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Great site here for tracking projections and polling for the Presidential, House and Senate elections over the next month. A wealth of info on each state in each race.
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E. Standard
hahaha, i Got two solicitors letters from them last year threatening legal action, they took a very Dim view of my letter regarding Tim Farron , Brexit and Josef Friztl . They have such a volume turnover of staff they never follow it up.
it Gives me something to do while i wait for my retirement from the probation service.
As China owns $.68 cents of every US dollar debt in America Trump's idea of putting an import tax on their goods is going to be interesting. That will be the time to sit in a big chair with a huge box of popcorn and watch China f*ck America royally up the ar*e. To be fair to Trump he wasn't the architect of this but his 'policies' if he starts to f*ck with china they could call in the debt and that means the US eating grits for the next 1000 years.
I don't really get this idea that Putin wants to invade Estonia or the rest of Eastern Europe. Why? There's no philosophical or strategic motive that i can see. It would cost a fortune, which they don't have, and they might lose the cosy regime that they have at the moment.
Ukraine was a cockup by the USA and the EU, as there was no way that Russia was going to let them go into the EU with Crimea lost. They saw it as taking the piss and they did something about it. I doubt that they see the rest of Ukraine as a natural enemy and as for Poland why on earth would they want to go into there? I'm not getting it.
Estonia? There may be ethnic Russians there and plenty of them, but that doesn't make them fans of Putin. We have plenty of Americans living here but would they want Trump to have greater influence over the UK? More than likely plenty of the ethnic Russians are very happy to be living outside Russia, as things stand.
[Post edited 10 Nov 2016 11:24]
Why?
Put simply, Putin's economic and domestic policies are failing. Globilisation and the internet are aiding his own citizens comprehension of this. Ultimately, the prolateriat are getting restless.
What do major powers, whose control is weakening at home do? They start wars. It's been the case for hundreds of years.
Putin wants to restore Russia to being the global superpower. He can't do it via the economy but he can try to unite his people behind an expansionist agenda if there's no risk of retaliation by the US.
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US Elections 2016 on 15:01 - Nov 10 with 2096 views
As China owns $.68 cents of every US dollar debt in America Trump's idea of putting an import tax on their goods is going to be interesting. That will be the time to sit in a big chair with a huge box of popcorn and watch China f*ck America royally up the ar*e. To be fair to Trump he wasn't the architect of this but his 'policies' if he starts to f*ck with china they could call in the debt and that means the US eating grits for the next 1000 years.
Not sure if it's that simple. How does China 'call in the debt'?
Put simply, Putin's economic and domestic policies are failing. Globilisation and the internet are aiding his own citizens comprehension of this. Ultimately, the prolateriat are getting restless.
What do major powers, whose control is weakening at home do? They start wars. It's been the case for hundreds of years.
Putin wants to restore Russia to being the global superpower. He can't do it via the economy but he can try to unite his people behind an expansionist agenda if there's no risk of retaliation by the US.
Well you may be right. I'm not really convinced though. Arguably we've done as much to wind them up as they have to wind us up. Depends how you look at it. We're sharing space projects and stuff like that. It doesn't feel to me like it's all about to kick off - it's not even handbags.
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US Elections 2016 on 15:10 - Nov 10 with 2081 views
Well you may be right. I'm not really convinced though. Arguably we've done as much to wind them up as they have to wind us up. Depends how you look at it. We're sharing space projects and stuff like that. It doesn't feel to me like it's all about to kick off - it's not even handbags.
Err the Russians have been bombing Syrian rebels who the US have been supplying with weaponry and backing for the last two years.
I think it was the former leader of the CIA who said Russia are the biggest threat to world peace at present (something along those lines).
Russia annexed Crimea, part of a sovereign Ukraine state.
An independent audit concluded Russian fighters shot down a domestic flight which had innocent civilians on.
Russia recently blew up an aid convoy in Syria.
"handbags"
Yes, it's not close to a war in Europe yet, nor direct military conflict between Russia and the US....but it's not inconceivable, and Russian foreign policy in recent years has certainly been more than "not even handbags".
Err the Russians have been bombing Syrian rebels who the US have been supplying with weaponry and backing for the last two years.
I think it was the former leader of the CIA who said Russia are the biggest threat to world peace at present (something along those lines).
Russia annexed Crimea, part of a sovereign Ukraine state.
An independent audit concluded Russian fighters shot down a domestic flight which had innocent civilians on.
Russia recently blew up an aid convoy in Syria.
"handbags"
Yes, it's not close to a war in Europe yet, nor direct military conflict between Russia and the US....but it's not inconceivable, and Russian foreign policy in recent years has certainly been more than "not even handbags".
I am not going to look up the history of Crimea but I seem to recall that it was once part of Russia and it was passed onto Ukraine when they were all in the same ownership. Something like that anyway, so it's hardly surprising that it reverted back to Russia when Ukraine was being invited to join the EU. I'm certainly not going to hold that against Russia anyway. It wasn't them that started that particular argument. I think that you've got to be impartial here when you look at it from their angle as well as from ours.
Yes the Russians have been bombing rebels - but they're not the only country to have bombed rebels of various descriptions in recent years. I'm not approving of what they've done or condoning it, but should it be seen as warmongering when they do it and more acceptable when one of our allies does it? If they flatten the place now and kill the civilians then that will be totally uncceptable, but is it what is going to happen? If it happens then I'll agree.
By 'handbags' I mean us (NATO) fighting them. There's some staring out going on i guess, but handbags?
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US Elections 2016 on 16:20 - Nov 10 with 2022 views
As China owns $.68 cents of every US dollar debt in America Trump's idea of putting an import tax on their goods is going to be interesting. That will be the time to sit in a big chair with a huge box of popcorn and watch China f*ck America royally up the ar*e. To be fair to Trump he wasn't the architect of this but his 'policies' if he starts to f*ck with china they could call in the debt and that means the US eating grits for the next 1000 years.
Where are you getting your facts from? This article (and others) have China owning about 6% of outstanding US government debt, just ahead of Japan.
I am not going to look up the history of Crimea but I seem to recall that it was once part of Russia and it was passed onto Ukraine when they were all in the same ownership. Something like that anyway, so it's hardly surprising that it reverted back to Russia when Ukraine was being invited to join the EU. I'm certainly not going to hold that against Russia anyway. It wasn't them that started that particular argument. I think that you've got to be impartial here when you look at it from their angle as well as from ours.
Yes the Russians have been bombing rebels - but they're not the only country to have bombed rebels of various descriptions in recent years. I'm not approving of what they've done or condoning it, but should it be seen as warmongering when they do it and more acceptable when one of our allies does it? If they flatten the place now and kill the civilians then that will be totally uncceptable, but is it what is going to happen? If it happens then I'll agree.
By 'handbags' I mean us (NATO) fighting them. There's some staring out going on i guess, but handbags?
The Russians have already killed thousands of civilians in the likes of Aleppo and across Syria through their bombing. They have literally flattened parts of Aleppo.
And Crimea didn't just "revert" to being Russian. Russia sent in soldiers and equipment and supplied rebels with weapons to aid it. No one believes the people simply rose up and the Ukraine govt succeeded Crimea of their own accord. Many people in Crimea don't consider themselves Russian. The whole thing was orchestrated by Putin.
We'll see, I suppose. But most analysts expect to see a more expansionist, bullish, and militarily aggressive Russia now. It's why they backed Trump. US isolationism is perfect for Putin.
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US Elections 2016 on 17:35 - Nov 10 with 1964 views
The Russians have already killed thousands of civilians in the likes of Aleppo and across Syria through their bombing. They have literally flattened parts of Aleppo.
And Crimea didn't just "revert" to being Russian. Russia sent in soldiers and equipment and supplied rebels with weapons to aid it. No one believes the people simply rose up and the Ukraine govt succeeded Crimea of their own accord. Many people in Crimea don't consider themselves Russian. The whole thing was orchestrated by Putin.
We'll see, I suppose. But most analysts expect to see a more expansionist, bullish, and militarily aggressive Russia now. It's why they backed Trump. US isolationism is perfect for Putin.
What I am saying is that the history of the Crimea and it's strategic and economic significance was always going to raise its head if Ukraine started to look west. The circumstances in which Crimea became part of Ukraine didn't envisage Ukraine going west.
Say for instance the Irish Republic joined the UK and as a result Ireland became united again. Probably nobody would mind that too much. Then, decades later, Ireland thinks about leaving the UK - but they are saying that the whole island is going. Would elements of the old Northern Ireland be happy with that? Maybe, maybe not. It's not the same scenario I'll admit, but I wasn't surprised that Russia got the hump.
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US Elections 2016 on 17:39 - Nov 10 with 2329 views
I am always amazed at how much time right-wingers spend having a go at us Lefties when at the moment they are winning all the elections. For God sake guys you lot are getting your own way! Despite of course the omnipresent left-wing Liberal cosmopolitan Luvvie bubble that you say runs our country and of course the US, they actually don't because your narrative is succeeding. That doesn't stop your childish, pitiful attacks on those with a different view. We shall see who is right over the coming months and years, if you have a different opinion from me, don't denegrate me try to persuade me I am wrong.
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US Elections 2016 on 18:06 - Nov 10 with 2295 views
I am always amazed at how much time right-wingers spend having a go at us Lefties when at the moment they are winning all the elections. For God sake guys you lot are getting your own way! Despite of course the omnipresent left-wing Liberal cosmopolitan Luvvie bubble that you say runs our country and of course the US, they actually don't because your narrative is succeeding. That doesn't stop your childish, pitiful attacks on those with a different view. We shall see who is right over the coming months and years, if you have a different opinion from me, don't denegrate me try to persuade me I am wrong.
That's because the right has no positive vision of the future and can only define itself negatively or by appealing for the return of an imaginary past. The best negative idea the American right ever had was anti-Communism. This enabled the US to justify intervention abroad and suppress dissent at home. The current obsession with muslims is one of many attempts by the right to find new enemies to define itself against.
The thing that amazes me is the victim culture of the contemporary right (I always understood the hate culture as I observed that first hand growing up).
Air hostess clique
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US Elections 2016 on 18:10 - Nov 10 with 2290 views
That's because the right has no positive vision of the future and can only define itself negatively or by appealing for the return of an imaginary past. The best negative idea the American right ever had was anti-Communism. This enabled the US to justify intervention abroad and suppress dissent at home. The current obsession with muslims is one of many attempts by the right to find new enemies to define itself against.
The thing that amazes me is the victim culture of the contemporary right (I always understood the hate culture as I observed that first hand growing up).
the victim culture of the contemporary right
Postcolonial melancholia. Truly the most pathetic feature of the contemporary right.
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US Elections 2016 on 18:17 - Nov 10 with 2277 views
Simple honest question. More people voted for Clinton than Trump, how is that democratic?
In the same way 4m people voted for Ukip and they got 1 MP. No electoral system is perfect, and many aren't fair.
To be honest, I do agree that, given the way voting is structured for the Senate and Congress, I'm not sure why it's not simply a popular vote for the President. That has always baffled me.
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US Elections 2016 on 18:49 - Nov 10 with 2236 views
In the same way 4m people voted for Ukip and they got 1 MP. No electoral system is perfect, and many aren't fair.
To be honest, I do agree that, given the way voting is structured for the Senate and Congress, I'm not sure why it's not simply a popular vote for the President. That has always baffled me.
Like the last UK election, it is a complete travesty, the representation in Westminster is a total f*ck up of the views of the electorate. The majority of Americans voted for Clinton not Trump, no wonder the voters are hacked off with the system.
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US Elections 2016 on 19:13 - Nov 10 with 2211 views
There are many ways this plays out. Almost all with see a destabilising of Eastern Europe and the Far East, several options will result in wars, some could be very messy.
Of all the worries about Trump, mine is absolutely his threatened abandonment of the world policeman role. May all seem far fetched now....but so did a world war in the mid 30s.
Expect Latvia (historically part of of Rus) to come into play very soon. Ukraine could be annexed too. If either happen, what does the EU do if Trump has turned inward? If an EU member is attacked, aren't fellow members duty bound to protect them? And don't forget the mentalists leading Hungry and Poland. Both court Russia and bash the EU. Countries will have to pick sides or abstain and face the inevitable. And what about us? If we've left, the EU can't compete militarily. If we haven't, do we get involved still or apologise as we head for the exit?
In the Far East, how will Japan feel with an ever expansionist China flexing their muscles, with less protection from the US? Most of their troops have been pulled out now. How will South Korea react if the US step away from their protector role over there? North Korea up their nuclear testing....then what do South Korea so? Seek to defend themselves? You gave a classic arms race.
And this is ignoring Syria, Iraq, Israel/Palestine, and the whole mass of Middle East issues.
Very few of these situations end well. Several could impact the UK directly and indirectly in some ways. Some could see a lot of human destruction.
When historians piece the dots together in retrospect, it always seem so simple and obvious as to how something catastrophic occurred. At the time, most people view things in isolation and don't see it coming. Cause and Effect.
It doesn't mean any of the situations posed above will happen, but don't dismiss the distinct possibility of them. Significant political change normally results in bloodshed for mankind. Look back through history. Brexit, Trump...it all points to part of this wider upheaval.
God post. Food for thought and not exactly cheerful but valid all the same!
[Post edited 10 Nov 2016 19:14]
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
The only definite positive that I can see out of this election is that it is now a Republican administration across the board: President, Senate and House of Reps. It will clear the legislative log-jam that plagued Obama's presidency and hopefully will return a sense that Government is about actually doing things, rather than just stopping them.
The last time a government had a majority in both houses here in Oz, it gave them such a rush of blood to the head that they introduced legislation sufficiently extreme and unpopular to ensure they got the big heave-ho at the next election.
The only definite positive that I can see out of this election is that it is now a Republican administration across the board: President, Senate and House of Reps. It will clear the legislative log-jam that plagued Obama's presidency and hopefully will return a sense that Government is about actually doing things, rather than just stopping them.
The last time a government had a majority in both houses here in Oz, it gave them such a rush of blood to the head that they introduced legislation sufficiently extreme and unpopular to ensure they got the big heave-ho at the next election.
Isaw, I completely agree with you in principle that it's a good thing to clear that legislative logjam that hinders progress in the U.S. but just not at the moment that the President is a racist misogynist sex abuser and the Vice President favours 'curing' homosexuals. Two Supreme Court seats come up for grabs during this Presidency. Just imagine who these people, unhindered, will elect to decide U.S. law and rights over the next decades.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
US Elections 2016 on 23:37 - Nov 10 by BrianMcCarthy
Isaw, I completely agree with you in principle that it's a good thing to clear that legislative logjam that hinders progress in the U.S. but just not at the moment that the President is a racist misogynist sex abuser and the Vice President favours 'curing' homosexuals. Two Supreme Court seats come up for grabs during this Presidency. Just imagine who these people, unhindered, will elect to decide U.S. law and rights over the next decades.
Doesn't really bare thinking about. I'm going to go and effortlessly peel off a length of cling film and poach an egg.