Also In The News

[leicsmac]

29 minutes ago, MattP said:

 

Four years of warning about the integrity of elections and then this.

 

Only the Democrats - you can see already how 2020 is going to go for them. Sanders must be a shoo in to be the figurehead of this shambles.

 

28 minutes ago, Alf Bentley said:

 

Trump must be pissing himself laughing. But I'm sure he'll get it together sufficiently to comment on this in due course....

Well, his campaign have already commented on his behalf with all the decorum you'd expect from a man like him. Speaking personally, the response from most ground level dems looking to actually change things should be along the lines of:

 

 

Here's hoping the system runs a bit more smoothly henceforth.

 

NB. This cockup doesn't invalidate previous arguments about the integrity of elections - separate events, remember.

[Guest MattP]

The Irish election on Saturday could be interesting to say the least.

 

This is looking like a cock up of Jo Swinson levels by Leo Varadkar.

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, MattP said:

The Irish election on Saturday could be interesting to say the least.

 

This is looking like a cock up of Jo Swinson levels by Leo Varadkar.

I wonder if that will have some implications for the Irish border after Brexit question if it turns out the way as polled...

[Guest MattP]

18 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

I wonder if that will have some implications for the Irish border after Brexit question if it turns out the way as polled...

Likely to still be a FG/FF government as SF are only standing 42 candidates. They didn't expect to be leading the polls. Both FG and FF have said they won't work with SF either

 

It's interesting though as historically SF are a left wing anti-EU party (although atm don't favour withdrawal) although reasons for this upsurge really vary.

 

 

[leicsmac]

1 hour ago, MattP said:

Likely to still be a FG/FF government as SF are only standing 42 candidates. They didn't expect to be leading the polls. Both FG and FF have said they won't work with SF either

 

It's interesting though as historically SF are a left wing anti-EU party (although atm don't favour withdrawal) although reasons for this upsurge really vary.

 

 

Interesting stuff. I wonder what will become of it all.

[leicsmac]

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-australia-51369140/climate-change-australian-tv-audience-boos-sceptical-senator

 

Perhaps, if you don't want people to boo you (and that's light treatment considering the stance and the audience, really) you should begin to "rely on science" for your view on this matter, Mr Molan?

[ajthefox]

Jeremy Hunt chairs the Health Select Committee, reviewing patient safety, mental health, the NHS Workforce and social care under his tenure as Health Secretary.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/feb/04/jeremy-hunt-chair-health-select-committee-conflict-interests-nhs

 

I'm sure this will be a fair and accurate review with no bias at all..

[Guest MattP]

It's like she's the Democrat clone of Jeremy Corbyn.

[Guest MattP]

4 hours ago, leicsmac said:

NB. This cockup doesn't invalidate previous arguments about the integrity of elections - separate events, remember.

Sorry I missed this. It doesn't I agree, but given they have made such a play on threat to democracy from interference a situation like this is a disaster, it makes them look ridiculous. 

 

Day before the State of the Union address as well, surely guarantees some great Trump material about Russians in Iowa.

Edited 4 February 2020 by MattP

[leicsmac]

6 minutes ago, MattP said:

Sorry I missed this. It doesn't I agree, but given they have made such a play on threat to democracy from interference a situation like this is a disaster, it makes them look ridiculous. 

 

Day before the State of the Union address as well, surely guarantees some great Trump material about Russians in Iowa.

I agree it looks shocking to pretty much everyone from die-hard Bernie bros to various Dem factions to Trumpers, all for different reasons. But for the most part pretty much all but the most factionalised Dems loathe Trump more than they do each other so they'll have similar responses to his take.

 

Trump was going to run his mouth at the SoTU anyway, it's pretty much all he does (with "humour" - and I use that term loosely - based pretty much entirely on the suffering of others) and if it wasn't this it wasn't going to be something else - so while todays events were an utter shitshow I don't actually think it changes much in that regard.

 

 

[leicsmac]

Further to the Iowa caucuses...

 

 

Now, my grasp of maths might not be fantastic, but I'm thinking there's something wrong with this picture...?

[Guest MattP]

[leicsmac]

30 minutes ago, MattP said:

I simply don't get the humour here, as alluded to above. If it's just presenting the irony it's incredibly obvious Mrs Browns Boys lowest common denominator stuff, it it's another angle it's either mean-spirited or completely incomprehensible, neither would be surprising. But then as is known, humour is subjective.

 

I would say that Trump should worry more about young lads shooting up schools and supermarkets while quoting him in their manifestos or other folks harassing women at Planned Parenthood clinics or mass shooting survivors for being "crisis actors" because it seems under his administration it appears to be somewhat safe for them to do so...but incredibly enough it seems that those things aren't actually harming his chances at re-election.

[urban.spaceman]

 

[leicsmac]

So, SoTU sum-up:

 

- "It's the economy, stupid!" (the main point, to be expected really)

- "Let's build an inclusive society!" (except for those nasty "illegals", so we can't go in for single-payer healthcare)

- "Hurry up and die, RBG!"

- "Venezuela - the only proof you ever need that socialism doesn't work!"

- "Rush Limbaugh is an inspiration!"

 

...and nowt on race relations beyond economics, mass shootings (apart from promising to protect the Second Amendment) or environmental policy steps, but again, I guess that's to be expected.

Edited 5 February 2020 by leicsmac

[Alf Bentley]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51383104

 

"A bodyguard for David Cameron is being investigated after he reportedly left his gun in a toilet on a transatlantic jet. A "terrified passenger" found the gun and gave it to staff on a British Airways flight, according to the Mail. As a former prime minister, Mr Cameron is entitled to continued security provided by the Metropolitan Police. The Met said the officer involved has been removed from operational duties.

 

The gun, believed to be a 9mm Glock 17 pistol, is said to have been left by a close-protection officer from the Met's Specialist Protection unit, who took off his holster while in the toilet. Mr Cameron's passport - and the officer's - were found with the weapon, according to The Sun".

 

Cover-up, I reckon. Call Me Dave was unable to stay in the closet any longer. The discovery of the passports with the gun is clear proof he planned to bump off that simpering handbag wife of his, then live incognito in Prince Harry's spare room on Vancouver Island with his hunky bodyguard. On the positive side, at least he didn't leave his kids behind like he did in the pub that time....

[Guest MattP]

18 hours ago, leicsmac said:

I simply don't get the humour here, as alluded to above. If it's just presenting the irony it's incredibly obvious Mrs Browns Boys lowest common denominator stuff, it it's another angle it's either mean-spirited or completely incomprehensible, neither would be surprising. But then as is known, humour is subjective.

 

I would say that Trump should worry more about young lads shooting up schools and supermarkets while quoting him in their manifestos or other folks harassing women at Planned Parenthood clinics or mass shooting survivors for being "crisis actors" because it seems under his administration it appears to be somewhat safe for them to do so...but incredibly enough it seems that those things aren't actually harming his chances at re-election.

I've never extensively watched what you mention so I couldn't compare.

 

I did find that funny though - purely because of the quote "never a truer word said in jest" - and that was true, the Democrat Iowa caucus was actually somehow a victory for the Republicans. 

 

The SOTU was pathetic, boycotts from Democrats, Trump refusing handshakes, Pelosi ripping up the speech.

 

It's hard to see who the adults in the room are at the minute.

[surrifox]

1 hour ago, Alf Bentley said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51383104

 

"A bodyguard for David Cameron is being investigated after he reportedly left his gun in a toilet on a transatlantic jet. A "terrified passenger" found the gun and gave it to staff on a British Airways flight, according to the Mail. As a former prime minister, Mr Cameron is entitled to continued security provided by the Metropolitan Police. The Met said the officer involved has been removed from operational duties.

 

The gun, believed to be a 9mm Glock 17 pistol, is said to have been left by a close-protection officer from the Met's Specialist Protection unit, who took off his holster while in the toilet. Mr Cameron's passport - and the officer's - were found with the weapon, according to The Sun".

 

Cover-up, I reckon. Call Me Dave was unable to stay in the closet any longer. The discovery of the passports with the gun is clear proof he planned to bump off that simpering handbag wife of his, then live incognito in Prince Harry's spare room on Vancouver Island with his hunky bodyguard. On the positive side, at least he didn't leave his kids behind like he did in the pub that time....

Comforting that senior past and present  political figures are safeguarded by an elite protection force of rozzers trained by Frank Spencer 

[leicsmac]

9 minutes ago, MattP said:

I've never extensively watched what you mention so I couldn't compare.

 

I did find that funny though - purely because of the quote "never a truer word said in jest" - and that was true, the Democrat Iowa caucus was actually somehow a victory for the Republicans. 

 

The SOTU was pathetic, boycotts from Democrats, Trump refusing handshakes, Pelosi ripping up the speech.

 

It's hard to see who the adults in the room are at the minute.

Fair enough, can't disagree with the sentiment that Tuesday was an utter cockup for the dems and of course Trump would try for value from it.

 

I've said before and I'll repeat here that I think getting down into the swamp and slinging mud with the biggest and baddest swamp thing there was a mistake on the part of the dems and that is even more true now. Making things partisan and confrontational plays to every one of Trump's strengths. I can see why they have done it (the man is a colossal **** and deserves being taken.down several pegs) but it's still a mistake.

 

For all the similarity in attitude right now, however, there are still significant differences in policy between the two parties and it's long past time that the dems actually started focusing on that more.

[Guest MattP]

31 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Fair enough, can't disagree with the sentiment that Tuesday was an utter cockup for the dems and of course Trump would try for value from it.

 

I've said before and I'll repeat here that I think getting down into the swamp and slinging mud with the biggest and baddest swamp thing there was a mistake on the part of the dems and that is even more true now. Making things partisan and confrontational plays to every one of Trump's strengths. I can see why they have done it (the man is a colossal **** and deserves being taken.down several pegs) but it's still a mistake.

 

For all the similarity in attitude right now, however, there are still significant differences in policy between the two parties and it's long past time that the dems actually started focusing on that more.

I don't know why they are going there but they seem to want to do so.

 

I agree with the last point, but I think the Democrats are so blinded by hate for Trump now they can't do that. It's like watching a public breakdown at the minute and we might have eight months of this.

 

As I've said before the parallels with Britain are incredible, a result in 2016 which the opposition have never really accepted and a guerilla war to overturn it favoured over putting all efforts into understanding, reconciliation and then winning people around in a subsequent election. 

[leicsmac]

24 minutes ago, MattP said:

I don't know why they are going there but they seem to want to do so.

 

I agree with the last point, but I think the Democrats are so blinded by hate for Trump now they can't do that. It's like watching a public breakdown at the minute and we might have eight months of this.

 

As I've said before the parallels with Britain are incredible, a result in 2016 which the opposition have never really accepted and a guerilla war to overturn it favoured over putting all efforts into understanding, reconciliation and then winning people around in a subsequent election. 

I can see where you're getting the parallels from and there's quite a few, but then I'm not going to blame people who are afraid for lashing out over there too much, as far as I'm concerned the difference between Brexit and the US is that a fair few more of the fears folks have over there are entirely valid and have been borne out by Trump's policy decisions.

 

For what it's worth I hope you're wrong on the second paragraph, because another difference is that the global consequences of a second term for Trump has the potential to make the consequences of Brexit look tame by comparison.

Edited 5 February 2020 by leicsmac

[leicsmac]

https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/us-politics/us-presidential-election-2020/democrat-candidate

 

...Bloomberg as second favourite behind Bernie.

 

Is there something about Bloomberg that British bookies and punters know that I don't here?

[WigstonWanderer]

15 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/us-politics/us-presidential-election-2020/democrat-candidate

 

...Bloomberg as second favourite behind Bernie.

 

Is there something about Bloomberg that British bookies and punters know that I don't here?

Well he’s stinking rich and that always helps over there, but you already knew that.

[Guest MattP]

13 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/us-politics/us-presidential-election-2020/democrat-candidate

 

...Bloomberg as second favourite behind Bernie.

 

Is there something about Bloomberg that British bookies and punters know that I don't here?

Probably due to how wide open the field is and the weakness of the candidates. 

 

Bloomberg is clearly competent with what he has achieved in life when someone like Bernie Sanders is the favourite you can't rule out someone who can come from out the field. 

 

Noticed the Republicans are now into odds on everywhere, that's a response to the weakness of Biden.

[leicsmac]

32 minutes ago, WigstonWanderer said:

Well he’s stinking rich and that always helps over there, but you already knew that.

 

31 minutes ago, MattP said:

Probably due to how wide open the field is and the weakness of the candidates. 

 

Bloomberg is clearly competent with what he has achieved in life when someone like Bernie Sanders is the favourite you can't rule out someone who can come from out the field. 

 

Noticed the Republicans are now into odds on everywhere, that's a response to the weakness of Biden.

All true, but he came nowhere in Iowa so I'm curious as to why suddenly the punters think he might come into the game to the degree of being second favourite as of NH next week. Why him and not a more established candidate, for instance.

 

Incidentally, the Repubs were shorter than even money before the Iowa caucuses, so I'm not sure how much that has to do with events there showing up Biden.