Best Of
Re: Is Donald Trump’s problem that he’s too good at his job? – politicalbetting.com
OT - For he is Ozymandias King of Kings, look upon his works and despair.
Trump's issue is that he believes he was elected on immigration when he was actually mainly elected on the economy. So by going hard on immigration the issue died AND he damaged the economy. Allied with tarrifs it has taken a reviving economy and ruthlessly crushed those green shoots. The comparison with a 'Hard Brexit' is obvious.
Trump's issue is that he believes he was elected on immigration when he was actually mainly elected on the economy. So by going hard on immigration the issue died AND he damaged the economy. Allied with tarrifs it has taken a reviving economy and ruthlessly crushed those green shoots. The comparison with a 'Hard Brexit' is obvious.
Re: Is Donald Trump’s problem that he’s too good at his job? – politicalbetting.com
I think there is a case to be made that many who lambast Trump actually agree with what he says but daren't admit it to themselves and their friends.Of course that's true. Humans are complicated. We are not evolved to get stuff done by the patient process of the separation of powers, consultation, law making, giving rights to people we detest, supporting the useless and disadvantaged, compromise and so on.
It is an extremely fragile miracle. I am old enough that my father told me about how it felt in 1940 and 1941 when losing it all was a serious prospect. I shall never forget it.
Re: Is Donald Trump’s problem that he’s too good at his job? – politicalbetting.com
RIP Brigitte Bardot
Re: Is Donald Trump’s problem that he’s too good at his job? – politicalbetting.com
I hope Trump’s poor ratings are as much to do with disgust at his corruption and imbecilic behaviour as with the economy. Firstly because that would say something good about the American people. Secondly because if it's mainly about the economy it leaves open the chance of a bounceback. There's no way he's going to get less corrupt or become less of an imbecile. That's unidirectional and only going to get worse. The US economy, however, is a beast of awesome size, strength and resilience. I can easily imagine it picking up and motoring for a period under any president including this one.
kinabalu
7
Re: Starmer hits a new low – politicalbetting.com
I am a scientist, with a very science based education, but I would put that table the other way up.OTTOMH, I would rank the subjects thus in order of my respect for them:Good literature is invaluable in teaching us about the human condition, how we might live our lives and organise society. Telling each other stories has been utterly central to the social development of our species for thousands and possibly hundreds of thousands of years.It's not even facts. It's just stories people have written. It's a very weird niche of all the information available to us. It's not wrong that it should be studied, but weird that it gets the prominence it does. Media studies at least looks at HOW things are communicated.May I ask why?I find English Literature a more ridiculous subject than media studies. I was lucky enough that my school did not require it at GCSE and I sympathise with my daughters whise schools compel them to take it."The Death of English LiteratureThose who sneer at media studies should remember that English, when first introduced to universities, was seen as the media studies of its day. Novels were read for pleasure, or for women to discuss in their knitting circles, not the stuff of serious academic enquiry.
The rise and fall of my favourite subject
James Marriott"
https://jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-death-of-english-literature
Maths
Physics
Biology/Chemistry
Languages*
Art/Music
Anything vocational/technical/PE
Geography/Economics/Psychology
English Language
History/Politics/RE
English Literature
Sociology
I should add that I did a degree in geography and politics so this isn't some scientist looking down on everyone else.
*sadly almost useless nowadays with AI, but impressively hard
The arts, liberal arts and subjects like sociology have much more scope for intellectual growth through life. They are why we live.
Foxy
5
Re: Is Donald Trump’s problem that he’s too good at his job? – politicalbetting.com
Depends what you regard his job as, really.
I would suggest that the American public have different priorities (inflation, jobs) to Trump (corruption, self-aggrandisement, revenge) and this disconnect explains his unpopularity.
Trump has been very effective in achieving his priorities. They're just not the ones that will make him as popular as he wants to be.
I would suggest that the American public have different priorities (inflation, jobs) to Trump (corruption, self-aggrandisement, revenge) and this disconnect explains his unpopularity.
Trump has been very effective in achieving his priorities. They're just not the ones that will make him as popular as he wants to be.
Re: Is Donald Trump’s problem that he’s too good at his job? – politicalbetting.com
I, in turn, think it has been doing a terrible job (seen purely from a US viewpoint).I have no problem saying I think Trump’s government on the whole has been doing a remarkably good job. For sure there is still a lingering faux pas in saying you think so, wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the polls are off..As I was saying.And yet 4.3% year on year gdp growth in q3…Americans are tired of so much winning, as Trump predicted from the start.Americans tired of Trump winning at their literal expense, yes.
The USA’s long-term strategic interests are being undermined, by its own government. Tariffs are imposing higher prices, on US consumers and businesses. The rule of law is ignored by an administration, which functions as a kleptocracy.
Sean_F
10
Re: Starmer hits a new low – politicalbetting.com
I'm currently teaching kids whose parents were born this century.
Re: Starmer hits a new low – politicalbetting.com
That's disgraceful. We can't have the cabinet knowing things.Two that we know about.So, this is something we have done twice in roughly 30 years and the availability of Boris was an issue? Riiight. There are so many valid criticisms of the way that Boris ran his government I really don't know why people have to make up this kind of tosh.It's specifically the tapping of MPs, previously only the Prime Minister could authorise that.Really don't know what they are talking about. Under RIPA the authorised Secretaries of State are: The Home Secretary authorises warrants for the Security Service (MI5) and for law enforcement.‘Unavailable’ Boris Johnson forced MI6 to change how it spiesSurprised the home secretary wasn't always the first call.
The former prime minister was impossible to reach so often that intelligence agencies developed a new system for authorising the tapping of phones
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/unavailable-boris-johnson-forced-mi6-to-change-how-it-spies-zdt9tbjwl
The Foreign Secretary authorises warrants for the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) and GCHQ. The
Secretary of State for Defence authorises warrants for the armed forces. The Secretary of State for
Northern Ireland authorises warrants relating to Northern Ireland, and Scottish Ministers authorise
interception warrants for serious crime in Scotland.
I suspect that the PM probably can authorise such warrants but they are simply not the first port of call.
The resulting convention — that the security services would not intercept MPs’ phone calls or electronic communications other than in extraordinary circumstances — has survived until the present day.
Known exceptions include the installation of a bugging device in a car used to transport Gerry Adams, then a Sinn Fein MP, in 1999, and the recording of Sadiq Khan in 2006 when visiting an alleged terrorist in jail. Khan, the mayor of London, was an MP at the time and the prisoner was one of his constituents.
A decade ago, the rule was strengthened further, requiring MI5, MI6 and GCHQ to obtain a warrant approved by the prime minister in order to make an exception.
Now the doctrine has been updated again owing to the numerous occasions when, according to a newly released report, Boris Johnson “had not been available” for consultation as prime minister.
The updated guidance means one of five approved cabinet members can approve espionage involving members of the Commons when the prime minister is unable to do so.
It's part of a wider issue, that the rules are set up that the relevant minister will act competently, when the minister isn't up to it, the system kinda falls apart.
The issue is the Chinese and Russians have been targeting our MPs (and other elected officials) on a whole new level in recent years.
It has been reported that, during his time as foreign secretary in 2016-18, Johnson lost the confidence of spy chiefs when he “blurted out” classified information about a hostage in Syria during a cabinet meeting, and inadvertently disclosed details of the investigation into the 2013 murder of Lee Rigby, the soldier killed by Islamist terrorists in Woolwich, east London.
Re: Starmer hits a new low – politicalbetting.com
A cabinet meeting? He "blurted out" something to a cabinet meeting? That would be the highest civil authority in the governance of this country? This is just so ridiculous I don't know where to start.Two that we know about.So, this is something we have done twice in roughly 30 years and the availability of Boris was an issue? Riiight. There are so many valid criticisms of the way that Boris ran his government I really don't know why people have to make up this kind of tosh.It's specifically the tapping of MPs, previously only the Prime Minister could authorise that.Really don't know what they are talking about. Under RIPA the authorised Secretaries of State are: The Home Secretary authorises warrants for the Security Service (MI5) and for law enforcement.‘Unavailable’ Boris Johnson forced MI6 to change how it spiesSurprised the home secretary wasn't always the first call.
The former prime minister was impossible to reach so often that intelligence agencies developed a new system for authorising the tapping of phones
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/unavailable-boris-johnson-forced-mi6-to-change-how-it-spies-zdt9tbjwl
The Foreign Secretary authorises warrants for the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) and GCHQ. The
Secretary of State for Defence authorises warrants for the armed forces. The Secretary of State for
Northern Ireland authorises warrants relating to Northern Ireland, and Scottish Ministers authorise
interception warrants for serious crime in Scotland.
I suspect that the PM probably can authorise such warrants but they are simply not the first port of call.
The resulting convention — that the security services would not intercept MPs’ phone calls or electronic communications other than in extraordinary circumstances — has survived until the present day.
Known exceptions include the installation of a bugging device in a car used to transport Gerry Adams, then a Sinn Fein MP, in 1999, and the recording of Sadiq Khan in 2006 when visiting an alleged terrorist in jail. Khan, the mayor of London, was an MP at the time and the prisoner was one of his constituents.
A decade ago, the rule was strengthened further, requiring MI5, MI6 and GCHQ to obtain a warrant approved by the prime minister in order to make an exception.
Now the doctrine has been updated again owing to the numerous occasions when, according to a newly released report, Boris Johnson “had not been available” for consultation as prime minister.
The updated guidance means one of five approved cabinet members can approve espionage involving members of the Commons when the prime minister is unable to do so.
It's part of a wider issue, that the rules are set up that the relevant minister will act competently, when the minister isn't up to it, the system kinda falls apart.
The issue is the Chinese and Russians have been targeting our MPs (and other elected officials) on a whole new level in recent years.
It has been reported that, during his time as foreign secretary in 2016-18, Johnson lost the confidence of spy chiefs when he “blurted out” classified information about a hostage in Syria during a cabinet meeting, and inadvertently disclosed details of the investigation into the 2013 murder of Lee Rigby, the soldier killed by Islamist terrorists in Woolwich, east London.
DavidL
6