The Bull Ring

Farewell 2025: A Requiem for Resilience Amid Ruin 𝘍𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 2025: 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱'𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴; 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪'𝘴 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘬𝘬𝘢𝘩 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 15; 𝘕𝘡 𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵; 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘢/𝘜𝘒 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘨𝘴. 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 By Bruce Alpine. . A s the sun dips low on December 31, 2025, casting long shadows over a world weary from its own weight, we bid adieu to a year that clawed at the soul of humanity.  From the gilded halls of power to blood-soaked sands, 2025 was no gentle epilogue but a furious overture—Trump's triumphant re-election in November 2024, ushering in "MAGA 2.0" with tariffs that scorched allies and budgets slashed by DOGE's $2 trillion blade.  His Gaza ceasefire brokered fragile peace, yet proxy flames licked Ukraine's borders and Iran's shadows, while domestic shutdowns—45 days of ...

Trickle-Down Shattered Single-Income Dreams: Tax Rich Now to Destroy Inequalities. 𝘐𝘯 𝘖𝘌𝘊𝘋 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦-𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘱 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪-𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘱𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴—𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘢𝘹𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 By Bruce Alpine . I n the gleaming narrative of the 2025 modern world—boasting AI-driven efficiencies and OECD GDP growth averaging 2.8%—a grim political choice unfolds even in so-called civilized nations: tax the ultra-rich progressively or let them squeeze the working poor into destitution, where families juggle two or three jobs yet teeter on poverty's edge due to government-set minimum wages that haven't kept pace with skyrocketing living costs. This isn't market inevitability; it's policy inertia, with elites capturing 41% of new gl...

TDS Revives Bush, Obama Derangement: Not Illness, Just Politics 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱 𝘋𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘦 (𝘛𝘋𝘚) 𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘖𝘣𝘢𝘮𝘢 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴—𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘛𝘋𝘚 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 2025 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘧𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 By Bruce Alpine. . T he term "Trump Derangement Syndrome" (TDS) is often attributed to Donald Trump as a novel invention to dismiss critics, but it echoes earlier partisan barbs: "Bush Derangement Syndrome" (BDS) and "Obama Derangement Syndrome" (ODS).  These non-clinical labels weaponize psychology in political rhetoric, framing opposition as irrational hysteria rather than reasoned dissent.  Emerging in eras of deep polarization, they reveal a bipartisan tradition of pathologizing the "oth...

Aotearoa's Borrowing Surge: National Outpaces Labour Amid Tax Relief Policies 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 2 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘓𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳'𝘴 6 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘧𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘹 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘴/𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺, 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘮𝘴—𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘴. Published By Bruce Alpine: 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 . S ince winning the election in October 2023—amid fierce criticism of the previous Labour government's Covid-19 stimulus spending—the National-led coalition government, headed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis, has now borrowed more in just two years than Labour did over its entire six-year term. New Zealand's National-led government has increased gross sovereign-issued debt by over $100 billion in under two years (October 2023–August 2025), exceeding the Labour government's $88 billion rise over six years (2017–2023). Finance Minister NIcola Willis see...

Fortress America: Phone Probes and Personal Vendettas at the Border 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱'𝘴 2025 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 30+ 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪-𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴—𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘤𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘱𝘴𝘦. Published By Bruce Alpine: 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 . U nder the Trump administration's escalating border regime, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are delving into travelers' phones, scouring for anti-Trump rhetoric as a litmus test for entry.  What began as routine electronic device searches has morphed into ideological inquisitions, with visitors denied visas or turned away at ports for critical texts, memes, or social media posts mocking the president.  A French scientist was barred in March after agents une...

Poll Twist: National Edges Labour, Coalition Clings to Power 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 1𝘕𝘦𝘸𝘴-𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘭: 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳 (36-35%); 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 67-𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘶𝘱; 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘴/𝘛𝘗𝘔 𝘱𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘵, 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘤 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘴. Published By Bruce Alpine: 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 . T he latest 1News-Verian poll , conducted in early December via mobile and online panels, reveals a tightening New Zealand election race.  The centre-right coalition (National, ACT, NZ First) holds a majority path, buoyed by economic optimism amid expected GDP growth.  Fieldwork aligns with Verian's quarterly cadence, surveying voters with a ~±3% margin of error. Party Vote Shares   Excluding 10% undecideds, major parties gain while smaller left-leaning ones falter. Credit: 𝔅𝔯𝔲𝔠𝔢 𝔄𝔩𝔭𝔦𝔫𝔢 Right bloc: 55% (National + ACT + NZF). Left bloc: 43% (Labour + Greens + TPM)....

Donald Trump renames US Institute of Peace after himself. 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱'𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘚 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 (𝘜𝘚𝘐𝘗) - 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳. By Jennifer Hansler, CNN . T he president's moniker appeared on the Washington, DC, headquarters ahead of a peace agreement signing ceremony between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) due to take place there on Thursday. "Welcome to the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace. The best is yet to come," the State Department posted on X Wednesday, announcing it had renamed the institute "to reflect the greatest dealmaker in our nation's history".   The Trump administration has essentially shuttered the institute, which works to resolve conflic...