She certainly is an unfeeling piece of work. However as Chris Hedges points out in this quote she is just doing what the donor class expects. “In each form of capitalism, democratic rights are abolished. The public is under constant surveillance. Labor unions are dismantled or defanged. The media serves the powerful and dissident voices are silenced or criminalized. Everything is commoditized from the natural world to our relationships. Grassroots and popular movements are outlawed. The ecocide continues. Politics is burlesque”. This is quite clearly where we are at,or are proceeding towards. Don’s comment above highlights this.
Hope it's ok to post these links, ok if you delete it too....I just want to get as many people as possible talking about it.
"It’s a travesty that such an economically ruinous policy as austerity was ever allowed to see the light of day. The politicians responsible owe working people an apology."
It feels like the coalition took Modern Monetary Theory as a guidebook on how to properly screw an economy and then really put their backs into it. Looked at policy that failed elsewhere and said "Yeah, let's do that one"
I'm still eager to hear from anyone to explain any holes in MMT - serious question!!
Hi, this is your space the only consideration is that people are polite and respectful and that has never been a problem. Well there was that one troll that got in, but that was ages ago...|
I am naughtily quietly cheering on the kids on the roof of the Youth Justice facility today. If Nicole McKee thinks she can halt dissension by announcing a toughening up on the Three Strikes Law, ahead of the Select Committee report back (not due until December). she will find out the point of a gun doesn't change a thing, except to ruin more lives and build more anger.
Love to be a part of the protest, but Aotea Sq for someone hovering around 80 is a bit much. Auckland is so big surely it could host several scattered about. Nevertheless my heart and thoughts will be there.
🙋I see Christchurch has a sub-venue? Main one Addington & PSA focus at Bridge of Remembrance - bit late now I suppose, but yes Auckand could/should have more than one venue! 🤷 I saw some suggestion of people not able to attend to make/print off a sign & stand on the footpath at a nearby intersection, take a photo if they have FB or instagram, & just do what they feel comfortable with. Like I couldn't be a Green Peace activist & scale the side of a foreign ship, but I can protest locally or sign petitions. 👍
John, many of us are in that boat, but an email expressing our anger at their actions and policies from those who want to express support for the rallies could seemingly end up as spam.!! So for our generation a good written question may be more effective. They have to be answered apparently.
They had to cancel Family Benefit voucher years ago, they were stolen from letter boxes and spent by thieves. This sounds just a stupid. These cards will shame honest folk and bring profit to those who deal in them. What a forward looking government!
These money cards are just awful. How degrading to have to hand one of those over at the checkout for groceries. And then if you've overspent putting items back. Just horrible and as you said Kath open to dishonesty.
There is absolutely a point to the punitive measures, Nick. The economy is structured around needing a certain level of unemployment. Why? Because higher unemployment levels = more competition for jobs = lower wages = more profitable businesses. Unemployment isn’t a sad by-product of capitalism, it is at the heart of the economic model. BUT there is a caveat. People also have to be unhappily unemployed. Sitting at home making do, growing your own veggies, making it work by freely trading skills with other unemployed people means the model fails because you don’t apply for jobs and keep that downwards pressure on wages. So we need people to be unemployed and miserable - we’ll call them names, demonise them, blame them for being unemployed (even though we need unemployment), force them to apply for jobs they don’t really want and live in cities they don’t want to live in, so the model works. And this system is immoral. Utterly immoral.
We all learn behavior from an action and reaction, often we may learn an unintended reaction; payment cards, may hold people in poverty, rather than left them out. Controls on people to manage their spending, holds them in a dependent position they never learn the ability to be otherwise. Capitalism is about money and profits, not about people, but without people no business of any sort can survive. Cooperation is for the greater good of people. Unless we learn the power of people and use that power in a constructive way we place ourselves at the mercy of capitalism which can never satisfy the needs of people - only individuals.
Amid the angst induced by your post there emerged a belly laugh as I imagined Luxon rocking up to GILT Brasserie for his weekend steak meal and saying, ‘Do you take WINZ payment cards’. The humour somehow lifts the mood enough to glimpse the impermanence of all this. Like adolescence, it's just a phase from which Aotearoa will emerge glowing and acne-free. Being kind, resisting the bitterness, staying sane is more important. Nothing lasts forever. Kia kaha!
Your comments which got to me today served to up my blood pressure (again) but yay.
This bunch of ignorant entitled bullies have delivered a masterclass on stalling the economy and delivering a boot to those most effected by their mismanagement.
I sent yet another short sharp admonition to Louise Upston ( who pretends that because she rose from the ranks so can anyone).
I wonder if Upston’s spending card will permit drinks wharf side in Barcelona? I have to admit to feeling a little sorry for the squeezed middle after nightly exposure to entitlement and excessive expenditure
🤔Be interesting to see what sort of turnout there is tomorrow for the nationwide protest - I'm a bit averse to large crowds but in Christchurch there is a smaller venue/event at the Gates of Remembrance (12.30?) so that's my plan! Near enough to the Bus Interchange & the Botanic Gardens afterwards for a decompress 🤷
Pretty typical to want to introduce a system (cards) that have known problems - how much $$ to administer? Cost of card? Complexity of keeping up with who gets them & what happens when their circumstances change? After all, there are less staff employed & this doesn't run itself 🧐 & as for the hubris of telling us what the changes to 3-strikes will be BEFORE the Select Committee has done it's work 😱 AND saying changes can be applied retrospectively 🤬 Does that mean if we boot her out next election we can retrospectively decide to change her MP perks so she doesn't get them in the future? 😉
The Health NZ storm in a canape echos Christine Rankin being hauled over the coals for chartering a plane to get multiple staff members to a department hui in Wairākei, during her time as CEO of then WINZ, when it was actually more cost effective than paying individual fares for those attending.
And some get it tax free. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/best-start-payments-to-rich-list-founders-rockets-to-37m-payment/M2A2CCJATBEBVD3DAE5HBJABMM/
It makes me so bloody furious. The low wages, the corners cut to make so much from childcare.
And 71% of their "year on year" revenue ($262m) was government subsidies! No wonder they support charter schools.
It is like retirement villages, and potentially the health system! Child care outfits are easy pickings to wealth with captive payers.
Frightening
Disgusting.
This was going to be the song until I found the Ren one. Seriously catchy 90s pop - All 'Bout The Money...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcXMhwF4EtQ
She certainly is an unfeeling piece of work. However as Chris Hedges points out in this quote she is just doing what the donor class expects. “In each form of capitalism, democratic rights are abolished. The public is under constant surveillance. Labor unions are dismantled or defanged. The media serves the powerful and dissident voices are silenced or criminalized. Everything is commoditized from the natural world to our relationships. Grassroots and popular movements are outlawed. The ecocide continues. Politics is burlesque”. This is quite clearly where we are at,or are proceeding towards. Don’s comment above highlights this.
I'd have used a different 4 letter word beginning with S instead of work. Real Trumpian in nature this crap lot.
Hope it's ok to post these links, ok if you delete it too....I just want to get as many people as possible talking about it.
"It’s a travesty that such an economically ruinous policy as austerity was ever allowed to see the light of day. The politicians responsible owe working people an apology."
https://www.tuc.org.uk/.../failure-austerity-and-how-fix-it
https://theconversation.com/we-were-wrong-imf-report-details-the-damage-of-austerity-11533?
It feels like the coalition took Modern Monetary Theory as a guidebook on how to properly screw an economy and then really put their backs into it. Looked at policy that failed elsewhere and said "Yeah, let's do that one"
I'm still eager to hear from anyone to explain any holes in MMT - serious question!!
here is some good info on it:
https://findingthemoney.vhx.tv/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrJDYQrLtHQ
Hi, this is your space the only consideration is that people are polite and respectful and that has never been a problem. Well there was that one troll that got in, but that was ages ago...|
Thanks for the links.
I am naughtily quietly cheering on the kids on the roof of the Youth Justice facility today. If Nicole McKee thinks she can halt dissension by announcing a toughening up on the Three Strikes Law, ahead of the Select Committee report back (not due until December). she will find out the point of a gun doesn't change a thing, except to ruin more lives and build more anger.
Love to be a part of the protest, but Aotea Sq for someone hovering around 80 is a bit much. Auckland is so big surely it could host several scattered about. Nevertheless my heart and thoughts will be there.
🙋I see Christchurch has a sub-venue? Main one Addington & PSA focus at Bridge of Remembrance - bit late now I suppose, but yes Auckand could/should have more than one venue! 🤷 I saw some suggestion of people not able to attend to make/print off a sign & stand on the footpath at a nearby intersection, take a photo if they have FB or instagram, & just do what they feel comfortable with. Like I couldn't be a Green Peace activist & scale the side of a foreign ship, but I can protest locally or sign petitions. 👍
John, many of us are in that boat, but an email expressing our anger at their actions and policies from those who want to express support for the rallies could seemingly end up as spam.!! So for our generation a good written question may be more effective. They have to be answered apparently.
One in Manukau too
They had to cancel Family Benefit voucher years ago, they were stolen from letter boxes and spent by thieves. This sounds just a stupid. These cards will shame honest folk and bring profit to those who deal in them. What a forward looking government!
These money cards are just awful. How degrading to have to hand one of those over at the checkout for groceries. And then if you've overspent putting items back. Just horrible and as you said Kath open to dishonesty.
There is absolutely a point to the punitive measures, Nick. The economy is structured around needing a certain level of unemployment. Why? Because higher unemployment levels = more competition for jobs = lower wages = more profitable businesses. Unemployment isn’t a sad by-product of capitalism, it is at the heart of the economic model. BUT there is a caveat. People also have to be unhappily unemployed. Sitting at home making do, growing your own veggies, making it work by freely trading skills with other unemployed people means the model fails because you don’t apply for jobs and keep that downwards pressure on wages. So we need people to be unemployed and miserable - we’ll call them names, demonise them, blame them for being unemployed (even though we need unemployment), force them to apply for jobs they don’t really want and live in cities they don’t want to live in, so the model works. And this system is immoral. Utterly immoral.
👍💯👏Absolutely right (unfortunately) 🤬
So agree
We all learn behavior from an action and reaction, often we may learn an unintended reaction; payment cards, may hold people in poverty, rather than left them out. Controls on people to manage their spending, holds them in a dependent position they never learn the ability to be otherwise. Capitalism is about money and profits, not about people, but without people no business of any sort can survive. Cooperation is for the greater good of people. Unless we learn the power of people and use that power in a constructive way we place ourselves at the mercy of capitalism which can never satisfy the needs of people - only individuals.
Amid the angst induced by your post there emerged a belly laugh as I imagined Luxon rocking up to GILT Brasserie for his weekend steak meal and saying, ‘Do you take WINZ payment cards’. The humour somehow lifts the mood enough to glimpse the impermanence of all this. Like adolescence, it's just a phase from which Aotearoa will emerge glowing and acne-free. Being kind, resisting the bitterness, staying sane is more important. Nothing lasts forever. Kia kaha!
We need to work together quickly to cause that change.
Your comments which got to me today served to up my blood pressure (again) but yay.
This bunch of ignorant entitled bullies have delivered a masterclass on stalling the economy and delivering a boot to those most effected by their mismanagement.
I sent yet another short sharp admonition to Louise Upston ( who pretends that because she rose from the ranks so can anyone).
I wonder if Upston’s spending card will permit drinks wharf side in Barcelona? I have to admit to feeling a little sorry for the squeezed middle after nightly exposure to entitlement and excessive expenditure
Exactly! “We can’t just wait another two years and hope the country makes [an informed] decision …”
🤔Be interesting to see what sort of turnout there is tomorrow for the nationwide protest - I'm a bit averse to large crowds but in Christchurch there is a smaller venue/event at the Gates of Remembrance (12.30?) so that's my plan! Near enough to the Bus Interchange & the Botanic Gardens afterwards for a decompress 🤷
Pretty typical to want to introduce a system (cards) that have known problems - how much $$ to administer? Cost of card? Complexity of keeping up with who gets them & what happens when their circumstances change? After all, there are less staff employed & this doesn't run itself 🧐 & as for the hubris of telling us what the changes to 3-strikes will be BEFORE the Select Committee has done it's work 😱 AND saying changes can be applied retrospectively 🤬 Does that mean if we boot her out next election we can retrospectively decide to change her MP perks so she doesn't get them in the future? 😉
The Health NZ storm in a canape echos Christine Rankin being hauled over the coals for chartering a plane to get multiple staff members to a department hui in Wairākei, during her time as CEO of then WINZ, when it was actually more cost effective than paying individual fares for those attending.
Thanks for reminding us about the demonstrations tomorrow. In Wellington it’s at Parliament grounds 1.00-2.00