Romney joins the birthers
Written By:
- Date published:
2:41 pm, August 27th, 2012 - 55 comments
Categories: us politics -
Tags: Barak Obama, birther lunacy, mitt romney
I’ve been meaning to write for a while on the American presidential campaign, and the terrifying possibility of a Ryan-Romney presidency. Later I hope, but I can’t help but note briefly now that Mitt Romney has joined the truly loony “birthers”:
Romney makes birth certificate dig at Obama
US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney took a dig at President Barack Obama today over his birth certificate in comments that re-ignited the controversy over the Democrat’s eligibility to be president.
“No one’s ever asked to see my birth certificate,” Romney told a rally of some 7000 people in his home state of Michigan. “They know that this is the place that we were born and raised,” he said to the laughter of the crowd, speaking alongside his wife, Ann.
Romney’s comments were a reference to the widely discredited belief that Obama, whose father was from Kenya, was not born in the United States and thus is not eligible to be president. …
Romney brought up the issue despite having complained recently that the campaign had taken a nasty tone.
“Throughout this campaign, Governor Romney has embraced the most strident voices in his party instead of standing up to them,” Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said.
“Governor Romney’s decision to directly enlist himself in the birther movement should give pause to any rational voter across America,” he said.
Give pause to “any rational voter” – that’s true. But the longer I spend watching politics the more I see that rationality has bugger all to do with it. A Ryan-Romney presidency is a very real possibility. Then things get really interesting.
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- Second Poseidon aircraft on home soilDefence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the country’s second P-8A Poseidon aircraft alongside personnel at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base at Ohakea today. “With two of the four P-8A Poseidons now on home soil this marks another significant milestone in the Government’s historic investment in ...1 day ago
- Further humanitarian aid for Türkiye and SyriaAotearoa New Zealand will provide further humanitarian support to those seriously affected by last month’s deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The 6 February earthquakes have had devastating consequences, with almost 18 million people affected. More than 53,000 people have died and tens of thousands more ...1 day ago
- Community voice to help shape immigration policyMigrant communities across New Zealand are represented in the new Migrant Community Reference Group that will help shape immigration policy going forward, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced today. “Since becoming Minister, a reoccurring message I have heard from migrants is the feeling their voice has often been missing around policy ...1 day ago
- State Highway 3 project to deliver safer journeys, better travel connections for TaranakiConstruction has begun on major works that will deliver significant safety improvements on State Highway 3 from Waitara to Bell Block, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan announced today. “This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki but too many people have lost their lives or ...1 day ago
- Ginny Andersen appointed as Minister of PolicePrime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...2 days ago
- Government confirms vital roading reconnectionsSix further bailey bridge sites confirmed Four additional bridge sites under consideration 91 per cent of damaged state highways reopened Recovery Dashboards for impacted regions released The Government has responded quickly to restore lifeline routes after Cyclone Gabrielle and can today confirm that an additional six bailey bridges will ...2 days ago
- Foreign Minister Mahuta to meet with China’s new Foreign MinisterForeign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for China tomorrow, where she will meet with her counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in Beijing. This will be the first visit by a New Zealand Minister to China since 2019, and follows the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions between New Zealand and China. ...2 days ago
- Education Ministers from across the Pacific gather in AotearoaEducation Ministers from across the Pacific will gather in Tāmaki Makaurau this week to share their collective knowledge and strategic vision, for the benefit of ākonga across the region. New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti will host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM) for three days from today, ...2 days ago
- State Highway 5 reopens between Napier and Taupō following Cyclone GabrielleA vital transport link for communities and local businesses has been restored following Cyclone Gabrielle with the reopening of State Highway 5 (SH5) between Napier and Taupō, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan says. SH5 reopened to all traffic between 7am and 7pm from today, with closure points at SH2 (Kaimata ...2 days ago
- Special Lotto draw raises $11.7 million for Cyclone Gabrielle recoveryInternal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds has thanked generous New Zealanders who took part in the special Lotto draw for communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Held on Saturday night, the draw raised $11.7 million with half of all ticket sales going towards recovery efforts. “In a time of need, New Zealanders ...3 days ago
- Government delivers a $3 million funding boost for Building Financial Capability servicesThe Government has announced funding of $3 million for providers to help people, and whānau access community-based Building Financial Capability services. “Demand for Financial Capability Services is growing as people face cost of living pressures. Those pressures are increasing further in areas affected by flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle,” Minister for ...5 days ago
- Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao – new Chair and memberMinister of Education, Hon Jan Tinetti, has announced appointments to the Board of Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao. Tracey Bridges is joining the Board as the new Chair and Dr Therese Arseneau will be a new member. Current members Dr Linda Sissons CNZM and Daniel Wilson have ...5 days ago
- Scholarships honouring Ngarimu VC and the 28th (Māori) Battalion announcedFifteen ākonga Māori from across Aotearoa have been awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards for 2023, Associate Education Minister and Ngarimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today. The recipients include doctoral, masters’ and undergraduate students. Three vocational training students and five wharekura students, ...5 days ago
- Appointment of Judge of the Court of Appeal and Judge of the High CourtHigh Court Judge Jillian Maree Mallon has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and District Court Judge Andrew John Becroft QSO has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Mallon graduated from Otago University in 1988 with an LLB (Hons), and with ...5 days ago
- NZ still well placed to meet global challengesThe economy has continued to show its resilience despite today’s GDP figures showing a modest decline in the December quarter, leaving the Government well positioned to help New Zealanders face cost of living pressures in a challenging global environment. “The economy had grown strongly in the two quarters before this ...5 days ago
- Western Ring Route CompleteAucklanders now have more ways to get around as Transport Minister Michael Wood opened the direct State Highway 1 (SH1) to State Highway 18 (SH18) underpass today, marking the completion of the 48-kilometre Western Ring Route (WRR). “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, more ...5 days ago
- Briefings to Incoming MinistersThis section contains briefings received by incoming ministers following changes to Cabinet in January. Some information may have been withheld in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982. Where information has been withheld that is indicated within the document. ...5 days ago
- Teaming up for a stronger, more resilient FijiAotearoa New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta reaffirmed her commitment to working together with the new Government of Fiji on issues of shared importance, including on the prioritisation of climate change and sustainability, at a meeting today, in Nadi. Fiji and Aotearoa New Zealand’s close relationship is underpinned by the Duavata ...6 days ago
- Investment in blue highway a lifeline for regional economies and cyclone recoveryThe Government is delivering a coastal shipping lifeline for businesses, residents and the primary sector in the cyclone-stricken regions of Hawkes Bay and Tairāwhiti, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan announced today. The Rangitata vessel has been chartered for an emergency coastal shipping route between Gisborne and Napier, with potential for ...6 days ago
- Next steps developing clean energy for NZThe Government will progress to the next stage of the NZ Battery Project, looking at the viability of pumped hydro as well as an alternative, multi-technology approach as part of the Government’s long term-plan to build a resilient, affordable, secure and decarbonised energy system in New Zealand, Energy and Resources ...6 days ago
- Statement from the Prime Minister on Stuart NashThis morning I was made aware of a media interview in which Minister Stuart Nash criticised a decision of the Court and said he had contacted the Police Commissioner to suggest the Police appeal the decision. The phone call took place in 2021 when he was not the Police Minister. ...1 week ago
- CPTPP Trade Ministers coming to AucklandThe Government’s sharp focus on trade continues with Aotearoa New Zealand set to host Trade Ministers and delegations from 10 Asia Pacific economies at a meeting of Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Commission members in July, Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor announced today. “New Zealand ...1 week ago
- Govt approves $25 million extension for cyclone-affected businesses$25 million boost to support more businesses with clean-up in cyclone affected regions, taking total business support to more than $50 million Demand for grants has been strong, with estimates showing applications will exceed the initial $25 million business support package Grants of up to a maximum of $40,000 per ...1 week ago
- More than 160,000 new Kiwis to call NZ home80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visas applications have been processed – three months ahead of schedule Residence granted to 160,000 people 84,000 of 85,000 applications have been approved Over 160,000 people have become New Zealand residents now that 80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visa (2021RV) applications have been ...1 week ago
- Scholarships propel Kiwi students to NASAThe Government continues to invest in New Zealand’s burgeoning space industry, today announcing five scholarships for Kiwi Students to undertake internships at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California. Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash congratulated Michaela Dobson (University of Auckland), Leah Albrow (University of Canterbury) and Jack Naish, Celine Jane ...1 week ago
- New Zealand to attend regional security meeting in AustraliaThe Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques travels to Melbourne, Australia today to represent New Zealand at the fourth Sub-Regional Meeting on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Security. “The Government is committed to reducing the threat of terrorism ...1 week ago
- Health and safety action plan for portsThe health and safety practices at our nation’s ports will be improved as part of a new industry-wide action plan, Workplace Relations and Safety, and Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced. “Following the tragic death of two port workers in Auckland and Lyttelton last year, I asked the Port Health ...1 week ago
- Bikes and scooters to be exempt from FBTBikes, electric bikes and scooters will be added to the types of transport exempted from fringe benefit tax under changes proposed today. Revenue Minister David Parker said the change would allow bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, electric scooters, and micro-mobility share services to be exempt from fringe benefit tax where they ...1 week ago
- Foreign Affairs Minister to reaffirm our close relationship with FijiForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta will hold bilateral meetings with Fiji this week. The visit will be her first to the country since the election of the new coalition Government led by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sitiveni Rabuka. The visit will be an opportunity to meet kanohi ki ...1 week ago
- New legislation to streamline Cyclone recoveryThe Government is introducing the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Bill to ensure the recovery and rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle is streamlined and efficient with unnecessary red tape removed. The legislation is similar to legislation passed following the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes that modifies existing legislation in order to remove constraints ...1 week ago
- Cost of living package: More bread and butter support for Kiwi familiesApproximately 1.4 million people will benefit from increases to rates and thresholds for social assistance to help with the cost of living Superannuation to increase by over $100 a pay for a couple Main benefits to increase by the rate of inflation, meaning a family on a benefit with children ...1 week ago
- Freeing up more government bandwidth and money to focus on the cost of living$1 billion in savings which will be reallocated to support New Zealanders with the cost of living A range of transport programmes deferred so Waka Kotahi can focus on post Cyclone road recovery Speed limit reduction programme significantly narrowed to focus on the most dangerous one per cent of state ...1 week ago
- Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Who will drain Wellington’s lobbying swamp?
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Who will drain Wellington’s lobbying swamp? Wealthy vested interests have an oversized influence on political decisions in New Zealand. Partly that’s due to their use of corporate lobbyists. Fortunately, the influence lobbyists can have on decisions made by politicians is currently under scrutiny in ...1 hour ago - New Norton 360 Platinum To Help New Zealanders Address Identity Theft Issues
65 percent of Kiwis surveyed admit they would have no idea what to do if their identity was stolen Norton, a leading consumer Cyber Safety brand of Gen, today announced the New Zealand launch of Norton™ 360 Platinum, which leverages the company's ...2 hours ago - Throwing voting-age legislation onto the ‘policy bonfire’ only delays a debate that has to happe...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Breen, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images There might have been pragmatic political reasons behind the government throwing voting-age legislation onto its recent policy bonfire, but it remains a sadly wasted opportunity. The announcement reversed former ...2 hours ago
- Does public safety trump free speech? History’s case for banning anti-trans activist Posie Parker ...ANALYSIS: By Bevin Veale, Massey University The impending arrival of Kelly-Jean Keen-Minshull — aka Posie Parker — has put the spotlight on the tension between free speech and protecting vulnerable communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. In particular, it raises questions about Immigration New Zealand’s role in limiting who can visit ...2 hours ago
- Iwi Leading Urgent Housing Rebuild And Managed Retreat For WairoaWairoa has ready-to-go projects that could be accelerated to quickly get people back into homes following Cyclone Gabrielle, Minister Willie Jackson was told on a visit to Wairoa today. Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa is seeking a Government commitment ...2 hours ago
- New Report: City Rail Link Project Throws Good Money After BadA new report published by the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union exposes the bad decision-making that led to a 61% cost blowout in Auckland’s City Rail Link and shows that the costs of the project now significantly outweigh any benefits. ‘The City Rail Link: ...2 hours ago
- Immigration NZ allows anti-trans speaker into NZ
Immigration NZ has today confirmed that the controversial anti-trans campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull will be allowed into New Zealand for her speaking events this week. You can read our report here – and the full statement from Immigration NZ’s Richard Owen to the media is below: “I can confirm that ...2 hours ago - Confirmed: Anti-trans campaigner to be allowed into New ZealandImmigration NZ says it knows some people will be unhappy, but ultimately the threshold to bar Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull from New Zealand hasn’t been reached. The British anti-transgender campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, will be allowed into New Zealand this weekend, Immigration NZ has confirmed. Keen-Minshull’s ability to ...2 hours ago
- Antarctic ice age survival story: life seeking ice-free refuges imitates art in Ice Age, the movieSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Stevens, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Adelaide Antarctica is an icy place today, but the ice extended even further during past ice ages. The question of how and where life survived on land in the icy continent, through the ages, has ...2 hours ago
- The Tongan māfana energy takes centre stage in Red, White & BrassLike a Tongan Cool Runnings, with trumpets instead of bobsleds, Red, White & Brass is a feel-good movie based on an incredible true story. First-time film producer Halaifonua Finau tells Sela Jane Hopgood how he got it made. In 2016, promising new Tongan producer Halaifonua Finau was sitting in the ...2 hours ago
- Why do animals living with humans evolve such similar features? A new theory could explain ‘domest...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Thomas Gleeson, Doctoral Candidate, Australian National University Luz Rovira / Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND In the 19th century, Charles Darwin was one of the first to notice something interesting about domesticated animals: different species often developed similar changes when compared ...3 hours ago
- Popular fertility apps are engaging in widespread misuse of data, including on sex, periods and preg...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharine Kemp, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney New research reveals serious privacy flaws in fertility apps used by Australian consumers – emphasising the need for urgent reform of the Privacy Act. Fertility apps provide a number ...3 hours ago
- USP still the ‘bedrock’ for Pacific regionalism, says university chiefThe Fiji Times “The University of the South Pacific (USP) has been and continues to be a bedrock for regionalism. A resource owned by the region; for the region and a precious institution that needs to be protected in line with the vision of our forebearers.” This was the message ...3 hours ago
- PNG family kicked out of their home after 46 years – with 24-hour noticeBy Claudia Tally in Port Moresby A Papua New Guinean family who have been renting a property from the National Housing Corporation for the past 46 years have been served with a 24-hour eviction notice by a different owner who had obtained an eviction notice from the Port Moresby District ...3 hours ago
- Auckland Council contemplates quitting Local Government NZAuckland mayor Wayne Brown’s plans to cut back on spending could see the council quit Local Government NZ, the group that represents councils across the country. Stuff’s Todd Niall has reported that $400,000 would be saved by the move, with mayor Brown reportedly wanting to direct that money into other ...3 hours ago
- Does it matter what time I go to bed?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frederic Gachon, Associate Professor, Physiology of Circadian Rhythms, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Gregory Pappas/Unsplash Some of us love to be tucked up in bed by a particular time every night, ensuring a certain number of hours ...3 hours ago
- Love Better: Youthline relationship break-up support campaign launches
The government has launched campaign to help young people navigate break-ups with the long-term aim of preventing family violence, believed to be the first of its kind. ...4 hours ago - Giving trans kids a sporting chanceSports can be hugely beneficial for children but there are still many barriers for trans kids wanting to play, writes researcher Julia de Bres. There’s been a lot of talk recently about trans athletes in high performance sport, much of which derives from a broader anti-trans project rather than a ...4 hours ago
- Watch: One woman’s battle to get back on the boardA new documentary follows Amber Clyde, skateboarder and founder of Girls Skate NZ, as she works to rebuild her confidence in the sport while juggling solo motherhood. Amber Clyde remembers being bullied as the only girl at the skate park in Birkenhead – but these days all the same bullies ...4 hours ago
- One woman’s battle to get back on the board | Back on the Board | The SpinoffAfter dedicating years to helping young women find their confidence in skateboarding, Amber Clyde must teach herself how to get back on the board after the birth of her second child. But balancing the realities of being a solo Mum with running her own business means that her time is ...4 hours ago
- GCSB spy boss Andrew Hampton to lead SISGovernment Communication Security Bureau (GCSB) boss Andrew Hampton has been appointed to lead New Zealand's other spy agency - the NZSIS. ...4 hours ago
- 25-million-year-old fossils of a bizarre possum and strange wombat relative reveal Australia’s hid...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arthur Immanuel Crichton, PhD candidate, Flinders University Relative of _Chunia pledgei_ named _Ektopodon serratus_ (top left), with _Wakaleo oldfieldi_. Reconstruction of the early Miocene Kutjumarpu faunal assemblage by Peter Schouten, CC BY-SA Imagine a vast, lush forest dominated by giant flightless birds ...5 hours ago
- Ratepayers' Alliance Urging Supporters To Give Budget FeedbackThe Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is urging its 27,000 members and subscribers to have a say on Auckland Council’s proposed 2022/23 annual budget. Last week, the Ratepayers’ Alliance launched a new website to encourage public feedback. Backtobasics.co.nz ...5 hours ago
- NZ Olympian runner given eight year suspension for dopingNew Zealand distance runner Zane Robertson has been banned from all sport for eight years due to doping. Robertson, who is the holder of six national distance running records and a Commonwealth Games bronze medal, was tested at the UK’s Great Manchester Run in May last year. His sample returned ...5 hours ago
- Why didn’t I simply wear a mask? Alex Casey asks a psychologist why she was too chicken shit to wear a mask during the flight that probably gave her Covid-19. In the live action replay in my head, I can basically see, frame by frame, the moment that one of those puny little Covid-19 Koosh balls did ...6 hours ago
- PSN Appoints New Kaitohu MatuaSocial services and health & disability provider Presbyterian Support Northern (PSN) has appointed Joe Waru as its new Kaitohu Matua (General Manager Māori). The appointment will provide PSN with strategic leadership and advice as it seeks to ...6 hours ago
- Does public safety trump free speech? History suggests there is a case for banning anti-trans activi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin Veale, Lecturer in Media Studies, part of the Digital Cultures Laboratory in the School of Humanities, Media, and Creative Communication, Massey University Getty Images The impending arrival of Kelly-Jean Keen-Minshull – aka Posie Parker – has put the spotlight ...6 hours ago
- Appointment Of Director-General Of SecurityDeputy Public Service Commissioner Ms Heather Baggott has today announced the appointment of Mr Andrew Hampton to the position of Director-General of Security and Chief Executive, New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS). The role of the NZSIS is to understand ...6 hours ago
- Money isn’t everything – but it can be a significant stressorMoney isn’t everything. But for most of us, it’s easier to deal with anything else in our lives if we know the bills are getting paid. So when household budgets come under pressure from cost of living increases – especially when that includes the mortgage that keeps a roof over ...6 hours ago
- National teases education plan and pledges to ‘rewrite’ curriculumThe National Party will announce the first part of its new education policy tomorrow in the prime minister’s own stomping ground of the Hutt. Leader Christopher Luxon said the “Teaching the Basics Brilliantly” policy will see the curriculum totally overhauled, with a direct focus on reading, writing, maths and science. ...6 hours ago
- Academics Invited To Respond To Survey For Report On Academic FreedomIn conjunction with Curia Market Research, the Free Speech Union has distributed a survey on academic freedom to academics across each of the eight universities in New Zealand. Respect for academic freedom is a statutory responsibility for universities, ...7 hours ago
- Dunne's Weekly: Time To Look Again At Coastal Shipping?Thirty years ago, after a marathon Parliamentary sitting, the Bolger National government passed the Maritime Transport Act which deregulated coastal shipping by abolishing cabotage. Cabotage was the practice which restricted the operation of sea, air, or ...7 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Big drop in number of people on benefitsNew reports out from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) this morning show that in the year to June 2022, 113,400 people came off a benefit, the highest number since electronic records began in 1996. From early 2020, at the start of the pandemic, there was a large increase in the ...7 hours ago
- Australia opens a fascinating new front in the fight for ethical investingA recent court action by Australia’s financial regulator suggests ‘greenwashing’ claims can expect far greater scrutiny – a situation likely to happen here soon enough, writes Steven Moe. Coal mining can seem like yesterday’s fuel – a relic of the last century, in the coming age of wind farms and ...7 hours ago
- National Party plans to rewrite school curriculum if electedThe National Party plans to rewrite the curriculum for primary and intermediate schools if it wins at the next election. ...7 hours ago
- Lizzo heading to NZ for one show in JulyGrammy-winning pop star Lizzo will return to New Zealand in July for her first solo show on our shores. The singer, rapper and flautist (yes) will play Spark Arena on July 26 as part of her Special Tour. The last time she was in New Zealand, Lizzo was a festival ...8 hours ago
- New asteroid sample study offers further hints of space origin for the building blocks of life on Ea...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trevor Ireland, Professor, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland MASCOT / DLR / JAXA How did life come about? The answer to this question goes to the very heart of our existence on planet Earth. ...8 hours ago
- Why is Australia buying hundreds of missiles?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Dwyer, Associate Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania Flying under the radar of last week’s AUKUS submarine announcement was the revelation that the United States had agreed to sell Australia up to 220 Tomahawk cruise missiles. This follows Australia’s ...8 hours ago
- Doctors may soon get official ‘endorsements’ to practise cosmetic surgery – but will that prot...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Unsplash/Olga Guryanova, CC BY Disturbing reports about botched cosmetic surgeries and injuries in Australia – from breast augmentations causing chronic pain to liposuction leaving patients with lifelong injuries – have sparked concerns in ...8 hours ago
- New research reveals how forests reduce their own bushfire risk, if they’re left aloneSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Zylstra, Adjunct Associate Professor at Curtin University, Research Associate at University of New South Wales, Curtin University Shutterstock Fire management in Australia is approaching crisis point. Seasons such as the Black Summer three years ago showed how our best ...8 hours ago
- Species don’t live in isolation: what changing threats to 4 marsupials tell us about the futureSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Geary, PhD Student, Deakin University Once abundant, woylies – or brush-tailed bettongs – are now critically endangered. John Gould, CC BY-SA Conserving native wildlife is a challenging task and Australia’s unenviable extinction record shows us we urgently need more sophisticated ...8 hours ago
- The National Skills Agreement needs time in the policy spotlight and it must include these 3 thingsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan University ThisIsEngineering/Pexels , CC BY-NC Australia continues to grapple with acute skills shortages. Businesses are struggling to find workers with the skills they need. Meanwhile, workers struggle to get jobs because ...8 hours ago
- Trans people aren’t new, and neither is their oppression: a history of gender crossing in 19th-cen...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robin Eames, History PhD candidate, University of Sydney Portrait of De Lacy Evans and his wife (1870) State Library Victoria This article contains references to anti-trans, colonial and institutional violence, and includes information about an Aboriginal person who died in the early ...8 hours ago
- New police minister wants to target ‘early end’ of crime, defends prison statsThe new police minister has defended the government’s approach to dealing with crime, as new figures show just 32% of charges laid against young people last year actually resulted in a sentence. Ginny Andersen was promoted into the police portfolio on Monday after Stuart Nash was sent falling to the ...8 hours ago
- The climate report to rule them allThe final IPCC report was unequivocal in its call to reduce emissions immediately but the government has no further news on how agricultural emissions charging will work, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...8 hours ago
- Government insists abuse survivor redress a 'top priority' after officials suggested delayPublic Service Minister Andrew Little has rejected the option mentioned in a briefing document, saying the work is high priority. ...9 hours ago
- A ‘climate change election’ in 2023? Here’s what the polling tells usThe Greens say climate change will be integral to the big decision this year. Toby Manhire explores the data. Devastating, global-warming-exacerbated storms. A new IPCC report laying out the calamitous fireball hurtling our way. And a prime minister jettisoning a host of climate-aligned policies. There is plenty of material for James ...11 hours ago
- Viral weight loss drug Ozempic has been approved for use in New ZealandMedsafe has approved applications for Ozempic to be used in New Zealand. How does this new drug work and why is everyone talking about it? What just happened? Last Thursday, New Zealand’s medical regulatory body Medsafe gave consent for Ozempic to be prescribed in New Zealand. The approval is for ...11 hours ago
- Sympathy cards and the lessons of birds
An author on the death of a baby and "a calm respectful grace" The normal world was out there. The clocks and the jobs and the traffic and the mortgages and the death. Especially the death. Death in suburbia means funerals with piped fake Celtic music despite the fact ...11 hours ago - The long road to Paris' rebound
One of New Zealand’s brightest young netball talents, Paris Lokotui has returned to the court 10 months after a knee reconstruction. Now she hopes her tough journey back paves a better way for other Māori and Pasifika players. Paris Lokotui remembers the moment time stood still. The 21-year-old was playing ...11 hours ago - Cyclone Gabrielle: Why many in Muriwai can't move on
A month on from Cyclone Gabrielle, many residents in Muriwai are still living in limbo, unable to return to their homes "I can't look back because it's too sad. I can't look forward because it is too daunting." Kat Corbett's Muriwai home remains out-of-bounds more than a month after ...11 hours ago - TOP and the not terribly Teal Deal
TOP leader Raf Manji talks to Nikki Mandow about going teal, and the opportunity for a party that’s pro-business and pro-environment ...11 hours ago - Govt should explain why it rejected our advice – Climate Commission
The Climate Change Commission's chair says the Government's decisions to ignore its advice could weaken the country's most important climate policy. ...11 hours ago - Central Otago subdivision buyers lose the plot
A wave of council rule rewrites drives section buyers to give up and look elsewhere ...11 hours ago - Credit Suisse rescue package shows why our banks shouldn't pay big dividends
This is why our bank shareholders shouldn't expect such big returns – their risk is lower. ...11 hours ago - Beware of coconut oil salesmen
Coconut plantations are far from being ‘natural’ environments, coconut oil is high in saturated fats, and, despite the advertising, most of the global supply of coconut oil doesn’t come from the Pacific Islands either Opinion: Coconut oil has gained a halo as a natural health product, with claims it can ...11 hours ago - New Orleans’ lesson on fallible flood defences: Let's not ‘build back better’
Post-cyclone, where we rebuild and where we don't is the first challenge ...11 hours ago - Daily crossword, Wednesday 22 March
...12 hours ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 22 March
Loading...(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. ...12 hours ago - Some Pacific nations ‘won’t survive’ if NZ and world drop the climate ballBy Hamish Cardwell, RNZ News senior journalist There is “is much to win by trying” to take action on climate change — that is a key finding in a major new international climate report the UN chief is calling a “survival guide for humanity”. It is something of a mic ...18 hours ago
- Hipkins and Luxon hit the road: A taste of campaign 2023A pōwhiri, a pie, and a grilling from primary school kids: Today was the day the boy from the Hutt who grew up to be prime minister went home for a visit. ...21 hours ago
- How can Australia pay $368 billion for new submarines? Some of the money will be created from thin a...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Australia’s decision to buy three nuclear-powered submarines and build another eight is so expensive that, for the A$268 billion to $368 billion price tag, we could give a million dollars ...22 hours ago
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Romney has consistently maintained he believes Obama is a natural citizen.
yeah but he’s dog-whistling racists and that’s despicable.
birther-ism is just racism in disguise.
“Romney has consistently maintained he believes Obama is a natural citizen.”
So he’s playing to those who believe the birther nonsense, even though he knows it’s wrong. That’s actually worse that if he believed it IMO.
Na, no need for him to even do that because birthers wouldn’t vote Obama anyway.
I think he just made a stupid joke. It isn’t like he is known for making well thought out comments. The man is a buffoon.
“birthers wouldn’t vote Obama anyway”
That’s a moot point, he’s not saying this shit to try to win support from Obama voters. He’s saying it to build, nurture and strengthen the support of the racist, redneck, retard elements of his own party.
And by doing so, he lends a little bit of credence to their offensive idiot views and makes the whole world a tiny bit worse forever.
And yep, he’s a buffoon. But New Zealanders of all people ought to be wary of writing off buffoons.
Thing with Mitt Romney, and what I consider to be his greatest weakness, is that he doesn’t know what he is trying to be. His personality comes across as “rich guy wants to run the country” and a lot of the gaffes he makes come from a position of him trying to define himself as something else and failing miserably.
Gee that sounds so familiar…
If you mean John Key I’ll have to disagree. Key is far more personable than Mitt Romney who is completely wooden.
When Key is a buffoon it is because he just being himself. When Romney is a buffoon it’s because he is trying to be something he is not.
That’s my take anyway.
Yeah that’s what you think.
If Key was just “being himself” you wouldn’t find him personable at all.
it’s certainly a meme:
Did you know “Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan” is an anagram for “My ultimate Ayn Rand porn”
Kinda fitting
Holy crap that’s… that’s just… awesome.
It’s too perfect
“I stand by what I said whatever it was”.
Rofl!!! He needs to have a cup of tea with John Banks.
And mine felix. Doing it “even though he knows it’s wrong” debases the man, and in turn dog whistles the baser instincts of humanity for his own ends. Those who follow him and agree with him become debased in turn. It’s so infectious, it’s almost a right wing virus.
Ta-Nehisi Coates: Fear of a Black President.
If Obama is not truly American, then America has still never had a black president.
Um, if one thing characterizes candidate Romney, it is that he has not maintained a consistent position on anything.
This looks to me more like a racist dog whistle, rather than expressing a belief Obama was not born in the US. It is invoking a racial hierarchy by implying that Romney is more truly a US-ian because of his ethnicity/skin colour
They’re snubbing their former Chairman too.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/at-rnc-michael-steele-is-man-who-doesnt-exist/article/2505914#
They might be snubbing him because he is Black, or that might be snubbing him because he sounds rational, practical and intelligent. Which are completely unwanted traits these days, in US politics.
Nah, Steele is, and was, a disaster.
nah.. No one wants to see romney’s birth cert. They want to see his tax returns… Apparently for a very specific period after he sold his house and voted. He may not have been a resident and the address on the tax return will confirm if he was or not. Sorry i can’t link to the article right now, but it was a guardian comment piece a few days ago.
edit…. The schadenfreude would be so perfect so is probably too good to be true, sadly. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/17/mitt-romney-tax-returns-voter-fraud-theory?INTCMP=SRCH
The entire party has gone birther.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/08/trump-plays-up-birth-certificate-issue-in-fla-133264.html
I posted Orlovs tongue in cheek comment on another post earlier…refers to the idiots who will vote Romney.
…….. go out and take part in the Reverse French Revolution that’s underway in the US. That’s where revolting peasants do all they can to elect an aristocrat who will swindle them out of their savings even faster and lock up even more of them in the Bastille. And what makes these peasants so revolting is that they are all fat—from eating cake instead of bread, just as Marie Antoinette had suggested.
👿
But Bored you make this sound like it is a bad thing?
Nate Silver of Fivethirtyeight still gives Obama a 69.4% chance of winning a second term. Unless there’s a huge October surprise or the economy goes into freefall, I don’t think that will change.
It is possible that the GOP hasn’t been using a whole lot of racist bullshit in the permanent campaign.
It’s also possible that they aren’t referencing all of that stuff in the more intensive campaign in the lead up to November in order to give the more excitable racist halfwits in their base a reason to vote for a flipflopping Mormon stuffed shirt who that very same base has been hating on for the last few runs around the electoral turnpike.
It’s possible. Both of those things are possible. But it doesn’t look very likely in this particular universe.
http://www.timwise.org/2012/08/if-it-walks-like-a-duck-and-talks-like-a-duck-racism-bigotry-and-the-death-of-respectable-conservatism/
It is pay back time for those pesky New Dealers. Damn Roosevelt wrecked a perfectly good depression.
romney is desperate
It makes no difference who you have, you get the same result, simply faster if the GOP are flying the red flag and at the wheel!
If TPTB wanted Obama back in, they would be printing again by now, so its war or lose I expect for him.
Romney, fantastic, get a look where his family came from and some of his distant relatives, and do the same with Paul Ryan, what a pair those two make!
____________________________________________________________
Why R0b, did you bother writing this article, was it purely to show your bias and eager need to take a poke a hole at the “birthers”, because your words are transparent.
The whole piss-take that is 100% controlled US politics is awful to witness, so to have an article of this low quality on TS, not even attempting to cover anything constructive at all, says alot about the author.
You can do better than this r0b, total waste of energy writing on what is obviously a personal bug bear!
Jeez muzza, don’t tell me you believe that birther rubbish as well.
I dont have an opinion either way, because it makes no difference,.
This years presidential “choices”,
The Wall St rent boy, racial appeaser with a fake peace prize, questionable past and beliefs
or
The Wall St rent boy asset stripper, who wont show his tax returns, is a mormon bishop, and possibly trying to live out some sort of oath, or prophecy according to his beliefs
Sweet options!
You don’t have an opinion either way…. Why not answer the question and agree that birthers are seriously fruitcake racists?
I won’t answer, because I do not know/care either way that they are “seriously fruitcaske rac*sts”. Some will be, some won’t be, either way, its again just smoke and mirrors!
Notice how they each have a distraction issue to throw at eachother, Romney with his tax returns, and Obama with the birth certificate.
Instead of following the “distractions”, which you do to try convince yourself that you are not some “closet rac*st”, maybe take a look into what both these “men” represent!
Rachael Maddow on Letterman this afternoon. “The Republican Party is toxic, anti science and creating states laws to stop people from voting.
I guess the vote is only ‘legitimate’ if you are a republican.
Romney is also promising to cut taxes for the rich too.
Looks like the USA is starting to weird out and go on the wonk New Zealand style.
The UK media got it right – “Mitt the Twit!”
Only idiots would vote for that man.
http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/mittromney/ig/Mitt-Romney-Pictures/Mitt-the-Twit.htm
Similar neo-lib shit, different colour and incredibly boring.
Supposedly intelligent TS readers repeating the same rubbish about Romney being wooden and JK being affable/personable – apparently if the media keep repeating it you’ll buy it.
I am always amazed that my completely politically-disengaged friends in NZ can get excited about what is effectively a 1 horse race.
I think the Republicrats will win. Or maybe the Demoblicans. Well, regardless of who actually wins, it will be one of the bankster-sponsored political parties.
Of course it will. Us business elites have standards to maintain. What are you saying, that ordinary people should have a say in how America is run? What are you a, <splutter>, communist?
“Corporations are people, my friend,” Romney said.
Some people in the front of the audience shouted, “No, they’re not!”
“Of course they are,” Romney said. “Everything corporations earn ultimately goes to people. Where do you think it goes?”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romney-says-corporations-are-people/2011/08/11/gIQABwZ38I_story.html
Wow this guy is a genius. His words make so much sense! I used to think that everything that corporations earned ultimately went to offshore tax havens, or maybe zebras. But now I see that it actually goes to… people.
And clearly, this proves that corporations in fact are people.
Haha American politics is farney.
Worse – the US Supreme Court confirmed this in the Citizens United case, when it held that corporations were in fact, entitled to fund political campaigns as a constitutional right under the First Amendment, a right that was reserved until that point for human beings. Then comes the Super PAC, and the unfortunate richest-man-takes-all political system that is the United States.
The obvious unfounded retort is ” I only have one wife”
This kind of rhetoric is dangerous. It smacks of nationalism and in some cases, plain racism. In many respects, the Republican party is highly racist, which interestingly goes against their roots, founded as they were an anti-slavery party: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/25/politics/cnn-explains-gop-party/index.html?
Lincoln is celebrated by both sides of the fence (as I believe, he should be), but he was far more “left” than the average Republican nowadays. The obsession with national myths – the Boston Tea Party for example – is useful to a point. The problem is that they are mythologised into fantasy, and their meaning is lost. Popularising things for political ends to manipulate the masses is dangerous. Especially, as in this case, it is basically racism.
Many americans sadly do not need to be encouraged on that front.
More gaffe’s from GOP another repuplican has come out in defense of adkin.
There is a huge faction of the party that support him (http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2012/08/23/what-akins-supporters-are-saying-and-he-has-many). And a fair few lobby groups too. Scary stuff.
Is anyone surprised after electing and then re-electing the Village idiot, george double ya, that mittens is anything but as mad as a box of frogs.
from a land where they have massive warehouses of religious books from old and recent print runs/recycle runs piling up because ya can’t destroy the word of god you know
is romney legitimate?
I love the US elections…almost as good as a season of Breaking Bad
Nah – reassembles a recent season of True Blood – full of arcane story arcs, far too many characters, a world where working for a living is steadily becoming something that only innocent victims do, and punctuated by vast screeds of arterial blood as the storyline slowly spins out of control.
By which you can deduce that
a. I get forced to at least listen to the series.
b. I don’t like the series much.
c. The series makes more sense than US politics since they evisicate news readers in prime time….
and based on turnout in the US where more people don’t vote than vote for either presidential candidate… I guess they view it the same way I do.
Romney the werewolf of london a vampire capitalist.
certified because its fun to take the piss.
Is there a reason we are being this childish?
In the 1980 campaign, Reagan was endorsed by 2 labour unions, PATCO (ooops..), and the Teamsters. He also delivered a speech with words to the effect that unions engaging in collective bargaining was an example of freedom.
In the 1970’s Richard Nixon increased funding to universities and introduced laws to combat air pollution. He also proposed a form of universal health care and a UBI. The space shuttle was designed and developed with his backing.
Dwight Eisenhower created the Interstate Highway system, expanded Social Security carried on with the New Deal.
Infact, a large amount of the Republicans who either held or campaigned for office in the post-war period, would be considered to be well to the left of the party in 2012.