POLITICS CORNER

[PanBiker]

Great minds think alike Ken. I have serious doubts that he ever had it the first time round. Either that or he made a remarkable recovery in the time he was in hospital. Isolation is a good hiding place as you can always take to your bed. It think its more a case of "I don't want to talk about Dominic"

[Tizer]

He's in isolation because he was close enough to the infected MP to trigger Test & Trace. That doesn't mean he must be infected, they could have been observing adequate social distancing. As far as I know there's no evidence at present that Boris is now carrying the virus, let alone ill with it. But we must always keep in mind that someone who has had covid-19 cannot be sure of being immune to it afterwards; and we won't know for a long time yet whether even immune people can carry and pass on this virus (and that includes vaccinated immune people).

We'll have to see how this news affects the UK's future ability to make trade deals...
`RCEP: Asia-Pacific countries form world's largest trading bloc' LINK
`Fifteen countries have formed the world's largest trading bloc, covering nearly a third of the global economy. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is made up of 10 Southeast Asian countries, as well as South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The pact is seen as an extension of China's influence in the region. The deal excludes the US, which withdrew from a rival Asia-Pacific trade pact in 2017..'.

On the last Americast they interviewed someone who has very close links to people in the White House. She described Trump as being frightened - "He's scared he might be put in jail", she said, because he knows there are lots of outstanding issues that could catch him out soon when he is no longer protected by presidential privilege. Also, although he found out early one (he had people research it for him) that while President he can pardon himself and his family of crimes, it emerges that only applies to federal crime, nor state crime. He's a worried man! You read through the list and think `Crikey, they made this man President!'
`Trump's legal battles: How six cases may play out' LINK

[plaques]

He's in isolation because he was close enough to the infected MP to trigger Test & Trace. That doesn't mean he must be infected, they could have been observing adequate social distancing. As far as I know there's no evidence at present that Boris is now carrying the virus, let alone ill with it. But we must always keep in mind that someone who has had covid-19 cannot be sure of being immune to it afterwards; and we won't know for a long time yet whether even immune people can carry and pass on this virus (and that includes vaccinated immune people).

It has been said that he could take a test to see if records a positive result. The 'experts' answer is that it could be a false positive or negative. But Boris Johnson is in a position to have tests run every four hours for the next few days if he has mind to do so. The probability of a test error soon disappears under multiple tests. Common sense would say that its in both his and the countries best interest to get him out of isolation. Perhaps I should rephrase that last sentence.

[Stanley]

I can understand your scepticism, that's the only refuge we have when faced with incomprehensible information.
I've got to the stage where I am wondering if Cominic Dumming's crashing and burning wasn't in itself a diversion.
Hard to look for 'common sense' in a situation as surreal as the one we are in now. So perhaps we're looking in the wrong place. My impression is that our side of 'the negotiation' is not simply stalled but paralysed. The EU side seem quite relaxed apart from commenting that time gets ever shorter, something they have been warning us about for over a year now. Indeed, the EU are relaxed enough to have their own disciplinary procedure over their budget. No sign of any panic over what the UK does.
Are we really to believe that with only six weeks left and the agreement not even 'agreed' nothing is happening?
The whole situation stinks.

[plaques]

Perhaps the hidden agender is by leaving the EU the single currency € (euro) will fail. The central European banks can hardly cope with the disparity between the rich and poor countries as it stands. Of course it means losing all the stability that we have enjoyed for the past 70 years but what's that against all the big money to be made.

[Stanley]

The SNP has welcomed Johnson's grenade about devolution. They see it as an electoral gift and will run with it in the coming election. Nicola Sturgeon said immediately she would bookmark it for future reference. The most common question is what the hell (if anything) was he thinking about?

[Stanley]

What struck me was the number of people covering for Johnson. I wonder how many will be doing that in six months?
Later.... J Corbyn reinstated but it remains to be seen whether Starmer will extend the whip to him.
In America Christopher Krebs, the former Microsoft executive brought in by Trump to supervise Cyber Security has been sacked because he criticised Trump refusing to concede.
How long can this farce continue?

[Tizer]

Not just Krebs...`Defense Secretary Mark Esper was also shown the door amid reports Mr Trump doubted the Pentagon chief's loyalty. There is speculation in Washington DC that before Mr Trump leaves office in January, CIA director Gina Haspel and FBI director Christopher Wray could also be for the chopping block'. BBC

They'll probably soon be forced to remove Trump from the White House in a straitjacket...
`Iran warns of ‘crushing response’ if Trump targets nuclear site: Outgoing president reported to have looked at military options against Tehran and its allies'' Guardian
`Iran has warned of a strong response if Donald Trump goes ahead with plans to use the twilight of his presidency to mount a strike on Iran or its allies in the region. It was reported that Trump last week looked at options for striking Iran’s main nuclear site, but was dissuaded from taking action after his advisers warned it might lead to a larger conflict in the Middle East. The report was sourced to four US officials by the New York Times.'

[Stanley]

Can't help being reminded of Strangelove....
What's the point in asking the government why things are underfunded when the stock answer is always 'We are already investing £Xmillions'. They spend money like water on transport expansion and dribble out a trickle for the Green Expansion.

[Tizer]

Interesting news from Americast...shades of `Georgia' on my mind', the US is transfixed by what's going on there. Trump has shot himself in the foot (unfortunately only metaphorically). It's complicated but his insistence that fraud is going on in the voting ballots is deterring Republicans from bothering to vote in the state's senate elections. The election of the two senators for the state is critical in determining the balance between red and blue in the Senate. By crying fraud Trump will likely prevent the Republicans having a majority in the Senate. More schadenfreude!

[plaques]

As with all political parties there are different shades of Republicans. The traditional Conservative Republicans are what we may described as right-wing Tories. The Trump type Republicans have moved so far to the right as to become fascist Republicans taking on dictatorial powers. Meanwhile the poorer end Democrats have seen their Obamacare under attack while giving mega tax breaks to the rich. America as a whole moving slightly to the left. Perhaps the traditionalists are not happy to continue with extreme Trumpism and would like to get back into calmer waters.

[Stanley]

"Perhaps the traditionalists are not happy to continue with extreme Trumpism and would like to get back into calmer waters."
If there was calm reflection I'm sure that would be the case Ken. Problem is that in the state of frenzy whipped up by extreme right on social media and media like Fox News that tend to the 'shock jock' wing calm reflection is thin on the ground. Moderate elements try to generate calm and thoughtful debate but idiots like Trump lob hand grenades into the discussions. As you note he is harming the Republican cause in Georgia at the moment. Many Republicans see this but Trump still has the power to hire and fire and can make things very uncomfortable for those who speak out against him. See the recent sackings for evidence of this. The only thing I can see that might break the log jam is the effect it is having on planning the vaccine programme/ Problem is that Trump of course is taking the credit for financing the vaccine!
Here in the UK the question most heard at the moment is "Will the Vaccine save Johnson's bacon?" Watch this space...
Later.... Georgia recount is complete and no surprises. Biden takes the state but Trump is still threatening legal action. A constitutional expert says there is no evidence of any serious legal challenges being possible. Trump is making and absolute fool of himself and those around him. Talk about The Twilight Zone.

[Tizer]

At least some Republicans are sensible...
`US election 2020: Biden wins Georgia recount as Trump setbacks mount' LINK
`...On Thursday, Georgia's Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, said the hand audit of ballots had not altered Mr Biden's victory in the state. "Georgia's historic first statewide audit reaffirmed that the state's new secure paper ballot voting system accurately counted and reported results," Mr Raffensberger, a Republican, said in a statement. "This is a credit to the hard work of our county and local elections officials who moved quickly to undertake and complete such a momentous task in a short period of time."...`Gabriel Sterling, a Republican who serves as Georgia's voting system implementation manager, told CNN on Thursday: "One of the big complaints is these machines somehow flipped votes or changed votes or did stuff. They didn't, at least not in Georgia. We proved it."...Republican Senator Mitt Romney later echoed Mr Biden in a tweet. "Having failed to make even a plausible case of widespread fraud or conspiracy before any court of law, the President has now resorted to overt pressure on state and local officials to subvert the will of the people and overturn the election," he wrote. "It is difficult to imagine a worse, more undemocratic action by a sitting American President"..'.

[Stanley]

See my post on another thread. He has claimed victory in the national poll inside the last few hours.
The man is operating in the Twilight Zone.
(Cue Wagner..... Twilight of the Gods'.... Try this LINK, quite wonderful.)

[plaques]

Hitler was a big fan of Wagner.

Boris Johnson's move to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars in 2030 is a game changer but for who? We no longer actually make cars in the UK but supply and assemble parts for other countries and sell them here and to other countries. Somehow the underlying thinking is that because we won't be buying German cars etc. we have got them over a barrel and they will have to toe the line. A bit like the tale of two farmers owning shares in a cow and one stopped feeding his front end share to save himself money. Either we shall be running some very old cars or paying a premium for electric cars made abroad. Yes we have to do something about climate change but it needs collaboration with other countries to make it work.

[Stanley]

Right Ken! I once sailed past the Loreley Rock on a steam driven Rhine paddle boat with Wagner blasting out on the loudspeakers. You don't forget things like that.

[PanBiker]

If it's YouTube just drop the link directly without inserting it as a URL it has more impact.




See this post in Site Information for more information:

Media Embed

[Stanley]

I did see it Ian and didn't understand it or see the icon. I seem to be managing OK without it....
It looks as though I am not the only voter annoyed by Johnson's 'One law for us' approach.
If you want to see some sense come out of the Trump affair read THIS.

[plaques]

One of the interesting developments in American politics is the use of the term Democratic Socialist. From the above link. Fetterman, a self-described democratic socialist At one time and still present in most American minds is that Socialism = Communism. This definition has now been tempered with the removal of any link between state ownership of the means of manufacture. The idea that the state can have a role in health care, education, infrastructure and other shared benefits where its more efficient and cost effective than having private companies all taking profit to push the price up and the quality of service down. Our Track and Trace may be used as an UK example.

[Tizer]

Fetterman is an odd character in America. He combines the more liberal beliefs of the Democrats with the style and outdoor, tough guy image loved by Republicans.

`US election: Trump camp's lawsuit struck down in Pennsylvania' LINK
...Judge Brann dismissed the claim, saying "like Frankenstein's Monster" it had been "haphazardly stitched together".

[Stanley]

Isn't it strange that we are are sat here calmly discussing the internal workings of the US belief system when in 39 days we sever the last tenuous connections with the EU. Not even time enough to agree and produce the necessary translations of the treaty documents for the 27 EU members who have to agree any deal.
This doesn't address what we need to have in place to survive. Am I alone in thinking that we are flying on a wing and a prayer into the biggest foreign policy mistake in history?

[PanBiker]

Isn't it strange that we are are sat here calmly discussing the internal workings of the US belief system when in 39 days we sever the last tenuous connections with the EU. Not even time enough to agree and produce the necessary translations of the treaty documents for the 27 EU members who have to agree any deal.
This doesn't address what we need to have in place to survive. Am I alone in thinking that we are flying on a wing and a prayer into the biggest foreign policy mistake in history?

No you are not but unfortunately there is nothing that us plebs can do about it. The Lords of the Universe have had their way with us yet again. I am beginning to wonder whether revolution is the only way forward! The existing political system is so corrupt it would seem that that would probably be a better option. Problem is as I have said many times before we should have done that when the French had a sorting out.

[Tizer]

Have a listen to this 30 minute `Thinking Allowed' episode. You begin to understand why people voted for a man who said he would `drain the swamp' even though you and I wouldn't vote for him...
`Corruption: Laurie Taylor talks to Sarah Chayes, writer and former Senior Fellow in the Democracy and Rule of Law programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, about the ways in which vested interests have corrupted America - from unjust Supreme Court rulings to revolving doors between the private and state sector - and challenges the notion that this phenomenon is principally caused by wicked individuals lining their own pockets. Instead she reveals a many headed hydra of sophisticated networks spanning political and national boundaries. They’re joined by Dan Hough, Director of the Sussex Centre for the Study of Corruption at the University of Sussex, who provides a British & global perspective on a phenomenon which is threatening democracy. How can it be tackled at a personal, political and collective level?' LINK

[Stanley]

Peter, I have just about lost the will to live never mind spend 30 minutes to someone telling me how I am being screwed. Sorry but like Ian I am beyomd reasonable explanations. I want to see our whole rotten political system collapse and who knows, that might be exactly where this self seeking lot are taking us.

[plaques]

I found the pod-cast interesting. Lets talk about the definition of corruption rather than doing anything about corruption itself this has parallels with our 'How do you define poverty'. Checked on the Lancashire Library listing her book doesn't show up yet. Worth keeping an eye open for.