West Midlands L 48% C 33% NW L 53% C 31% Y&H L 54% C 27%
The Conservatives also well ahead in the South East and East, just 5% behind in the Northeast and also only 5% behind in London and up to 28% in Scotland
Which only highlights the weakness of Con vote distribution: piling up votes where you either don’t need them or can’t win, while shedding votes in the Red Wall.
No, there are plenty of seats in the South East the LDs are targeting which would stay Con on that poll. Redwall seats in the Northeast the Cons won in 2019 would also stay blue.
There would actually be a swing to the Conservatives in Scotland and London on this poll on 2019, likely in reaction to Sturgeon's and Khan's restrictions. So the Conservatives could even gain seats from the SNP and from Labour in London.
That would be enough to still give the Tories most seats, even if losses in the Midlands and the Northwest and Yorkshire saw them lose their majority
While losing seats in the South West, Midlands, Yorkshire, North West and Wales. So many in fact you’d be out of government.
Yet still with most seats and with Starmer reliant on a weakened SNP to become PM
Would that actually happen in practice? Starmer might be forced to rule out deals with the SNP during an election campaign. And the SNP and Labour have always hated each other north of the border.
And if it doesn't happen, what would? Con/LD again?
Con/SNP. Wouldn't put it past them.
I would prefer a Grand Coalition with Starmer Labour German style than any deal with the SNP
Agreed. The Union is all-important
If it comes to it, the UK parties must do a Scotland-only Coalition which completely ignores the SNP, and then revolves power back to Westminster, so that another referendum cannot be called for 30 years
Let this be a stipulation for allowing the SNP back into power. A generation = 30 years. The next indyref will be in 2044 at the earliest, and if that is lost, then 2074. No nation can be held hostage every parliament by some renegade province
Given Scottish life expectancy, isn't 30 years a bit harsh. There'll be hardly any Scots who voted in the 2014 referendum still alive in 2044.
West Midlands L 48% C 33% NW L 53% C 31% Y&H L 54% C 27%
The Conservatives also well ahead in the South East and East, just 5% behind in the Northeast and also only 5% behind in London and up to 28% in Scotland
Which only highlights the weakness of Con vote distribution: piling up votes where you either don’t need them or can’t win, while shedding votes in the Red Wall.
No, there are plenty of seats in the South East the LDs are targeting which would stay Con on that poll. Redwall seats in the Northeast the Cons won in 2019 would also stay blue.
There would actually be a swing to the Conservatives in Scotland and London on this poll on 2019, likely in reaction to Sturgeon's and Khan's restrictions. So the Conservatives could even gain seats from the SNP and from Labour in London.
That would be enough to still give the Tories most seats, even if losses in the Midlands and the Northwest and Yorkshire saw them lose their majority
While losing seats in the South West, Midlands, Yorkshire, North West and Wales. So many in fact you’d be out of government.
Yet still with most seats and with Starmer reliant on a weakened SNP to become PM
Would that actually happen in practice? Starmer might be forced to rule out deals with the SNP during an election campaign. And the SNP and Labour have always hated each other north of the border.
And if it doesn't happen, what would? Con/LD again?
Con/SNP. Wouldn't put it past them.
I would prefer a Grand Coalition with Starmer Labour German style than any deal with the SNP
Agreed. The Union is all-important
If it comes to it, the UK parties must do a Scotland-only Coalition which completely ignores the SNP, and then revolves power back to Westminster, so that another referendum cannot be called for 30 years
Let this be a stipulation for allowing the SNP back into power. A generation = 30 years. The next indyref will be in 2044 at the earliest, and if that is lost, then 2074. No nation can be held hostage every parliament by some renegade province
I cannot see how the SNP will get involved in any government in the UK - they want to leave.
I think there is a valid point that the next referendum needs to be framed in an actual "once in a generation" harness in the way that 2014 was not. Can't complain about the people of Scotland voting in record numbers to re-elect a 4th term SNP government pledged to a referendum when nothing formal stops that.
No. They had their vote in 2014. Enough now. They should have said YES if they wanted YES. They didn't
30 years minimum. A generation. Next vote in 2044. No other European country would tolerate this continuous, destabilising nonsense, indeed no other major country on earth
This will benefit Scots as they will look hard at the SNP, finally, and think: are they the best party to run Scotland with the very considerable autonomy we already have? Then they will likely get rid of these clearly corrupt SNP idiots. Maybe Alba will win, who knows
If the Scots don't like that, they are free to go the route of Ireland in the early 20th century, except with the knowledge that they - the Scots - were actually given a free democratic choice to leave the UK, which they decided not to choose, so let that hang on the heads of the violent
Remember that I don't support the SNP and campaigned against them in May. I'm not advocating independence - I am a federalist.
But - and it's a big but - despite HYUFD endlessly saying so there was no once in a generation restriction on the referendum. And there is now a clear democratic mandate for a rerun.
Saying "no" only increases the likelihood that when it eventually happens the vote is yes...
I completely disagree. The Scots had a wholly democratic vote to stay in or Leave the UK. They decided to stay in the UK. They must then abide by what the UK then decides, when it comes to the EU, trade, defence, whatever. If they wish a new referendum they must seek permission from the UK government in Westminster, which they voluntarily joined, as equal partners, in 1707, and in which they have complete representation, in the form of Scottish MPs (who might well hold the balance of power at the next GE)
That is democracy. No referendums on the partition of the UK until the UK, as a whole, agrees. Everything else is illegal secession
West Midlands L 48% C 33% NW L 53% C 31% Y&H L 54% C 27%
The Conservatives also well ahead in the South East and East, just 5% behind in the Northeast and also only 5% behind in London and up to 28% in Scotland
Which only highlights the weakness of Con vote distribution: piling up votes where you either don’t need them or can’t win, while shedding votes in the Red Wall.
No, there are plenty of seats in the South East the LDs are targeting which would stay Con on that poll. Redwall seats in the Northeast the Cons won in 2019 would also stay blue.
There would actually be a swing to the Conservatives in Scotland and London on this poll on 2019, likely in reaction to Sturgeon's and Khan's restrictions. So the Conservatives could even gain seats from the SNP and from Labour in London.
That would be enough to still give the Tories most seats, even if losses in the Midlands and the Northwest and Yorkshire saw them lose their majority
While losing seats in the South West, Midlands, Yorkshire, North West and Wales. So many in fact you’d be out of government.
Yet still with most seats and with Starmer reliant on a weakened SNP to become PM
Would that actually happen in practice? Starmer might be forced to rule out deals with the SNP during an election campaign. And the SNP and Labour have always hated each other north of the border.
And if it doesn't happen, what would? Con/LD again?
Con/SNP. Wouldn't put it past them.
I would prefer a Grand Coalition with Starmer Labour German style than any deal with the SNP
Agreed. The Union is all-important
If it comes to it, the UK parties must do a Scotland-only Coalition which completely ignores the SNP, and then revolves power back to Westminster, so that another referendum cannot be called for 30 years
Let this be a stipulation for allowing the SNP back into power. A generation = 30 years. The next indyref will be in 2044 at the earliest, and if that is lost, then 2074. No nation can be held hostage every parliament by some renegade province
I cannot see how the SNP will get involved in any government in the UK - they want to leave.
I think there is a valid point that the next referendum needs to be framed in an actual "once in a generation" harness in the way that 2014 was not. Can't complain about the people of Scotland voting in record numbers to re-elect a 4th term SNP government pledged to a referendum when nothing formal stops that.
No. They had their vote in 2014. Enough now. They should have said YES if they wanted YES. They didn't
30 years minimum. A generation. Next vote in 2044. No other European country would tolerate this continuous, destabilising nonsense, indeed no other major country on earth
This will benefit Scots as they will look hard at the SNP, finally, and think: are they the best party to run Scotland with the very considerable autonomy we already have? Then they will likely get rid of these clearly corrupt SNP idiots. Maybe Alba will win, who knows
If the Scots don't like that, they are free to go the route of Ireland in the early 20th century, except with the knowledge that they - the Scots - were actually given a free democratic choice to leave the UK, which they decided not to choose, so let that hang on the heads of the violent
Remember that I don't support the SNP and campaigned against them in May. I'm not advocating independence - I am a federalist.
But - and it's a big but - despite HYUFD endlessly saying so there was no once in a generation restriction on the referendum. And there is now a clear democratic mandate for a rerun.
Saying "no" only increases the likelihood that when it eventually happens the vote is yes...
I'm sure that there's a twerp on here arguing continually that the obstructiveness of Europhile elites not consulting UK voters over decades about ever closer union ensured a vote in favour of Brexit. Perhaps that's a context specific principle..
West Midlands L 48% C 33% NW L 53% C 31% Y&H L 54% C 27%
The Conservatives also well ahead in the South East and East, just 5% behind in the Northeast and also only 5% behind in London and up to 28% in Scotland
Which only highlights the weakness of Con vote distribution: piling up votes where you either don’t need them or can’t win, while shedding votes in the Red Wall.
No, there are plenty of seats in the South East the LDs are targeting which would stay Con on that poll. Redwall seats in the Northeast the Cons won in 2019 would also stay blue.
There would actually be a swing to the Conservatives in Scotland and London on this poll on 2019, likely in reaction to Sturgeon's and Khan's restrictions. So the Conservatives could even gain seats from the SNP and from Labour in London.
That would be enough to still give the Tories most seats, even if losses in the Midlands and the Northwest and Yorkshire saw them lose their majority
While losing seats in the South West, Midlands, Yorkshire, North West and Wales. So many in fact you’d be out of government.
Yet still with most seats and with Starmer reliant on a weakened SNP to become PM
Would that actually happen in practice? Starmer might be forced to rule out deals with the SNP during an election campaign. And the SNP and Labour have always hated each other north of the border.
And if it doesn't happen, what would? Con/LD again?
Con/SNP. Wouldn't put it past them.
I would prefer a Grand Coalition with Starmer Labour German style than any deal with the SNP
Agreed. The Union is all-important
If it comes to it, the UK parties must do a Scotland-only Coalition which completely ignores the SNP, and then revolves power back to Westminster, so that another referendum cannot be called for 30 years
Let this be a stipulation for allowing the SNP back into power. A generation = 30 years. The next indyref will be in 2044 at the earliest, and if that is lost, then 2074. No nation can be held hostage every parliament by some renegade province
I cannot see how the SNP will get involved in any government in the UK - they want to leave.
I think there is a valid point that the next referendum needs to be framed in an actual "once in a generation" harness in the way that 2014 was not. Can't complain about the people of Scotland voting in record numbers to re-elect a 4th term SNP government pledged to a referendum when nothing formal stops that.
No. They had their vote in 2014. Enough now. They should have said YES if they wanted YES. They didn't
30 years minimum. A generation. Next vote in 2044. No other European country would tolerate this continuous, destabilising nonsense, indeed no other major country on earth
This will benefit Scots as they will look hard at the SNP, finally, and think: are they the best party to run Scotland with the very considerable autonomy we already have? Then they will likely get rid of these clearly corrupt SNP idiots. Maybe Alba will win, who knows
If the Scots don't like that, they are free to go the route of Ireland in the early 20th century, except with the knowledge that they - the Scots - were actually given a free democratic choice to leave the UK, which they decided not to choose, so let that hang on the heads of the violent
Likely get rid of of the SNP?
Nah. There is a significant chunk of SNP support which sees them as an effective champion for Scotland , agitating for more cash/deference/whatever. They give off an air of ruthless political competence - dispatched Salmond with ease, in the end - particularly compared with the Tories.
Bastards, but our bastards. And, weirdly, as long as a referendum is well in the distance (even 2044), people won't have second thoughts even if they think indy is a silly idea.
The main risk is losing too much of middle Scotland and getting too central Ed/Glasgow. Moray/Aberdeenshire etc are slowly slipping away, long term, and the broad coalition of nationalist white van man, uni students, EU citizens, the entire public sector, academics, nicola-adoration and outright anglo-phobes could collapse.
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
West Midlands L 48% C 33% NW L 53% C 31% Y&H L 54% C 27%
The Conservatives also well ahead in the South East and East, just 5% behind in the Northeast and also only 5% behind in London and up to 28% in Scotland
Which only highlights the weakness of Con vote distribution: piling up votes where you either don’t need them or can’t win, while shedding votes in the Red Wall.
No, there are plenty of seats in the South East the LDs are targeting which would stay Con on that poll. Redwall seats in the Northeast the Cons won in 2019 would also stay blue.
There would actually be a swing to the Conservatives in Scotland and London on this poll on 2019, likely in reaction to Sturgeon's and Khan's restrictions. So the Conservatives could even gain seats from the SNP and from Labour in London.
That would be enough to still give the Tories most seats, even if losses in the Midlands and the Northwest and Yorkshire saw them lose their majority
While losing seats in the South West, Midlands, Yorkshire, North West and Wales. So many in fact you’d be out of government.
Yet still with most seats and with Starmer reliant on a weakened SNP to become PM
Would that actually happen in practice? Starmer might be forced to rule out deals with the SNP during an election campaign. And the SNP and Labour have always hated each other north of the border.
And if it doesn't happen, what would? Con/LD again?
Con/SNP. Wouldn't put it past them.
I would prefer a Grand Coalition with Starmer Labour German style than any deal with the SNP
Agreed. The Union is all-important
If it comes to it, the UK parties must do a Scotland-only Coalition which completely ignores the SNP, and then revolves power back to Westminster, so that another referendum cannot be called for 30 years
Let this be a stipulation for allowing the SNP back into power. A generation = 30 years. The next indyref will be in 2044 at the earliest, and if that is lost, then 2074. No nation can be held hostage every parliament by some renegade province
I cannot see how the SNP will get involved in any government in the UK - they want to leave.
I think there is a valid point that the next referendum needs to be framed in an actual "once in a generation" harness in the way that 2014 was not. Can't complain about the people of Scotland voting in record numbers to re-elect a 4th term SNP government pledged to a referendum when nothing formal stops that.
No. They had their vote in 2014. Enough now. They should have said YES if they wanted YES. They didn't
30 years minimum. A generation. Next vote in 2044. No other European country would tolerate this continuous, destabilising nonsense, indeed no other major country on earth
This will benefit Scots as they will look hard at the SNP, finally, and think: are they the best party to run Scotland with the very considerable autonomy we already have? Then they will likely get rid of these clearly corrupt SNP idiots. Maybe Alba will win, who knows
If the Scots don't like that, they are free to go the route of Ireland in the early 20th century, except with the knowledge that they - the Scots - were actually given a free democratic choice to leave the UK, which they decided not to choose, so let that hang on the heads of the violent
Remember that I don't support the SNP and campaigned against them in May. I'm not advocating independence - I am a federalist.
But - and it's a big but - despite HYUFD endlessly saying so there was no once in a generation restriction on the referendum. And there is now a clear democratic mandate for a rerun.
Saying "no" only increases the likelihood that when it eventually happens the vote is yes...
I completely disagree. The Scots had a wholly democratic vote to stay in or Leave the UK. They decided to stay in the UK. They must then abide by what the UK then decides, when it comes to the EU, trade, defence, whatever. If they wish a new referendum they must seek permission from the UK government in Westminster, which they voluntarily joined, as equal partners, in 1707, and in which they have complete representation, in the form of Scottish MPs (who might well hold the balance of power at the next GE)
That is democracy. No referendums on the partition of the UK until the UK, as a whole, agrees. Everything else is illegal secession
And I agree with that. If you allow a vote every X years then one will go the way of independence, simply because the economy, etc, is not good at that particular time. The problem is then that a few years later, after the consequencies are fully appreciated, another vote would be deemed "inappropriate" if Brexit is anything to go by. So it should be down to the UK Government to decide the timing and wording of any future independence referendum, not the SNP (and that should mean loading the dice in the favour of the outcome the UK Government prefers).
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
I heard from a friend on the Civil Service horizon scanning team. (Tasked to watch out for problems a Scottish generation or so ahead), that every time they war gamed any scenario of pretty much anything happening in any depth anywhere, they kept running into US Civil War. Looks grim. And sad to say, it's got worse in the past year, as we come to the anniversary of Insurrection Day.
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
West Midlands L 48% C 33% NW L 53% C 31% Y&H L 54% C 27%
The Conservatives also well ahead in the South East and East, just 5% behind in the Northeast and also only 5% behind in London and up to 28% in Scotland
Which only highlights the weakness of Con vote distribution: piling up votes where you either don’t need them or can’t win, while shedding votes in the Red Wall.
No, there are plenty of seats in the South East the LDs are targeting which would stay Con on that poll. Redwall seats in the Northeast the Cons won in 2019 would also stay blue.
There would actually be a swing to the Conservatives in Scotland and London on this poll on 2019, likely in reaction to Sturgeon's and Khan's restrictions. So the Conservatives could even gain seats from the SNP and from Labour in London.
That would be enough to still give the Tories most seats, even if losses in the Midlands and the Northwest and Yorkshire saw them lose their majority
While losing seats in the South West, Midlands, Yorkshire, North West and Wales. So many in fact you’d be out of government.
Yet still with most seats and with Starmer reliant on a weakened SNP to become PM
Would that actually happen in practice? Starmer might be forced to rule out deals with the SNP during an election campaign. And the SNP and Labour have always hated each other north of the border.
And if it doesn't happen, what would? Con/LD again?
Con/LD and even Con/LD/DUP would still have less seats than Labour/SNP on this poll but not less votes. Although the Conservatives would still be narrowly largest party on seats
Yes that's true - I was speculating more generally about a hung Parliament in which many options lead to a possible government.
I suppose a grand coalition on the German model is unthinkable.
Maybe a new election within a few months is the likeliest? Boris stays in No 10 because no alternatives are possible, there is a VoNC, then another election?
How could Boris credibly do that having lost the election? Surely he'd need to be replaced?
I think the convention is that the PM stays until an alternative commands a majority in the Commons, which was how Brown clung on as long as he did in 2010.
Which wasn't that long. Certainly not long enough for a new election. However. My point was. The Tories would be faced with a new election with a leader who had just lost more than 50 seats. That couldn't be credible, could it?
I think it could as long as he's still in No.10. Of course once he left he would be got rid of pretty sharp, at any rate if there were a reasonable alternative.
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
The problem is. The Armed Forces are sworn to defend the Constitution. The High Command made it clear they would last time. But what if State Legislatures set aside a democratic vote, and pledge for a Republican even if their voters haven't? Which many want to? Perfectly Constitutional. Entirely undemocratic. We could easily see the military as split as the rest of the nation.
Never mind tape measures, or the fact Boris even has his own personal camera crew, but look at the picture. He's not messed up his hair. The suit does not look like he grabbed the wrong jacket. A one-off, or a deliberately fostered new image?
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
Biden is a demented old puppet. It is the mad Woke lefty fascists around him who are, to me, now an equal threat to liberal democracy as the extreme Republicans, if not worse
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Never mind tape measures, or the fact Boris even has his own personal camera crew, but look at the picture. He's not messed up his hair. The suit does not look like he grabbed the wrong jacket. A one-off, or a deliberately fostered new image?
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
Biden is a demented old puppet. It is the mad Woke lefty fascists around him who are, to me, now an equal threat to liberal democracy as the extreme Republicans, if not worse
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Goodnight, PB
Agree with all that (Cheney is setting herself up for that role) - just think you exaggerate the threat of the left (it's like being concerned about the NUS or something).
The right literally staged an invasion of Congress and people were killed. As Dixie points out above, there isn't much the military or the constitution can do to prevent another attempt at a coup. Eeeek!
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
Biden is a demented old puppet. It is the mad Woke lefty fascists around him who are, to me, now an equal threat to liberal democracy as the extreme Republicans, if not worse
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Never mind tape measures, or the fact Boris even has his own personal camera crew, but look at the picture. He's not messed up his hair. The suit does not look like he grabbed the wrong jacket. A one-off, or a deliberately fostered new image?
It's from Christmas 2020.
LOL. Not a new image then! Not step one in his fightback!
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
Biden is a demented old puppet. It is the mad Woke lefty fascists around him who are, to me, now an equal threat to liberal democracy as the extreme Republicans, if not worse
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Goodnight, PB
Agree with all that (Cheney is setting herself up for that role) - just think you exaggerate the threat of the left (it's like being concerned about the NUS or something).
The right literally staged an invasion of Congress and people were killed. As Dixie points out above, there isn't much the military or the constitution can do to prevent another attempt at a coup. Eeeek!
This is, of course, completely correct. What terrible things has Biden actually done? What terrible things did Obama do?
Of course, you might (justifiably) argue that they were poor (or perhaps disappointing would be a better description) managers. But they did not attack the structure of American democracy. That Biden has left the Supreme Court well alone is highly encouraging from that perspective.
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
Biden is a demented old puppet. It is the mad Woke lefty fascists around him who are, to me, now an equal threat to liberal democracy as the extreme Republicans, if not worse
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Goodnight, PB
Agree with all that (Cheney is setting herself up for that role) - just think you exaggerate the threat of the left (it's like being concerned about the NUS or something).
The right literally staged an invasion of Congress and people were killed. As Dixie points out above, there isn't much the military or the constitution can do to prevent another attempt at a coup. Eeeek!
The Remainers in Britain literally staged a coup (failed, thank fuck) where they tried to overturn the biggest democratic vote in UK history. Via the courts, or a 2nd vote, or Revoke. This anti-democratic shit is not reserved to the US Right. And it is gonna grow
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
Biden is a demented old puppet. It is the mad Woke lefty fascists around him who are, to me, now an equal threat to liberal democracy as the extreme Republicans, if not worse
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Goodnight, PB
Agree with all that (Cheney is setting herself up for that role) - just think you exaggerate the threat of the left (it's like being concerned about the NUS or something).
The right literally staged an invasion of Congress and people were killed. As Dixie points out above, there isn't much the military or the constitution can do to prevent another attempt at a coup. Eeeek!
The Remainers in Britain literally staged a coup (failed, thank fuck) where they tried to overturn the biggest democratic vote in UK history. Via the courts, or a 2nd vote, or Revoke. This anti-democratic shit is not reserved to the US Right. And it is gonna grow
Interesting, this is clearly some new meaning of the word "literally" that I was previously unaware of.
Their actions were despicable, but they did not constitute a coup.
Having re-read the Scientific American article, I have decided that clearly integration is racist, because it doesn't fully consider the lived experiences of differing elements between the limits....
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
Biden is a demented old puppet. It is the mad Woke lefty fascists around him who are, to me, now an equal threat to liberal democracy as the extreme Republicans, if not worse
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Goodnight, PB
Agree with all that (Cheney is setting herself up for that role) - just think you exaggerate the threat of the left (it's like being concerned about the NUS or something).
The right literally staged an invasion of Congress and people were killed. As Dixie points out above, there isn't much the military or the constitution can do to prevent another attempt at a coup. Eeeek!
The Remainers in Britain literally staged a coup (failed, thank fuck) where they tried to overturn the biggest democratic vote in UK history. Via the courts, or a 2nd vote, or Revoke. This anti-democratic shit is not reserved to the US Right. And it is gonna grow
Interesting, this is clearly some new meaning of the word "literally" that I was previously unaware of.
Their actions were despicable, but they did not constitute a coup.
Years ago, I concluded, sadly, that the Scientific American was not to be trusted on some subjects, race being one of them. Which is unfortunate. (I had subscribed to the magazine for a number of years, so giving it up because of that failing was a bit like losing an old friend, who was no longer to be trusted on some subjects.)
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
I heard from a friend on the Civil Service horizon scanning team. (Tasked to watch out for problems a Scottish generation or so ahead), that every time they war gamed any scenario of pretty much anything happening in any depth anywhere, they kept running into US Civil War. Looks grim. And sad to say, it's got worse in the past year, as we come to the anniversary of Insurrection Day.
I always have a funny thought when a new US Civil War gets mentioned - I am imagining the build-up to it, with one side arguing about the precise gender and racial imbalance of their army, while the other is stockpiling ammunition for their many guns.
Wouldn't it be simpler for America to simply split in two (or three)?
I think the problem with Americans is their inability to laugh at themselves in a Morecambe and Wise / Allo Allo / Monty Python sort of way, where everyone says to themselves and each other something like: "The whole of life is a bit of a joke anyway, so there's no point in being so antagonistic towards people who don't share our political views". I think most people in the UK ultimately do think like that, which is a good thing because it means people can more easily get along with those whose views they don't necessarily agree with.
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
I heard from a friend on the Civil Service horizon scanning team. (Tasked to watch out for problems a Scottish generation or so ahead), that every time they war gamed any scenario of pretty much anything happening in any depth anywhere, they kept running into US Civil War. Looks grim. And sad to say, it's got worse in the past year, as we come to the anniversary of Insurrection Day.
I always have a funny thought when a new US Civil War gets mentioned - I am imagining the build-up to it, with one side arguing about the precise gender and racial imbalance of their army, while the other is stockpiling ammunition for their many guns.
Or the one side refusing to use any tanks or airplanes which use carbon fuels ...
The wealthy and powerful in America are broadly unwilling to pay the taxes, invest in the public services, or create the avenues for vertical mobility that would lessen their country’s economic, educational, racial and geographic gaps. The more an under-resourced government can’t solve everyday problems, the more people give up on it, and the more they turn to their own resources and their narrow identity groups for safety.
West Midlands L 48% C 33% NW L 53% C 31% Y&H L 54% C 27%
The Conservatives also well ahead in the South East and East, just 5% behind in the Northeast and also only 5% behind in London and up to 28% in Scotland
Which only highlights the weakness of Con vote distribution: piling up votes where you either don’t need them or can’t win, while shedding votes in the Red Wall.
No, there are plenty of seats in the South East the LDs are targeting which would stay Con on that poll. Redwall seats in the Northeast the Cons won in 2019 would also stay blue.
There would actually be a swing to the Conservatives in Scotland and London on this poll on 2019, likely in reaction to Sturgeon's and Khan's restrictions. So the Conservatives could even gain seats from the SNP and from Labour in London.
That would be enough to still give the Tories most seats, even if losses in the Midlands and the Northwest and Yorkshire saw them lose their majority
While losing seats in the South West, Midlands, Yorkshire, North West and Wales. So many in fact you’d be out of government.
Yet still with most seats and with Starmer reliant on a weakened SNP to become PM
Would that actually happen in practice? Starmer might be forced to rule out deals with the SNP during an election campaign. And the SNP and Labour have always hated each other north of the border.
And if it doesn't happen, what would? Con/LD again?
Con/SNP. Wouldn't put it past them.
I would prefer a Grand Coalition with Starmer Labour German style than any deal with the SNP
Agreed. The Union is all-important
If it comes to it, the UK parties must do a Scotland-only Coalition which completely ignores the SNP, and then revolves power back to Westminster, so that another referendum cannot be called for 30 years
Let this be a stipulation for allowing the SNP back into power. A generation = 30 years. The next indyref will be in 2044 at the earliest, and if that is lost, then 2074. No nation can be held hostage every parliament by some renegade province
I cannot see how the SNP will get involved in any government in the UK - they want to leave.
I think there is a valid point that the next referendum needs to be framed in an actual "once in a generation" harness in the way that 2014 was not. Can't complain about the people of Scotland voting in record numbers to re-elect a 4th term SNP government pledged to a referendum when nothing formal stops that.
No. They had their vote in 2014. Enough now. They should have said YES if they wanted YES. They didn't
30 years minimum. A generation. Next vote in 2044. No other European country would tolerate this continuous, destabilising nonsense, indeed no other major country on earth
This will benefit Scots as they will look hard at the SNP, finally, and think: are they the best party to run Scotland with the very considerable autonomy we already have? Then they will likely get rid of these clearly corrupt SNP idiots. Maybe Alba will win, who knows
If the Scots don't like that, they are free to go the route of Ireland in the early 20th century, except with the knowledge that they - the Scots - were actually given a free democratic choice to leave the UK, which they decided not to choose, so let that hang on the heads of the violent
Remember that I don't support the SNP and campaigned against them in May. I'm not advocating independence - I am a federalist.
But - and it's a big but - despite HYUFD endlessly saying so there was no once in a generation restriction on the referendum. And there is now a clear democratic mandate for a rerun.
Saying "no" only increases the likelihood that when it eventually happens the vote is yes...
I completely disagree. The Scots had a wholly democratic vote to stay in or Leave the UK. They decided to stay in the UK. They must then abide by what the UK then decides, when it comes to the EU, trade, defence, whatever. If they wish a new referendum they must seek permission from the UK government in Westminster, which they voluntarily joined, as equal partners, in 1707, and in which they have complete representation, in the form of Scottish MPs (who might well hold the balance of power at the next GE)
That is democracy. No referendums on the partition of the UK until the UK, as a whole, agrees. Everything else is illegal secession
Yes, "they must seek permission from the UK government" is literally the only route. You and I can disagree on whether the UK government should consider it, but we don't disagree on the route forward
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
Don't Look Up was beautifully positioned high satire. Trumpers have denied their senses on two issues now: that there is a Pandemic, that there was a Coup.
It isn't the fault of the filmmakers that some Trumpers are "racist white thickos". The line about if you believe in the comet they're going to take our guns" was deployed about believing in the virus.
You can't placate stupid. I don't believe that 64m are like that - even Trump has had the vaccine. But enough do now think the virus is a libtard conspiracy, that the election was rigged etc etc to make the film deeply funny.
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
Biden is a demented old puppet. It is the mad Woke lefty fascists around him who are, to me, now an equal threat to liberal democracy as the extreme Republicans, if not worse
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Goodnight, PB
Agree with all that (Cheney is setting herself up for that role) - just think you exaggerate the threat of the left (it's like being concerned about the NUS or something).
The right literally staged an invasion of Congress and people were killed. As Dixie points out above, there isn't much the military or the constitution can do to prevent another attempt at a coup. Eeeek!
This is, of course, completely correct. What terrible things has Biden actually done? What terrible things did Obama do?
Of course, you might (justifiably) argue that they were poor (or perhaps disappointing would be a better description) managers. But they did not attack the structure of American democracy. That Biden has left the Supreme Court well alone is highly encouraging from that perspective.
He hasn't left it alone, though?
Also, what exactly did Trump do wrong in nominating Kavanaugh?
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
Biden is a demented old puppet. It is the mad Woke lefty fascists around him who are, to me, now an equal threat to liberal democracy as the extreme Republicans, if not worse
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Goodnight, PB
Agree with all that (Cheney is setting herself up for that role) - just think you exaggerate the threat of the left (it's like being concerned about the NUS or something).
The right literally staged an invasion of Congress and people were killed. As Dixie points out above, there isn't much the military or the constitution can do to prevent another attempt at a coup. Eeeek!
The Remainers in Britain literally staged a coup (failed, thank fuck) where they tried to overturn the biggest democratic vote in UK history. Via the courts, or a 2nd vote, or Revoke. This anti-democratic shit is not reserved to the US Right. And it is gonna grow
Interesting, this is clearly some new meaning of the word "literally" that I was previously unaware of.
Their actions were despicable, but they did not constitute a coup.
Just so we're clear, which "remainers" and which actions were despicable? The people who voted in 2017 not for a majority Tory government or the MPs elected in 2017 not bound by the 2015 parliament?
The 2017 parliament was an absolute waste of time. But in no way can basic principles like democracy and parliamentary supremacy be considered "despicable".
We've also had, in December 2020, one of the more established online dictionaries changing the definition of "court packing" to suit the narrative at the time.
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
Biden is a demented old puppet. It is the mad Woke lefty fascists around him who are, to me, now an equal threat to liberal democracy as the extreme Republicans, if not worse
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Goodnight, PB
Agree with all that (Cheney is setting herself up for that role) - just think you exaggerate the threat of the left (it's like being concerned about the NUS or something).
The right literally staged an invasion of Congress and people were killed. As Dixie points out above, there isn't much the military or the constitution can do to prevent another attempt at a coup. Eeeek!
This is, of course, completely correct. What terrible things has Biden actually done? What terrible things did Obama do?
Of course, you might (justifiably) argue that they were poor (or perhaps disappointing would be a better description) managers. But they did not attack the structure of American democracy. That Biden has left the Supreme Court well alone is highly encouraging from that perspective.
He hasn't left it alone, though?
Also, what exactly did Trump do wrong in nominating Kavanaugh?
Does it matter? "America" is completely opposing things to different groups. It's no longer possible to appoint anyone to the SC - or apparently a school board - without the other side going crazy because they disagree on so much.
The more I think about the movie Don't Look Up, the more I believe this is true. America might descend into civil war
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
You always go for the group that won't destroy your democracy. That way you can change your mind.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
Biden is a demented old puppet. It is the mad Woke lefty fascists around him who are, to me, now an equal threat to liberal democracy as the extreme Republicans, if not worse
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Goodnight, PB
Agree with all that (Cheney is setting herself up for that role) - just think you exaggerate the threat of the left (it's like being concerned about the NUS or something).
The right literally staged an invasion of Congress and people were killed. As Dixie points out above, there isn't much the military or the constitution can do to prevent another attempt at a coup. Eeeek!
This is, of course, completely correct. What terrible things has Biden actually done? What terrible things did Obama do?
Of course, you might (justifiably) argue that they were poor (or perhaps disappointing would be a better description) managers. But they did not attack the structure of American democracy. That Biden has left the Supreme Court well alone is highly encouraging from that perspective.
He hasn't left it alone, though?
Also, what exactly did Trump do wrong in nominating Kavanaugh?
Does it matter? "America" is completely opposing things to different groups. It's no longer possible to appoint anyone to the SC - or apparently a school board - without the other side going crazy because they disagree on so much.
Does it matter?
Yes, because its faith in shared institutions that helps make a country a country.
Yes, because we don't change definitions on the whim of whichever political story is in the news at the time.
Yes, because we don't pretend up is down and that the sky is always falling in.
Comments
That is democracy. No referendums on the partition of the UK until the UK, as a whole, agrees. Everything else is illegal secession
Nah. There is a significant chunk of SNP support which sees them as an effective champion for Scotland , agitating for more cash/deference/whatever. They give off an air of ruthless political competence - dispatched Salmond with ease, in the end - particularly compared with the Tories.
Bastards, but our bastards. And, weirdly, as long as a referendum is well in the distance (even 2044), people won't have second thoughts even if they think indy is a silly idea.
The main risk is losing too much of middle Scotland and getting too central Ed/Glasgow. Moray/Aberdeenshire etc are slowly slipping away, long term, and the broad coalition of nationalist white van man, uni students, EU citizens, the entire public sector, academics, nicola-adoration and outright anglo-phobes could collapse.
Think about it. Hollywood, always a baston of liberal values but also a cradle of American culture - often critical but nearly always patriotic, in the end - decided that one of its biggest films of the last two years - during a pandemic which has killed one million Americans - with an insanely high profile cast - should be a crude, vulgar, offensive satire of the 60 MILLION Americans who voted for Trump, depicting them as racist, white thickos, yet again
That the film was also funny, clever, and in parts intellectual, will not have helped. It will hinder. This cannot be dismissed as agitprop, this is Hollywood, all of witty Hollywood, saying half of America is a bunch of idiot Nazis who want the world to burn
Imagine if you are a thoughtful swing voter in Wyoming or Illinois or Florida, a voter who eventually thought Trump - for all his many sins - was the better choice than the demented Biden led by the Woke Gestapo- and you sit down and watch this movie. You would surely be enraged. I would be. And you will be further polarised
The Left is declaring war on the Right, and the Right is responding. Or vice versa. Take your pick.
And how many would plump for the Woke anti-white anti-science anti-hetero insane racist Left over the ludicrously vulgar and autocratic xenophobic racist Trump? It is a genuinely hard choice. From which choice might a reasonable America finally emerge, or indeed any America?
Looks grim. And sad to say, it's got worse in the past year, as we come to the anniversary of Insurrection Day.
Biden, to his credit, hadn't tried to stack the Supreme Court or anything stupid like that. So you have no choice really.
(I too thought the film was problematic - at the end of the day, we will likely depend on the un-woke in heavy industry and the Armed Forces to save us from an existential crisis).
But what if State Legislatures set aside a democratic vote, and pledge for a Republican even if their voters haven't? Which many want to?
Perfectly Constitutional. Entirely undemocratic.
We could easily see the military as split as the rest of the nation.
The best hope for America is, as I have said for a while, the sad untimely death of Trump (oh dear, what a shame) then the elevation of a reasonable right wing Republican candidate who will chase the crazier Woke Democrats out of power for two decades, but forcibly slap down the hideous Nazi supremacists in the GOP. And then some equilibrium might be found in the Culture Wars, or, God willing, there might even be a peace?
The West needs a sane and powerful America; because we all face China
Goodnight, PB
The right literally staged an invasion of Congress and people were killed. As Dixie points out above, there isn't much the military or the constitution can do to prevent another attempt at a coup. Eeeek!
Of course, you might (justifiably) argue that they were poor (or perhaps disappointing would be a better description) managers. But they did not attack the structure of American democracy. That Biden has left the Supreme Court well alone is highly encouraging from that perspective.
Sounds like a bit of a "split the difference" verdict. What do we reckon? Six years, out in four?
Their actions were despicable, but they did not constitute a coup.
The wealthy and powerful in America are broadly unwilling to pay the taxes, invest in the public services, or create the avenues for vertical mobility that would lessen their country’s economic, educational, racial and geographic gaps. The more an under-resourced government can’t solve everyday problems, the more people give up on it, and the more they turn to their own resources and their narrow identity groups for safety.
It isn't the fault of the filmmakers that some Trumpers are "racist white thickos". The line about if you believe in the comet they're going to take our guns" was deployed about believing in the virus.
You can't placate stupid. I don't believe that 64m are like that - even Trump has had the vaccine. But enough do now think the virus is a libtard conspiracy, that the election was rigged etc etc to make the film deeply funny.
America is fucked. Not the fault of the film.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2021/04/15/social-media-debate-to-pack-or-not-to-pack-the-supreme-court/?sh=ad5f42b3d92d
OK, pack the court vs stack the court. Potato, maris piper.
Also, what exactly did Trump do wrong in nominating Kavanaugh?
The 2017 parliament was an absolute waste of time. But in no way can basic principles like democracy and parliamentary supremacy be considered "despicable".
Before: https://web.archive.org/web/20201101083230/https:/www.dictionary.com/browse/court-packing
After:
https://web.archive.org/web/20201201190055/https:/www.dictionary.com/browse/court-packing
The normal, standard, routine process of getting elected, then nominating candidates as required, is not 'stacking the supreme court'.
Well, it is, if you change the dictionary definition ...
Yes, because its faith in shared institutions that helps make a country a country.
Yes, because we don't change definitions on the whim of whichever political story is in the news at the time.
Yes, because we don't pretend up is down and that the sky is always falling in.
This "quirky silliness" is published in mainstream evo psych journals. This isn't fringe.