class war

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Why is it wrong to want a better world?

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 11:30 am, October 25th, 2011 - 37 comments

“The truth is, the world cannot be made perfect” says Deborah Hill Cone, arrogantly dismissing the Occupy movement. And she may be right. But that does not mean we are living in the best of all possible worlds and that the injustices and imperfections of our world are things we just have to accept. Rijab takes her on.

Labour day

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:55 am, October 24th, 2011 - 16 comments

On this Labour Day it is good to see that the Labour Party is staying true to its roots, and is out there working for a labour policy to lift the wages and conditions of the workers of New Zealand.

One citizen. One dollar. One vote.

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:38 am, October 23rd, 2011 - 36 comments

A second message is emerging from the Occupation movement: “One citizen. One dollar. One vote.”

Everything is OK

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:05 am, October 22nd, 2011 - 1 comment

Signs of the Occupation 1 – Everything is OK.

RWC final highlights inequalities

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:54 pm, October 21st, 2011 - 48 comments

A very thoughtful piece from Simon Collins in today’s Herald: “Deep divisions over $1000 for a Rugby World Cup game as poverty grows”.

The Right’s crocodile tears for higher pay

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 11:58 am, October 20th, 2011 - 31 comments

It’s disappointing to see the Dom joining with the Right’s mouthpieces in attacking Labour’s work and wages policy. The editorial says of course “something” must be done about low and inequitable wages but opposes introducing a system modeled on the one that delivers high wages in Australia. Meanwhile bosses are putting the screws on to cut workers’ pay.

A global test of non-violent protest

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:07 am, October 20th, 2011 - 24 comments

The Occupation movement has bankers worried. So far, however, the protests have been peaceful. In fact, the Occupation is quickly shaping up as the biggest ever, world wide test of the efficacy of non-violent protest.

Nats “help” with more cuts

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 2:11 pm, October 18th, 2011 - 23 comments

Amidst growing evidence of yet another broken 2008 election promise, John Key has nothing to offer except tired excuses and attacks on the poor.

Over or Into The Wall?

Written By: Bill - Date published: 1:11 pm, October 15th, 2011 - 39 comments

Will the protests around the world hit the brick wall of ingrained habits? Or will we manage to get over, around or beneath that particular barrier to progress?

Occupation showdown

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 6:15 am, October 15th, 2011 - 17 comments

By the time this post appears a showdown will have taken place in New York. Check out the morning media, there should be plenty of coverage of events as they unfold.

Returns on investments

Written By: the sprout - Date published: 9:01 am, October 8th, 2011 - 90 comments

When John Key was elected to power in 2008, he was estimated to have a personal wealth of about 40-50 million dollars.

So how much is John Key worth now?

Losing the class war

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 12:32 pm, October 7th, 2011 - 73 comments

The median (‘typical’) Kiwi income has fallen 6% under National after inflation. It’s worse if you’re Maori – 16%. And if you’re PI? 21%. That’s more than a hundred dollars a week. It’s a disgrace. In fact, ordinary people’s incomes have shrunk faster than the economy under National. Their policies have driven more of what’s left to the rich.

Occupation 2 – 700 arrested

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 2:13 pm, October 3rd, 2011 - 16 comments

The Occupation, now into its third week, seems to be growing. As is the Police response. In the latest development police have arrested more than 700 protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge.

A Smidgen of Truth Escapes the msm

Written By: Bill - Date published: 1:19 pm, September 29th, 2011 - 15 comments

It’s not often that ‘bald truths’ escape the filtration of the msm. The video below is an example of one of those rare moments.

Occupy Wall Street!

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:32 am, September 29th, 2011 - 39 comments

Have you heard of Occupy Wall Street? If you are one of the 99%, you should have…

Another shaming report on child poverty

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:16 am, September 13th, 2011 - 70 comments

The Child Poverty Action Group has released yet another shaming report on child poverty in NZ. The Nats’ cuts to Working for Families are making matters worse. If the election doesn’t return a Labour government, then we’re going to have three more years of inaction punctuated by brief ritual hand-wringing over each new report.

“A commodity”

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 9:55 pm, September 12th, 2011 - 94 comments

Big time businessman Damien Grant thinks we’re either rich or irrelevant commodities. And Granny Herald thinks it’s reasonable to give him a platform to preach this vile social darwinism. Suddenly the careless deaths of Kiwi workers and the systemic poverty of so many of our children becomes less surprising.

Those who don’t know history…

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 9:54 pm, September 6th, 2011 - 7 comments

Robert Reich writes about the impact of growing inequality in the United States. He has a graphic that shows the effects over the past hundred years. As the US and Europe come closer to their Niagara fall, the logic is compelling. Edmund Burke’s saying that those who don’t know their history are destined to repeat it comes to mind.

Chose a brighter future?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 1:19 pm, September 6th, 2011 - 63 comments

Once again recent headlines prompt me to ask if in 2008 we really chose a brighter future after all.

NRT: The effects of NeoLiberalism

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:47 am, September 6th, 2011 - 15 comments

The New York Times has a graphic comparing the outcomes of economic policy in the US, specifically comparing the broadly social democratic policies prevalent between 1847 and 1979, and the NeoLiberal policies since 1980. The differences are astounding.

Third world NZ

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 10:05 pm, September 5th, 2011 - 123 comments

The stories coming out of the Pike inquiry paint a picture of a company with a basic disregard for workers’s safety.

But we shouldn’t expect anything else after thirty years of putting the interests of business ahead of everyone else.

NZ must introduce a capital gains tax, sooner or later

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 12:41 pm, September 2nd, 2011 - 29 comments

The wealthy elite in Europe are now joining Warren Buffett in these calls for higher taxes for the rich (including CGT), why? Maybe it’s because they know the truth, they know that the world is likely to enter another global recession, and they know the risk this will bring to social cohesion, which they rely on for maintaining the lifestyle they enjoy.

In praise of collective bargaining

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:13 am, August 29th, 2011 - 75 comments

One of the lies at the heart of the Nats’ approach to industrial relations is that negotiating directly with the employer “empowers” the individual worker and allows them to get better wages and conditions. The facts prove otherwise.

Gaynor on vampire neoliberalism

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:28 pm, August 28th, 2011 - 14 comments

Brian Gaynor notes vampire economics of neoliberalism means nearly all the largest listed companies are either privatised former public assets and/or monopolies thanks to government regulation. The capitalist elite has failed to generate wealth and stripped previously privatised assets. Now, their party, the Nats, plans to suck out more of our public wealth.

Wealth creators

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 7:48 am, August 27th, 2011 - 80 comments

Extracts from an article by Dr Campbell Jones (Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Auckland). Who creates wealth? Is wealth evidence of merit?

Angry Old White Man Party to attack young people

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 12:19 pm, August 25th, 2011 - 42 comments

Angry Old White Man Party (ACT) Leader Don Brash is to launch another attack on young people. It’s strange that this once significant and principled party has sent its dying days picking the on the young. The latest stupid idea is to remove the minimum wage for under 20s altogether and cut spending to cut taxes that the rich pay.

Sepuloni on why voting matters

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:44 pm, August 23rd, 2011 - 33 comments

Celebrating Youth Unemployment

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:11 pm, August 17th, 2011 - 18 comments

The tidal wave of unemployment is all the more heartbreaking because we have been here before, last time we had a 1st term National government. But have the Tories learned the lessons of the past? Not a bit of it. Paula Bennett, who had her hand up from the government when she needed it, says there’s “a lot to celebrate” about 58,000 disconnected youths.

The Pernicious Food Card

Written By: Bill - Date published: 6:05 pm, August 16th, 2011 - 72 comments

Or how the food card will inevitably push beneficiaries into all types of deeper strife.

The cartoon (since it doesn’t show up clearly and you might be wondering) is a lifebelt being thrown in the “Welfare” cell and a book titled “Learn to swim” being thrown in the second “Welfare Reform” cell.

Buffett calls for rich to stop class war

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 2:04 pm, August 16th, 2011 - 53 comments

Today Warren Buffett, the third wealthiest man in the world, has come out demanding his mega-rich friends play a part in the American economic recovery. He is recognised as one of the smartest and most successful investors alive, his words should not be dismissed lightly, especially as we approach our own election and grapple with the issue of tax reform.