US politics and stuff

124

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  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,693
    Sadly, I think this observation about Trump & MAGA is all too true, mostly in US terms (Trump, guns, and abortion at the forefront), and I hope we can avoid it in the UK. I think Brexit has come close - the reluctance to consider reason or evidence - and Johnson pushed that envelope as far as he could, but I'm hopeful that there's enough scepticism in the UK, bolstered by unavoidable economic indicators, that it is not enough merely to believe in something for it to be true.

  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,693
    I think Mitch McConnell's days might be numbered... this just happened...

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    America has no class.

    The guy is a sh!t, but he's a sh!t they all vote for, and he's clearly having a health problem here and everyone's reacting like it's a win or a loss for their politics.

    Grow up America, ffs.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,226
    He's the 4th oldest senator. The oldest, Dianne Feinstein truly doesn't seem to know where she is any more.

    There's something a bit wrong.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660

    He's the 4th oldest senator. The oldest, Dianne Feinstein truly doesn't seem to know where she is any more.

    There's something a bit wrong.

    Last kick of the boomers before they start dying off, literally.

    They've dominated politics since the late 70s.
  • laurentian
    laurentian Posts: 2,568

    America has no class.

    The guy is a sh!t, but he's a sh!t they all vote for, and he's clearly having a health problem here and everyone's reacting like it's a win or a loss for their politics.

    Grow up America, ffs.

    . . . and one has to ask, why are there people (presumably government employees in some capacity) filming this episode on their phones?
    Wilier Izoard XP
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,226

    America has no class.

    The guy is a sh!t, but he's a sh!t they all vote for, and he's clearly having a health problem here and everyone's reacting like it's a win or a loss for their politics.

    Grow up America, ffs.

    . . . and one has to ask, why are there people (presumably government employees in some capacity) filming this episode on their phones?
    They're journalists at a press conference.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,693
    McCarthy's gone, at Trump's bidding, but Democrats voted for his 'ouster' too. I've no idea what's going on over there. It's even nuttier than here.

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Honestly, the images of Mitch McConnell standing in front of everyone with really obvious signs of severe aging mental decline, Biden shuffling like the 80 year old he is and Trump only 3 years behind.

    Come on America, find some younger people to vote for. Just under the usual retirement age would suffice.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,693

    Honestly, the images of Mitch McConnell standing in front of everyone with really obvious signs of severe aging mental decline, Biden shuffling like the 80 year old he is and Trump only 3 years behind.

    Come on America, find some younger people to vote for. Just under the usual retirement age would suffice.


    Yes, I do find it bizarre.

    I think part of the problem is that the US political system is so byzantine that it needs long years of experience to negotiate its system - to a degree, I think Biden has managed to achieve more than Obama in practical terms because he knows how to play the silly games of processes, whereas Obama had the political will but not the practical skills. I think McConnell is there for the same reasons, as was Pelosi, but seeing a very ill Feinstein wheeled in almost to her death was painful to witness.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,479
    Not sure if it's the lights, or he really needs another line.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,379
    That's severely edited for effect.

    The main problem with him is he is another far right populist.
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,427

    That's severely edited for effect.

    The main problem with him is he is another far right populist.

    yep, more intelligent than trump, perhaps even more loathsome
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,693

    That's severely edited for effect.

    The main problem with him is he is another far right populist.


    Even if edited to run one after the other, they are still very weird mannerisms... people have started to make a daily count. He's certainly not a natural in front of the camera.

    Anyway, it doesn't look like he's in with a chance, so it's probably neither here nor there, as far as world politics is concerned.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,693
    Quite an interesting Friday for Trump and the Republican Party.

    Two of Trump's lawyers who were in on the Georgia 'alternative electors' plan have pleaded guilty and will have to testify for the prosecution now as part of their deal. Could get spicy for Trump.

  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    The entertainment that is the election for Speaker of the House carries on. Jim Jordan removed as candidate after a secret vote by his fellow Republicans.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-67174162
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,693
    JimD666 said:

    The entertainment that is the election for Speaker of the House carries on. Jim Jordan removed as candidate after a secret vote by his fellow Republicans.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-67174162


    It's also very entertaining watching Republicans blame the Democrats for their own chaos... it's do n similar to Tories blaming Labour for the failure of the last 13 years.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,693
    Seems like the new House Speaker is an utter religious nutter. I suspect that there might be some challenges to the First Amendment soon...

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Fairly standard for America isn't it?
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,479
    Friend of mine who moved to an Atlanta suburb needed a whole year for the neighbours to accept that he was okay and didn't need or want to go to church.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,811
    pblakeney said:

    Friend of mine who moved to an Atlanta suburb needed a whole year for the neighbours to accept that he was okay and didn't need or want to go to church.

    Seems pretty quick by UK village standards. 'The new people' = family that moved in a decade ago.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,811

    Fairly standard for America isn't it?

    Surely the more interesting answer is 'which bit?' It's not exactly consistent.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • rjsterry said:

    pblakeney said:

    Friend of mine who moved to an Atlanta suburb needed a whole year for the neighbours to accept that he was okay and didn't need or want to go to church.

    Seems pretty quick by UK village standards. 'The new people' = family that moved in a decade ago.
    I grew up in a suburb of Norwich and acceptance time wwas measured in generations. The bare minimum would be you and your parents being born in Norfolk.

    Bizarrely a gay couple moved in down our road and that was more acceptable than being born elsewhere. Very progressive thinking in the early1980s.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    ...and I'm the one who gets accused of snobbery about the countryside.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,864
    rjsterry said:

    Fairly standard for America isn't it?

    Surely the more interesting answer is 'which bit?' It's not exactly consistent.
    And his chosen interpretation, I suspect anything about being charitable and helping those less fortunate won't be part of his world view.
    The hypocrisy of some people that claim to be Christian is truly incredible.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,811

    ...and I'm the one who gets accused of snobbery about the countryside.

    How is that snobbery? Small changes are much more noticeable in a small community and people are generally nervous of change. It took my folks about a decade to settle in to their new home.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,379
    rjsterry said:

    ...and I'm the one who gets accused of snobbery about the countryside.

    How is that snobbery? Small changes are much more noticeable in a small community and people are generally nervous of change. It took my folks about a decade to settle in to their new home.
    How is that countryside?
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,479
    rjsterry said:

    pblakeney said:

    Friend of mine who moved to an Atlanta suburb needed a whole year for the neighbours to accept that he was okay and didn't need or want to go to church.

    Seems pretty quick by UK village standards. 'The new people' = family that moved in a decade ago.
    No. The point was someone knocked on his door every Sunday to check he was okay as he hadn’t attended church. I’m sure he is still considered an outsider, suits him too.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,693

    Fairly standard for America isn't it?


    Yebbut... it'll be interesting to see how much they do try to challenge the separation of church and state, and how complaint the Supreme Court will be in the challenges. It feels rather like this is the scenario the evangelical right have been looking to engineer for a long time to turn the US into an outwardly Christian nation.