Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The Senate Kavanaugh hearing begins taking evidence from the w

1235»

Comments

  • MortimerMortimer Posts: 14,127
    edited September 2018

    Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Labour really are not doing well at actual elections...
    Clifton? Clifton Nottingham goes Tory?

    Bloody hell...

    Unless there are local factors this is a massive warning alarm to Labour.
    Quick description of the area for the uninitiated?
    Maybe I am out of touch, but iirc it is a solid working class, post-war expansion of nottingham, complete with masses of council housing and tower blocks.

    I think the local uni has expanded their campus out there, which should actually make it even more Labour these days.

    Thanks. I’ve heard similar trends in similar areas around Trafford.

    Doesn’t surprise me. Corbyn’s values don’t chime with my experience of solid working class values.
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Scott_P said:
    Could be a small Tory majority on those figures which would help Canada deal backers
    The poll indicates improved public approval for Chequers
    Given the EU have rejected Chequers that is irrelevant and even now Canada is still far preferred by the public to Chequers
    Canada is dead - it died in the last 24 hours
    Canada is not dead, just the EU will only apply it to GB which is unacceptable to the DUP
    I disagree totally and find that view as a conservative member insane
    Canada is what polls show most Tory members and voters want but it cannot be delivered while the DUP holds the balance of power.
    Members yes - voters no - and Amber Rudd with the DUP collapsed it today
    No, a Canada Deal is also the most popular choice with voters as a whole

    https://order-order.com/page/2/
    Up against Remain in binary ref 2 Canada gets slaughtered. So maybe not THE most popular choice in Britain today.

    All very silent in brexit and politics today. Just before the roaring wave comes in and everything disappears, is this the bit the sea disappears, and it goes eerily quiet?
    No it doesn't, Canada has a higher net approval rating than Remain
    I’m not doubting you in current fantasy politics. then there’s going to be a real vote, getting real changes it don’t you think, you sure that you got the end result there? Let’s be clear it’s not remain v this or that, if remain on ballot, it’s remain v leave, with most likely a divided leave camp. So if it comes to ref 2, the wording really matters? Nope. It doesn’t. If it comes to ref 2 Remain will be on there for sure, that’s the thing that really matters.
    The moment you hear the rich tones of John humphries say “the uk is going to have a second referendum on the terms of the” in that split second you will know Remain is getting on the paper, to win by 13+
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,690
    When does this Committee get to confirm or otherwise BK. Surely it will be strictly on party lines so is endorsed.

    BKICISCJ
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,158
    edited September 2018
    When I initially saw Clifton...I thought must be a mistake in the matrix, the Islington of the West Country turning Tory....then I realized I can't read properly.
  • GIN1138 said:
    Seems Clifton N had a Lab and Con already, unless this webpage has been updated this evening:

    https://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/about-the-council/councillors-and-leadership/council-wards-and-ward-maps/clifton-north/
  • sladeslade Posts: 2,052
    Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Labour really are not doing well at actual elections...
    Clifton? Clifton Nottingham goes Tory?

    Bloody hell...

    Unless there are local factors this is a massive warning alarm to Labour.
    Quick description of the area for the uninitiated?
    Maybe I am out of touch, but iirc it is a solid working class, post-war expansion of nottingham, complete with masses of council housing and tower blocks.

    I think the local uni has expanded their campus out there, which should actually make it even more Labour these days.

    Thanks. I’ve heard similar trends in similar areas around Trafford.

    Doesn’t surprise me. Corbyn’s values don’t chime with my experience of solid working class values.
    In a basically white working class area where UKIP got 22% last time it did not help that the Labour candidate was called Shugufta Jabeen Quddoos.
  • Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Labour really are not doing well at actual elections...
    Clifton? Clifton Nottingham goes Tory?

    Bloody hell...

    Unless there are local factors this is a massive warning alarm to Labour.
    Quick description of the area for the uninitiated?
    Maybe I am out of touch, but iirc it is a solid working class, post-war expansion of nottingham, complete with masses of council housing and tower blocks.

    I think the local uni has expanded their campus out there, which should actually make it even more Labour these days.

    Thanks. I’ve heard similar trends in similar areas around Trafford.

    Doesn’t surprise me. Corbyn’s values don’t chime with my experience of solid working class values.
    Could be an interesting result, as your Trafford example may also be.

    I suspect that Jezza and his team of hard left types and their fascination with Palestine, identity politics and post-capitalism and automatic luxury communism will not connect at all with most working people.


  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,293

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Scott_P said:
    Could be a small Tory majority on those figures which would help Canada deal backers
    The poll indicates improved public approval for Chequers
    Given the EU have rejected Chequers that is irrelevant and even now Canada is still far preferred by the public to Chequers
    Canada is dead - it died in the last 24 hours
    Canada is not dead, just the EU will only apply it to GB which is unacceptable to the DUP
    I disagree totally and find that view as a conservative member insane
    Canada is what polls show most Tory members and voters want but it cannot be delivered while the DUP holds the balance of power.
    Members yes - voters no - and Amber Rudd with the DUP collapsed it today
    No, a Canada Deal is also the most popular choice with voters as a whole

    https://order-order.com/page/2/
    Up against Remain in binary ref 2 Canada gets slaughtered. So maybe not THE most popular choice in Britain today.

    All very silent in brexit and politics today. Just before the roaring wave comes in and everything disappears, is this the bit the sea disappears, and it goes eerily quiet?
    No it doesn't, Canada has a higher net approval rating than Remain
    I’m not doubting you in current fantasy politics. then there’s going to be a real vote, getting real changes it don’t you think, you sure that you got the end result there? Let’s be clear it’s not remain v this or that, if remain on ballot, it’s remain v leave, with most likely a divided leave camp. So if it comes to ref 2, the wording really matters? Nope. It doesn’t. If it comes to ref 2 Remain will be on there for sure, that’s the thing that really matters.
    The moment you hear the rich tones of John humphries say “the uk is going to have a second referendum on the terms of the” in that split second you will know Remain is getting on the paper, to win by 13+
    So when will get the next referendum to overturn that result?
  • Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Labour really are not doing well at actual elections...
    Clifton? Clifton Nottingham goes Tory?

    Bloody hell...

    Unless there are local factors this is a massive warning alarm to Labour.
    Quick description of the area for the uninitiated?
    Maybe I am out of touch, but iirc it is a solid working class, post-war expansion of nottingham, complete with masses of council housing and tower blocks.

    I think the local uni has expanded their campus out there, which should actually make it even more Labour these days.

    Thanks. I’ve heard similar trends in similar areas around Trafford.

    Doesn’t surprise me. Corbyn’s values don’t chime with my experience of solid working class values.
    Could be an interesting result, as your Trafford example may also be.

    I suspect that Jezza and his team of hard left types and their fascination with Palestine, identity politics and post-capitalism and automatic luxury communism will not connect at all with most working people.


    Not Quinoa constituents...
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Highlight of today's hearing - Lindsay Graham
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,690
    slade said:

    Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Labour really are not doing well at actual elections...
    Clifton? Clifton Nottingham goes Tory?

    Bloody hell...

    Unless there are local factors this is a massive warning alarm to Labour.
    Quick description of the area for the uninitiated?
    Maybe I am out of touch, but iirc it is a solid working class, post-war expansion of nottingham, complete with masses of council housing and tower blocks.

    I think the local uni has expanded their campus out there, which should actually make it even more Labour these days.

    Thanks. I’ve heard similar trends in similar areas around Trafford.

    Doesn’t surprise me. Corbyn’s values don’t chime with my experience of solid working class values.
    In a basically white working class area where UKIP got 22% last time it did not help that the Labour candidate was called Shugufta Jabeen Quddoos.
    Absolutely spot on. One of whitest areas of Nottingham Labour had the wrong candidate for them methinks. Sad but true.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,237
    GIN1138 said:

    So when will get the next referendum to overturn that result?

    I believe we will have biweekly referendums.
  • Tories better do something about housing, or they are gone.
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,537
    GIN1138 said:
    It's a split Con/Lab ward, with 22% UKIP last time, not standing this time; conversely, LibDem and Green intervention this time, previously not. Also a NOTI intervention - presumably Nottingham independent - not sure what they're about. Overall hard to compare, honestly.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,158
    edited September 2018
    First they came for the Sun and I didn't speak up, ....
    ....then they came for the Daily Mail, ....
    ...then they came for the Guardian.....its a F##king outrage.
  • Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Labour really are not doing well at actual elections...
    Clifton? Clifton Nottingham goes Tory?

    Bloody hell...

    Unless there are local factors this is a massive warning alarm to Labour.
    Quick description of the area for the uninitiated?
    Maybe I am out of touch, but iirc it is a solid working class, post-war expansion of nottingham, complete with masses of council housing and tower blocks.

    I think the local uni has expanded their campus out there, which should actually make it even more Labour these days.

    Thanks. I’ve heard similar trends in similar areas around Trafford.

    Doesn’t surprise me. Corbyn’s values don’t chime with my experience of solid working class values.
    Could be an interesting result, as your Trafford example may also be.

    I suspect that Jezza and his team of hard left types and their fascination with Palestine, identity politics and post-capitalism and automatic luxury communism will not connect at all with most working people.


    Not Quinoa constituents...
    Not unless it is between a two slices of a cob.
  • It always worries me when polling is conducted on behalf on a pressure group. Setting aside whether Shelter should be using their charitable resources to pay for political polling, I am just not a fan of a pressure group commissioning this sort of polling.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,237

    Tories better do something about housing, or they are gone.

    Don't worry, demographics will wave their magic wand.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,237

    It always worries me when polling is conducted on behalf on a pressure group. Setting aside whether Shelter should be using their charitable resources to pay for political polling, I am just not a fan of a pressure group commissioning this sort of polling.
    What sort of polling do you think they should be commissioning?
  • First they came for the Sun and I didn't speak up, ....
    ....then they came for the Daily Mail, ....
    ...then they came for the Guardian.....its a F##king outrage.
    They don't care. They don't want a free press. Any press.

    They want Pravda.

    They'll start on book publishers next.
  • GIN1138 said:
    An awful lot of National extrapolation from 1 Local council seat reverse. LOL. :).

    It looks like it started off 37 to 35 from last time, so not a great position to defend from and strangely close considering a council with a ridiculous domination already.

    As always local matters could be the biggest factor. At one point I recall a former lab council leader put breeze blocks to stop travellers parking up and party gave him suspension, so he switched to Tories screaming hard left momentum take over.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,141
    rcs1000 said:

    Tories better do something about housing, or they are gone.

    Don't worry, demographics will wave their magic wand.
    Explain?
  • rcs1000 said:

    It always worries me when polling is conducted on behalf on a pressure group. Setting aside whether Shelter should be using their charitable resources to pay for political polling, I am just not a fan of a pressure group commissioning this sort of polling.
    What sort of polling do you think they should be commissioning?
    I don't think charities should be doing political polling. That applies to all charities - no matter their agenda.
  • First they came for the Sun and I didn't speak up, ....
    ....then they came for the Daily Mail, ....
    ...then they came for the Guardian.....its a F##king outrage.
    They don't care. They don't want a free press. Any press.

    They want Pravda.

    They'll start on book publishers next.
    I had to chuckle at the Maomentum policy suggestion to give any citizen a token and whoever they gave it to got money....Are they aware the Daily Mail is one of the most visited websites on the interwebs, mainly for all the gossip stuff.
  • GIN1138 said:
    It's a split Con/Lab ward, with 22% UKIP last time, not standing this time; conversely, LibDem and Green intervention this time, previously not. Also a NOTI intervention - presumably Nottingham independent - not sure what they're about. Overall hard to compare, honestly.
    and, looking at the actual ward map, includes Wilford, which looks a bit like an olde worlde village type of place.
  • First they came for the Sun and I didn't speak up, ....
    ....then they came for the Daily Mail, ....
    ...then they came for the Guardian.....its a F##king outrage.
    They don't care. They don't want a free press. Any press.

    They want Pravda.

    They'll start on book publishers next.
    I had to chuckle at the Maomentum policy suggestion to give any citizen a token and whoever they gave it to got money....Are they aware the Daily Mail is one of the most visited websites on the interwebs, mainly for all the gossip stuff.
    Sidebar of shame tokens!
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,206

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    murali_s said:

    Scott_P said:
    Boris Johnson = clown!

    Boris Johnson = will lose seat at next GE

    We'll all be saying "Were you up for Johnson?"
    Uxbridge is Labour's 83rd target seat, Johnson could hold Uxbridge even if Corbyn won a majority
    He has gone into Ed Balls territory now....please just don't like him. I would say it depends if Labour pick some mad Maomentumer, but it didn't stop some getting elected last time.
    Ed Balls had a majority of 1,101 in 2015 in Morley and Outwood and lost by 422 votes. Boris has a majority of 5,034 so would comfortably hold his seat even on the same swing against him Balls got
    Arent the boundaries about to be changed?
    Not any time soon with Parliament dominated by Brexit
  • When does this Committee get to confirm or otherwise BK. Surely it will be strictly on party lines so is endorsed.

    BKICISCJ

    It's the Senate as a whole that will confirm or otherwise. I think he'll lose, if it's pushed to a vote. I think more than one Republican will peel and he'll do very well to get any Democrats, even Red State ones.

    The last SCOTUS nominee to fail to be endorsed was Harriet Miers, who withdrew in 2005 after she did so badly in hearings she'd probably have been rejected. The last nominee to actually fail a Senate vote was Robert Bork in 1987. Only eleven SCOTUS nominees have ever been voted down, and only four since 1900.
  • Night all.

    When I awake I expect that the Morning Star will be being denounced as a Capitalist running dog.
  • When does this Committee get to confirm or otherwise BK. Surely it will be strictly on party lines so is endorsed.

    BKICISCJ

    It's the Senate as a whole that will confirm or otherwise. I think he'll lose, if it's pushed to a vote. I think more than one Republican will peel and he'll do very well to get any Democrats, even Red State ones.

    The last SCOTUS nominee to fail to be endorsed was Harriet Miers, who withdrew in 2005 after she did so badly in hearings she'd probably have been rejected. The last nominee to actually fail a Senate vote was Robert Bork in 1987. Only eleven SCOTUS nominees have ever been voted down, and only four since 1900.
    I am not so sure.

    I think the Democrats have failed to answer why they sat on the allegations for two months when they could have acted - even with the request for anonymity.

    It might come down to a Pence casting vote.

    Either way, it has been a dreadful display of partisan behaviour from too many in US politics.

    I do not believe they care about the damage they have inflicted on Dr Ford and her family or Judge Kavanaugh and his family. They have been exploited for political ends and it stinks.

    No amount of FBI investigation will resolve this.
  • When does this Committee get to confirm or otherwise BK. Surely it will be strictly on party lines so is endorsed.

    BKICISCJ

    It's the Senate as a whole that will confirm or otherwise. I think he'll lose, if it's pushed to a vote. I think more than one Republican will peel and he'll do very well to get any Democrats, even Red State ones.

    The last SCOTUS nominee to fail to be endorsed was Harriet Miers, who withdrew in 2005 after she did so badly in hearings she'd probably have been rejected. The last nominee to actually fail a Senate vote was Robert Bork in 1987. Only eleven SCOTUS nominees have ever been voted down, and only four since 1900.
    I am not so sure.

    I think the Democrats have failed to answer why they sat on the allegations for two months when they could have acted - even with the request for anonymity.

    It might come down to a Pence casting vote.

    Either way, it has been a dreadful display of partisan behaviour from too many in US politics.

    I do not believe they care about the damage they have inflicted on Dr Ford and her family or Judge Kavanaugh and his family. They have been exploited for political ends and it stinks.

    No amount of FBI investigation will resolve this.
    "It has been a dreadful display of partisan behaviour from too many in US politics".

    I fully agree. But one of those indulging in it was Kavanaugh himself, and that should be fatal to his chances. There are indeed questions that could be levelled at some Democrats but that shouldn't be offset against the judge's pretty awful performance today.
  • AndrewAndrew Posts: 2,900
    What I don't understand wrt Kavanaugh: this isn't "teenage high jinks", the allegation is attempted rape of a minor. Why isn't local law enforcement involved already? No statute of limitations applies, apparently.
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    murali_s said:

    Scott_P said:
    Boris Johnson = clown!

    Boris Johnson = will lose seat at next GE

    We'll all be saying "Were you up for Johnson?"
    Uxbridge is Labour's 83rd target seat, Johnson could hold Uxbridge even if Corbyn won a majority
    He has gone into Ed Balls territory now....please just don't like him. I would say it depends if Labour pick some mad Maomentumer, but it didn't stop some getting elected last time.
    Ed Balls had a majority of 1,101 in 2015 in Morley and Outwood and lost by 422 votes. Boris has a majority of 5,034 so would comfortably hold his seat even on the same swing against him Balls got
    Yes, but the hard work was done in 2010, when Balls' majority was cut from 10k to 1k. Boundary reform made some difference there, but only some.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,237
    viewcode said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Tories better do something about housing, or they are gone.

    Don't worry, demographics will wave their magic wand.
    Explain?
    Don't worry, I've got a video on just that topic coming out very soon...
  • YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172

    Mortimer said:

    Mortimer said:

    Labour really are not doing well at actual elections...
    Clifton? Clifton Nottingham goes Tory?

    Bloody hell...

    Unless there are local factors this is a massive warning alarm to Labour.
    Quick description of the area for the uninitiated?
    Maybe I am out of touch, but iirc it is a solid working class, post-war expansion of nottingham, complete with masses of council housing and tower blocks.

    I think the local uni has expanded their campus out there, which should actually make it even more Labour these days.

    I think that the working class council houses of Clifton Estate are mainly in Clifton South.

    Clifton North is more mixed, with modern owner-occupier estates. It's a good, solid result for the Tories, but not outrageously so.
  • GIN1138 said:

    So when will get the next referendum to overturn that result?
    Hopefully this country won’t have direct democracy ref ever again. I believe in representative democracy as far stronger than direct democracy, if I were an MP I wouldn’t even have voted for the first ref, or any ref. Don’t i trust voters are they all too thick? Nope, quite the opposite, the electorate in a democracy deserve right to change their mind over time, that’s representative Democracy. For that reason, It’s politics at its weakest when voters say, this is what we want, now go off and do it. Politics at its strongest when the other way round. Don’t just take it from me, explain how Edmund Burke got it wrong. “Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your opinion.” Direct democracy like 2016 is closer to fascism than representative democracy, it’s stealing the right to change mind and apply better judgment over time that are cornerstone of strong democracy.

    If it turns out to be another vote, and that throws up big conflicting result to last time, absolutely nothing could prove my point better, the sort of mess direct democracy creates. So you can see what’s in that scenario for Burke followers? We are saving British representative democracy with 2nd ref and big remain win. Neither in EU or Brexit Can save the country though so Brexit itself is a mere sideshow. In or out, deindustrialisation, globalisation and the demographic time bomb will turn Great Britain into a poverty stricken pauper in the coming decades, regardless.

  • Andrew said:

    What I don't understand wrt Kavanaugh: this isn't "teenage high jinks", the allegation is attempted rape of a minor. Why isn't local law enforcement involved already? No statute of limitations applies, apparently.

    I am at a loss as to what they would investigate.

    There is no certainty as to the date of the incident
    There is no certainty as to the location of the incident
    There is no physical evidence that can be obtained

    As far as I understand it, of the three people said to have been in the room at that time - one person said it happened as she described it, the other two said it didn't happen.

    There are no other witnesses. No-one else was told about the incident until 2012.

    What can local law enforcement do under these circumstances?

    I am not doubting the power of Dr Ford's testimony today. But 'her truth' does not automatically equate to 'the truth' - no matter how much people want to believe her.

    All victims should be heard with compassion and understanding. Their stories should be heard. But hearing does not automatically mean believing.
  • rcs1000 said:

    viewcode said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Tories better do something about housing, or they are gone.

    Don't worry, demographics will wave their magic wand.
    Explain?
    Don't worry, I've got a video on just that topic coming out very soon...
    Ooh. Is it the one where lots of old people die fast enough to (a) allow a remain vote in the second referendum, then (b) leave enough empty houses to hold all the european immigrants.

    (Joking)
  • rcs1000 said:

    viewcode said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Tories better do something about housing, or they are gone.

    Don't worry, demographics will wave their magic wand.
    Explain?
    Don't worry, I've got a video on just that topic coming out very soon...
    But there is a housing crisis? A right horrid mixture of unavailable, unaffordable, and squalid rents, whilst filthy rich landowners sell off land at premium rate to taxpayer? Even sneaky lease hold costs on land new homes are on now back in fashion.
  • AndrewAndrew Posts: 2,900
    edited September 2018


    I am at a loss as to what they would investigate.

    Probably fair comment. Still, it's an allegation of a very serious crime. Has any investigation been done at all?
  • Hang on I have just noticed a picture of a frightened looking woman at the top of the thread. Is that Amber Rudd’s mum? Is Amber okay?

    Have I been missing something?
  • Andrew said:


    I am at a loss as to what they would investigate.

    Probably fair comment. Still, it's an allegation of a very serious crime. Has any investigation been done at all?
    I don't believe that any official complaint has been made to law enforcement.
  • Andrew said:


    I am at a loss as to what they would investigate.

    Probably fair comment. Still, it's an allegation of a very serious crime. Has any investigation been done at all?
    Yes it has.

    As I understood the testimony today, the Democratic lead member of the committee knew about the allegation by Dr Ford but didn't tell the Republican chair until a few weeks ago. At that point the committee started to investigate (which is the correct procedure) and gather evidence - but the Democrat members did not get involved in the investigation. The evidence received did not support the allegation. Somehow the press got the story. The Democrat members today then called for Kavenaugh to support an FBI investigation - an approach with Joe Biden had called out as pointless in earlier committee hearings of this type because such investigations do not reach conclusions. The politicians divided hard on party lines.

    So overall the politicians came out looking partisan, Dr Ford had do discuss this in public (when she had wanted confidentiality) and Kavenaugh's reputation was trashed (possibly fairly if it's true). A mess.
  • TheJezziahTheJezziah Posts: 3,840
    On the Guardian, read it a bit myself, not massively but I can't say I'll be boycotting it.

    It was pretty much anti Corbyn, or more anti Corbyn than pro Corbyn for the majority of his time, it was only close to election day they actually came out and backed Labour, they followed the herd rather than led it. The Guardian contributors certainly weren't impressed (mostly) at the newspapers slant. Since the run up to the election and after it has shifted a bit but I don't really think it can be said Corbyn's Labour owe them anything. They followed people and the more sensible position from a business point of view. It did/does of course have commentators like Owen Jones but far more content that would cheer on his opponents (at least before the GE)

    Not that Chris Williamson calling for a boycott of the Guardian actually means anything much (also I haven't read specifically why) but he is well within his right to do so if he wants.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,628
    edited September 2018
    Mortimer said:

    8% swing. Still the Lichfield result to come, which might be a fair bit tougher judging by the preview.
    https://twitter.com/britainelects/status/1045444768795426822

    I know it’s only one ward, but so much for uniting the left
    There was a 22% vote for UKIP last time. Labour got none of it.

    So when you see polling with Tories and Labour level, with 6-8% UKIP, and no prospect of a UKIP candidate in most seats......
  • Pulpstar said:

    I'll admit it, I'm biased. But the big hedge shorters love to have the game rigged in their favour

    Take off your tinfoil hat. ;)

    Shorters are not a significant problem for Tesla. Shorters can provide a useful function in creating liquidity in the market. I personally don't like the concept - I'd much rather invest positively - but it's legal.

    Shorters did not make Tesla over-rely on production-line automation.
    Shorters did not make Tesla start a fight with the NTSB.
    Shroters did not make Tesla miss production targets.
    Shorters did not make him argue with Wall Street analysts.
    Shorters did not make him smoke dope on a podcast whilst his company fires people for taking drugs.
    etc, etc.
    Most importantly, Tesla did not hold a gun to Musk's head to make him say rubbish many times.

    given the massive pro-Tesla hype out there - I'm talking about the likes of the ludicrous Teslarati - it seems good for there to be a little balance.

    Tesla faces issues. Hopefully it will get over them. But Musk seems unable to accept any blame for these, and looks for someone else to divert the blame onto. We saw this at SpaceX with the CRS7 failure, when SpaceX blamed a supplier, but NASA's report blamed SpaceX's design error and exonerated the supplier - whose recommendations SpaceX had ignored.

    I have about zero sympathy for Musk on this, and attempting to blame 'shorters' for his travails are, I'm afraid, silly.
  • The cultist are like a star collapsing on itself as the pure emerging black hole looks to bring down all the tainted foundations it was built on...

    https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1045422881935699968

    I'm utterly lost now.

    The paper that publishes Owen Jones, Monbiot and Zoe Williams is a far right propaganda sheet?
    Owen Jones is a right wing traitor who once had a bad word to say about our dear leader.
    I would laugh until all the popcorn bursts out of my stomach, if the Guardian says f-u and comes out for a LibDem protest vote in 2022.
    Didn't they do that in 2010? Then were horrified their Lib Dems went into coalition with Tories?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,301

    Andrew said:


    I am at a loss as to what they would investigate.

    Probably fair comment. Still, it's an allegation of a very serious crime. Has any investigation been done at all?
    Yes it has.

    As I understood the testimony today, the Democratic lead member of the committee knew about the allegation by Dr Ford but didn't tell the Republican chair until a few weeks ago. At that point the committee started to investigate (which is the correct procedure) and gather evidence - but the Democrat members did not get involved in the investigation. The evidence received did not support the allegation. Somehow the press got the story. The Democrat members today then called for Kavenaugh to support an FBI investigation - an approach with Joe Biden had called out as pointless in earlier committee hearings of this type because such investigations do not reach conclusions. The politicians divided hard on party lines.

    So overall the politicians came out looking partisan, Dr Ford had do discuss this in public (when she had wanted confidentiality) and Kavenaugh's reputation was trashed (possibly fairly if it's true). A mess.
    Feinstein knew, but she held back at Ford’s request, as she was struggling with the prospect of testifying (as Feinstein repeated yesterday in the hearing).
    The Biden thing is balls - as he said at the time (27 years ago), the FBI can gather evidence, but it is the Senate’s job to decide. In this case the FBI were not asked by the committee to investigate.

    The only reason I can see for the unseemly rush to a vote that I can see, is for the Republicans to give themselves time ahead of the November elections for a second nominee, if they can’t force through Kavanaugh next week.
This discussion has been closed.