Category Archives: Uncategorized

Sometimes when I contemplate whether to blog on a political subject or not, I struggle with the question of relevance. The fact that the subject interests me is not a guarantee of wider relevance. On this occasion, aided and abetted by personal bias I’ve opted to blog. The catalyst is a column published by BryceContinue reading “Muddled analysis: Left, right, and wrong!”

If New Zealanders undertook four basic public health measures they would not only live longer, they would significantly reduce the pressure on their badly politically driven overstretched health system. Three of these measures involve doing moderate exercise, consuming little alcohol (an addiction when misused), and not smoking (an addiction when used or in the presenceContinue reading “Wealth accumulation – ‘Big Sugar’ and Little Barbados: a lesson in struggle and consciousness”

On 1 August 2017 Jacinda Ardern was elected leader of the opposition Labour Party in extraordinary circumstances. Opinion polls were showing Labour heading towards a massive fourth consecutive electoral defeat in September. National meanwhile was heading towards being the fourth New Zealand government to do four consecutive terms: Liberal (1893-1912), Labour (1935-49) and National (1960-72). LaterContinue reading “Why Labour lost the 2023 election so badly”

In late January 2020 New Zealand’s trade minister David Parker got the “cold sweats”. This is according to The Economist (9 May 2020; paywalled): The world’s vulnerable food system. The context was China’s decision to  ban package tours from heading overseas for the lunar new-year holiday. Parker’s “cold sweats” were not primarily due to the lossContinue reading “Food sovereignty versus profit-maximisation”

I love a good conspiracy theory. This is why I was somewhat addicted to The Blacklist despite its absurdities; also I liked James Spader who played the lead character Red Reddington. Reddington was at war with a ‘thing’ he called the ‘Cabal’. It was a shadowy multi-national group holding positions of influence in government andContinue reading “Make war on Woke; the word I mean”

There is a reported apparent rift within Cabinet between Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Defence Minister Andrew Little over Aotearoa New Zealand’s position in the widening conflict between the United States and China. While at its core it is over relative economic power, the conflict is manifested by China’s increased presence in the Pacific Ocean,Continue reading “Context of the ‘New Washington Consensus’ and China ‘threat’ for New Zealand”

On 12 July many New Zealanders were stunned by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ unexpected announcement (called a ‘Captain’s Call’) that there would not be a capital gains or wealth tax on his watch: Prime Minister Hipkins rules out wealth and capital gain tax; end of story.  Prime Minister Chris Hipkins makes ‘Captain’s Call’ to support continuedContinue reading “The real philanthropists”

If someone had said that I should write on transgender rights when I began my Political Bytes blog in January 2021, I would have said nonsense. Partly this was because I didn’t appreciate the level of intense bigotry and hatred of those opposed to their rights that subsequently emerged. And partly it was because IContinue reading “Let’s call transphobia by its real name – sickening bigotry”

When interviewed in the Boston Review by Scott Casleton (4 June 2019), Choosing hope, acclaimed American linguist and political intellectual Noam Chomsky made the following challenging observation: We have two choices: to abandon hope and ensure that the worst will happen; or to make use of the opportunities that exist and contribute to a better world.Continue reading “Fetishism: the pimp between need and object, between life and humanity’s means of life”