class war

The Nats’ useful bludger myth

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 1:30 pm, February 16th, 2011 - 14 comments

Under Labour, when there was effectively full employment, there were still 1,700 people who had been continuously on the dole for over 4 years. I was prepared to accept most of these were ‘bludgers’. Turns out I was too cynical. Paula Bennett found only 658 were ineligible. Werewolf has an excellent article busting more benefit myths.

Why are the “Right” terrified of equality?

Written By: r0b - Date published: 7:21 am, February 14th, 2011 - 78 comments

Economic inequality is damaging to the fabric of society.  It’s a simple and compelling message, and it seems to have the political “Right” in a complete panic.  In fact if Deborah Coddington’s latest piece is anything to go by, the Right are terrified to the point of derangement.

Cuts to our public services to pay for elite’s tax cuts

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 10:54 pm, February 8th, 2011 - 69 comments

John Key’s government is just two years old but it is already clearly bereft of ideas. His lacklustre speech showed no innovative thinking. There was just his usual bile directed at Labour and the same old failed National formula: asset sales, welfare cuts, and public service cuts masked by restructuring to fund tax cuts for the rich elite.

Key’s priorities laid-bare

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:00 am, February 7th, 2011 - 24 comments

When a millionaire director and a foreign corporate wanted millions in tax breaks, Key jumped to it. When SCF collapsed the investors got an average of $60K, no questions asked. But when it comes to helping the ordinary families of Christchurch and the West Coast, the Nats are nowhere to be seen once the cameras are gone.

“Rich”

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 12:17 pm, January 23rd, 2011 - 259 comments

We have a national myth that everyone is in essence equal, yet we have a disparity of wealth where 10% own more than the other 90% put together and 50% have no net assets. How does one square away occupying a position of extreme privilege in a democratic society? Often, by convincing yourself that your privilege doesn’t exist.

The Two Nations: or, Why Won’t They Bail Me Out?

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 11:47 pm, January 11th, 2011 - 38 comments

Under the supposed rules of capitalism, investors take a “haircut” if an investment goes bad – no reward without risk. It’s also Economics 101 that giving relief to the ‘little people’ will have a more stimulating effect on the economy than if you bail out the wealthiest interests in society. But the powers that be are breaking the rules to aid the rich.

Ministerial review: poverty

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 6:22 am, January 6th, 2011 - 26 comments

When was the last time that John Key mentioned the ‘underclass’? In his Statement to Parliament at the start of last year – after Eddie called him out on never talking about the underclass – but he didn’t actually read that part of the statement. So, what has Key actually done for the underclass that he purported to care for so much? Nothing. He’s let poverty worsen.

Private Bradley Manning

Written By: Bill - Date published: 10:21 am, December 25th, 2010 - 22 comments

So, it’s Christmas; the season of good will and all. But for some of our institutions,  juggernauts of bad will that they are, they just roll on regardless . For what it’s worth there is an on line letter you can sign calling on the US to end it’s inhumane treatment of Bradley Manning. Maybe signing it constitutes a Christmas message of sorts.

Human Nature and Propaganda

Written By: Bill - Date published: 12:30 pm, December 17th, 2010 - 63 comments

We don’t have to care so much about beneficiaries any more. Or those single parents. Or the trials and tribulations of anyone else at all really. We have to be grown up. And we are more mean and lean than we used to be. Hell, even those pesky parliamentary lefties have abandoned the beneficiaries and the single parents. Yup. Nothing to see there. Life is good. We’re getting ahead. And we sure know what’s what. Don’t we?

Key out of touch on taxes

Written By: r0b - Date published: 9:30 am, December 14th, 2010 - 37 comments

Do you feel better off after the great tax swindle?  Two recent surveys have shown that the significant majority of us do not.  John Key has expressed his surprise at our ingratitude.  But the numbers tell the story.  Most of us don’t feel better off because we aren’t better off.  The only surprise is that John Key is so completely out of touch as to fail to understand this.

Key on welfare

Written By: r0b - Date published: 7:45 pm, December 13th, 2010 - 68 comments

Interesting piece by Sue Bradford over at Pundit.  If the quote attributed to John Key is for real, it’s a shocker: “If we cancelled welfare to 330,000 people currently on welfare, how many would starve to death? Bugger all.”

Another handout for bludgers?

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 9:40 pm, December 5th, 2010 - 47 comments

Warners bludge $30 mil out of us. Kiwifruit growers get a blank cheque while other firms go under. Farmers have their hands out cause it hasn’t rained. Rich finance investors get us to cover their losses. Now, a $10K a night resort wants us to pay for some royals to stay there. Apparently, it’ll be great value for money – that’s what corporate bludgers always say.

So Sport and Politics Should be Kept Separate?

Written By: Bill - Date published: 2:56 pm, November 22nd, 2010 - 3 comments

Seems Eric Cantona wasn’t listening.

I particularly liked the response given by Valérie Ohannesian of the French Banking Federation who, seemingly devoid of any sense of irony stated that,  “One of the main roles of a bank is to keep money safe. This appeal will give great pleasure to thieves, I would have thought.”

English: excuses but no solutions on plummeting incomes

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 8:52 am, November 19th, 2010 - 33 comments

Labour picked up on the statistics I revealed yesterday that show the median income of Maori has fallen 11.5% under National and the Pacific Island median income is down an astounding 19%. Kris Fa’afoi and Annette King put out press releases. Then King took the battle to Bill English in the House, who it seems is also a reader.

Managing Addiction

Written By: Bill - Date published: 2:16 pm, November 6th, 2010 - 32 comments

We’ve had numerous prescriptions claiming to tackle ever growing numbers of social ills, but the elephant in the room; the underlying cause for our problems as a society is always, assiduously ignored.  And that means that many of our resources are being wasted (perhaps deliberately) on illusory problems.