Random Politics

[DrTiTus]

The end of landlords: the surprisingly simple solution to the UK housing crisis

We now find ourselves in a situation where one in every 21 adults in the UK is a landlord. We have four times as many landlords as teachers. As a consequence, virtually everyone struggles to afford a home that meets their needs despite a net gain in housing stock.

Where Adam Smith and Karl Marx found common ground was in the idea that everyone’s interests are aligned against landlords: they are an economic deadweight. Even if we leave aside the appalling conditions and precarity that private renters face, anyone with an interest in lower taxes, lower wage bills and increasing the number of first-time buyers must equally be interested in smashing the private rented sector to bits.

This is my peace offering to Lightspeed - something I think we can both agree on. Landlords - at least in the form they take today [leverage equity to outbid FHBs and hold rents high] - are parasites and society would be better off without them. Until we solve the housing affordability problem, nothing will be fixed.

[DrTiTus]

Interesting revelations

Five Eyes ran spy operation out of NZ's security bureau (yesterday)

A former senior minister says it's fair to assume its a member of the Five Eyes that ran a spy operation out of New Zealand's security bureau, which didn't have sign off from the government of the day. Edit: LOL, sure it didn't

...the system operated from 2013 until 2020, when it was stopped by an equipment failure.

A Five Eyes partner, from 2013 you say. Obama was president from 2009 until 2017.

Barack Obama drops into No10 for surprise visit on his way through London (2 days ago)

Well that's interesting. He kinda needed to have a chat and a cup of tea. Because you know, he's not the President anymore, so of course he needs to talk to Five Eyes partners.

Then there was this from 2018:
Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is coming to New Zealand

She lasted visited in 2010 as Secretary of State, but will return as a private citizen, having left political life following her defeat in the 2016 Presidential election.

She will be coming only a few months after her former boss, Barack Obama, is expected to visit to promote a new Air New Zealand route to Chicago.

Barack Obama to visit New Zealand in March

Former US President Barack Obama will finally go ahead with his promise to visit New Zealand on a trip in March.

The Herald on Sunday understands Obama will visit on about March 21 arranged by Air New Zealand.

The reason for the visit is unknown but there has been speculation Air NZ is about to launch a new route to the United States, likely Chicago which is Obama's home town.

Former Prime Minister Sir John Key is now on the Air NZ board and will have been instrumental in securing the high-level visit due to his relationship with Obama when the two were leaders.

Ah yes, John Key

Key releases GCSB documents

"Claims have been made tonight that are simply wrong and that is because they are based on incomplete information."

He would not discuss XKEYSCORE, ''we don't discuss the specific programmes the GCSB may, or may not use''.

I remember that. I wonder what's so interesting these days that a former president needs to sort things out with the UK Prime Minister, and why we have revelations that some shit was going on in NZ?

I do know that there's a guy who claimed Obama was spying on him, who is not a fan of Hillary, and looks like he'll end up being the next President.

But I'm sure all of this is a coincidence.

[Lightspeed]

It speaks volumes that Seymour is calling challenges to their tax cuts envy, rather than laying out the benefits of such tax cuts to the economy and the country.

[Cyberbob]

Originally Posted by DrTiTus

The end of landlords: the surprisingly simple solution to the UK housing crisis

This is my peace offering to Lightspeed - something I think we can both agree on. Landlords - at least in the form they take today [leverage equity to outbid FHBs and hold rents high] - are parasites and society would be better off without them. Until we solve the housing affordability problem, nothing will be fixed.

Surely the housing affordability problem is exacerbated by asset rich landlords out bidding owner occupiers? Surely if owner occupiers were only bidding against other owner occupiers because policy says existing landlords need not apply, then prices rising will slow down, and affordability will be more likely?

It doesn't have to be a drastic big-bang change, just have it be a slowly introduced covenant of the property. If a suburbs only allows sales to owner occupiers, then you'll absolutely see change over time.

[Lightspeed]

UN Security Council demands immediate Gaza ceasefire after US abstains

Goes to show how bad things are in Gaza that the US isn't standing up for Israel.

It's crazy such an orgy of violence has gone on without real challenge for so long.

[Ab]

Has Hamas released the Israeli hostages yet?

[Lightspeed]

The remaining 14 council members voted for the resolution - proposed by the 10 elected members of the body - that also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. There was applause in the council chamber after the vote.

I wonder about the wording. Is it "all" hostages, or just those held by Hamas?

[fixed_truth]

I've just come to terms with Duncan Garner's new wokeness. Didn't have Matthew Hooton defending unique Maori rights on my bingo card

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Srlv21qAA_I

Or maybe all the oxygen that Muppet Seymour is getting in the media is making me think that ignorance is the norm

[DrTiTus]

I won't make any comments on your video, but I got this one recommended to me after watching yours: New Zealand: Joshua Green, not convicted because he's a Maori

Clearly I'm in living in a fucked up country where people are judged by their ancestry and not equally under the law. For shame.

The only thing more depressing than seeing this all happen, is seeing idiots defending it because social justice and the fact they have a mangina.

As you were though. You're entitled to your opinion, even if it's fucking stupid.

I'm all for people being weasles in court and using stupid defenses. That's just the legal system. But when you start conjuring up spells of mana and absolute bollocks because race relations are turning to shit, it's a sign we're heading down the wrong path, IMHO.

[fixed_truth]

The problem is that your opinion isn't informed. Clearly that's not something you value.

Nevermind nuance, historical/sociopolitical context or listening to those with a high level of knowledge and understanding in complex topics. Why would you when you've done your own research.

[Lightspeed]

World Court orders Israel to halt Gaza famine

[Ab]

“School Strike 4 Climate” , where schoolchildren concerned about climate change miss out on education in order to attend a Greens political rally about an interpretation of a treaty and a complex foreign conflict they don’t understand.

[Lightspeed]

Originally Posted by Ab

“School Strike 4 Climate” , where schoolchildren concerned about climate change miss out on education in order to attend a Greens political rally about an interpretation of a treaty and a complex foreign conflict they don’t understand.

Sounds like a good learning experience. Kids learn more from how adults behave than from what adults tell them. They don't need to understand complex reality to have an experience of it.

And kids, like other vulnerable groups, tend to be on the hard end of political decisions. So if conditions are growing more difficult for children to grow into thriving adults, they'd be amongst the ones to be impacted first.

Of course the lesson learnt might be "our voices aren't heard no matter what we do". We'll have to see.

[xor]

It's not like the kids have learned the critical skills required to question the subject matter so it's not like it really matters. Just another day off school to fuck around.

What are the absentee rates of schools again?

[Lightspeed]

Chef Jose Andres says Israel targeted his aid workers 'systematically, car by car'

Celebrity chef Jose Andres told Reuters in an emotional interview on Wednesday that an Israeli attack that killed seven of his food aid workers in Gaza had targeted them "systematically, car by car."

Speaking via video, Andres said the World Central Kitchen (WCK) charity group he founded had clear communication with the Israeli military, which he said knew his aid workers' movements.

"This was not just a bad luck situation where ‘oops’ we dropped the bomb in the wrong place," Andres said.

All going to plan. Food aid being withdrawn from Gaza, resulting in more starvation, more trauma, more fomenting anger amongst the survivors to ensure the next wave of violence.

[xor]

A hostage says 'what'?

[Lightspeed]

Genocide isn't going to stop you from a little easy trolling, is it?

Imagine if somehow some Kiwis managed to kidnap some Aussies and drag 'em back here, and Australia acted like Israel.

And as you raged about your dead family, your powerlessness to do anything, cause you have no idea about any hostages, the only response you got back was "gib hostages".

[xor]

The population growth in Palestine doesn't fit your definition of genocide, sorry.

You also cannot make a statement as to what the borders of Israel should be, or even if Israel has a right to exist. So, meh.

[Lightspeed]

Can you?

[xor]

Originally Posted by Lightspeed

Can you?

I can say it has the right to exist as its own sovereign nation, can you?

[Lightspeed]

I can say it does exist? To say a country has a right to exist would require me to understand the nature of such rights, how they're assigned, etc. I don't really have that expertise.

Do you? Can you educate me? Can you say what the borders of this nation that has a right to exist should be?

[xor]

lol, golden lolspeed. The religious dogma of the left means you cannot have thoughts and opinions in this. Well done

[Lightspeed]

This you?

Originally Posted by xor

the critical skills required to question the subject matter

[xor]

Sure thing fella, keep on twisting.

[Lightspeed]

qUesTion THe SubJeCt MaTTer

[Lightspeed]

New Auckland surgical building cannot open due to lack of staff

A brand new surgical building the size of a provincial hospital is sitting empty on the grounds of North Shore Hospital, its opening delayed and no new date set.

There are lights on and hospital beds in place in the four storey, 150-bed Tōtara Haumaru building, but it could be months before there are patients.

It did not have the staff it needed, and the amount of money allocated to run it for the next financial year had not been decided.

The $300m facility, with eight operating theatres, was always intended to be opened in stages but the first stage - the ground and first floor - was initially supposed to open last December, then this month

[Lightspeed]

Rt Hon Winston Peters, Minister For Foreign Affairs: Speech To UN General Assembly: 66th Plenary Meeting, 78th Session

Mr President,

The situation in Gaza is an utter catastrophe.

New Zealand condemns Hamas for its heinous terrorist attacks on 7 October and since, including its barbaric violations of women and children. All of us here must demand that Hamas release all remaining hostages immediately.

At the same time, the facts on the ground in Gaza are absolutely clear. More than 32,000 people have been killed. Millions have been displaced. Warnings ring in our ears that famine in Gaza is imminent.

...

We do not accept that Israel can achieve peace and security while taking more and more territory intended for a future Palestinian state. This misguided notion must end. Building and expanding illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza imperil the two-state solution, which remains the only blueprint for peace that we have.

Thank you.

[Ab]

When Winston Peters is the voice of reason, you know we're in Bizarro World.