Alas for this lot, it's not about doing the right thing for all people in Aotearoa, it's all about power and retaining it . I don't think any of them could articulate what their Vision for the future actually is.
Obliterating much of the good work done by the previous govt is not "getting things done." However - sadly - talk to a Nat supporter and you will be told that Luxon has already done much more than Labour ever did... and how sanctimonious is Mark Mitchell re diet and exercise!
And yet NZH, Taxpayers Union and others still trying to cheerlead this farce. Surely, please soon 🙏 this god-emperor will be seen for the naked buffoon he is???
The continual jargon, gobbledegook and back patting with its lack of vision would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious in terms of future outcomes for us all. Already in the lead for worst Govt ever and yet to reach 100 days.
Npt to mention overuse of the word "outcomes" which Luxon likes to spray around as if it intrinsically means something. There are always going to be outcomes of some sort or other.
Luxton's speech, goodness me was that a USA type fundamental religious rave up or marketing Golden Products? Certainly NOT that of a Prime Minister of NZ who says he is going to consider all groups in NZ society. Once again, looking at USA, the similarity between the kindness of Barac Obama & the destructiveness of Donald Trump comes to mind.
Might be hard for some folks to stomach, but Barack Obama was NOT the Kind President you perceive. Obama used & abused his Race to get in the power Seat. Obama was the Darling of both Wall Street & the Military Industrial Complex. He had Great Speech Writers & PR Representation in selling him to the American Voting Public & Muslim World, so they didn't blow Israel up. Wonderful "Lincoln Type" Orator, but that was it for Mr. BO.
All we saw down here was the Sales Job Side of the Obama Administration. We got very little about the Covert US Wars fought in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Russia, China, Yemen, libya, Somalia, Sudan, et al... Obama gave us the Drone Wars directly after the New Dawn Speech he made in Cairo. That led to the Muslim Brotherhood being quickly replaced in a Military coup that brought Al Sisi to power.
We need to realise how Media & Politic's Works from a less gullible level than we have here in NZ. We can't just take everything we read about these types as the Gospel Truth! Point well taken though, as Obama fooled the World & walked off as a Democrat Party Hero before the GOP could cancel his Bus Ticket...
Don't forget that Key was a Lahaina Maui Neighbour & Golf Partner in a WEF 4-some of inside Trackers... Seems Luxon wants to learn the game of Mini Golf by the numbers now that he's in the same Country Club, after ole St. Nicola(s) got him a bigger Putter for Christmas with her Slush Fund Sausage Sizzle in the Election Run up.
Could you please provide an example of how President Obama "used and abused his Race to get in the power Seat"? It's fair enough if you don't like him or you want to adopt the GOP talking points of claiming all he had were great speech writers and teleprompters. You can overlook all of his accomplishments from being President of Harvard Law Review and gaining respect and accolades from both fellow students and Professors during his time there, how his Justice Department refused to support the Defense of Marriage Act leading directly to the legalization of same-sex marriage nationwide, the refusal to support Don't Ask Don't Tell leading to gays being able to serve openly in the military, attempting to provide health care for millions of Americans, addressing environmental concerns at the administrative level and supporting global efforts to combat climate change, amongst many others. Yes, he had his faults; he ordered the assassination of Anwar al Awlaki, an American citizen, without due process being amongst the worst of them.
But I fail to see how he "used and abused his race" to get into the power seat. What I see was a man devoted to his family who tried his best to serve the American people despite roadblocks and open opposition from the GOP determined to make him a one-term president from day one. A very similar image and description could be applied to Dame Ardern.
I try very hard to ignore most posts from anonymous accounts on the internet and have zero desire to get into arguments about politics and politicians. Yet, in this case I simply had to speak up as there was much much more to Mr. Obama than the "Lincoln Type Orator" you claim him to be.
Your point about how media and politics works is one that should be considered and is deserving of a more nuanced conversation. We can do this without resulting to name calling or belittling those we disagree with though.
Are you an American Alison? You'll need to be Street Savvy & had followed his career rise through the Ranks of the Chicago Democratic Party. The Rahm Emmanuels, the Mayor Daly's back to the days of the Chicago Democratic Convention in '68 to understand how Mr. Obama's rise to the power slots occured & from "whose" support it happened.
I suspect you're not from that Culture. Maybe Kiwi, or British Roots where Obama was "The Darling of the Day". Such a good lookin Guy, well Heeled & well Spoken. A Constitutional Scholar & he was well respected in the Circles he hung with during his stellar rise to be the most powerful, yet powerless Man on the planet. Obama was perceived as "Clean as a Whistle" to Democrats. Not so much from the Right sides of the Aisle...
The Image's portrayed through the Media Circles & Political Journalists are extremely fine tuned in developing Candidates for particular causes & purposes.
Obama was a canned Media Presentation for a Bit Part Role to get Black Voters supporting the Democrats again, following a 40 year Hiatus after MLK & Bobby Kennedy's Murders by ???. Well it wasn't who, or what the Media's said it was... Had you lived through the turbulence of the 1960's Civil Rights era, you might better understand.
You can't read about that stuff, it's been chopped to shreds by other Self - Interested Parties. You had to live it with your eyes open.
Post '68, Blacks went on the Political Warpath along with Young, White, Radicalized Students & Conscription aged Young Men & Women & pushed back against Racism, the Pentagon, the War Machine MIC, Corruption in Local, State & Federal Government & the Ivy League Elitists. It was an ugly time in America!
Blacks were pushed further and further back in the National Bus. Southern Christian Evangelism was on a Stellar Rise at the same time. The Oakies from Muskogee were on a Roll! The problem with those opposites were that there were MANY Black Families embedded in the Bible Belt(s) having their heads kicked in, dragged through the streets by their heels to a convenient Tree just outside the City limits, but they were devout & faithful Christians & the MEN wearing the Hoods & Designer Sheet Sets were their Neighbours & in the same Church & most claimed to be Southern Democrats. Nothing personal, you understand, we just hate Black People & White's that support em, ya know???
Obama was a Counter-Weight to the rising wave of White National Corporatism that came into full view during the Clinton Administration. Reagan had already gone after People of Colour around the world, busted all the Trade Unions, offshored American manufacturing & Textile industry Jobs & turned Central, South America & the middle East into a Volatile Quagmire for American Fruit Company, et al interests. Just hand over the Coke & nobody gets too hurt!!
Clinton (Slick Willy) was a little Rock Arkansas "Good ole Boy" that openly used the Black Vote in his State to Rocket into the White House then slammed the door in their faces. It was all about Him & nothing about his NAACP supporters.
The Chicago Mob of Democrats needed a Wedge in driving the Black Vote for the Democrats after the Bush's trashed the place & went on the Warpath against all things Muslim interfering with Big Oils Interests in the Debt Markets.
I can't wait to read an American University Level History Book in 2060, though I hope I'm not still around by then! Histories are written by the Victors, ya know? I wonder who the Victor's will be in 2060??? My bets on Mother Nature...
American Presidents are "Prepared" for those Jobs! Not because they're Honest Wonderful Guys, but as Ideological Blunt Weapons in order to accomplish a shift, or "Gerrymander" in voting patterns in heavily populated mostly Northern Big Cities. The Executive Drives the Judiciary that drives the Legislature. That's the American System, which is far different to our Parliamentary attempt without a House of Lords (Senate).
Obama, the Persona, was in great part a skilled Campaign Story to sell to the White & Black Middle Class voter as a Conscience Pacifier. He wasn't quite White, but he was Literate, good looking & had made some wonderful contacts with Wall Street, WEF, MIC & the other folks that stand in shadows and pick out future Candidates to Groom when changes are necessary to keep the Reserve Dollar at the head of the World Economic Pack. The Oligarchs Interest always come 1st!
Maybe you shouldn't try so hard to ignore Anonymous posters, as you call me & dig a bit further about where the balance lies against what's said against the realities & facts. You seem pretty triggered and fragile to me Alison. Sometimes we build stories in our minds around People, or Events in history and Seal those Fantasies in what we want to believe as Facts & the Gospel Truth when there's a lot more to it than what you choose put your faith in!
"Lincoln Type Orator" is a Compliment, not an insult Alison. Lincoln was one of the greatest Orators & Constitutional Lawyers in World History! He ranks with Socrates & Plato as a Philosophical Thinker to my thinking.
Lincoln was killed, not over Slavery, but over the Currency. The American Banking System was floundering & the disruption of the War & Blockades, plus the Emancipation Proclamation, emptied the Cotton Belt of Cheap Workers. There wasn't a Central Bank back then. It didn't come along until 1913, 50 years later. Those Auntie Bellum good old Fortunes went up in smoke leaving huge holes where the Textile Industries were located from New Orleans to New York City. It was all about the Money back then. It's all about the Money Today. We've just come full circle with the same stupid system!
I appreciate your coming back for more "unpacking" of my comment. I don't appreciate being chastised for making a comment you don't have a good understanding of compared to the story in your obviously triggered head.
I see a lot of fellow Kiwi's being caught up in Media Created Fantasy stories, purposely made to paint an entirely different picture of the Persona(s) being sold. What can you truly believe these days??? Burying ones head in the sand doesn't make everything better, does it??
What are your thoughts on Julian Assange & Wikileaks??? Is Julian the Rat Bag he's portrayed as by those who have Secrets & Mountains of Gold to Protect at all cost, or is he a good guy, Whistle Blower putting a Spotlight on Empirical War Crimes out of Journalistic Public Interest & International Concern???
I suppose it depends on what you read online, or discuss amongst friends as to what your belief system is made up of to give you the Truth your mind seeks to keep you Sane & Balanced in your world.
Sometimes you have to wade through the Sh*t to Mine the Diamonds of Truth & Cold Hard Fact & it gets pretty smelly at times in our isolated little pockets of influence. Not everybody thinks like YOU, or ME, so you identify with the story that fits the Fantasy of your Perceptions & ignoring, or skimming past the rest isn't the best means of getting to the Facts in any matter.
We're a remote island Nation & Commonwealth Crown Enterprise. Our Government & our political Party's are Chartered Crown Corporations. Wrap your head around that mate. They have developed their own language to obfuscate, rather than address any issue, or situation Head On. Have you noticed?
Now switch to your logical Mind & throw out the stories in your head & focus on what that means for structuring a Society around a horribly corrupted Global Financial System on the verge of tipping over at ANY Moment, unless they keep tight control of their Society in an enclosed Test Tube with the right stories going in & out to drive Capital Investment within the Rules Based Order. Bottom line is - "It's all about Money & Property ownership"! Can you see where this is an "Us against them" scenario???
I don't think we realise the Bit-Part Role we all play in the History we've lived through over most of our lives. In my case, ALL of my life as a Baby Boomer from the Mid- 20th Century. We Worker Bee's are Pawns on a Chessboard, unless somehow we have the dosh, or fall into it, then we're in the back Row with the Bishops, Queens, Knights & Castles (Rooks???). It's the same game wherever you go in the Western World. The Shit Floats & the Solids Sink. Money is both God & Power to today's White Colonist Crusader.
Facing facts is sometimes awful, but it's worse if you fancy the Fairy Tale, or create them from scratch after reading the Sales Pitches, then Fall for them...
I hope you don't see me as Hard, or Callused. I've learned through my life to be more of a Realist with a base philosophy of always questioning power to keep a sense of balance in this world as we evolve & revolve through time and space. I don't always get it right, but I try.
I realise this has gone way off topic, so apologies Nick! I hope you can read between the lines to get a glimpse of what just happened here in Aotearoa, which is an evolutionary thing that's been going on since Judas claimed his 30 pieces of Silver in Gethsemane.
I keep hoping to see changes in this old Dragons & Castles & Feudal Lords Game of Thrones thingamabob.
We really don't need this stuff cluttering up our lives! Maybe someday we'll wake up and it will all have been a Dream. Maybe not, but a Mind is a terrible thing to waste on Fairy Tales that distract us from our core purpose as a species...
Think & be Led by yourself 1st! Everybody has a built in BS O Meter & if your alarm bells go off, dig in! You owe that to yourself and everyone you love & respect in this world! Like the Hippocratic Oath, Do no Harm! Just look for the MO & Do unto others as the Golden Rule Says & call BS when BS is called for!! Gotta be in to win & if ya snooze ya lose!
Obama ha a very tough time as president especially in his first term when the republicans had a majority in the house.I do not believe that Obama used the Black population any more than any other politician to be..He was seen by some as not being black enough. Others swallowed Trumps birther lies where he claimed Obama wasnot born in America, and therefore ineligible to be president. It is true that Obama inhabited a middle class world, but he also inhabits a black world. His wife is a black woman, descended from slaves , and is from a working class family.His children, although privileged, are also young black wome, and proudly so, as is their mother.
I do understand that Obama sanctioned the use of drones for warfare, and the dropping of bombs,and missiles. And yes, he does have a property close to John Key's in Hawaii. Of course Obama grew up in Hawaii. He appears to like J.K. which indicates a flaw in his judgement.
New Zealand had a Long Distance Love Affair with Obama in the sense that he brought back some of the good traits of the Old American Stump Preacher Politician "Statesman". Obama appeared & made his Debut like an FDR, offering a New Deal & a hedge against their Historical & Hysterical Racist Past.
Initially, he empowered a struggling Middle Class to believe in themselves. He NEVER played the Race Card, or pitted Sides, or Social Classes against each other to his Personal & broader Social Credit.
Obama was the 1st "Good Guy" in the eyes of my Generation of Old School Democratic principled Presidents to come along since JFK. Obama managed to Survive having Cross Hairs on him every time he appeared in a Public American place & it wasn't from Measles! He infuriated the Southern Red Neck & Bible Basher Evangelical Class of White Americans, stealing their Privilege as they saw it. He promoted everybody in the same Bus, so to speak. That didn't go down well in Multi-Faceted & Socially Divided AmeriKKKa!
Obama effectively moved the Social "Needle" a little bit closer to the Middle for Blacks, Hispanics, Poor Whites & Indigenous peoples. He helped the "Under Classes" to feel good about themselves, which empowered people for the 1st time in a Long, long time in full "Blend" of American Society. He protected National Parks & Held off Big Oil & the Fracking of American Soil by enabling the MIC to Steal Middle East Resources.
*He, to his credit put Netanyahu in his place, favouring a 2-State Solution for a Free Palestine, independent of Boot Heel Zionist Occupation. What did Trump Do???
He was strong environmentally. He brought in a type of Social Healthcare Insurance that the Working Classes could afford & made the Insurance industry more Competitive. For his 1st couple of years he was both America' & the Worlds Darling! Domestic Image is everything for a populist Leader!! Obama had both Domestic & International Humanitarian Acclaim on his side. Not bad for a Black guy from the Chicago Burbs!
Then the guy turned around & used American Taxpayer money to Bail out Wall Street to the tune of $3+ Trillion Dollars & Catalysed the Crooks Derivatives Markets, which collapsed the Housing Boom that the Big 5 American Banks had artificially created to stimulate Mortgage Sales to people that couldn't afford that Million $$$ McMansion on the Hill after the Reverse Part of their Mortgage ended & the hidden costs came in.
Obama's "Dark Side" was his collaboration with the MIC, the Big Reinsurance Brokers (ahem, this should sound a bit familiar to us here in NZ as part of one of our previous PM's work portfolio as a Currency Trader & major player in the Reinsurance Bizness, right here in Gods Own!!!)
The Golf Course is a great place to meet & Greet Clients, Allies & Investors & there are some Magnificent Courses on Maui! Especially the 19th, Watering Holes for Private & Exclusive Members in old lahaina Town.
I'm sure there were some VERY interesting conversations had between Friends & Neighbours across the Fence around the time of the Christchurch & Kaikoura Earthquakes~! I wonder who's money went into the Bailout of our Insurance Companies following those awful events???
Obama lost me when he snubbed Vladimir Putin at the Beijing Olympics. I think he lost Xi at the same time and his sudden Shift to Asia (China) & focus on Taiwan & the South China Sea that he tasked Hilary Clinton with as Sec State.
Hilary had managed to Kill & Regime Change her way across the Middle East & Africa, taking out Enemies of the Neoliberal Capitalist, MIC / Wall Street United States of America. Obama openly supported the PNAC Doctrine in the Snub of Russia & China following the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Most folks here in NZ have no idea about what the PNAC Document is all about, so I suggest that you Google it up and read as much of it as you can stomach. Notice who the Signatories are! That's extremely important in following how the MIC & Wall Street come into American history through the Back Door of Neoconservative Dual Citizenship infiltration that swung the country away from Democracy & into the Arms of the Meritocratic, Rules Based Order of Neoliberal Capitalism as controlled by the Davos WEF. If you blinked you would have missed the subtle move to Corporatism that took place in America during the Obama Administration.
The USA is a "DINO" these days. Democratic in Name Only. Amazing how it only took NZ 12 years to accomplish what took the USA over 150 years to bring about such a change in opposing Ideologies.
Our new Leader is a Died in the Wool Corporatist with the same credentials as Donald Trump. X - CEO of an SOE that hangs with a Bunch of White Collar Swindlers sucking Tax Dollars out of their respective Economies with the intention of starving State Services Sectors of Funding Capital in order to weaken them sufficiently for the Private Sector to step in & get Profit Moving Again... Sound familiar????
If we think Luxon is somehow planning to manage our Economy fairly for all of us we need our bloody heads examined! He's not that kind of Leader. Luxo Deluxo is a Facilitator managing a Corporatised Portfolio, so if you're one of the Meritocratic Mouseketeers he serves, hey, all good, you Rock! If you're into Fairness, Equality in Justice & Racial integration in making a strong Society Stronger together, good luck with that, as it ain't gonna happen with this bunch of Pirates occupying our House of former Democratic "Crown Based" Governance.
Chippy didn't stand a chance of being elected following such a populist Leader as Jacinda Ardern. He's a Man without a Populist Shadow to shade him from the blazing Idiots of the Corporate Right.
Jacinda had Helen Clark to pull her into the spotlight of the Feminist Movement. When Jacinda left the Stage she took the Stairs to the Stage with her & left Chippy to fend for himself, surrounded by Miscreant Men & Woke Class Women that might well understand Democratic Principles of Governance in a Democratic World, but we left the Principles of Democracy behind when Roger Dodger Douglas penned the User Pays Manifesto of the Meritocratic Market in 1988. We've been backsliding into Neoliberal Corporatism ever since. The Mask came off in the '23 Election.
Obama had Fantastic Press Coverage, Speech Writers & Image Consultants behind him that motivated even Middle Working Class White People to vote for him & cross the Race Barrier that has always existed in America & its Political Party's since George crossed the Delaware.
The big Empirical problem Luxon Faces before he can be accepted in the "Empire Club" is his Inherited Indigenous Problem. Uppidy Economic Unit Slaves were once a Problem in the USA until Reservations were Created to put the Survivors in once the Backbone of the Resistance was broken using Lethal Force.
The other Old Empire we're intimately familiar with used Forced Colonisation as their Weapon of Choice against Uppidy Locals of Colour that got in their way of Vanilla-fying their conquested Turf. Luxon & Trudeau are both in a pickle with their Indigenous Issues to resolve. Luxon is a Colonial Governor running a Crown Enterprise, that's his Colonial Status Quo partner.
Aussie has joined the Dark side in de humanifying the Aboriginal population & stealing their voices. What's a Neoliberal Corporatist Bludger to Do to earn favour amongst his Good Ole Male Peers???
So that's what comes next for us & Obama wasn't all he was Media Cracked up to be... As the World Turns and the Stomach Churns...
My personal thoughts are that we should be looking to Domesticate our Economy around our own People, our Children and their needs in becoming Free Thinking, Well Educated, Free People out to make something more than Money for our collective Good Thing. Export only what we need to maintain our Trading Global agreements, but keep the best of our good stuff for us & our Kids. A return to an Egalitarian form of Democratic Philosophy, ya know???
Kinda like we used to be until Roger started the Tsunami of User Pays rolling down hill on us & Ruth Supercharged it around Austerity in her '91 Mother of all Budgets that now Nicola is out to "Out-Do".
Yeah!! I noticed the news last night picked out the Mantra "Back on track - Back on Track", they all kept saying it. Like you Nick, I have no idea what that means, the big thing is I recon they also have no idea!
Great comment from Anne Salmon last night, (newsroom) "Would the real Christopher Luxon, please stand up".
they are devoid of ideas. They will take tax payer funded wages and happily repeat meaningless phases, pat themselves on the back, while Winnie and Seymour destroy our country.
They keep committing to themselves and to no-one and nothing more. They didn't really even need a mini "Caucas- Retreat" for that. Rather, they could have just formed a circle and patted each other on the back - forever, perhaps?
Yeah, we're all standing at the hole in the plane while the captain says 'It's fine folks, just follow me,' and pats his back to be sure the only parachute is safely in place.
Sickening. If getting things done means just undoing good stuff, I suppose you could say Luxon is meeting his KPIs. All those new MPs are in for a shock I would say.
So sick of his salesman’s pitch. Agree with you Nick Trumpism all over again. Sell it to the people over and over again. Everyone please read the article from Verity Johnson on Luxon and his government!
ABSURD seems an apt word for these air filled muppets 😳. “Back on track”. Well we’ve seen the going back track but not the forward track. A lot of what the the last lot has “done” but nothing concrete about what they intend to DO. Their “vision” is that a mindful thought? Sounds to me like a bunch of “Gunnar’s” whilst they shout how awesome it’s going to be and backslapping each other. Yes all hui no doey. Sad to see our country lead by bubbleheads. The campaign is over now earn your overinflated salaries and DO SOMETHING and I will appraise and judge you on your efforts like all critical thinking Kiwis should. I want value for my money
What a load of corporate bullocks this man speaks. Even Shakespeare knew '... a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, and signifying nothing.' (Macbeth.)
Apart from moaning about the previous government and undoing stuff to suit their mates, what has the Coalition done? And more importantly, what are their plans? What is this track of which they all speak, which we must be on? What is their plan to get us there? Or perhaps the tracks are going to be repaired while they work out what on earth they are talking about. I suspect they just don't know. Being in power - a divine right, I'm sure they think - is all they need to think about right now. Real eye rolling stuff.
Alas for this lot, it's not about doing the right thing for all people in Aotearoa, it's all about power and retaining it . I don't think any of them could articulate what their Vision for the future actually is.
Obliterating much of the good work done by the previous govt is not "getting things done." However - sadly - talk to a Nat supporter and you will be told that Luxon has already done much more than Labour ever did... and how sanctimonious is Mark Mitchell re diet and exercise!
And yet NZH, Taxpayers Union and others still trying to cheerlead this farce. Surely, please soon 🙏 this god-emperor will be seen for the naked buffoon he is???
one can hope
The continual jargon, gobbledegook and back patting with its lack of vision would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious in terms of future outcomes for us all. Already in the lead for worst Govt ever and yet to reach 100 days.
Npt to mention overuse of the word "outcomes" which Luxon likes to spray around as if it intrinsically means something. There are always going to be outcomes of some sort or other.
Luxton's speech, goodness me was that a USA type fundamental religious rave up or marketing Golden Products? Certainly NOT that of a Prime Minister of NZ who says he is going to consider all groups in NZ society. Once again, looking at USA, the similarity between the kindness of Barac Obama & the destructiveness of Donald Trump comes to mind.
Might be hard for some folks to stomach, but Barack Obama was NOT the Kind President you perceive. Obama used & abused his Race to get in the power Seat. Obama was the Darling of both Wall Street & the Military Industrial Complex. He had Great Speech Writers & PR Representation in selling him to the American Voting Public & Muslim World, so they didn't blow Israel up. Wonderful "Lincoln Type" Orator, but that was it for Mr. BO.
All we saw down here was the Sales Job Side of the Obama Administration. We got very little about the Covert US Wars fought in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Russia, China, Yemen, libya, Somalia, Sudan, et al... Obama gave us the Drone Wars directly after the New Dawn Speech he made in Cairo. That led to the Muslim Brotherhood being quickly replaced in a Military coup that brought Al Sisi to power.
We need to realise how Media & Politic's Works from a less gullible level than we have here in NZ. We can't just take everything we read about these types as the Gospel Truth! Point well taken though, as Obama fooled the World & walked off as a Democrat Party Hero before the GOP could cancel his Bus Ticket...
Don't forget that Key was a Lahaina Maui Neighbour & Golf Partner in a WEF 4-some of inside Trackers... Seems Luxon wants to learn the game of Mini Golf by the numbers now that he's in the same Country Club, after ole St. Nicola(s) got him a bigger Putter for Christmas with her Slush Fund Sausage Sizzle in the Election Run up.
Could you please provide an example of how President Obama "used and abused his Race to get in the power Seat"? It's fair enough if you don't like him or you want to adopt the GOP talking points of claiming all he had were great speech writers and teleprompters. You can overlook all of his accomplishments from being President of Harvard Law Review and gaining respect and accolades from both fellow students and Professors during his time there, how his Justice Department refused to support the Defense of Marriage Act leading directly to the legalization of same-sex marriage nationwide, the refusal to support Don't Ask Don't Tell leading to gays being able to serve openly in the military, attempting to provide health care for millions of Americans, addressing environmental concerns at the administrative level and supporting global efforts to combat climate change, amongst many others. Yes, he had his faults; he ordered the assassination of Anwar al Awlaki, an American citizen, without due process being amongst the worst of them.
But I fail to see how he "used and abused his race" to get into the power seat. What I see was a man devoted to his family who tried his best to serve the American people despite roadblocks and open opposition from the GOP determined to make him a one-term president from day one. A very similar image and description could be applied to Dame Ardern.
I try very hard to ignore most posts from anonymous accounts on the internet and have zero desire to get into arguments about politics and politicians. Yet, in this case I simply had to speak up as there was much much more to Mr. Obama than the "Lincoln Type Orator" you claim him to be.
Your point about how media and politics works is one that should be considered and is deserving of a more nuanced conversation. We can do this without resulting to name calling or belittling those we disagree with though.
Are you an American Alison? You'll need to be Street Savvy & had followed his career rise through the Ranks of the Chicago Democratic Party. The Rahm Emmanuels, the Mayor Daly's back to the days of the Chicago Democratic Convention in '68 to understand how Mr. Obama's rise to the power slots occured & from "whose" support it happened.
I suspect you're not from that Culture. Maybe Kiwi, or British Roots where Obama was "The Darling of the Day". Such a good lookin Guy, well Heeled & well Spoken. A Constitutional Scholar & he was well respected in the Circles he hung with during his stellar rise to be the most powerful, yet powerless Man on the planet. Obama was perceived as "Clean as a Whistle" to Democrats. Not so much from the Right sides of the Aisle...
The Image's portrayed through the Media Circles & Political Journalists are extremely fine tuned in developing Candidates for particular causes & purposes.
Obama was a canned Media Presentation for a Bit Part Role to get Black Voters supporting the Democrats again, following a 40 year Hiatus after MLK & Bobby Kennedy's Murders by ???. Well it wasn't who, or what the Media's said it was... Had you lived through the turbulence of the 1960's Civil Rights era, you might better understand.
You can't read about that stuff, it's been chopped to shreds by other Self - Interested Parties. You had to live it with your eyes open.
Post '68, Blacks went on the Political Warpath along with Young, White, Radicalized Students & Conscription aged Young Men & Women & pushed back against Racism, the Pentagon, the War Machine MIC, Corruption in Local, State & Federal Government & the Ivy League Elitists. It was an ugly time in America!
Blacks were pushed further and further back in the National Bus. Southern Christian Evangelism was on a Stellar Rise at the same time. The Oakies from Muskogee were on a Roll! The problem with those opposites were that there were MANY Black Families embedded in the Bible Belt(s) having their heads kicked in, dragged through the streets by their heels to a convenient Tree just outside the City limits, but they were devout & faithful Christians & the MEN wearing the Hoods & Designer Sheet Sets were their Neighbours & in the same Church & most claimed to be Southern Democrats. Nothing personal, you understand, we just hate Black People & White's that support em, ya know???
Obama was a Counter-Weight to the rising wave of White National Corporatism that came into full view during the Clinton Administration. Reagan had already gone after People of Colour around the world, busted all the Trade Unions, offshored American manufacturing & Textile industry Jobs & turned Central, South America & the middle East into a Volatile Quagmire for American Fruit Company, et al interests. Just hand over the Coke & nobody gets too hurt!!
Clinton (Slick Willy) was a little Rock Arkansas "Good ole Boy" that openly used the Black Vote in his State to Rocket into the White House then slammed the door in their faces. It was all about Him & nothing about his NAACP supporters.
The Chicago Mob of Democrats needed a Wedge in driving the Black Vote for the Democrats after the Bush's trashed the place & went on the Warpath against all things Muslim interfering with Big Oils Interests in the Debt Markets.
I can't wait to read an American University Level History Book in 2060, though I hope I'm not still around by then! Histories are written by the Victors, ya know? I wonder who the Victor's will be in 2060??? My bets on Mother Nature...
American Presidents are "Prepared" for those Jobs! Not because they're Honest Wonderful Guys, but as Ideological Blunt Weapons in order to accomplish a shift, or "Gerrymander" in voting patterns in heavily populated mostly Northern Big Cities. The Executive Drives the Judiciary that drives the Legislature. That's the American System, which is far different to our Parliamentary attempt without a House of Lords (Senate).
Obama, the Persona, was in great part a skilled Campaign Story to sell to the White & Black Middle Class voter as a Conscience Pacifier. He wasn't quite White, but he was Literate, good looking & had made some wonderful contacts with Wall Street, WEF, MIC & the other folks that stand in shadows and pick out future Candidates to Groom when changes are necessary to keep the Reserve Dollar at the head of the World Economic Pack. The Oligarchs Interest always come 1st!
Maybe you shouldn't try so hard to ignore Anonymous posters, as you call me & dig a bit further about where the balance lies against what's said against the realities & facts. You seem pretty triggered and fragile to me Alison. Sometimes we build stories in our minds around People, or Events in history and Seal those Fantasies in what we want to believe as Facts & the Gospel Truth when there's a lot more to it than what you choose put your faith in!
"Lincoln Type Orator" is a Compliment, not an insult Alison. Lincoln was one of the greatest Orators & Constitutional Lawyers in World History! He ranks with Socrates & Plato as a Philosophical Thinker to my thinking.
Lincoln was killed, not over Slavery, but over the Currency. The American Banking System was floundering & the disruption of the War & Blockades, plus the Emancipation Proclamation, emptied the Cotton Belt of Cheap Workers. There wasn't a Central Bank back then. It didn't come along until 1913, 50 years later. Those Auntie Bellum good old Fortunes went up in smoke leaving huge holes where the Textile Industries were located from New Orleans to New York City. It was all about the Money back then. It's all about the Money Today. We've just come full circle with the same stupid system!
I appreciate your coming back for more "unpacking" of my comment. I don't appreciate being chastised for making a comment you don't have a good understanding of compared to the story in your obviously triggered head.
I see a lot of fellow Kiwi's being caught up in Media Created Fantasy stories, purposely made to paint an entirely different picture of the Persona(s) being sold. What can you truly believe these days??? Burying ones head in the sand doesn't make everything better, does it??
What are your thoughts on Julian Assange & Wikileaks??? Is Julian the Rat Bag he's portrayed as by those who have Secrets & Mountains of Gold to Protect at all cost, or is he a good guy, Whistle Blower putting a Spotlight on Empirical War Crimes out of Journalistic Public Interest & International Concern???
I suppose it depends on what you read online, or discuss amongst friends as to what your belief system is made up of to give you the Truth your mind seeks to keep you Sane & Balanced in your world.
Sometimes you have to wade through the Sh*t to Mine the Diamonds of Truth & Cold Hard Fact & it gets pretty smelly at times in our isolated little pockets of influence. Not everybody thinks like YOU, or ME, so you identify with the story that fits the Fantasy of your Perceptions & ignoring, or skimming past the rest isn't the best means of getting to the Facts in any matter.
We're a remote island Nation & Commonwealth Crown Enterprise. Our Government & our political Party's are Chartered Crown Corporations. Wrap your head around that mate. They have developed their own language to obfuscate, rather than address any issue, or situation Head On. Have you noticed?
Now switch to your logical Mind & throw out the stories in your head & focus on what that means for structuring a Society around a horribly corrupted Global Financial System on the verge of tipping over at ANY Moment, unless they keep tight control of their Society in an enclosed Test Tube with the right stories going in & out to drive Capital Investment within the Rules Based Order. Bottom line is - "It's all about Money & Property ownership"! Can you see where this is an "Us against them" scenario???
I don't think we realise the Bit-Part Role we all play in the History we've lived through over most of our lives. In my case, ALL of my life as a Baby Boomer from the Mid- 20th Century. We Worker Bee's are Pawns on a Chessboard, unless somehow we have the dosh, or fall into it, then we're in the back Row with the Bishops, Queens, Knights & Castles (Rooks???). It's the same game wherever you go in the Western World. The Shit Floats & the Solids Sink. Money is both God & Power to today's White Colonist Crusader.
Facing facts is sometimes awful, but it's worse if you fancy the Fairy Tale, or create them from scratch after reading the Sales Pitches, then Fall for them...
I hope you don't see me as Hard, or Callused. I've learned through my life to be more of a Realist with a base philosophy of always questioning power to keep a sense of balance in this world as we evolve & revolve through time and space. I don't always get it right, but I try.
I realise this has gone way off topic, so apologies Nick! I hope you can read between the lines to get a glimpse of what just happened here in Aotearoa, which is an evolutionary thing that's been going on since Judas claimed his 30 pieces of Silver in Gethsemane.
I keep hoping to see changes in this old Dragons & Castles & Feudal Lords Game of Thrones thingamabob.
We really don't need this stuff cluttering up our lives! Maybe someday we'll wake up and it will all have been a Dream. Maybe not, but a Mind is a terrible thing to waste on Fairy Tales that distract us from our core purpose as a species...
Think & be Led by yourself 1st! Everybody has a built in BS O Meter & if your alarm bells go off, dig in! You owe that to yourself and everyone you love & respect in this world! Like the Hippocratic Oath, Do no Harm! Just look for the MO & Do unto others as the Golden Rule Says & call BS when BS is called for!! Gotta be in to win & if ya snooze ya lose!
Obama ha a very tough time as president especially in his first term when the republicans had a majority in the house.I do not believe that Obama used the Black population any more than any other politician to be..He was seen by some as not being black enough. Others swallowed Trumps birther lies where he claimed Obama wasnot born in America, and therefore ineligible to be president. It is true that Obama inhabited a middle class world, but he also inhabits a black world. His wife is a black woman, descended from slaves , and is from a working class family.His children, although privileged, are also young black wome, and proudly so, as is their mother.
I do understand that Obama sanctioned the use of drones for warfare, and the dropping of bombs,and missiles. And yes, he does have a property close to John Key's in Hawaii. Of course Obama grew up in Hawaii. He appears to like J.K. which indicates a flaw in his judgement.
New Zealand had a Long Distance Love Affair with Obama in the sense that he brought back some of the good traits of the Old American Stump Preacher Politician "Statesman". Obama appeared & made his Debut like an FDR, offering a New Deal & a hedge against their Historical & Hysterical Racist Past.
Initially, he empowered a struggling Middle Class to believe in themselves. He NEVER played the Race Card, or pitted Sides, or Social Classes against each other to his Personal & broader Social Credit.
Obama was the 1st "Good Guy" in the eyes of my Generation of Old School Democratic principled Presidents to come along since JFK. Obama managed to Survive having Cross Hairs on him every time he appeared in a Public American place & it wasn't from Measles! He infuriated the Southern Red Neck & Bible Basher Evangelical Class of White Americans, stealing their Privilege as they saw it. He promoted everybody in the same Bus, so to speak. That didn't go down well in Multi-Faceted & Socially Divided AmeriKKKa!
Obama effectively moved the Social "Needle" a little bit closer to the Middle for Blacks, Hispanics, Poor Whites & Indigenous peoples. He helped the "Under Classes" to feel good about themselves, which empowered people for the 1st time in a Long, long time in full "Blend" of American Society. He protected National Parks & Held off Big Oil & the Fracking of American Soil by enabling the MIC to Steal Middle East Resources.
*He, to his credit put Netanyahu in his place, favouring a 2-State Solution for a Free Palestine, independent of Boot Heel Zionist Occupation. What did Trump Do???
He was strong environmentally. He brought in a type of Social Healthcare Insurance that the Working Classes could afford & made the Insurance industry more Competitive. For his 1st couple of years he was both America' & the Worlds Darling! Domestic Image is everything for a populist Leader!! Obama had both Domestic & International Humanitarian Acclaim on his side. Not bad for a Black guy from the Chicago Burbs!
Then the guy turned around & used American Taxpayer money to Bail out Wall Street to the tune of $3+ Trillion Dollars & Catalysed the Crooks Derivatives Markets, which collapsed the Housing Boom that the Big 5 American Banks had artificially created to stimulate Mortgage Sales to people that couldn't afford that Million $$$ McMansion on the Hill after the Reverse Part of their Mortgage ended & the hidden costs came in.
Obama's "Dark Side" was his collaboration with the MIC, the Big Reinsurance Brokers (ahem, this should sound a bit familiar to us here in NZ as part of one of our previous PM's work portfolio as a Currency Trader & major player in the Reinsurance Bizness, right here in Gods Own!!!)
The Golf Course is a great place to meet & Greet Clients, Allies & Investors & there are some Magnificent Courses on Maui! Especially the 19th, Watering Holes for Private & Exclusive Members in old lahaina Town.
I'm sure there were some VERY interesting conversations had between Friends & Neighbours across the Fence around the time of the Christchurch & Kaikoura Earthquakes~! I wonder who's money went into the Bailout of our Insurance Companies following those awful events???
Obama lost me when he snubbed Vladimir Putin at the Beijing Olympics. I think he lost Xi at the same time and his sudden Shift to Asia (China) & focus on Taiwan & the South China Sea that he tasked Hilary Clinton with as Sec State.
Hilary had managed to Kill & Regime Change her way across the Middle East & Africa, taking out Enemies of the Neoliberal Capitalist, MIC / Wall Street United States of America. Obama openly supported the PNAC Doctrine in the Snub of Russia & China following the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Most folks here in NZ have no idea about what the PNAC Document is all about, so I suggest that you Google it up and read as much of it as you can stomach. Notice who the Signatories are! That's extremely important in following how the MIC & Wall Street come into American history through the Back Door of Neoconservative Dual Citizenship infiltration that swung the country away from Democracy & into the Arms of the Meritocratic, Rules Based Order of Neoliberal Capitalism as controlled by the Davos WEF. If you blinked you would have missed the subtle move to Corporatism that took place in America during the Obama Administration.
The USA is a "DINO" these days. Democratic in Name Only. Amazing how it only took NZ 12 years to accomplish what took the USA over 150 years to bring about such a change in opposing Ideologies.
Our new Leader is a Died in the Wool Corporatist with the same credentials as Donald Trump. X - CEO of an SOE that hangs with a Bunch of White Collar Swindlers sucking Tax Dollars out of their respective Economies with the intention of starving State Services Sectors of Funding Capital in order to weaken them sufficiently for the Private Sector to step in & get Profit Moving Again... Sound familiar????
If we think Luxon is somehow planning to manage our Economy fairly for all of us we need our bloody heads examined! He's not that kind of Leader. Luxo Deluxo is a Facilitator managing a Corporatised Portfolio, so if you're one of the Meritocratic Mouseketeers he serves, hey, all good, you Rock! If you're into Fairness, Equality in Justice & Racial integration in making a strong Society Stronger together, good luck with that, as it ain't gonna happen with this bunch of Pirates occupying our House of former Democratic "Crown Based" Governance.
Chippy didn't stand a chance of being elected following such a populist Leader as Jacinda Ardern. He's a Man without a Populist Shadow to shade him from the blazing Idiots of the Corporate Right.
Jacinda had Helen Clark to pull her into the spotlight of the Feminist Movement. When Jacinda left the Stage she took the Stairs to the Stage with her & left Chippy to fend for himself, surrounded by Miscreant Men & Woke Class Women that might well understand Democratic Principles of Governance in a Democratic World, but we left the Principles of Democracy behind when Roger Dodger Douglas penned the User Pays Manifesto of the Meritocratic Market in 1988. We've been backsliding into Neoliberal Corporatism ever since. The Mask came off in the '23 Election.
Obama had Fantastic Press Coverage, Speech Writers & Image Consultants behind him that motivated even Middle Working Class White People to vote for him & cross the Race Barrier that has always existed in America & its Political Party's since George crossed the Delaware.
The big Empirical problem Luxon Faces before he can be accepted in the "Empire Club" is his Inherited Indigenous Problem. Uppidy Economic Unit Slaves were once a Problem in the USA until Reservations were Created to put the Survivors in once the Backbone of the Resistance was broken using Lethal Force.
The other Old Empire we're intimately familiar with used Forced Colonisation as their Weapon of Choice against Uppidy Locals of Colour that got in their way of Vanilla-fying their conquested Turf. Luxon & Trudeau are both in a pickle with their Indigenous Issues to resolve. Luxon is a Colonial Governor running a Crown Enterprise, that's his Colonial Status Quo partner.
Aussie has joined the Dark side in de humanifying the Aboriginal population & stealing their voices. What's a Neoliberal Corporatist Bludger to Do to earn favour amongst his Good Ole Male Peers???
So that's what comes next for us & Obama wasn't all he was Media Cracked up to be... As the World Turns and the Stomach Churns...
My personal thoughts are that we should be looking to Domesticate our Economy around our own People, our Children and their needs in becoming Free Thinking, Well Educated, Free People out to make something more than Money for our collective Good Thing. Export only what we need to maintain our Trading Global agreements, but keep the best of our good stuff for us & our Kids. A return to an Egalitarian form of Democratic Philosophy, ya know???
Kinda like we used to be until Roger started the Tsunami of User Pays rolling down hill on us & Ruth Supercharged it around Austerity in her '91 Mother of all Budgets that now Nicola is out to "Out-Do".
Time to Clip some Tall Poppies I reckon!
Exactly!
Yeah!! I noticed the news last night picked out the Mantra "Back on track - Back on Track", they all kept saying it. Like you Nick, I have no idea what that means, the big thing is I recon they also have no idea!
Great comment from Anne Salmon last night, (newsroom) "Would the real Christopher Luxon, please stand up".
And they sounded so stupid, just repeating the same line. It makes them sound like automatons, devoid of their own ideas.
they are devoid of ideas. They will take tax payer funded wages and happily repeat meaningless phases, pat themselves on the back, while Winnie and Seymour destroy our country.
Unfortunately this is the real Cluxon and don’t think there is any more substance than what we see
Loving the bath analogy.
Time to ditch the business bullshit bingo phrases and show they can actually plan and do something.
They keep committing to themselves and to no-one and nothing more. They didn't really even need a mini "Caucas- Retreat" for that. Rather, they could have just formed a circle and patted each other on the back - forever, perhaps?
He says nothing , does nothing, has no good ideas, has no smart industrious people, the only thing he knows is how to cancel!!!
Thanks Nick!
All the jargon is doing my head in: "back on track"" "rock solid" etc etc
Yeah, we're all standing at the hole in the plane while the captain says 'It's fine folks, just follow me,' and pats his back to be sure the only parachute is safely in place.
Couldn’t have described it better myself. ✅✅
Sickening. If getting things done means just undoing good stuff, I suppose you could say Luxon is meeting his KPIs. All those new MPs are in for a shock I would say.
When rhetoric turns to twaddle, and 'back on track' becomes backtracking. Vision for the future? Nowhere to be seen.
Simple & Succinct, well said Anne!
So sick of his salesman’s pitch. Agree with you Nick Trumpism all over again. Sell it to the people over and over again. Everyone please read the article from Verity Johnson on Luxon and his government!
ABSURD seems an apt word for these air filled muppets 😳. “Back on track”. Well we’ve seen the going back track but not the forward track. A lot of what the the last lot has “done” but nothing concrete about what they intend to DO. Their “vision” is that a mindful thought? Sounds to me like a bunch of “Gunnar’s” whilst they shout how awesome it’s going to be and backslapping each other. Yes all hui no doey. Sad to see our country lead by bubbleheads. The campaign is over now earn your overinflated salaries and DO SOMETHING and I will appraise and judge you on your efforts like all critical thinking Kiwis should. I want value for my money
What a load of corporate bullocks this man speaks. Even Shakespeare knew '... a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, and signifying nothing.' (Macbeth.)
Apart from moaning about the previous government and undoing stuff to suit their mates, what has the Coalition done? And more importantly, what are their plans? What is this track of which they all speak, which we must be on? What is their plan to get us there? Or perhaps the tracks are going to be repaired while they work out what on earth they are talking about. I suspect they just don't know. Being in power - a divine right, I'm sure they think - is all they need to think about right now. Real eye rolling stuff.
Thanks Nick.
Bollocks, not bullocks!
Love it: "A tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, and signifying nothing.' (Macbeth.)