TheUngeek: Oh no! It's the Illuminati!

Linuxluver:

There are good reasons to be seeing this problem right here in NZ: 

1. The govt appears intent on selling off assets that earn 7.9% on capital EVERY YEAR to pay off debt they are paying less than 5% interest on. That's a losing proposition no matter how you look at it.  Quitting one's job to get one's holiday pay seems an apt comparison. Dumb. 

Why would they do that if they had NZ's best interests firmly in view? 

They wouldn't....so the answer becomes obvious: someone else's interests are being served. Not NZ's. 

Linuxluver:

Ragnor:

Linuxluver: 

1. The govt appears intent on selling off assets that earn 7.9% on capital EVERY YEAR to pay off debt they are paying less than 5% interest on. That's a losing proposition no matter how you look at it.  Quitting one's job to get one's holiday pay seems an apt comparison. Dumb. 

Where are those figures from?

Also interest rates don't seem likely to stay at 5%, the US and EU have been artificially repressing rates but it can't continue forever.

Have a read of "Ten Myths About Asset Sales" by Gordon Campbell.  He uses only official sources. 

The interest rate our government is likely paying is much lower than 5%. That rate is the one we get after everyone else has added their margins. 

dontpanic42: Is anyone attending any Occupy events around New Zealand, or planning to attend?

http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

I've been watching the above livestream from the NYC Wall St event for the last couple of days (not constantly).
Some very inspiring stuff going on around the world.

The revolution is upon us.

We are the 99%.
We will not be ignored.

http://www.occupytogether.org/

feisha: Don't worry, be happy, there are so many things going wrong at the moment that no one could hope to encapsulate the in one statement/movement/leader.
This will resolve when people realise they do have clout and that governments will eventually listen, especially close to elections.
What revolutions have ever been legal? Or for that matter, reached their original goals?
The cohesive force at present is that a few precent of the people own most of the resources and most of the people, especially middle class, are headed economically down rapidly.
The interesting thing is the differing ways in which governments (for the people?) react.
Don't ignore the warning noises. Cheers in the meantime.

Linuxluver: 
The interest rate our government is likely paying is much lower than 5%. That rate is the one we get after everyone else has added their margins. 

In the places the government is borroqwing money the interest rates are close to zero....which makes assets sales to pay debt even more bizarrely a bad idea.  

Let's leave aside for the moment that the government's tax cuts have hugely contributed to the debt.

feisha: 
This will resolve when people realise they do have clout and that governments will eventually listen, especially close to elections.

LennonNZ:

feisha: Don't worry, be happy, there are so many things going wrong at the moment that no one could hope to encapsulate the in one statement/movement/leader.
This will resolve when people realise they do have clout and that governments will eventually listen, especially close to elections.
What revolutions have ever been legal? Or for that matter, reached their original goals?
The cohesive force at present is that a few precent of the people own most of the resources and most of the people, especially middle class, are headed economically down rapidly.
The interesting thing is the differing ways in which governments (for the people?) react.
Don't ignore the warning noises. Cheers in the meantime.

feisha: It didn't answer my question (AT ALL). Protests are usually against something.. i.e. the price of bread is too high and they want it reduced because of something. It seems the protests are just protests against everything and anything. If your protests "won" what would you want to happen so everyone is happy?

You say "governments will eventually listen" but listen about WHAT? What exactly do you want changed? the outcome of what?

"The cohesive force at present is that a few precent of the people own most of the resources and most of the people"

So what do you want changed about this? Most of the 1% (as I've heard people being called who have the money) have made their money from doing well in business and have started from nothing.. Do you want these people to just give up and give all their money to everyone else?

Why not say "We are protesting as the tax rates are too low for high earners and we want it increased"

MikeSkyrme: On another note, I see that there is a protest planned in Auckland today, in Aotea Square..? Will be interesting to see what happens when they all need to visit the little room...

muppet: 

* We feel exploited/hard done by but we're not exactly sure why or who to blame so we're going to hole ourselves up in financial district until something (not quite sure what) changes.

Doesn't quite have the same "oomph" behind it.