Four Rhymes For the Weekend
In defiance of police, priest and prude
Frenchwomen go sunbathing nude.
They are free to get tanned,
But Burkini’s are banned,
It’s illegal to let Islam intrude.
Chris Trotter
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Sitting Down For Socialism: Jeremy Corbyn infuriates the British Establishment – again.
The entire episode epitomises the way in which the British Establishment and its media attack-dogs have sought to deal with the Corbyn threat.
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The Treaty Settlement Process: Neoliberalism with Maori characteristics
The transfer of wealth (in the form of Crown cash and resources) from the poorest Maori communities to wealthy tribal elites (the Iwi Leadership Group) mirrors neatly the transfer of wealth from the 99 percent to the top 1 percent of income earners that is the hallmark of neoliberalism globally.
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Learning What Words Not To Use: Ika Hosts “From Strike To Like”
WHEN A TRADE UNION organising conference advises participants to avoid using such words and phrases as: “Workers”, “Inequality”, “Collective Bargaining”, “Strikes”, “Lockouts”, and even, God help us, “The Union”; it’s a reasonably safe bet that trade unionism is in trouble.
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Nothing To Celebrate
New Zealand’s participation in the Vietnam War, no matter how marginal, represented a shameful capitulation to American pressure. It was an immoral war which we should never have joined, and the idea of “celebrating” its fiftieth anniversary should be repugnant to all thinking New Zealanders.
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High Time: Why the Greens must rejoin the fight for cannabis law reform
in spite of the public’s readiness for radical reform, the leadership of the two big political parties have either refused to embrace the necessity for change (National) or taken refuge behind the poll results by issuing a cautious endorsement of medicinal cannabis use, while remaining opposed to any broader decriminalisation measures (Labour).
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Dangerous Company: Andrew Little quarantines the Labour Right
ANDREW LITTLE’S DECISION to ban Stuart Nash from sharing a platform with Wellington Mayoral hopeful, Nick Leggett, is instructive.
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Hillary Clinton, Progressive.
Why is this woman, this feminist, this progressive, demonised as some sort of fanatical neoliberal war goddess? Why do even New Zealanders who identify as “left-wing” claim to see no meaningful difference between Clinton and her Republican rival, Donald Trump?
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Is Trump Preparing To Substitute Bullets For Ballots?
AS TRUMP’S NUMBERS slump, and Hillary’s surge, the worst elements of the American Right are mobilising in his defence. The Republican Party’s most notorious political saboteur, Roger Stone, is urging Trump to prepare his followers for a “rigged” election. And Trump is listening.
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Four More Friday Rhymes
Whatever’s the matter with Trump?
His numbers have started to slump.
Could it be his routine
Is increasingly seen
As a rich white guy taking a dump?