It's just not realistic to think spending cuts are going to pay for a big increase in defence spending. Labour should of course do what they can that is sensible on benefits, but realistically we need to borrow a lot of money if we want to rearm. The Germans I think announced 500bn euro of borrowing?
Anonymous @YourAnonCentral Trump ordered the dismantling of the landing platform at Rzeszow airbase in Poland, the US has broken down warehouses and torn apart slabs of concrete on the runway to prevent further aid transports to Ukraine. Trump has no intention of resuming US aid to Ukraine. #StandWithUkraine
He's a Russian asset. The evidence is there for all to see. He's hiding in plain site. Anyone who believes to the contrary after the events of the last fortnight is deluding themselves.
Starmer needs to stop pussying around and grow a pair. There is a military alignment between the US and Russia, NATO as we knew it is dead. We need to be at 5% of GDP on defence spending by the end of 2025, and so do all of our allies. Russia with Trump's backing is an existential threat to Continental Europe.
If Trump and Milei go for the Falklands as a staging post for the mineral wealth of the South Atlantic region, so be it. Trump is in no hurry. Greenland first, then the Suez Canal, then Canada, then Mexico, so the Falklands can wait.
And what of Trump's proposed meeting with Xi and Putin. This is the stuff of James Bond , or rather Austin Powers.
He's not a Russian asset, he just enjoys being as awkward, obnoxious and unpredictable as possible.
There are clarion voices from the intelligence community who have reluctantly reached the opinion that he has been in the control of the Soviet Union and Russia since 1987.
Funny you say that.
A backbench Tory MP, Graham Stuart, tweeted along similar lines a week or so ago.
I thought it conspiracy stuff to start but how do you reconcile his positioning on Ukraine rationally assuming he isn’t. Putin is the aggressor. At the start of the war the Russians offered safe corridors for the Ukrainians to leave and bombed them. They abducted children.
Musk: The waste and fraud in entitlement spending— Most of the federal spending is entitlements.. that’s the big one to eliminate… That is also the mechanism by which the Democrats attract and retain illegal immigrants..
He's right that that's where most government spending.
He's wrong about there being lots of fraud there, not least because this has been an area where successive governments have been keen to crack down. (Reagan era "welfare queens" being a classic example.)
The question I want to know is this:
Is Musk just dumb (ie, he doesn't really know about government spending), or is he actively malignant?
Until recently I'd have gone with (1), but am now veering towards (2).
It’s 2 although he and his supporters see it is necessary rather than malignant.
Bessent and Trump also want to reduce the debt and the deficit.
The way they are going about it, break everything and see what happens, seems bizarre.
Trump is America's Pol Pot. Taking Government back to Year Zero.
As we all now, annoying the Bond Market is very dangerous. I thought the fall out would come in the Summer. I think the instability in the market may have already begun.
It's just not realistic to think spending cuts are going to pay for a big increase in defence spending. Labour should of course do what they can that is sensible on benefits, but realistically we need to borrow a lot of money if we want to rearm. The Germans I think announced 500bn euro of borrowing?
We could take the Russian approach: rather than build expensive kit, just send those who are a burden on the state forward to the front as meat waves.
Problem solved.
Dad's Army, but on the front line rather than as a Home Guard?😁
Heard Nathan Vance on PM this evening. A cousin of the VP, he has been fighting for Ukraine in recent years. Not only is the wrong Vance in the White House, it also reminded me that there are many, many Americans who are decent, moderate people that we have so much in common with. No matter how much Trump pisses us off, and he will, we need to remember that.
Yes I heard it. Quite life affirming. When I see the figures for Farage I have to remind myself that there are at least four times as many who loathe the nasty little man
Can't you link to Bsky or something? Us Centrist Dads like stuff that works
I recently got rid of Twitter and got Bsky... It's a tad empty, I've found.
Based on minimal experience with Blue Sky, the overall numbers (subscribers to big accounts etc) are way lower, but engagement appears far likelier with actual humans as opposed to the bots that 'like' a lot of tweets nowadays.
If Trump and Milei go for the Falklands as a staging post for the mineral wealth of the South Atlantic region, so be it. Trump is in no hurry. Greenland first, then the Suez Canal, then Canada, then Mexico, so the Falklands can wait.
I don't think that absolute throbber Milei has much interest in the FI now. However, if/when Argentina endures one of its periodic economic collapses he might suddenly get interested to provide a distraction. Musk/DJT would definitely be on board for the project.
Can't you link to Bsky or something? Us Centrist Dads like stuff that works
I recently got rid of Twitter and got Bsky... It's a tad empty, I've found.
The difference between Bsky and Twitter, Instagram etc is there's no algorithm pushing content. What you see on your timeline is what you choose to see, which you control by following people. You probably need to follow a hundred or so people to get an interesting timeline. You can load starter packs of people to follow according to interest.
I think you'll find this will be as difficult as getting rid of Triple Lock. There is a whole host of charities (a tax law designation) that spend their monies (often government grants) on Judicial Reviews to challenge small aspects of legal interpretation of any new legislation. This chips away at the foundations of some quite realistic approaches which then creates anomalies. These anomalies then create more opportunities for a JR and so it goes on.
I haven't a clue what can or should be done about people exercising their legal rights apart from politicians drafting sound laws in the first place.
Comments
Very pleased with my short view on the US.
NEW THREAD
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/driver-market-who-could-get-a-seat-on-the-2026-grid-with-f1s-newest-team.5TIPz4D3CiJsQfqW3PShE4
I'd go for Bottas and Tsunoda, probably.
Burgeoning pensions bill sorted.
I haven't a clue what can or should be done about people exercising their legal rights apart from politicians drafting sound laws in the first place.