Reproduced with permission
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
Once again we see Simon Watts, as minister of local government, carrying the co-governance torch for Luxon, prioritizing unelected influence over equal rights. Watts is acting as a frontman for Luxon’s broader strategy to further cement tribal authority.
So the Media Lawyers Up
The chilling effect is coming from inside the house. I received a legal letter this week too.
NZ’s Voter Sentiment
How the coalition responds to these intertwined pressures and delivers for those who backed it in 2023 – before parliament dissolves on 1 October – will be pivotal in shaping voter sentiment and, ultimately, the election outcome.
New Vehicles in the US To Be Equipped With a Kill Switch
We don’t want our vehicles to be surveillance machines. Enough is enough. If we don’t take a stand now, they will just keep pushing the envelope. Liberty is such a precious thing. Once it is gone, it can be so difficult to get it back.
The First COVID Indictment, Finally
David Morens has previously said that he would welcome time in prison provided he would be free “to speak out and write about what has been going on.” Prosecutors need to hold him to his pledge: “I won’t mince words.”
New Zealand’s Rot Starts in Empty Pews
Christianity is not nostalgia. It is the operating system that once made this country work. Time to reinstall it – before the hard drive crashes for good.
The Art of Not Deciding
Why New Zealand – a small, connected, relatively wealthy democracy – consistently fails to move from idea to action and what that paralysis is really protecting.
Every Story Needs a Villain
Turns out you can farm your opposition and call it a win.
Is This the Age of Substack?
If mainstream media won’t report on their own then others will have to.
The Power Play
How Trump is running the most aggressive geopolitical play in a generation – and why it has to be this way.
Why Was Security This Bad?
Democrats regularly compare Trump to some of the worst dictators throughout history. Yet again, we have seen another example of the violence that this sort of rhetoric can cause. Political violence is never the answer. But I expect that we will see a lot more of it.