tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post3135865180847970540..comments2024-03-29T03:41:12.499+13:00Comments on Bowalley Road: Reality CheckChris Trotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09081613281183460899noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-91814151242070678762010-01-23T00:24:52.344+13:002010-01-23T00:24:52.344+13:00TIME Magazine selected Ben Shalom Bernanke as its ...TIME Magazine selected Ben Shalom Bernanke as its 2009 Person Of The Year.<br />He now enjoys this honour along with Roosevelt, Chiang Kai-Shek, Hitler, Stalin, Kruschchev, Carter, Putin, to name more of the infamous. I almost forgot, Obama was the recipient in 2008.<br />This award, not based on merit, goes to whom “for better or for worse, ...has done the most to influence the events of the year."<br />The “mild-mannered” chairman has dramatically expanded the powers of the Federal Reserve, and if that wasn’t bad enough, “hurled unprecedented amounts of money into the banking system in unprecedented ways, while starting to lay the groundwork for the Fed’s eventual return to normality.”<br />The quiet ones can be the most dangerous. The above admits that his actions are not by any means normal, and TIME will for now only allow him “the benefit of the doubt.”<br />He is called “the least understood force shaping the American – and global – economy.” It makes one wonder why anyone would name him Person of the Year. This TIME article does not bode well for Bernanke.<br />“His creative leadership helped ensure that 2009 was a period of weak recovery rather than catastrophic depression, and he still wields power over money, jobs, savings and the future of the U.S. The decisions he made, and those he has yet to make, will shape the path of America’s prosperity, the direction of its politics and its relationship to the world.”<br />TIME persists with the shameful mainstream economics illiteracy and says Professor Bernanke was a leading scholar of the Great Depression. “He knew how the passive Fed of the 1930s helped create the calamity – through its own stubborn refusal to expand the money supply and its tragic lack of imagination and experimentation.”<br />In actuality the calamity was caused by government regulation unbalancing the banking system.<br />http://www.solopassion.com/node/7264Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-69289031417924395022010-01-20T20:30:02.171+13:002010-01-20T20:30:02.171+13:00Chris says:
"Worse still, it looks increasin...Chris says:<br /><br />"Worse still, it looks increasingly likely that the National-led Government will be prevailed upon to slash the top marginal income-tax rate from 38 to 30 percent – even as it raises the rate of GST from 12.5 to 15 percent. This will, of course, confer a huge windfall upon the country’s wealthiest citizens, while lowering still further the already declining incomes of its poorest"<br /><br />We do need to lower the top rate to 30% soon as<br />yesterday, we need to be competitive: <br /><br />but not increase GST , <br />I agree this is an insidious tax which affects the poorest most:<br />also dude you forgot to say <br />Capital gains tax on revenue property on its way now ..peterquixotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15873112816453062068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-78693246118138531282010-01-08T20:08:06.724+13:002010-01-08T20:08:06.724+13:00"The F and S Act was nessesary to preserve th..."The F and S Act was nessesary to preserve the birthright of New Zealanders to enjoy a day at the beach. Without it, every inch of the coast in this country would have fallen under control of the Maori elite,"<br /><br />Every inch my tits.<br /><br />I don't know how many inches of Kiwi coastline are privately owned by pakeha millionaires, but it would be a fair few and that ownership predates and continues happily under said act.<br /><br />When it comes to beaches, any private property is theft.Don Franksnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-45452678946544081022010-01-07T00:08:05.069+13:002010-01-07T00:08:05.069+13:00So Raven, I take it you will be posting in support...So Raven, I take it you will be posting in support of American style health care and low wages now?<br /><br />MillsyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-68079816184899340652010-01-06T23:57:10.312+13:002010-01-06T23:57:10.312+13:00It's so unfair to tax me!
I've worked for ...It's so unfair to tax me!<br />I've worked for all I've got,<br />Unlike the unwashed bludgers,<br />Who vote for the other lot.<br /><br />If they'd only give me back my loot,<br />I'd put it to good use,<br />On an over-mortgaged home<br />That's almost weather-proof!<br /><br />And any dosh to spare I'd keep<br />Where I can get my hands on,<br />Invested with a real cool dude<br />Who looks like Eric Watson. <br /><br />Instead they use my money<br />To pay for roads and schools<br />Police, hospitals and benefits.<br />What a bunch of fools!<br /><br />But maybe not much longer.<br />Tax cuts are coming soon<br />And I'm as likely to benefit<br />As holiday on the moon.<br /><br />VictorAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-3371825069871428472010-01-06T23:54:35.061+13:002010-01-06T23:54:35.061+13:00Anon,
The F and S Act was nessesary to preserve t...Anon,<br /><br />The F and S Act was nessesary to preserve the birthright of New Zealanders to enjoy a day at the beach. Without it, every inch of the coast in this country would have fallen under control of the Maori elite, and you, your children and your grandchildren would never be able enjoy our pristine coastline again.<br /><br />Small sacrfiises need to be made for the greater good. Iwi barons need to think about the fact that non Maori New Zealanders have a right to enjoy the beaches as well.<br /><br />MillsyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-56340137975004000012010-01-05T20:57:26.754+13:002010-01-05T20:57:26.754+13:00Before the recession I thought the free market was...Before the recession I thought the free market was psychotic, but afterwards I think quite the opposite and I now support it. It is quite incorrect to say we have a free market system now, what we have now is state capitalism. The effect of the state's interference in the market and the relationship between state and corporate power was laid bare by the massive bailouts that socialised their losses putting the burden on taxpayers. Those financial institutions should have been left to fail. The free market is the <a href="http://attackthesystem.com/free-enterprise-the-antidote-to-corporate-plutocracy/" rel="nofollow">antidote to corporate plutocracy.</a> <br /><br /><i>It was precisely the failure of 1930s politicians to adopt such remedies that plunged the world into the Great Depression. Neoliberals, however, have long argued that it was President Franklin Roosevelt’s economic interventions and his administration’s deficit-spending that turned a momentary market "correction" into a world-wide slump.</i><br /><br />It maybe instructive to look at the recession in the US in 1920/21 and compare that to the great depression. As to the government stimulus' this is an interesting article from someone who has started to move away from their support for it: <a href="http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2009/12/a-look-back-at-the-debate-on-the-role-of-monetary-and-fiscal-stimulus-in-depression.html" rel="nofollow">A look back at the debate on the role of monetary and fiscal stimulus in depression.</a>Quoth the Ravennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-43563727182555893912010-01-05T14:19:41.155+13:002010-01-05T14:19:41.155+13:00Don't forget Foreshore and Seabed Act. I suspe...Don't forget Foreshore and Seabed Act. I suspect that the Maori haven't no matter how much Chris attempts to label them as 'traitors'.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-40232525572273077182010-01-05T12:46:25.087+13:002010-01-05T12:46:25.087+13:00Worse still, it seems increasingly likely that the...<i>Worse still, it seems increasingly likely that the National-led Government will be prevailed upon to slash the top marginal income-tax rate from 38 to 30 percent - even as it raises the rate of GST from 12.5 to 15 percent. This will, of course, confer a huge windfall upon the country's wealthiest citizens, while lowering still further the already declining incomes of its poorest.</i><br /><br />Allowing the overburdened taxpayers of NZ to keep more of their hard-earned money is not only equitable, it's economically preferable to flushing the tax take down the welfare toilet, supporting the lifestyle choices of the indolent and the criminal.<br /><br />It's well past time for the beneficiarycriminals of the Labour electorate to contribute, to live productive, law-abiding lives. You won't of course, you've had it too good for too long and have become accustomed to the gravy train that is the welfare state; supplementing your taxpayer-provided income with crime and satisfying your appetites by preying upon the decent.<br /><br />Enough carrot, it's time for the stick.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-10602430451112869952010-01-03T14:53:44.546+13:002010-01-03T14:53:44.546+13:00"Our proud kiwi heritage"
Afghanistan an..."Our proud kiwi heritage"<br />Afghanistan and GST<br />wistfully weepy for Saint Helen?<br />not meAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-44533357611444694622010-01-03T03:00:40.062+13:002010-01-03T03:00:40.062+13:00And the crux of said flux
is this simple redux:
A...And the crux of said flux<br />is this simple redux:<br /><br />Anglo epoch on wane -<br />its own greed the sole blame,<br />as the nips kiss the BRIC<br />and the Yanks go insane -<br />bases proliferating<br />like rabbits fornificating!<br />and the Chinks in the armour<br />of materialist hegemony<br />give the finger to Obama;<br /> court the darkest zimbayemeni,<br />and re-define the enemy:<br />it's a yellow-brown wall<br />of demographic gestault<br />seething at the gall<br />of centuries' assault.<br /><br /> And our proud kiwi heritage <br />of social progression?<br />Saved historic ignominy <br />by Hellenistic intercession?<br /><br />Not under Grinny, and his rats of the scrip:<br />too little, too selfish, down with the ship.<br /><br />akAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-75087083092520243552010-01-02T19:16:35.980+13:002010-01-02T19:16:35.980+13:00I predict a popularity slide for Key, Winston to m...I predict a popularity slide for Key, Winston to make a come-back and Rodney to lose his job. Good post, Chris.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-64524434744876012722010-01-02T07:40:14.512+13:002010-01-02T07:40:14.512+13:00If you read the past and present sets of industria...If you read the past and present sets of industrial legislation you can see that the ECA is mostly still intact since its imposition. There is some pressure from employers for the present government to remove Labour's one substantial change, union officials right of entry to work sites.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-71291782541140973242010-01-01T17:54:07.369+13:002010-01-01T17:54:07.369+13:00Spot on, Chris!
An additional irony is that New Z...Spot on, Chris!<br /><br />An additional irony is that New Zealand's comparatively easy road to date through recession has owed much to the quantitive easing and other dirigiste interventions of our major export markets , viz. Australia, the USA, UK, China and Japan.<br /><br />Moreover, as an investment adviser mate of mine in the UK put it recently; the best thing New Zealand's got going for it is that the rest of the world thinks it's more or less the same as Australia , which has fared exceptionally well in the recession, partly thanks to Rudd's neo-Keynesian approach.<br /><br />Do you think that we are also about to see the Employment Contracts Act dusted down?<br /><br />VictorAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-48938192011161293972010-01-01T16:04:47.888+13:002010-01-01T16:04:47.888+13:00Hi Chris,
Good post. Never has a truer word been ...Hi Chris,<br /><br />Good post. Never has a truer word been spoken. Things are going to get much much uglier in 2010. Night courses, ACC, health services are all shaping up to be only the start of things. The recommendations on the Holidays Act, and the leaking of the benefits that the Harris family recieves, point at strong hints for the future. <br /><br />The 2010 is going to be the biggest upward redistubution of wealth ever seen in this country.<br /><br />MillsyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com