'It has been suggested Donald Trump’s supporters take him seriously but not literally, while his opponents take him literally but not seriously.' Photo / AFP
Trump tries to turn back tide of reality
It has been suggested Donald Trump’s supporters take him seriously but not literally, while his opponents take him literally but not seriously.
There’s some truth in this and a warning to this country if ever we have a similar unscrupulous snake oil salesman preaching an extreme agenda disguised in blue-collar populism. That’s why we must be very careful about the actors behind Act’s Treaty Principles Bill. This is happening throughout the democratic world.
Trump’s opponents can warn all they like that he threatens democracy, the rule of law, economic fairness and tolerance of diversity, which he does. But that doesn’t seem to matter to his supporters. They like his bombastic white supremacist agenda and somehow separate it from his destructive autocratic tendencies. That he appeals to largely non-university educated males is evident and won him the presidency.
The irony is Trump surrounds himself with an oligarchy of very rich similar would-be autocrats while preaching to his largely white blue-collar base.
In reality he has nothing in common with those who adore him other than a thinly-veiled appeal to ethnic fear and resentment. Non-white immigration was the big driver underneath everything in the election campaign.
The trouble is huge damage will be done to democratic institutions and justice as well as the collective will to tackle climate change. A few very rich individuals are going to plunder and America may well default on its ballooning federal debt as Trump slashes taxes and public services again.
Ordinary Americans, many of them Trump supporters, are going to pay a big price. All in the name of what? Trying to turn back the tide of reality and history?
Jeff Hayward, Auckland CBD.
Assisted death disdain
It is not just a “sad state of affairs” that a severely ill man was forced to die in the back of a farmyard ute after being denied the opportunity to end his life calmly and perfectly legally in the rest home that cared for him (Jan 18).
It is appalling in this day and age that faith-based organisations continue to put dogma ahead of compassion for incurable patients who wish to end their unbearable suffering in peace. The attitude of Hospice New Zealand defies the will of two-thirds of New Zealand voters who supported assisted dying legislation at a 2020 referendum.
It is a pity that David Seymour, who fought so well for the badly-needed law change, appears no longer interested in persuading his Government colleagues to adopt Ministry of Health recommendations to facilitate a more humane interpretation of a law supported by most New Zealanders, but frustrated by a religious minority.
David Barber, Waikanae.
Hospice hypocrisy
Regarding a patient not being allowed an assisted death in a care facility and the comments by Hospice NZ chief executive Wayne Taylor that, “Allowing and potentially enforcing (assisted dying) practitioners … could be extremely traumatic for other residents, patients and staff.”
My understanding is that only one of 32 hospices in NZ permits assisted dying on its premises, despite 65% of the public approving of assisted dying, as opposed to 3.1% of hospices allowing it.
Surely this one maverick hospice should have its wings clipped immediately, as it must obviously be causing much trauma. Or alternatively, does this hospice have a more enlightened policy than all the others combined?
Regarding the patient who wasn’t allowed to have an assisted death on the care premises, hospices and other care organisations could quite easily set up nearby field facilities. Thus being able to maintain their aura of selfless devotion to the relief of suffering. And at the same time preventing any trauma to residents and caregivers. Problem solved?
Mr Taylor is caught between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand the public endorses assisted dying, while hospices in general are obstructive of this endorsement. He needs to deconstruct the logjam, not gaslight about hypothetical trauma.
John Watson, Ōtaki.
Streamlining health
It feels to me that political bias is showing through when Richard Prebble (Jan 22) writes that “Dr Shane Reti was one of our best Ministers of Health” without mentioning the value of the work done by Andrew Little in replacing the competitive DHB environment with the current, potentially more efficient, single organisation structure.
The Prime Minister and the incoming Minister of Health, Simeon Brown, are respectively familiar with large multi-national and multi-branch companies. Those companies all run centralised systems. Our health system has 22 different sets of systems. The impact on productivity is shown in reports of more than 1000 Health NZ employees involved in finance and over 400 involved with procurement for an organisation with 40 hospitals and 50 auxiliary facilities.
Hopefully a new set of eyes will see the opportunities to increase productivity by moving at pace to implement single shared service applications for finance, purchasing, payroll, human resources and patient management. Centralised delivery of shared service applications does not in any way constrain services being delivered in ways appropriate to local requirements, in fact it can be an enabler.
A single set of systems across all hospitals will enable areas of high demand to be clearly and quickly identified and resolved and areas of low productivity to be improved.
Large private health organisations in other countries can do it, and achieve lower operating costs, so why doesn’t New Zealand now the structure is in place?
Jon Eriksen, Parnell.
Pavement parkers
Last Saturday’s Letter of the Week correspondent postulates that “Pavements are made for pedestrians” (and that e-scoots should ‘bug’ off and use cycle lanes and roadways). Hear hear.
If cycle lanes and roadways are suitable for cyclists and e-cyclists, they’re certainly suitable for e-scooters - to the benefit of pedestrians. Get on with sorting it NZTA.
In the meantime, and anticipating an interminable wait for NZTA to relieve the pressure on its gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus muscles … and do something constructive about the hazard of 5km/h pedestrian vs 25km/h (and in many, many cases, much, much higher speeds) e-scooters, I’d like to propose that pavements aren’t for parking. Police should similarly get off their backsides and start enforcing current law and prescribed penalties.
And no, I don’t want to hear the tediously repetitious ‘but if I didn’t park on the footpath traffic wouldn’t be able to get past’. That’s not your problem. That’s a local authority issue. Just observe the current law (New Zealand Legislation, Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004, 6.14, Parking on footpaths or cycle paths, para (1), A driver or person in charge of a vehicle must not stop, stand, or park the vehicle on a footpath or on a cycle path) and don’t park on footpaths.
DB Smith, Napier.
Scooter safety
The recent report from Waka Kotahi regarding the use of e-scooters on our streets and footpaths fails to mention a number of very important aspects which I believe should be highlighted.
The first regarding people riding two-up, not wearing helmets and exceeding speed limits is that the scooter companies provide recommendations in regards to these issues but fail to enforce them. The main purpose in their providing these recommendations is to protect themselves from being sued by the Accident Compensation Commission seeking to recover medical costs in relation to any accidents that may have occurred.
Another aspect is the impact upon our increasing rates of obesity, whereby people who may have walked through the city and achieved some form of exercise are now riding effortlessly on the scooters.
And finally the incessant beeping of scooters which are being used without the operators having logged on to their accounts is becoming a predominant noise around our city.
Dick Ayres, Auckland CBD.
The Prime Minister has announced that the Government will do all it can to grow the economy. In the past such policies have always succeeded in enlarging GDP, but the growth has been lopsided because it has focused on simple gains. Lopsided growth operates by inward emigration and population increase, but neglects infrastructure investment. The result is housing shortages, crowded classrooms, dilapidated hospitals and gridlocked cities. We’ve seen plenty of that in the last 12 years. Appointing a Minister for Economic Growth will not reduce the problems we have now.
Peter D Graham, Helensville.
Now that Trump has been inaugurated, at last we have someone to blame for all that’s wrong in the world, after the blissful ‘golden age’ of Biden Inc. during which the left media was strangely silent.
Jules Riding, Waikanae.
I woke up this morning to an amazing new world with endless possibilities. Donald Trump in 48 months is going to variously end all wars having personally just ended the one in Gaza, colonise Mars, build his own great wall of China and at the instigation of the almighty ‘make America great again’. Absolutely amazing, particularly when you realise it can take up much of 48 months to find a builder and get a consent to alter my house in Auckland.
Rob Sinton, Glendowie.
I, like many no doubt, took pleasure from reading your article on the lads who took to the Waitematā to watch the SailGP on a floating barbecue table aided by an outboard motor. It’s folk like you that make this nation what it is, a little quirky and one load of fun, especially when we need it. You brought smiles to many, thank you, only in New Zealand.
Robert Bicker, Gulf Harbour.
I imagine that with the new appointment of the Health Minister that a directive will be made that the speed limit in the corridors of hospitals will now be increased. This will no doubt increase the efficiency of medical staff in seeing patients.
Mark Beale, Wattle Downs.
I was amazed to hear our PM claim “shared values” between the great nations of the US and NZ. Lobbying rules, handouts to the wealthy, hospitals to be privatised, the obliteration of truth in politics, liberalisation of gun laws, attack on gender diversity, the reversal of virtually all morality (by pardoning murderers) - maybe we’re not so amazingly different after all with this coalition?
Steve Russell, Hillcrest.
Daron Parton’s cartoon depicting Donald Trump taking the oath of office with fingers crossed behind his back actually fell short of matching his disdain for the constitution. On the day, he couldn’t even be bothered putting his hand on the Bible.
Doug Hannan, Mount Maunganui.
It seems that the 47th President of the United States didn’t pass History 101. It seems he thinks he can disregard the treaty made with another sovereign nation if it so suits. Time now for other nations to learn from this example. Russia - reclaim Alaska, France - reclaim Louisiana and dare I mention - Mexico please take Texas back.
Evelyn Ross, Fairview Heights.
Many memorable quotes from the just re-elected President of the US, with perhaps the most classic for humanity being that as a society we must be racially colourblind and merit-based. What a message for New Zealand.
Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
Comment made by TV tennis commentator at Australian Open, “Why is it that weather forecastors get the weather wrong 70% of the time and still have jobs.”
Wendy Galloway, Ōmokoroa.
Heavy rainfall warnings have also been issued in the North and South Islands.