Notices by DrD (nzedaus@mastodon.nz)

A full blown dictatorship is ultimately enabled and sustained by the complicity of blunt police and military force - especially the military.
If the US military are given orders to kill their own citizens - do the generals refuse or comply with state-ordered murder? #USPol

The brilliant #cathywilcox #auspol

@GottaLaff @wendinoakland I thought Trump looked cowed by Carney.

@benroyce @tsyum something to be said for compulsory voting...as in Australia.

@benroyce @tsyum maybe American culture is so very different, but only a tiny % of ballots are rendered inadmissable in Australian elections. On balance I do favour compulsory voting - it means even the apathetic and disengaged get their vote included.

The GOP - via a concerted strategy of national/State voter suppression, including concentrated efforts in swing States targeting POC and now women - have effectively hardwired the results of future Presidential elections heavily in favour of Republican candidates.
Most recently, the absurdly named "Save Act" targets 69 million women (who have changed their name by marriage) and will have to go to extensive lengths to prove their original birth name in order to vote. #VoterSuppression #USpol

EU, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, S.Korea, Singapore & Japan need to form a supra diplomatic, intelligence & defence alliance. Turkey given observer status (its democratic creds could do with much burnishing but they're still a major political & military counter force at the East-West nexus).

Hungary (under Orban) & Slovakia (under Fico) must be excluded. Only under non-Putin puppets should they be re-admitted.

This alliance is the antidote to Trump, Putin, Xi.
#USPol #auspol #NZpol

As a share of GDP, at 2.04% Mette Frederiksen's 🇩🇰 has given the most to #ukraine. Of the European leaders, she has been one of the most emphatic backers of Ukrainian sovereignty and a strong, fearless critic of Putin. This is leadership. #denmark

The two Antipodean members of #fiveeyes and the #ANZUS alliance - Australia and New Zealand - need to plan a future without the US. Now. #auspol #NZPol

@GottaLaff Trump is rarely challenged in this way - esp in public. He's used to craven sycophants. So when faced with a man of Zelensky's fortitude - all he has is petulance and spite. One man grew in stature. The other - and his cheap little sidekick - were diminished by their entitled pique.

It was an ambush. Vance's interjections seemed deliberate and designed to inflame. #zelensky #ukraine #USPol

How do Americans feel about their presidency being outsourced to a non-empath megalomaniac South African fascist with zero experience of governing? #USPol #musk

The hatred and horrendous discrimination against trans people we are seeing is, in large part, rooted in a deeply conservative form of religiosity that prescribes fixed gender roles and a god-given precept of cisgender male headship.
We must stand with trans people and trans communities, and be prepared to be upstanders not bystanders. #TransRights

#raratonga sunrise. Always in the back of my mind, the vulnerability of these tiny Polynesian states to #ClimateChange #cookislands

EU is 15.2% of global GDP vs. 15.5% for US.

Europe (incl Ukraine) has 6 of the world's 20 most powerful militaries.

Economically and militarily Europe has the capacity to form its own power bloc independently of the USA. The question is one of a shared reality and political will amongst European nations. #EU #europe

If I'm not mistaken weren't we were led to believe Trump was going to resolve the Ukraine-Russia war immediately after taking office and just like magic ✨do it all within 24 hours such is his diplomatic power and genius. #USPol #ukraine

This woman of the cloth demonstrated courage and compassion in challenging Trump and his ilk's cruelty and ignorance to their faces.
#USPol #auspol #NZPol

#trump will forever have the words "convicted felon" attached to his name, profile snd reputation. As an extreme narcissist this will eat at him the rest of his days. @GottaLaff is absolutely correct in recognising this as a "win". #USPol

Under Musk & Trump, the US will become sicker, generally less educated, more violent, more unequal and even more insular.

The idea (and in fact myth) of American exceptionalism will morph into a reality of American decline.

In response to Trump's moronic adventurist claim on Greenland, the Danes have wittily responded by offering to buy the US - with the reality of delivering superior healthcare and education systems. #USPol #NZPol #Auspol

No surprise that in all images of the rebel representatives meeting with the remnants of the Syrian gvt - there are NO WOMEN. None.
Revolutions in the Middle East exclude the emancipation of women. #syria #MiddleEast