“Safe & Effective”, Then and Now

With the release of its new National Security Strategy (NSS), the United States — the world’s most powerful nation — has officially abandoned the global-hegemony doctrine that defined the post-Cold War order. For the first time since 1945, Washington is no longer claiming the mantle of global policeman, architect of the “rules-based international order,” or moral crusader for universal liberal democracy. Instead, the U.S. has accepted —…

As Labour convenes in Auckland this weekend for its annual conference, the political atmosphere is almost unrecognisable from the despondent aftermath of the 2023 election defeat. The party that won just 26.9% of the vote less than two years ago now sits between 32-38% in recent polls. One-term governments are no longer unthinkable. Chris Hipkins, improbably, remains secure in his leadership without any meaningful challengers circling. Yet this…

In an exclusive interview with Rick on the latest episode of Sanchez Effect, Hungary's top diplomat pulls back the curtain on the liberal mainstream’s tight grip, where anything short of extreme liberalism meets swift intolerance in the EU. Step out of line and prepare for a barrage of being “cornered, accused, lectured, judged, and pushed away.” But Hungary stands firm: “Our national interest is our compass.” He shares his thoughts on the…

At long last, a government has acknowledged what households have been screaming for years: council rates are out of control, and ordinary New Zealanders are paying the price. The National Government’s announcement of a maximum 4% annual rates cap is more than a policy change — it is a badly needed circuit-breaker for a country that has become unaffordable, uncompetitive, and, for many families, simply unlivable. This move, paired with the…

It may not be generally known that, immediately after WWII, as many as 48,000 volunteers, both Jews and non-Jews, from 59 nations arrived in Israel to fight for its independence. About 90% of Israel's fledging Air Force pilots were new arrivals – the often-overlooked heroes of their time. In many Western countries, the present cohort of military-age young people generally seems to display an ignorance of integrity, the indispensable value of…