Bishop Tamaki’s Umbrella and the extremism of NZ Politics – can it gain 5%?
Parliament protest: Brian Tamaki announces new umbrella political party ‘Freedoms NZ’
Brian Tamaki has announced a new umbrella political party called “Freedoms NZ”.
In an address at today’s anti-Government protest at Parliament, Tamaki said three parties had joined the new party – The New Nation Party, Vision NZ and the Outdoors and Freedom Party. One of the parties was based in London and two had signed a memorandum of understanding.
Tamaki, who said he is not running for political office, encouraged other parties to join the “umbrella of hope”.
He cited the Democracy NZ party and the New Conservative Party, who’s co-leader Ted Johnston is contesting the Auckland mayoralty at October’s local body elections.
All we care about is are these feral lunatic Qanon Rapture enthusiasts going to cross the 5% threshold and hold MAGA rallies in Parliament.
The good news (other than Jesus has risen) is that this current block of political circus freaks won’t get over 5%.
New National Party, Vision NZ + Outdoors and Freedom Party are good for 3% all up, that’s the good news.
The bad news is that if Democracy NZ and New Conservative Party joined the Bishop’s Umbrella, then there could be a real upset.
There is so much frenetic energy in the evangelical movement and the anti-abortion movement and the Qanon movement and the mommy blogger crystal healing antivax movement and the demented alt right that a collective of these political nightmares could get over the 5% threshold.
If they did get into Parliament, it would be akin to having a Flat Earther head your geography department.
The question then is what the other political Parties do, because you can’t engage with the demented.
The rise of this madness is directly due to the psychological trauma many have experienced over Covid. We keep forgetting we have collectively experienced a unique universal event, a once in a. century pandemic that has upheaved peoples sensibilities, values and real economic anxiety and pain.
The rise of citizens living in a fractured reality of social media hate algorithms is a symptom of a much deeper social malaise and fury.
If we don’t want an angry mob to be manipulated by fear grifters and right wing hate, perhaps we should do something transformative in those people’s lives so that they aren’t so angry and fearful in the first place?
You know, housing, cost of living crisis, housing, public transport, public health, public education, housing, housing and housing.
You know, the basics.
Unfortunately much of the activist left seem to think cancelling crackers on Tic Toc for snow flaking out over a chocolate candy wrapper in Te Reo is activism.
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As bad as Pasta Brian Tumeke appears there is other churches escaping our mainstream media and other critics vitriol like the Arise church who not only discriminate they are also f….n racist.
As bad as Pasta Brian Tumeke appears there is other churches escaping our mainstream media and other critics vitriol like the Arise church who not only discriminate they are also f….n racist.
Good point
I can’t believe Luxon came out and said it’s too early to talk about working with these freaks but he would not rule it out. National ( and any serious party) should show they are adults and say no way Hose. I know it’s not just about him, but makes Luxon look more like a god bothering goose.
People should really focus on the concrete more, as in real action that needs to be taken. Parliamentary number crunching is for pundits, the working class need direct action.
NZ is a country with many (look up the quarterly Govt. HLFS–House Labour Force Survey) self employed, SMEs, precarious, unpaid workers and migrant workers (who fit into the other categories too). So, unions may not seem that relevant, although with still around 350,000 union members affiliated to the NZCTU, it is a large enough grouping.
But…the central union organisation could be incredibly important if it had a fighting, class left based leadership with people like the UK’s Mick Lynch at its helm rather than Wellington bureaucrats like Richard Wagstaff–who? is there even one worker who knows who Wagstaff is?
A combative CTU would challenge the Labour Govt. every step of the way and rark up community organising on Supermarket price gouging and all the rest.
“Preying on the poor” indeed. You can tell them by their fruit I think that book says. I see wormy apples. They are the worms, eroding our society by their actions. Change agents. Not my cuppa tea but maybe we need to experience this collectively also? So everyone can experience what doesn’t work, so we can get on with what does? Let the worms wriggle their way up so we can have a good look at them and hear what they have to say. No one should get left behind. Maybe we’ve got to do this so we can eventually bring them along a better path? Jmo fwiw
You’ve got to hand it to Brian Tamaki, he will do the hard yards. Many are not willing to take it on.
Also Mob sunglasses rule, the public like it. It’s a lot better than grey suits.
The wolves in sheep clothing are waiting to devour him, but like biblical David who took on the bear and the lion and won it could be the “Life of Brian” in reverse.
You’ve got to hand it to Brian Tamaki, he will do the hard yards. Many are not willing to take it on.
Also Mob sunglasses rule, the public like it. It’s a lot better than grey suits.
The wolves in sheep clothing are waiting to devour him, but like biblical David who took on the bear and the lion and won it could be the “Life of Brian” in reverse.
Internal Affairs allows Falun Dafa- which preaches that races go to different heavens and completely rejects cancer treatment alongside other modern medicinal advances- to remain a registered charity, so I don’t know why people get all uptight about Brian’s Mercedes mob.
Isn’t he getting old by now?