this prize is at least partially a poke in the eye and a hearty ‘fuck off’ to those two from the Europeans.

    But there is no doubt that Obama’s ‘hope’ message resonated powerfully across the world and was a perfectly pitched message after the nadir of the United States international reputation under the Bush/Cheney regime. The importance of hope and the goodwill that can engender should not be underestimated as a power for change in human affairs. Maybe the restoration of the American reputation to its Iraq ante bellum level alone does justify winning the prize.

    I read that Obama may reject McChrystal’s call for more troops in Afghanistan and instead seek a political accomodation with the Taliban. No doubt that is correct, and the mere fact it is even being discussed represents a staggering departure for US foreign policy. If Obama does actually manage to pull off some sort of compromise with the Taliban in Afghanistan that gets American troops out of that place and guarantees the security of his homeland it would be a staggering triumph for common sense and a huge strategic victory for the United States.

    Of course for paranoid birthers and militia types in Montana and on kiwiblog, frothing at the threat of gun control imposed by the illuminati, this will just confirm their fears of a secret world government conspiracy via the Trojan horse of climate change.

    But those people never got past their stupidity, racism and nascent fascism to hope for anything in the first place anyway.

  6. Westminster 6
    10 October 2009 at 10:23 am

    Well, the Peace is and probably always will be a bit of theatrical nonsense. The list of laureates is a list of popular figures of their time involved in international affairs. Like pretty much everyone, I see this as a joke. But at least it gives us hours and hours and hours of entertainment watching the Right (just check out Boss Limbaugh and the RNC or the wild rantings of the Kiwiblog Right) go into hysterics. I am just disappointed it’s not a joint prize with Fidel Castro. I suspect widespread apoplexy.

  7. Bill 7
    10 October 2009 at 11:07 am

    Reduction in nuclear weapons my arse!

    “Although one of the hottest stories of the year was reported by the Inter Press Service last week, the U.S. plan for new nuclear weapons production was completely ignored in the mainstream media. That Obama allocated $55 million for nuclear weapons production runs directly contrary to the myth that the U.S. fulfills its international legal obligations, while punishing “rogue regimes” for violating international law. This story, however, was dead on arrival when it was first reported by the Inter Press Service (IPS) on Wednesday, September 30th.

    The IPS report states that “despite the statements by Barack Obama that he wants to see the world reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons, the U.S. Department of Energy continues to push forward on a program called Complex Modernization, which would expand two existing nuclear plants to allow them to produce new plutonium pits and new bomb parts out of enriched uranium for use in a possible new generation of nuclear bombs.” The story’s timing is particularly ironic considering that the U.S. is openly admitting to reconstituting nuclear weapons, while there is currently no physical evidence that Iran is running a nuclear weapons program.”

  8. aj 8
    10 October 2009 at 11:26 am

    My first reaction was it’s just a joke too, but realistically Obama can’t turn things around in a time frame of less than a year. He is dealing with a deeply entrenched military & industrial elite who have great clout. I won’t use too many words but the gun culture runs very very deep in the USA.

    Captcha ‘mad’

  9. Bill 9
    10 October 2009 at 11:26 am

    Oh. And. Nominations closed when Barak had been in office for….wait for it…..two weeks.

    So the Nobel Peace Prize winner is

    1. thinking of cranking it up in Afghanistan

    2. adding to and modernising US nuclear arsenal

    3. supportive of the military coup in Honduras in the face of democratic opposition

    4. likely going to turn a blind eye to a pre-emptive strike by Israel against Iran in the near future (the bogus nuclear talk is merely preparing the pretext)

    5. being a good corporate soldier in the class war in opposition to democratic aspirations

  10. RedLogix 10
    10 October 2009 at 11:29 am

    Obama inherits a pig’s arse of a mess from the Bush/Cheney criminals; a mess not likely to be cleaned up quickly and easily by anyone, regardless their good intentions. Comparisons are made with Mandela, but even the nation he united decades later, still has much, much progress to be made.

    Entropy works this way; breaking things is relatively quick and easy, fixing them is a far harder task. The Bush administration had eight long years to screw up the Middle East, it’s wholly unreasonable to imagine that Obama could have made all things new with a hasty, unilateral withdrawal over the space of a few short months.

    I have to agree though, this will make the Obama-haters utterly apoplectic with rage. Priceless.

  11. Bill 11
    10 October 2009 at 11:40 am

    “The Bush administration had eight long years to screw up the Middle East…”

    What? How far we want to go here in the screwing up process? Days of the British Empire in the 1800’s?
    1953 and the ascendancy of the Shah?
    Sadam Hussien being backed to power by the US?
    Long running support for the dictatorships of Saudi Arabia, UAE and so on?
    Maybe the establishment of Israel?

    Democracy might be a solution…but democracy and the US have never been bedfellows.

    • Ari 11.1
      10 October 2009 at 4:24 pm

      Depends whether you define “democracy” in the old, FPP-style American conservative sense, or the new, more proportional social-democratic sense.

      In the former (and less representative) sense, America is one of the most democratic nations in the world. 😛

      • Bill 11.1.1
        10 October 2009 at 5:25 pm

        Neither of those definitions for democracy strike me as particularly democratic or worthwhile….any country that measures it’s democratic credentials against any benchmark arising from or inherent to those definitions is, in my view, measuring levels of sham; not democracy.

        So the US becomes one of the most shambolic nations in the world? Now, that sounds more like it, don’t you think?

        • gitmo 11.1.1.1
          10 October 2009 at 5:27 pm

          Go on then give us an example of a “good” democracy.

          • BLiP 11.1.1.1.1
            10 October 2009 at 5:33 pm

            No such thing. “Good democracy” is like the “free market” – neither exist except on the pages of 101 university course text books.

            • Quoth the Raven 11.1.1.1.1.1
              10 October 2009 at 5:53 pm

              BLip – Just because something doesn’t exist doesn’t mean it can’t be brought about. It’s attitudes like yours that are a barrier to the progress of humanity.

            • BLiP 11.1.1.1.1.2
              10 October 2009 at 6:24 pm

              Where exactly did I say that “good democracy” doesn’t exist AND people shouldn’t strive to achieve such a concept?

          • Bill 11.1.1.1.2
            10 October 2009 at 6:05 pm

            Nope

            By ‘good’, I take it you mean substantive. Nation states and market economies work against the formation of substantive democratic institutions. They (nation states and market economies) could not exist in a truly democratic environment and by the same dint, democracy struggles in the their environment; surviving in smaller scale initiatives on the fringes.

  12. Paul 12
    10 October 2009 at 1:48 pm

    I’m honestly amazed – I’d love for him to earn and receive the peace prize – but I think that giving it up front does rather reduce the incentive

  13. Quoth the Raven 13
    10 October 2009 at 4:01 pm

    Yes Obama appears to be committed to reductions in nuclear weapons, and yes that is hugely significant.

    r0b – If you believe that I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
    Here:

    President Obama has reaffirmed a 4-decade-old secret understanding that has allowed Israel to keep a nuclear arsenal without opening it to international inspections, three officials familiar with the understanding said.

    The officials, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because they were discussing private conversations, said Mr. Obama pledged to maintain the agreement when he first hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in May.

    Under the understanding, the U.S. has not pressured Israel to disclose its nuclear weapons or to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which could require Israel to give up its estimated several hundred nuclear bombs.

    • RedLogix 13.1
      10 October 2009 at 5:34 pm

      President Obama has reaffirmed a 4-decade-old secret understanding that has allowed Israel to keep a nuclear arsenal without opening it to international inspections,

      Out of genuine interest, when was the last that any US President said anything that was critical of Israel, or more importantly, acted against it’s interests?

      So why is anyone expecting Obama to be different? He certainly never campaigned that he was going to pressure Israel to open it’s nuclear arsenal to inspection. The simple fact is that no-one reaches any significant level of political power in the US if there is any hint that they do not fully understand what Israel requires of them.

      • Quoth the Raven 13.1.1
        10 October 2009 at 5:47 pm

        Your point? My point is that it puts a lie to talk of him being “commited to reductions in nuclear weapons.”

        • RedLogix 13.1.1.1
          10 October 2009 at 6:09 pm

          There is more to nuclear weapons than the relatively small (albeit politically important) arsenal that Israel has. But again, realistically after 60 years of these weapons proliferating and deeply embedding themselves into the balance of power in the world, exactly what magic wand are you expecting Obama to wave here?

          Any useful reduction in arsenals (their elimination is not likely unless some massive catastophe compelled the world to act decisively), will be the result of many years of multiparty negotiations.

          Nor is a ‘modernisation program’ necessarily incompatible with this goal. Like all hi-tech equipment, these things have a limited lifespan and require updating on a regular basis. The general pattern has been to see the retirement of large numbers of obsolete weapons being replaced by fewer modern ones. It amounts to a desirable reduction in warhead numbers, even if it falls short of the ultimate desire of eliminating them altogether. And at present, that is politically impossible for any President to achieve.

          • Quoth the Raven 13.1.1.1.1
            11 October 2009 at 12:14 am

            As the world goes Israel has a large nuclear arsenal – over a hundred as Jimmy Carter told the world. Probably many hundreds. Either way it’s not near Russia or the US but it is many more than Pakistan or India, for instance.

            You are trying to say that he is achieving something and I’m giving you an example where he is not even making an effort. I’m not expecting him to wave a magic wand I’m expecting him to make some sort of effort and as Bill shows above he’s making moves contrary to his rhetoric in his own country.

        • Bill 13.1.1.2
          10 October 2009 at 6:11 pm

          Maybe your point would have been better made by pointing to his intention with regards to the US nuclear arsenal rather than his posturings with a client state?

          My comment above (from 11:07) links to the fact he is investing and modernising the US nuclear arsenal.

          • RedLogix 13.1.1.2.1
            10 October 2009 at 6:20 pm

            All nations with nuclear weapons are committed to an on-going cycle of modernisation. At some point they all become technically obsolete and must be retired and replaced with new ones.

            Not replacing them, as much as you and I would wish for it, is not a political option open to Obama at present.

            • Bill 13.1.1.2.1.1
              11 October 2009 at 9:08 am

              He’s not replacing. He’s upgrading.

              Meanwhile the non proliferation treaty…I believe the US are a party?….requires the dismantling of stockpiles.

              Obama cannot honour US nuclear related obligations, why?

              And he is allowed by the media to posture over Iran, which has no weapons grade uranium, and is probably only at worst developing a latent potential, why?

            • RedLogix 13.1.1.2.1.2
              11 October 2009 at 10:47 am

              He’s not replacing. He’s upgrading.

              Replacing, upgrading… semantics. My understanding is that the while actual warheads themselves have a relatively long lifecycle, there are many components of their access, control and guidance systems that become obsolete relatively quickly.

              Most of the current US warheads were built in the 70’s and 80’s, designed for use in Cold War scenarios. Military technology tends to be quite conservative in any case, and has very long design and production cycles… so the technology in most of these systems is now very dated. As each decade passes it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain these systems in a safe and reliable state.

              The issues are covered in more depth here.

              If they are going to be retained, upgrading obsolete sub-systems is inevitable. The general pattern is that advances in technology will be incorporated to allow for better security, reliability and flexibility in use, while at the same time the total number of warheads is reduced.

              And he is allowed by the media to posture over Iran, which has no weapons grade uranium, and is probably only at worst developing a latent potential, why?

              As I said above, all US politicians understand exactly what Israel requires of them… or they simply never make it into office.

  14. Quoth the Raven 14
    11 October 2009 at 12:15 am

    Not replacing them, as much as you and I would wish for it, is not a political option open to Obama at present.

    This is called being an apologist.

    • RedLogix 14.1
      11 October 2009 at 10:23 am

      If the provision of a genuine public health care option is apparently beyond the powers of the US President, you are dreaming if you think he could achieve a unilateral nuclear disarmament.

      Asking the impossible and then condemning Obama for not achieving it, is scarcely reasonable.

      • Quoth the Raven 14.1.1
        11 October 2009 at 1:15 pm

        You think unilateral nuclear disarmament is impossible? He’s hardly even making an effort Red, whether unilateral or not, that’s the point. The same with healthcare it’s never been about providing a “genuine public health care option”. A cursory glance at the plans should show one that.

  15. Pascal's bookie 15
    11 October 2009 at 11:51 am

    I’m still laughing about this.

    The only thing that could make it more betterer would be for Kissinger to send his back in protest.

  16. felix 16
    11 October 2009 at 4:00 pm

    Jeebers fucking Christ.

    Can I have a Nobel Science Prize please?

    See I’m working on this thing, well it’s more of an idea for a thing. I mix these two compounds that I’m trying to synthesize and when you drink it, it cures aids. And if you didn’t have aids, it makes you, um, a bit taller or something. Probably.

    I’ve got a fair bit of work to do on it, by which I mean I need to go to uni and do some sciencey papers or something, but fuck it’s gonna be awesome! It’ll change the whole world. Well not the whole world, but definitely the aidsy bits.

    So can I have my prize now plox?

  17. Cal 17
    12 October 2009 at 3:00 pm

    Here’s another perspective on it
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCCWH5f8DA8&feature=channel_page
    They are a “progressive” news commentary show, they do a lot of weird stories but some of them are really informative. I don’t fully agree with what they say here, but I just thought it’d be interesting to bring to the table

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    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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