Thoughts to reflect on for the year ahead  |
| Bill English and Deputy Paula Bennett. |
In New Zealand our populist Prime Minister John Key resigned unexpectedly and now, with our 'new' uninspiring Prime Minister Bill English in charge, the 2017 election just got more interesting. Time now for some real political debate.
A number of figure in our popular culture died in 2016. Above a clever adaptation of a Beatles record cover. Who can you recognize?
More importantly a number of people spoke out against the consequences of three decades of neo- liberal politics. A move away from a 'me first' to 'we first' society.
In the USA Bernie Sanders
And Pope Francis
And Democratic Senator
Elizabeth Warren
This is exactly what has happened in New Zealand, the UK and Australia.
Attacking the rich, the 1% is not just envy.
.
And when the rich elites got into trouble in the GFC in 2008 they asked the government to bail them out! Too big to fail - welfare for the corporations!
And the biggest disaster of all in 2016 the election of Donald Trump who appealed to those left behind by 'market forces' and globalization - and who, since his election has appointed people who will do little to help those who voted for him!
The lesson was that the political elite have lost touch with citizens who have gained little from 'market forces' politics - a lesson echoing the Brexit vote in the UK.
H L Menckin's words have come to pass:
What will Trump's victory mean? Maybe it is the beginning of the end of neo-liberal politics?
Who knows what 2017 will bring.
A new ecological approach to life is required
And this will require new thinking.
This is the challenge for us all in 2017
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