POLITICS CORNER

[plaques]

The Prime Minister Boris travels round in an armored car weighing about 4 tons. Has a police escort at all times and guards on duty 24-7 and he goes on holiday somewhere in Scotland in a tent? Just an ordinary chap like the rest of us. Pull the other one.

[Stanley]

I agree with you Ken, both the Russian 'poisoning' and the story about Johnson's tent start my crap detector whining. We are told just enough fairy stories to divert our attention from the realities.
Reality like the second point you make about the bubble that people like Johnson and his ministers live in. That well worn phrase that Shapps used yesterday; "we are looking at it". Is that supposed to reassure us that action id being taken? If so it doesn't wash with me, we need more than 'looking at it'. These people have lost touch with the misery so many people face every day caused by so many government policies, most of them resulting in low wages, low incomes from benefits and general insecurity. This permeates through to the children and on top of that we have the effects of Covid19. We are building a legacy of trouble down the line as these youngsters grow up and become aware of the lousy deal they are getting, any normal person can see this but we still underfund primary and secondary education and allow the gap to grow between the haves and the have-nots.
All these are ancient problems and have always had answers but these would involve redistribution of the country's wealth and that would never do. All right, so I am an unreformed Leftie who has read Marx and suffers from 'the politics of envy'. On the other hand I may be a normal compassionate person who has read his bible and believes in some of the massages it gives about wealth and rich men entering heaven.
We have hungry children in this country, action this day! as a noted Tory used to say.

[Tizer]

All these are ancient problems and have always had answers but these would involve redistribution of the country's wealth and that would never do. All right, so I am an unreformed Leftie who has read Marx and suffers from 'the politics of envy'.

Nor am I an unreformed Leftie who has read Marx but I agree with what you are saying.

Trump's world is beginning to crumble. First his niece and now his older sister. Who knows what will emerge next?
'Donald is cruel': Trump's sister recorded saying president has 'no principles'' LINK

[Tripps]

Who knows what will emerge next?

It doesn't seem to make any difference what 'emerges'. If what has emerged up to now hasn't done for him - then what will ? He is now sowing the seeds for chaos after the election, saying 'the result may never be known'.

[Stanley]

David is right. Problem is that 'normal' rational people like us try to analyse Trump using logic and common sense. I don't think is at all fantastic to imagine him using some obscure Presidential sanction to declare the election invalid. He is already in the process of hamstringing the Post Office to scupper the postal vote and the Republicans in the Senate might back him up when the Bill to fund the PO gets there. 'Common sense' tells us that there must be a tipping point where he has gone too far but we haven't seen it yet.
A similar situation applies here. How many mistakes can a government make before it becomes obvious that the policy of filling the Cabinet with Brexiteers instead of the best talents was a dreadful childish mistake? In case you've forgotten it gave us a bunch of dead legs. Grayling, Williamson, Patel et al. (And of course Johnson!)

[Tizer]

I've just read an article by Gerard Baker, former editor-in-chief of the WSJ, where he says the shift towards populism that put Trump in the White House was triggered by the UK's voting to leave the EU. It sounds like on of those butterfly's wings ideas but perhaps he's right.

[Tripps]

I never understood the butterfly wing theory and had a similar problem with Schrodingers cat - so with the arrogance of old age - I've decided not to believe either. As Ken Dodd used to say 'they can't touch you for it'.

Scary thought but no one thought he would be nominated, and no one thought he would win - now no one thinks he will win again. Can you see the pattern yet? Latest odds about 13/10 against - (curse decimal odds !) On the plus side he didn't start WW III (yet), and a lot fewer US service personnel have died in the last four years than in previous years.

Boris has taken 'personal charge ' of the back to school saga. The first question to the Schools Secretary Nick Gibb was - doesn't the PM trust you to do the job? That after a week of accusing Boris of avoiding the issue, and hiding in his tent. I really thought the good Lord could have quite justifiably used a bolt of lightening on Nick Ferrari.

[Tizer]

I really thought the good Lord could have quite justifiably used a bolt of lightening on Nick Ferrari.

Why? Has he been over-doing the tanning cream?

[Tripps]

Why? Has he been over-doing the tanning cream?

Not sure we're on the same page here? Nick Ferrari . No - for outstanding hypocrisy.

Perhaps you are thinking of David Dickinson?

[Whyperion]

That's true Peter!
The UK news this morning is all about incompetence. Priti Patel gets a rocket from someone but I missed the name, Barr? (LINK)
What puzzled me yesterday was her knee jerk reaction to the news about the poor 18 year old boy drowned off Calais while trying to get to the UK alone in a small rubber dinghy with shovels for paddles. How is this connected with people smugglers?

Why did no interviewers pull her up on her geography, she was going on about Calais and Asslym seekers from Syria (that well bombed place), when the two paddlers were from Sudan ( which part and why specifically though was Sudan an unsafe place for most young males ? - religion?)

[Stanley]

I listened to Newt Gingrich on Today praising Donald Trump..... All I can say is that he is wired up totally differently from me. Many believe that Trump was his creation, listening to him made me think there might be something in the theory. In my book he is the perfect reactionary and I hate the type and all they stand for.
Meanwhile here in the UK we continue on the path to god knows what later in the year. I see black clouds all across the horizon.

[Tizer]

Why? Has he been over-doing the tanning cream?

Not sure we're on the same page here? Nick Ferrari . No - for outstanding hypocrisy.
Perhaps you are thinking of David Dickinson?

Sorry Tripps, I was just being a bit cheeky because of your use of the word lightening rather than lightning, a typo I presume!
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The Germans have detected a cholinesterase inhibitor but the Russians deny it...
`Alexei Navalny: Putin critic 'probably poisoned' - doctors' LINK
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Look at the top photo in each of these two stories. The first shows Trump's eldest son, the top photo in the second is the son's girlfriend. They both made presentations in Trump's convention event. She, Kimberly Guilfoyle, is a fund-raising official for the campaign. He is aiming to follow in Trump's footsteps and some describe him as `Trumpier than Trump'. He's adored by Trump supporters. To me he looks like an up and coming Mafia hit man!

`Donald Trump Jr: The son who is Trumpier than Trump' LINK

`RNC: 2020 Rising stars of a post-Trump Republican party shine' LINK

[Tripps]

because of your use of the word lightening rather than lightning,

Oh dear. . . I've given myself 100 lines after school.

[Stanley]

I'd seen and forgiven the typo but the connection with Nick Ferrari went over my head...
The thing that puzzles me about Trump is how anyone can fail to see through him or his clan/cult.

[plaques]

The thing that puzzles me about Trump is how anyone can fail to see through him or his clan/cult.

Its because people only see things they want to see. They believe in the big fairy story of the American Dream. The frontiersman forging his own destiny standing on his own two feet building a country fit for heroes. Nobody telling him what to do or how to do it. Once people enter this never never land of fantasy and dreams common sense goes out of the window. The same syndrome lives happily in the UK. What's wrong with a system that put great my thieving great grandaddy at the top and established the precedent which we have enjoyed and deserved for generations. Fairy stories should be banned until people attain an age where they understand they are fairy stories.

[Tizer]

Yes, the core supporters of Trump are selfish and arrogant, just like him, so it's no wonder they love him. But the core wouldn't be enough to put him in power. There are other types such as those who know they'll benefit financially from Trump's bonfire of regulations; and the racists and misogynists; and last but not least all those who would have voted Democrat but couldn't bear Hilary Clinton.

Here are two new, long explainer articles from the BBC, one on Trump and the other on Biden (have a brew and a biscuit and take a comfortable seat before starting!)...
`Were these the three hours that upset Trump’s campaign?' Trump (by Jon Sopel)
`Joe Biden: `This time the Oval Office?' Biden (by Anthony Zurcher)

Something caught my attention in the Trump article that I hadn't thought about before. We all know he's trying to get rid of the TikTok social media site and the story put out is that he's worried about it being Chinese owned, like Huawei. But he suddenly moved against TikTok just after the Tulsa fiasco where instead of the predicted millions turning up for him there were only 6000. The reason for the `expected millions' is that the kids using TikTok ganged together to play the system by getting lots of friends to apply for the tickets. Trump claims to have a fantastic social media team promoting him but the kids showed his team were not on the ball and don't really understand how it all works! Jon Sopel warned that the `millions' had to be a big exaggeration, it just wasn't possible for that many to get there, but they didn't listen to him. Trump later sacked his social media boss, of course.

[Stanley]

There is a good article in PE this week about a report published on 13 August by Oxford University Internet Institute on the shortcomings of AI used in governance and the workplace. (LINK). Cummings is known to be a fan but one wonders if he has read this and if he did, would it modify his approach?
'Expert consultants' such as McKinsey believe in this technology and are selling more and more 'services' to government. Their name crops up time and time again connected with cock-ups but like the Big Four accountants they get contract after contract. Billions are being spent on crap like this instead of relying on in-house expertise in the Civil Service. Instead, the CS is being used as a scapegoat and people like Cummings say it is outdated and unfit for purpose. If anything is 'unfit for purpose' it is the clique who are garnering power into Number Ten and making fundamental changes to systems that have served us so well.
The majority of the electorate see matters like this as boring because they lack the education to examine what is actually happening. No wonder such governance under funds the basic primary education that results in enquiring minds. Enquiring minds are the last thing they want to encourage.

[Tizer]

The majority of the electorate see matters like this as boring because they lack the education to examine what is actually happening. No wonder such governance under funds the basic primary education that results in enquiring minds. Enquiring minds are the last thing they want to encourage.

That's what troubles me most these days. Combined with the toxic social media its boosting misinformation and populism.

On the Attention thread we mentioned about the confusion between civilian and military forces in the US. Listening to the news reports on the US riots this morning and hearing that `law enforcement agents' are going around in unbadged, anonymous cars catching protesters I realised that the US and Trump are on a trajectory leading towards a Syria/Assad situation. A gradual move from police to military and then you end up with the protesters being called rebels and then civil war. I hope Americans will remember how many of their citizens died in the Civil War and decide it's time to ditch Trump and make changes their nation.

[Whyperion]

Watching some of the 'old' police procedurals on the repeats channels on freeview, the concept in America between " Peaceful (or Lawful) protest, and Riot , remains a line difficult to call.

Problem is Riot, or Terrorism , DOES change things
Protest rarely does , depends in what scenario and when, withdrawal of labour or spending can be effective.
The alternative is to create an action plan of what you actually want - and put it in such a way that no political party can say it is unreasonable, unaffordable , or undesirable, so you get consensus, then you do a timeline for action and feedback reporting so that hopefully the egos of politicians get polished when it is achieved.

[Tizer]

Trump has now gone way over the top in his use of The White House as the live backdrop for promoting his campaign for re-election. Not just him but his family members using it too. It's unlawful and his team knows it. I will agree with one statement made by Trump yesterday: `This will be the most important election in America's history'. If the US electorate gets it wrong the whole world will suffer. It really does come down to a choice between truth v. lies, light v. darkness, good v. evil. I'm going to brew up before I get too depressed!

[Stanley]

I share your concerns Peter. It struck me last night as I watched images of him using the White House as an election prop that I am perhaps more worried about the chances of Trump stealing a second term than I am of out own deadleg government.
All I can see here at the moment is an incompetent government using distraction techniques while they let us slide out of the EU on the worst possible terms. I doubt if there is any policy beyond this. They haven't the faintest idea of what the situation will be at the end of the year and simply get on with the disruptive Cummings agendas behind closed doors. I suspect the extent of any 'policy' is to keep the lid on things until they get the No Deal hurdle over with. Meanwhile we are fed rumours about mothballing tanks and doing nothing but cyber warfare as a defence policy. Pure distraction as Rome burns and our public services deteriorate.
There is no proper governance, not even a sitting Parliament. What is wrong with our MPs? They appear to have all been gagged.

[Tizer]

I noticed one of the BBC's US correspondents saying that Trump's election message increasingly comes over as `I'm going to save you from all the terrible things that I've done to you' - but his supporters probably won't even see the irony in it.

Like you I'm more worried about the US than I am about the UK at the moment (and that's saying a lot). I often tease Plaques about him constructing conspiracy theories but I'm beginning find one crystallising out in my own mind. All these cases of US police shooting black people and attacking both black and white protesters in the cities. Trump declaring the cities to be in chaos because their Democrat governors don't sort out the mess. Could it be that the police are deliberately creating more chaos to support Trump by giving him more examples? The police know that if the Democrats get in they're going to take greater control of the police activities and keep a closer eye on their misbehaviour. Note also that the presidency is becoming not just Trump but the Trump family - shades of the authoritarian regimes around the world perhaps?

Don't miss the latest episode of Americast on BBC World Service and available here: LINK
The Republican National Convention this year was set against the backdrop of the Coronavirus pandemic, and protests over the shooting of a black man by a police officer in Wisconsin. So how did Donald Trump make his case for another four more years in office? Emily and Jon are joined by Republican strategist Ron Christie to get stuck into the key moments from the week.

This is his how Peter Brookes sees Trump in today's copy of The Times. Also, the `i' newspaper has a cartoon showing Trump, golf club in hand, hitting virus-shaped balls at a field of gravestones of covid victims...

[Stanley]

I agree with you completely Peter. I value Ken's contributions because they are so clever. He has a habit of putting his finger on the pulse but conceals it in wit. I am too logical and I admit, pessimistic. My problem is I remember the days when we had proper politicians who, with all their faults, usually made their mistakes honestly. That may be my biggest worry about today's crop, there is no honesty of purpose leading to trust. Everything has a hidden agenda, usually mercenary or selfish. That's why I refer so often to men like Manny Shinwell, Bevan and even Macmillan. They were 'Ronseal' grade, they did what it said on the tin. I can't even read the label with the current lot.

[plaques]

Like you I'm more worried about the US than I am about the UK at the moment (and that's saying a lot). I often tease Plaques about him constructing conspiracy theories but I'm beginning find one crystallising out in my own mind. All these cases of US police shooting black people and attacking both black and white protesters in the cities. Trump declaring the cities to be in chaos because their Democrat governors don't sort out the mess. Could it be that the police are deliberately creating more chaos to support Trump by giving him more examples? The police know that if the Democrats get in they're going to take greater control of the police activities and keep a closer eye on their misbehaviour. Note also that the presidency is becoming not just Trump but the Trump family - shades of the authoritarian regimes around the world perhaps?

Join the club.

My friend who lived in New York State told me about an event he had read in the papers.
In a black neighbourhood a black family had got so far into debt that the man was threatening to shoot himself. The wife rang the police for help. On arrival they requested the wife to leave and explain what was going on. After doing so and because now they were present she asked to return to the house and talk some sense in him knowing he was suicidal. They refused her suggestion and threatened him with overwhelming force. He shot himself, On hearing the shot the police moved in with bulldozers and demolished the house. Besides losing her husband the family had now nowhere to live.
The general opinion was that this show of force was to intimidate the neighbourhood in that the police had total authority.

[Tizer]

Another example of democracy being chipped away in the US. Although the Democrats are worrying about Russia `trying to subvert American democracy' Trump is doing the most subverting and he does it in plain sight!...
`US election 2020: Intelligence chief ends face-to-face security meetings' LINK
`The top US intelligence office is to stop face-to-face briefings for lawmakers on election security and foreign interference, citing concerns about leaks of sensitive information. It will issue written reports instead. Democrats reacted angrily, accusing the office of abdicating its responsibility to keep Congress informed. They have accused the Trump administration of downplaying threats to US elections from Russia and other countries. The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and the Democratic head of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, said the public had the right to know how foreign powers were trying to subvert American democracy. In practice the move means Congress will have less opportunity to question officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)...'.

However, there's good news back in the mother country. The official opposition is gaining ground at last...
`Boris Johnson faces Tory wrath as party slumps in shock poll' LINK
`Boris Johnson is facing a showdown with furious Conservative MPs over his government’s chaotic handling of Covid-19, as a new poll shows the Tories have surrendered a massive lead over Labour in just five months....Today, in a further blow to Conservative morale, a poll by Opinium for the Observer shows Labour is now level-pegging with the Tories for the first time since last summer, before Johnson was leader. In just five months since the full lockdown was imposed by the prime minister, the Conservatives have lost a 26-point lead over Labour who now stand neck-and-neck with the Tories on 40%....At the end of March, shortly after Johnson imposed the full lockdown, the Conservatives were surging ahead on 54% of the vote, with Labour, awaiting the result of the party’s leadership election, on 28%. At the time Johnson’s personal ratings were also very positive, but are now consistently well behind those of the Labour leader, Keir Starmer.'