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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Peter the Punter on who the Republicans might choose to sto

SystemSystem Posts: 12,215
edited November 2013 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Peter the Punter on who the Republicans might choose to stop this happening – Hillary back in the Oval Office

The procedure was blissfully easy. You simply layed whoever was the latest clown to inspire the GOP base, safe in the knowledge that when push came to shove common -sense would prevail and the Party would revert to the sensible choice. I don’t think I even bothered to back Mitt Romney, even though it was pretty obvious all along that he was the most likely winner.

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Comments

  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,064
    FPT:
    tim said:

    They could've got exactly the same result by spending a few quid changing the names of the PCTs and putting more GP's on them (many of whom are now resigning from CCGs due to work commitments btw -better to have GPs treating patients, amazing)

    The pay offs were ridiculous, everyone knew that the managers who were paid off would have to be re employed, absolutely everyone.

    Everyone except a certain Seth O Logue, and I'm sure his replacement, ALP will read through this exchange later and hit us all with yellow boxes full of irrelevant data.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,041
    How is this the first time I have seen this picture! What is the story behind it?
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538
    One thing that may count against Christie was his lack of coat-tails. He got a thumping majority as Governor, but the Democrats comfortably retained the State Senate, where Christie had hoped to make gains.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,326
    Curse of new thread (and O/T so sorry) - but in response to Peter the Punter:-

    Peter: the crisis did not come out of the blue in 2008. There were plenty of warnings, some public, some private. Believe me, I know. The FSA bears a considerable part of the blame with regard to RBS/ABN AMRO but the Treasury were very closely monitoring the health of B&B, Lloyds, RBS and others for months before the Lehmans bankruptcy and should have taken action much much earlier than they did. The Irish banks were also in deep doo-doo by this time and given UK banks' exposure to them that too was a warning signal. They didn't, which is why - as far as the UK was concerned - the crisis was very much worse than it should and could have been.

    The G20 conference was far later - by all means give credit to Brown for whatever he did there but it's a bit like giving the ship's captain credit for organising a rescue after he's steered the ship onto the rocks.
  • Fascinating thread P-t-P - and a few heroic ypots.....I love Nikki Haley's "taintedouched"!

    Is this the new "Santorum" or a variation on that theme?
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,064
    The GOP are unelectable among the general public for as long as they identify with the Tea Party. It's really very simple. It will take someone like Jeb Bush who comes from a very, very strong political dynasty to stand up to the TP and stare them down. Any other candidate will quail under the pressure and the election campaign will become a debate on stupid stuff like Rowe vs Wade and other such voter repellent stuff for the GOP.

    To me the only way back into the White House for GOP is to dump the TP, take the pain for a few years and remodel the party towards the centre while the TP destroy their image and the crazies are outed in public as really insane with terrible ideas.

    With the TP within the GOP they are on the wrong side of too many debates and repel too many voter groups including minorities, single women, college graduates, career driven women and classic liberals. The appeal of the GOP with the TP in hand is very narrow, among family oriented women and white men. That is not enough to win an election.

    Honestly, the GOP are doomed to fail until they cut the turds loose and let the TP thrash about trying to form a third party for a few cycles.
  • @MaxPB - They chose Romney. He didn't particularly kow-tow to the Tea Party, and he didn't lose because of them; he lost because his opponent was pretty good, it's tough dislodging an incumbent president, and Romney himself wasn't a very good candidate. Even so he wasn't that far behind by historic standards.

    Of the names Peter mentions, several should be able to give the Dems at least a run for their money.
  • MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Betfair odds Republican nominee
    Rubio Bet 5.4/1 Lay 5.6/1
    Jeb Bush 6.8/1 8/1
    Christie 5.6/1 6/1
    Rand Paul 9.5/1 17/1
    Ted Cruz 12/1 16/1
    Paul Ryan 16.5/1 -
    Rob Portman 22/1 49/1
    Bobby Jindall 45/1 -
    Scott Walker 21/1 -
    Mike Huckabee 18/1 -
    Susana Martinez 41/1 -
    Rick Perry 24/1 -
    Eric Cantor 41/1 -
    Mikki Haley 69.1 -
    Others at longer odds

  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538
    MaxPB said:

    The GOP are unelectable among the general public for as long as they identify with the Tea Party. It's really very simple. It will take someone like Jeb Bush who comes from a very, very strong political dynasty to stand up to the TP and stare them down. Any other candidate will quail under the pressure and the election campaign will become a debate on stupid stuff like Rowe vs Wade and other such voter repellent stuff for the GOP.

    To me the only way back into the White House for GOP is to dump the TP, take the pain for a few years and remodel the party towards the centre while the TP destroy their image and the crazies are outed in public as really insane with terrible ideas.

    With the TP within the GOP they are on the wrong side of too many debates and repel too many voter groups including minorities, single women, college graduates, career driven women and classic liberals. The appeal of the GOP with the TP in hand is very narrow, among family oriented women and white men. That is not enough to win an election.

    Honestly, the GOP are doomed to fail until they cut the turds loose and let the TP thrash about trying to form a third party for a few cycles.

    IMO, the number of swing voters in US elections is not very great. Both parties need committed core supporters - or at any rate - supporters who absolutely hate the other side.

    Unless the Republicans select a complete loon, they'll win 45%+ in any Presidential election. Their hold on the House and most State legislatures now seems solid as well.
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    The GOP are unelectable full stop.

    I just don;t see them winning whoever they put up. Not now, or ever.

    The maths are going inexorably against the republicans every day. Rich elderly middle class whites are (gradually) expiring and the immigrant communities that tend to vote democrat are expanding.

    It just ain't gonna happen.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,064

    @MaxPB - They chose Romney. He didn't particularly kow-tow to the Tea Party, and he didn't lose because of them; he lost because his opponent was pretty good, it's tough dislodging an incumbent president, and Romney himself wasn't a very good candidate. Even so he wasn't that far behind by historic standards.

    Of the names Peter mentions, several should be able to give the Dems at least a run for their money.

    The TP are a much better organised unit after the election than they were with Romney. It wasn't a close election in the end. There was a 5m gap in votes and Obama carried Florida, Ohio and Colorado.

    Jeb Bush is the logical choice, but the TPers won't have him and will go for Rubio. Great for my betting account, but not so much for the GOP. He won't be able to carry minority groups and non-Cuban Hispanics won't respond to him as an exile from a nation they believe to be friendly to their home country.
  • Mr. Taffys, it sounds like (assuming you're right) the Republicans will either adapt or die. The US has had a change of the dominant parties before. I believe they originally had Whigs, but they were replaced by one of the two present parties.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538
    taffys said:

    The GOP are unelectable full stop.

    I just don;t see them winning whoever they put up. Not now, or ever.

    The maths are going inexorably against the republicans every day. Rich elderly middle class whites are (gradually) expiring and the immigrant communities that tend to vote democrat are expanding.

    It just ain't gonna happen.

    50 years ago, the maths were even worse for the Republicans. They struggled with minorities. It's just that those minorities were Italians, Irish, and central Europeans. Now those minorities tend to favour the Republicans. Voting patterns are rarely set in stone.

  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,064
    taffys said:

    The GOP are unelectable full stop.

    I just don;t see them winning whoever they put up. Not now, or ever.

    The maths are going inexorably against the republicans every day. Rich elderly middle class whites are (gradually) expiring and the immigrant communities that tend to vote democrat are expanding.

    It just ain't gonna happen.

    They need to adjust their appeal and move to the centre. That won't happen while they ally themselves with the crazy TPers.
  • Matthew d'Ancona in the Standard on what de Blasio's win may mean:

    "The election of de Blasio is a warning to Right-of-centre parties to adapt to these changes and to accept that the rhetorical tool-kit of the Eighties has had its day. The alternative is to look like pie-eyed ideologues, remote from a turbulent reality. For progressive politicians around the world, none more so than Miliband, the new mayor’s triumph signals something remarkable. To adapt the song: if the Left can make it there, it can make it anywhere."

    http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/matthew-dancona-socialism-is-no-longer-a-bogey-word-in-new-york-8924150.html
  • @Cyclefree

    Have replied on previous thread.

    This one is more interesting!
  • Is there any reason not to pursue a strategy of laying the favourites? It seems inherently unlikely that someone will lead this race from start to finish.
  • Fascinating thread P-t-P - and a few heroic ypots.....I love Nikki Haley's "taintedouched"!

    Is this the new "Santorum" or a variation on that theme?


    LOL, Carlotta!

    I'll leave you to guess what I was really trying to say....
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538

    Matthew d'Ancona in the Standard on what de Blasio's win may mean:

    "The election of de Blasio is a warning to Right-of-centre parties to adapt to these changes and to accept that the rhetorical tool-kit of the Eighties has had its day. The alternative is to look like pie-eyed ideologues, remote from a turbulent reality. For progressive politicians around the world, none more so than Miliband, the new mayor’s triumph signals something remarkable. To adapt the song: if the Left can make it there, it can make it anywhere."

    http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/matthew-dancona-socialism-is-no-longer-a-bogey-word-in-new-york-8924150.html

    Matthew d'Ancona in the Standard on what de Blasio's win may mean:

    "The election of de Blasio is a warning to Right-of-centre parties to adapt to these changes and to accept that the rhetorical tool-kit of the Eighties has had its day. The alternative is to look like pie-eyed ideologues, remote from a turbulent reality. For progressive politicians around the world, none more so than Miliband, the new mayor’s triumph signals something remarkable. To adapt the song: if the Left can make it there, it can make it anywhere."

    http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/matthew-dancona-socialism-is-no-longer-a-bogey-word-in-new-york-8924150.html

    I don't find it so remarkable that a left-wing city elected a left-wing Mayor.

  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    edited November 2013
    ''Mr. Taffys, it sounds like (assuming you're right) the Republicans will either adapt or die''

    I think the repubs may well disappear, because I don't see the tea party ever countenancing the changes in policy that would be necessary to fight the dems on their own ground.

    If the repubs stay right to keep the tea party on board they lose. If they move left to fight the dems they rip the party down the middle and lose. Either way they lose.

    If right wing Americans haven't worked this out now, they soon will.
  • What would be the major policy differences between a Clinton and a Christie?
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Herman Cain - nailed on.

    Him and Ed will rejuvenate the Anglosphere together.

    Seriously - I'd say Rand Paul can go deep - and will trade at odds shorter than available 10/1 on betfair.

    Doubt he can win though.
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    edited November 2013
    I don't find it so remarkable that a left-wing city elected a left-wing Mayor.

    De Blasio will get his wish. New York will cease to be a tale of two cities soon enough because the wealthy will have moved to avoid his new taxes.
  • JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    On Thread Topic

    My name is JackW and I approve this message.
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    taffys said:

    I don't find it so remarkable that a left-wing city elected a left-wing Mayor.

    .

    Electorate believe in magic money tree shock...

  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411

    What would be the major policy differences between a Clinton and a Christie?

    LOADS

    Christie is on the left of the Republican party, but is broadly centrist if you take the USA a a whole, and would definitely be on the right here
    Whereas Hilary Clinton is a 'left liberal' by USA standards as a whole, is a centrist candidate as regards to the Democrat party and would probably be viewed as a centrist here...

    There is alot of difference between them for sure
  • Bless - how thoughtful of OJ, such a nice boy. And he's done so well.

    Owen Jones‏@OwenJones8455m
    I sorta hoped blocking Dan Hodges was for his own good, but nope, he’s off writing about me again. Restraining order time?!
  • Sean_F said:

    Matthew d'Ancona in the Standard on what de Blasio's win may mean:

    "The election of de Blasio is a warning to Right-of-centre parties to adapt to these changes and to accept that the rhetorical tool-kit of the Eighties has had its day. The alternative is to look like pie-eyed ideologues, remote from a turbulent reality. For progressive politicians around the world, none more so than Miliband, the new mayor’s triumph signals something remarkable. To adapt the song: if the Left can make it there, it can make it anywhere."

    http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/matthew-dancona-socialism-is-no-longer-a-bogey-word-in-new-york-8924150.html

    Matthew d'Ancona in the Standard on what de Blasio's win may mean:

    "The election of de Blasio is a warning to Right-of-centre parties to adapt to these changes and to accept that the rhetorical tool-kit of the Eighties has had its day. The alternative is to look like pie-eyed ideologues, remote from a turbulent reality. For progressive politicians around the world, none more so than Miliband, the new mayor’s triumph signals something remarkable. To adapt the song: if the Left can make it there, it can make it anywhere."

    http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/matthew-dancona-socialism-is-no-longer-a-bogey-word-in-new-york-8924150.html

    I don't find it so remarkable that a left-wing city elected a left-wing Mayor.

    For the first time in two decades?

    Lets see where this goes - but I suspect d'Ancona's point about the cold war rhetoric having passed its expiry date is correct. I also think we may be seeing a change in perceptions about state control of utilities - as we saw in the YouGov poll.....
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538
    TGOHF said:

    taffys said:

    I don't find it so remarkable that a left-wing city elected a left-wing Mayor.

    .

    Electorate believe in magic money tree shock...

    It's hardly as if Ken Livingstone's election in 2000 and 2004 led to a resurgence of socialism in the UK. Mayoral elections generally don't say much about a country's politics as a whole.

  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538

    Sean_F said:

    Matthew d'Ancona in the Standard on what de Blasio's win may mean:

    "The election of de Blasio is a warning to Right-of-centre parties to adapt to these changes and to accept that the rhetorical tool-kit of the Eighties has had its day. The alternative is to look like pie-eyed ideologues, remote from a turbulent reality. For progressive politicians around the world, none more so than Miliband, the new mayor’s triumph signals something remarkable. To adapt the song: if the Left can make it there, it can make it anywhere."

    http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/matthew-dancona-socialism-is-no-longer-a-bogey-word-in-new-york-8924150.html

    Matthew d'Ancona in the Standard on what de Blasio's win may mean:

    "The election of de Blasio is a warning to Right-of-centre parties to adapt to these changes and to accept that the rhetorical tool-kit of the Eighties has had its day. The alternative is to look like pie-eyed ideologues, remote from a turbulent reality. For progressive politicians around the world, none more so than Miliband, the new mayor’s triumph signals something remarkable. To adapt the song: if the Left can make it there, it can make it anywhere."

    http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/matthew-dancona-socialism-is-no-longer-a-bogey-word-in-new-york-8924150.html

    I don't find it so remarkable that a left-wing city elected a left-wing Mayor.

    For the first time in two decades?

    Lets see where this goes - but I suspect d'Ancona's point about the cold war rhetoric having passed its expiry date is correct. I also think we may be seeing a change in perceptions about state control of utilities - as we saw in the YouGov poll.....
    It was the election of Giuliani and Bloomberg that was anomalous. New York city remained overwhelmingly Democratic at every level other than the Mayoralty.

  • "“He won by a mile,” both sides say.

    Which do you prefer? These figures or those figures? The useless or the clueless? The useless clueless or the useless gutless? The one who doesn’t know anything or the one who’s got everything wrong. The one that goes round personally sacking nurses or the one who’s a corrupt mafia-backed mayor?

    Or you might prefer the Speaker himself, he called them all, as a whole, “low-grade” and “downmarket”. John Bercow is the Ambassador for Parliament, so that’s quite an assessment from the Chief Outreach Officer."

    Sorry - but it's probably the best sketch out there:

    http://order-order.com/2013/11/06/sketch-angry-reserves-sliding-strikers-and-a-biased-ref/
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    It's hardly as if Ken Livingstone's election in 2000 and 2004 led to a resurgence of socialism in the UK. Mayoral elections generally don't say much about a country's politics as a whole.

    True, but from what I've read it sounds like the NY mayor has a bit more power to raise taxes etc...????

    A new york where wealthy bankers and hedgies are vilified and taxed.

    godsend for the City. Godsend.

  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538
    taffys said:

    It's hardly as if Ken Livingstone's election in 2000 and 2004 led to a resurgence of socialism in the UK. Mayoral elections generally don't say much about a country's politics as a whole.

    True, but from what I've read it sounds like the NY mayor has a bit more power to raise taxes etc...????

    A new york where wealthy bankers and hedgies are vilified and taxed.

    godsend for the City. Godsend.

    It would take decades. Detroit demonstrates what decades of left-wing government can do to a city, but it doesn't happen overnight.

  • antifrank said:

    Is there any reason not to pursue a strategy of laying the favourites? It seems inherently unlikely that someone will lead this race from start to finish.

    Not sure, Antifrank.

    After last nite's results, it's not inconceivable that Christie could lead from start to line.

    Laying the loony on the other hand.....

  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538

    What would be the major policy differences between a Clinton and a Christie?

    Labour relations would be a big difference, although that's mostly a matter for States, rather than the Presidency. Christie would want to nominate conservatives to the Supreme Court, Clinton would want to nominate liberals.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724

    Bless - how thoughtful of OJ, such a nice boy. And he's done so well.

    Owen Jones‏@OwenJones8455m
    I sorta hoped blocking Dan Hodges was for his own good, but nope, he’s off writing about me again. Restraining order time?!

    "My offence, admittedly, was a heinous one. I told that Owen that he was middle class. Actually, that’s not strictly true. In the midst of an extended exchange with the Labour MP Simon Danzcuk, Owen finally admitted himself that he was middle class.

    I merely expressed surprise at this confession. The last tweet I ever sent him, (I may print it out and put it in a silver frame on my desk), was “ … I have genuinely never heard you self define as middle class till today”.

    And I hadn’t. Class is a big deal to Owen. He’s written a bestselling book about it. He set up a think tank to study it. Asked to review Downton Abbey for the Independent, he observed, “The most fascinating scenes reveal the quiet violence of the class system”. Which seems a bit harsh on Lord Grantham." LOL http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100244675/its-time-to-reclaim-the-middle-class-say-it-once-but-not-too-loud-im-suburban-and-im-proud/
  • I think Christie's problems with the R-Wing may be overstated, he's actually got quite a right-wing record as governor on economic issues, implementing austerity. He's also a Catholic social conservative who has defunded Planned Parenthood and can say he fought against gay marriage even though he couldn't stop it due to the courts.

    The loony wing of the GOP may try and brand him that most dreadful of things - a moderate, but unlike Giuliani or Mitt Romney (who lest we forget won) it won't be easy to brand him as such. He's got a relatively good story to tell about Paul, Cruz etc being great at expounding hot air about conservative touchstone issues but him being the guy who can actually get something done about them.

    As for Sandy, will it really be that much of a sore point in January 2016? Plus given his demeanor I'd like to see someone in the debates tell him he did the wrong thing in accepting Obama's help at a time of crisis, it would be a gift.
  • AnorakAnorak Posts: 6,621
    edited November 2013
    Sean_F said:

    taffys said:

    It's hardly as if Ken Livingstone's election in 2000 and 2004 led to a resurgence of socialism in the UK. Mayoral elections generally don't say much about a country's politics as a whole.

    True, but from what I've read it sounds like the NY mayor has a bit more power to raise taxes etc...????

    A new york where wealthy bankers and hedgies are vilified and taxed.

    godsend for the City. Godsend.

    It would take decades. Detroit demonstrates what decades of left-wing government can do to a city, but it doesn't happen overnight.
    Bankers are a lot more mobile that autoworkers. The 'brain drain' of the 70s shows that a highly educated and highly paid workforce will up sticks very quickly if pushed. Look at the current exodus from Paris to London for a more recent example.
  • Normally you'd expect a balancing VP nomination from Christie - so a right wing loon to counteract his own dangerous communistic tendencies - but given his potential health issues as he gets older the VP choice might actually be pretty important in his case.
  • LennonLennon Posts: 1,782
    taffys said:

    It's hardly as if Ken Livingstone's election in 2000 and 2004 led to a resurgence of socialism in the UK. Mayoral elections generally don't say much about a country's politics as a whole.

    True, but from what I've read it sounds like the NY mayor has a bit more power to raise taxes etc...????

    A new york where wealthy bankers and hedgies are vilified and taxed.

    godsend for the City. Godsend.

    Although would think that in the short term, if anything, it would be a boost for Connecticut rather than London...

  • "The prospect of de Blasio’s becoming the new mayor has many rich New Yorkers in a tizzy. Yet it’s hard to see how they have much to fear (unless you think that higher taxes are a disaster). A de Blasio administration would be very different in tone from Bloomberg’s, and would push for some useful changes: slightly higher taxes on the rich, an end to unnecessary corporate subsidies, perhaps a living-wage ordinance. Most likely, though, New York’s economy in the near future will look much the way it does now. Voters may have been looking for dramatic change when they went to the polls last Tuesday. They aren’t likely to get it. "

    http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2013/09/23/130923ta_talk_surowiecki
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538
    Anorak said:

    Sean_F said:

    taffys said:

    It's hardly as if Ken Livingstone's election in 2000 and 2004 led to a resurgence of socialism in the UK. Mayoral elections generally don't say much about a country's politics as a whole.

    True, but from what I've read it sounds like the NY mayor has a bit more power to raise taxes etc...????

    A new york where wealthy bankers and hedgies are vilified and taxed.

    godsend for the City. Godsend.

    It would take decades. Detroit demonstrates what decades of left-wing government can do to a city, but it doesn't happen overnight.
    Bankers are a lot more mobile that autoworkers. The 'brain drain' of the 70s shows that a highly educated and highly paid workforce will up sticks very quickly if pushed. Look at the current exodus from Paris to London for a more recent example.
    I should think a lot of New York's rich actually live outside the city limits.

  • BobajobBobajob Posts: 1,536
    @Sean F

    Would you see that as a fair criticism to land at his door Sean? Surely it's just good old fashioned split ticket voting, in the bluest of blue states. Christie's win was stunning - the GOP would be completely bonkers to overlook him (I'll let you do the gags!)
  • Sean_F said:

    Anorak said:

    Sean_F said:

    taffys said:

    It's hardly as if Ken Livingstone's election in 2000 and 2004 led to a resurgence of socialism in the UK. Mayoral elections generally don't say much about a country's politics as a whole.

    True, but from what I've read it sounds like the NY mayor has a bit more power to raise taxes etc...????

    A new york where wealthy bankers and hedgies are vilified and taxed.

    godsend for the City. Godsend.

    It would take decades. Detroit demonstrates what decades of left-wing government can do to a city, but it doesn't happen overnight.
    Bankers are a lot more mobile that autoworkers. The 'brain drain' of the 70s shows that a highly educated and highly paid workforce will up sticks very quickly if pushed. Look at the current exodus from Paris to London for a more recent example.
    I should think a lot of New York's rich actually live outside the city limits.

    The really rich live in Manhattan. The wealthy and the well off mostly live in Connecticut, though there are rather bijou parts of Brooklyn these days too.

  • BobajobBobajob Posts: 1,536
    @Sean F

    Would you see that as a fair criticism to land at his door Sean? Surely it's just good old fashioned split ticket voting, in the bluest of blue states. Christie's win was stunning - the GOP would be completely bonkers to overlook him (I'll let you do the gags!)
  • An excellent piece from Peter, with much sage advice.

    As he says, the question is whether the GOP base will hold its nose a third time. They do usually. I think that every candidate since Goldwater got mullered in 1964 has been the pre-race favourite, and probably the establishment pick too. But the Tea Party does change things and if that organisation / mood on the anti-Washington right holds, it may be different this time. Whether it does hold depends on the Republicans in Congress. Gingrich went a long way to blowing the GOP's chances in 1996 and Boehner's Boys may do so again this time if they're remain as obstreperous as now.

    Ref Christie, Governor Mitt was way to the left of Candidate Mitt so it's not necessarily a bar to Christie, though Romney had at least been out of office for some time when running in 2011/12. It'll be harder for Christie to distance himself from current policies.

    Again, to agree with Peter, I suspect that the lay-the-loonie game has another couple of years to run before we're really into the swing of it and it's not guaranteed to happen at all. At this stage in the last cycle, the loonie to lay was Sarah Palin but it'd have been two years or so to collect with odds in mid-single figures, so not all that attractive a bet when combined with the risk that she might make it. For all the assumption that it would be Mitt - and I was always strongly inclined to that opinion - any candidate is only one really bad error from being knocked out and had Mitt fallen, a loonie it would have been.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538
    Bobajob said:

    @Sean F

    Would you see that as a fair criticism to land at his door Sean? Surely it's just good old fashioned split ticket voting, in the bluest of blue states. Christie's win was stunning - the GOP would be completely bonkers to overlook him (I'll let you do the gags!)

    I don't think it would be a fair criticism. But, by all accounts, he was looking to boost Republican support in the State Senate, as a means to answer his critics. I too think that it would be very foolish of the Republicans to overlook him. Christie is well to the Right of almost any Republican who's got elected in the North East in recent years.

    Virginia gives an opposite example of split-ticket voting. McAuliffe won, but the Republicans still won big in the State legislature.
  • Normally you'd expect a balancing VP nomination from Christie - so a right wing loon to counteract his own dangerous communistic tendencies - but given his potential health issues as he gets older the VP choice might actually be pretty important in his case.

    Marinez looks a blindingly obvious VP pick.

    Not sure Christie has a serious health problem - aweight problem,yes, but don't we all - but even if he drops unexpectedly off the perch, there's nothing troubling about the idea of President Martinez.

  • Btw, I must apologise for the number of dreadful typos.

    I had the piece proof-read, and my helper used Word 'track-changes'. In transit from me to Mike, the originals and amendments seem to have got jumbled up. The sense is generally clear, but it is annoying.
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    It's wrong to see the tea party as in any way interested in victory through compromise.

    Tea Repubs were widely seen as the culprits in the US debt ceiling stand off, and yet moderate repubs who helped prevent the US defaulting on its debt were completely vilified and potentially face re-selection battles. For doing the popular thing. For rescuing the Repubs from being the party that caused the default.

    The tea party believes what it believes, no matter how many election defeats it goes down to, or how it does in the polls. It clearly isn;t interested in getting elected.
  • Couple of follow-ups from PMQs:

    The alleged murderer invited to Downing St:

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487664/David-Cameron-poses-Eid-photo-Downing-Street-Tory-councillor-Abdul-Aziz.html

    Cameron on inequality being lowest since the mid-80s:

    http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2013/11/06/cameron-on-inequality/

    "..incomes will be more equal under this government than they were under Labour 1997-2010, but also than under late Thatcher and John Major."
  • As a postscript, posters may be interested in the email-comments from my mole. She takes a lively interest in the Site, although to the best of my knowledge has never delurked.

    *******************************************************************************

    "Dems and swings like Christie and so do coastal and New England Republicans, but he will really struggle to get conservatives to vote for him and they are the ones who decide the primary election. Should be interesting to see how it all unfolds. The thing that could away them is the hopes of beating Hillary, but that's why they chose Romney last time (national viability in the general election) and they are feeling embittered by that and there is a feeling among some conservatives is that the answer to their national elections problem is to nominate a "true conservative" next time- that might work for them but only if he is Latino and isn't obviously insane. Not easy to find among their ranks.

    "Dems winning in Boston, NY, and Detroit don't really have any predictive value, but the down ticket races in VA are interesting for sure.

    "It is interesting to hear from you about how folks are betting on this stuff. What a trip! :) "
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Cameron has launched an immediate investigation.

    What a contrast with Falkirk...
  • taffys said:

    It's wrong to see the tea party as in any way interested in victory through compromise.

    Tea Repubs were widely seen as the culprits in the US debt ceiling stand off, and yet moderate repubs who helped prevent the US defaulting on its debt were completely vilified and potentially face re-selection battles. For doing the popular thing. For rescuing the Repubs from being the party that caused the default.

    The tea party believes what it believes, no matter how many election defeats it goes down to, or how it does in the polls. It clearly isn;t interested in getting elected.

    You have to understand the mechanics, Taffys.

    What may be madness at a National level is entirely sensible and rational at a local level. This is what explains rise to national prominence of somebody like Ted Cruz. In reality, he has no more chance of becoming POTUS than you or I.

  • @DavidHerdson

    Thanks David.

    I agree the 'lay-the-loony' strategy has its risks, but you and I have the cojones, I'm sure.

    Well, you have, anyway.
  • A very interesting article on the possible 2016 GOP runners:

    http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2013/10/09/norquist-predicts-2016-gop-field-of-contenders-not-pretenders/article?nclick_check=1

    [Grover Norquist] said only three of the Republicans seeking the nomination were really running for president: Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Rick Perry.

    “In 2012, we had ten people up on stage. Three of them were running for president, the others were looking to sell books or be radio talk-show hosts or marriage counseling or something, but they weren’t running for president,” he said.
    ...
    In 2016, he said, there could be six or seven candidates – nearly all governors – who could fund the campaign from start to finish and “pass the laugh test” on their candidacy.

    Norquist named Scott Walker, Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal, Rick Perry and Rand Paul of Kentucky. Later, he also mentioned Sam Brownback and Mike Pence.
  • MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    edited November 2013

    As a postscript, posters may be interested in the email-comments from my mole. She takes a lively interest in the Site, although to the best of my knowledge has never delurked.

    *******************************************************************************

    "Dems and swings like Christie and so do coastal and New England Republicans, but he will really struggle to get conservatives to vote for him and they are the ones who decide the primary election. Should be interesting to see how it all unfolds. The thing that could away them is the hopes of beating Hillary, but that's why they chose Romney last time (national viability in the general election) and they are feeling embittered by that and there is a feeling among some conservatives is that the answer to their national elections problem is to nominate a "true conservative" next time- that might work for them but only if he is Latino and isn't obviously insane. Not easy to find among their ranks.

    "Dems winning in Boston, NY, and Detroit don't really have any predictive value, but the down ticket races in VA are interesting for sure.

    "It is interesting to hear from you about how folks are betting on this stuff. What a trip! :) "

    I disagree with you on Christie and Rand Paul.

    They went with an east coast governor at WH2012 and failed. I'm not convinced they'll do it again. At least Romney didn't have a weight problem.

    Rand Paul inherits a power and extraordinarily strong ground organisation in many key states from his father and will do well in the early caucuses.

    I'm on at 50/1 for the nomination as I tipped here a year ago.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538
    O/T those are some delightful adverts about nail fungus
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    ''What may be madness at a National level is entirely sensible and rational at a local level''

    True but its at national level where the power is. Any sensible politician knows he has to compromise his local politics to succeed nationally. And local voters probably know it too, -which is why they accept a pale imitation of what they voted for when their man gets in.

    But ted cruz ain't like that, and neither are other tea party politicians. Or their voters. They would rather see the US default on its debt than compromise their principles in any way FFS. In fact, they'd quite like it.

    Tea had a lousy night on Tuesday, but do think they are meeting in huddles discussing how they can change their message to appeal to a wider section of voters? Nope, its the voters who are wrong!!

  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,538
    taffys said:

    ''What may be madness at a National level is entirely sensible and rational at a local level''

    True but its at national level where the power is. Any sensible politician knows he has to compromise his local politics to succeed nationally. And local voters probably know it too, -which is why they accept a pale imitation of what they voted for when their man gets in.

    But ted cruz ain't like that, and neither are other tea party politicians. Or their voters. They would rather see the US default on its debt than compromise their principles in any way FFS. In fact, they'd quite like it.

    Tea had a lousy night on Tuesday, but do think they are meeting in huddles discussing how they can change their message to appeal to a wider section of voters? Nope, its the voters who are wrong!!

    A great deal of power in the US resides at State level.


  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Simon Carr is very good on Guido - I wonder how he bagged him.

    “He won by a mile,” both sides say.

    Which do you prefer? These figures or those figures? The useless or the clueless? The useless clueless or the useless gutless? The one who doesn’t know anything or the one who’s got everything wrong. The one that goes round personally sacking nurses or the one who’s a corrupt mafia-backed mayor?

    Or you might prefer the Speaker himself, he called them all, as a whole, “low-grade” and “downmarket”. John Bercow is the Ambassador for Parliament, so that’s quite an assessment from the Chief Outreach Officer.

    He put in another cracking anti-Tory performance – and so soon after the one two weeks ago which had the 1922 executive on the point of sending a delegation to him to complain. The delegation idea didn’t work so they were going to send a letter. In the end, they did nothing. The inactivity is something less than masterly.

    Emboldened, the Speaker interrupted the Prime Minister again today, as he was winding up for one of his shoutable lines (the PM’s mike gets turned off when the Speaker rises). And Bercow also told him off in a tone of jocular contempt for not answering a question.

    The deputy chief whip then tweeted: “PMQs getting like Old Trafford, 5 minutes extra time in the hope that the Reds score a late equaliser.” > more http://order-order.com/2013/11/06/sketch-angry-reserves-sliding-strikers-and-a-biased-ref/#more-153938


  • I disagree with you on Christie and Rand Paul.

    They went with an east coast governor at WH2012 and failed. I'm not convinced they'll do it again. At least Romney didn't have a weight problem.

    Rand Paul inherits a power and extraordinarily strong ground organisation in many key states from his father and will do well in the early caucuses.

    I'm on at 50/1 for the nomination as I tipped here a year ago.

    The question about Rand Paul is whether he can break through the ceiling that kept his father back. He does indeed inherit a very strong machine however while he's not his father, the fact that so many conservatives plumped for Romney over Paul once their own bedfellows had fallen short shows the degree of antipathy that existed towards him as well. Rand will have to avoid the kind of active hostility that existed in 80%+ of the GOP voting base towards his father if he's to stand a chance.

    50/1 sounds about right to me. It's not inconceivable but it'd take a highly unusual set of circumstances to break through that ceiling.

    The point about the early states is an important one. Unless a candidate can score one win or at least two strong seconds in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, they're going to be under immense pressure just to stay in the race..
  • One piece that might be of interest:

    http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/11/chris-christie-on-2016-speculation-it-doesnt-mean-anything-to-me/

    In it, it mentions that Christie is more than half way towards his weight loss target since having surgery earlier this year.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,411
    As I'm on both Christie and Rand Paul I hope one of Mike and Peter is right !
  • john_zimsjohn_zims Posts: 3,399
    @Scott_P

    'Cameron has launched an immediate investigation.

    What a contrast with Falkirk..'

    What do you expect from McCluskey's puppet?
  • antifrank said:

    Is there any reason not to pursue a strategy of laying the favourites? It seems inherently unlikely that someone will lead this race from start to finish.

    If you're prepared to bet on marginal movements, you can probably do OK but it's far from unknown for a candidate to lead from start to finish. Hillary could very easily do so for the Democrats. Off the top of my head, I'd guess that of the last 10 elections, excluding sitting presidents seeking re-election, about six were favourites all or most of the way through, three may have been, and only four (Carter, Dukakis, Clinton and Obama) were definately not. Last election was unusual in the large number of GOP surge candidates, which Romney saw off one by one. Even then, Mitt was favourite to take on Obama pretty much the whole way.
  • As a postscript, posters may be interested in the email-comments from my mole. She takes a lively interest in the Site, although to the best of my knowledge has never delurked.

    *******************************************************************************

    "Dems and swings like Christie and so do coastal and New England Republicans, but he will really struggle to get conservatives to vote for him and they are the ones who decide the primary election. Should be interesting to see how it all unfolds. The thing that could away them is the hopes of beating Hillary, but that's why they chose Romney last time (national viability in the general election) and they are feeling embittered by that and there is a feeling among some conservatives is that the answer to their national elections problem is to nominate a "true conservative" next time- that might work for them but only if he is Latino and isn't obviously insane. Not easy to find among their ranks.

    "Dems winning in Boston, NY, and Detroit don't really have any predictive value, but the down ticket races in VA are interesting for sure.

    "It is interesting to hear from you about how folks are betting on this stuff. What a trip! :) "

    I disagree with you on Christie and Rand Paul.

    They went with an east coast governor at WH2012 and failed. I'm not convinced they'll do it again. At least Romney didn't have a weight problem.

    Rand Paul inherits a power and extraordinarily strong ground organisation in many key states from his father and will do well in the early caucuses.

    I'm on at 50/1 for the nomination as I tipped here a year ago.
    Fairy nuff, Mike, but I should add that my mole was deeply sceptical about the idea of Rand Paul as GOP Nominee. She couldn't really explain why, but just felt it was improbable.

    Every runner has its price though and at 50s I'd be a backer,not a layer.

  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Why is Cameron wasting his time phoning Putin regarding those oil platform saboteurs ?

    20 years in the gulag should disencourage others.

  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Nope. Nothing doing. Ed Miliband spent all morning racking his brains but he couldn’t think of a single disaster to pin on David Cameron at PMQs. So he made one up. A crisis, he declared sonorously, is about engulf the NHS this winter. Our A&E departments will soon be overwhelmed by flu-victims expiring on trolleys and frost-bitten pensioners spilling out of broom cupboards. He dared the prime minister to deny it.

    Forget this winter, said Cameron, there’s an NHS crisis already. And it’s happening in Wales where Labour is in control of the health service. This spiked Miliband’s guns.
    http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/11/pmqs-john-bercows-bid-for-stardom-continues/
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Is it now a straight fight between Bercow and McLuskey for who runs the opposition ?
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,636

    taffys said:

    It's wrong to see the tea party as in any way interested in victory through compromise.

    Tea Repubs were widely seen as the culprits in the US debt ceiling stand off, and yet moderate repubs who helped prevent the US defaulting on its debt were completely vilified and potentially face re-selection battles. For doing the popular thing. For rescuing the Repubs from being the party that caused the default.

    The tea party believes what it believes, no matter how many election defeats it goes down to, or how it does in the polls. It clearly isn;t interested in getting elected.

    You have to understand the mechanics, Taffys.

    What may be madness at a National level is entirely sensible and rational at a local level. This is what explains rise to national prominence of somebody like Ted Cruz. In reality, he has no more chance of becoming POTUS than you or I.

    Especially as he was born in Canada. People backing someone constitutionally barred from the presidency are...

    nuts
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    TGOHF said:

    Is it now a straight fight between Bercow and McLuskey for who runs the opposition ?

    Maybe Ed should launch an Inquiry? Oh, wait...
  • rcs1000 said:

    taffys said:

    It's wrong to see the tea party as in any way interested in victory through compromise.

    Tea Repubs were widely seen as the culprits in the US debt ceiling stand off, and yet moderate repubs who helped prevent the US defaulting on its debt were completely vilified and potentially face re-selection battles. For doing the popular thing. For rescuing the Repubs from being the party that caused the default.

    The tea party believes what it believes, no matter how many election defeats it goes down to, or how it does in the polls. It clearly isn;t interested in getting elected.

    You have to understand the mechanics, Taffys.

    What may be madness at a National level is entirely sensible and rational at a local level. This is what explains rise to national prominence of somebody like Ted Cruz. In reality, he has no more chance of becoming POTUS than you or I.

    Especially as he was born in Canada. People backing someone constitutionally barred from the presidency are...

    nuts
    Is he barred? His mother was an American citizen at the time of his birth, though his father wasn't (and indeed remained that way until quite recently). It's a grey area and there is legal opinion on both sides, there never having been a definitive legal opinion from the Supreme Court, for example, of what a 'natural born citizen' is. Even so, having had American citizenship from birth, as Cruz has, must strongly count in his favour. I'd be very wary of laying him on the grounds that he's barred from standing.
  • Scrapheap_as_wasScrapheap_as_was Posts: 10,069
    edited November 2013
    tim said:

    Bercow, Unite, all that was missing was the BBC and the immigrant cat, Dave could be a PB (Red) Tory.

    "Mr Cameron’s face turned the shade that the Dulux colour chart is pleased to call Sumptuous Plum. He was evidently still chewing on the humiliation 10 minutes later, because during an answer about poverty he broke off to shout, “I’m keen to answer the question, Mr Speaker! It’s a very direct answer! Yes!”

    It might have helped his cause if he hadn’t tried to answer quite so many questions with an attack on the Unite union for its alleged behaviour in Falkirk. He’s starting to sound obsessed. I hope he isn’t like this at home.
    “David darling, have you got any dirty laundry? I’m doing a whites wash.”
    “The right honourable wife asks about dirty laundry. I’ll tell you who’s got dirty laundry: the Unite union in Falkirk! And Labour’s inquiry into their vote-rigging was a complete whites wash!”
    “Not again, David. I’ve no interest in this nonsense. Just give me your vests.”
    “Vests? Interest? I’ll tell you who’s got vested interests: the Unite union in Falkirk!”
    “Right. If you don’t shut up about the Unite union in Falkirk, you can jolly well do your own washing.”
    “Threats. Bullying. The attempted intimidation of a decent family man. I’ll tell you who this reminds me of: the Unite union in Falkirk!”"

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/pmqs/10430955/PMQs-sketch-Mr-Speaker-and-the-Sumptuous-Plum.html

    Thanks Plato. Oh hang on....
  • RichardNabaviRichardNabavi Posts: 3,413
    edited November 2013
    @tim - And yet this government, in marked contrast to the last one, seems to be making remarkable progress in dismantling the culture of cover-up in the NHS. For the first time in years it looks as though we might actually get real change on this. No wonder Labour are rattled.
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    Ed running out of safe topics for PMQs......

  • OT

    Looks like the MP for Ilford South is about to get some unwelcome attention from Eurosceptics who want to make sure his constituents are fully appraised of his desperate and extensive attempts to deny them a referendum on EU membership.

    http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=cd87abaa476ddb40d85de000d&id=a09447fa8c&e=7d8a0eadce
  • @tim - Yes, tim, I have seen the polling. And I've also seen what is coming out about the failings. And I can see a government actually trying to do something about those failings. And I put all that together and understand why Labour are so rattled about it that Ed was reduced to the bizarre tactic of prematurely laying in to the PM on the off-chance that there might be a crisis if the weather is bad this winter.
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @MichaelLCrick: Unite nominees now successful in 18 seats of 41 Lab candidate target list; 19 failed - 49% success rate. 4 seats yet to pick. Details soon
  • tim said:

    OT

    Looks like the MP for Ilford South is about to get some unwelcome attention from Eurosceptics who want to make sure his constituents are fully appraised of his desperate and extensive attempts to deny them a referendum on EU membership.

    http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=cd87abaa476ddb40d85de000d&id=a09447fa8c&e=7d8a0eadce

    Of his 11,000 majority I'd imagine about 300 will be bothered enough about Europe to consider switching, and then about three quarters of the won't do it.

    Doesn't matter. Anything that makes his life uncomfortable and forces him to answer questions from his constituents that he would rather not answer is fine.

    He is of course perfectly entitled to do what he is doing but at the same time the Eurosceptics are perfectly entitled to try and make his life as uncomfortable as possible in return.

    Plus the fact that on a wider canvas it plays into the meme that Labour as a party want to deny people a choice. At least that is the way it is going to be pushed by Eurosceptics.
  • @tim - Unfortunately our LibDem friends, having originally supported the reforms, got cold feet and started messing around, so time was wasted and the coherence of what Lansley was trying to do was rather lost. That's coalitions for you. Luckily Jeremy Hunt - whom you continue to underestimate - seems to have a firmer grip than Lansley.
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    tim said:

    More Marxism

    YouGov ‏@YouGov 3m
    59% think it's a good idea to offer tax cuts in exchange for companies paying the living wage - http://y-g.co/1hN6Kdw

    How many think apple pie is nice ?
  • He is of course perfectly entitled to do what he is doing but at the same time the Eurosceptics are perfectly entitled to try and make his life as uncomfortable as possible in return.

    Is there not any procedural protection against obviously silly wrecking amendments? I thought the Speaker didn't allow them?
  • He is of course perfectly entitled to do what he is doing but at the same time the Eurosceptics are perfectly entitled to try and make his life as uncomfortable as possible in return.

    Is there not any procedural protection against obviously silly wrecking amendments? I thought the Speaker didn't allow them?
    Not sure. They have been tabled but whether they will be allowed to stand when the bill comes back to the Commons we will have to wait and see.
  • tim said:

    It's a private members bill remember, Dave didn't have the bottle for anything else.

    He didn't have a majority. More's the pity, but we are where we are.
  • SeanT said:

    Greetings from Nairobi airport. And what a fucking toilet it is. Gatwick South, all is forgiven.

    It was on fire a few weeks ago, but to be fair (and I lived in Nairobi for seven of the last ten years), the fire probably improved it.
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,928
    SeanT said:

    tim said:

    Interesting piece from D'Ancona

    "Matthew d'Ancona: ‘Socialism’ is no longer a bogey word in New York
    Bill de Blasio’s victory will be galvanising for Ed Miliband: it suggests a new voter preoccupation with inequality"

    http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/matthew-dancona-socialism-is-no-longer-a-bogey-word-in-new-york-8924150.html

    What the Tory strategists should have realised a couple of months ago before lauching their hilarious "Marxist" attacks, as recent polling on the utilities etc has since proven

    Is the West really lurching Left? If so, it would be a succulent irony, as China gets rich through the most ruthless capitalism.

    There are certainly disturbing signs that America is following the European path. Tired of leading the world, it wants to sit back and give everyone Benefits. And adopt socialist healthcare. It will be trampled by Asia.

    Remember when a president could credibly claim that the 21st century would ALSO be the American century? It seems ludicrous and laughable now, but it was just a decade ago.
    Ruthless yes. But it's an economic model that has the government at it's heart. Hardly capitalism as we've tended to know it in the West - certainly not in the last 30 years in Britain and the US.
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,928

    @tim - Unfortunately our LibDem friends, having originally supported the reforms, got cold feet and started messing around, so time was wasted and the coherence of what Lansley was trying to do was rather lost. That's coalitions for you. Luckily Jeremy Hunt - whom you continue to underestimate - seems to have a firmer grip than Lansley.

    Shame he didn't apparently have much grip on his Special Adviser at DCMS, Mr Adam Smith, who was having all sorts of contact with News International not to Mr Hunt's knowledge apparently.
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    edited November 2013
    See Cameron going hard at Miliband on Wales today.

    At last the tories are catching on to exploiting the desperate failures in public services in Labour's back yard.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,064
    tim said:

    More Marxism

    YouGov ‏@YouGov 3m
    59% think it's a good idea to offer tax cuts in exchange for companies paying the living wage - http://y-g.co/1hN6Kdw

    Populism is popular. In other news, the sky is blue.
  • SeanT said:

    SeanT said:

    Greetings from Nairobi airport. And what a fucking toilet it is. Gatwick South, all is forgiven.


    It was on fire a few weeks ago, but to be fair (and I lived in Nairobi for seven of the last ten years), the fire probably improved it.
    I'm actually in the so-called 'Simba Business Lounge'. It makes the Wetherspoons at Luton in August look like the Athenaeum
    About two years ago I was in the BA Business Class lounge. They had run out of food before the one flight of the day that they had to handle.

    Presumably you haven't been to Mumbai. I was in the lounge used for BA Business Class, and there was nowhere to sit (no food or drink either). I asked if I could go outside (and maybe come back later), as there was at least some seating in the main area. The staff were somewhat taken aback that a business class passenger would want rather sit with the plebs than stand in a cess pit.

    It made Nairobi airport look clean, organised and efficient.

  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    TGOHF said:


    How many think apple pie is nice ?

    Free ponies for everyone!

    Ed's decision to abandon all pretence of economic realism for desperate populism is another sign of Osborne's continuing success.
  • Shame he didn't apparently have much grip on his Special Adviser at DCMS, Mr Adam Smith, who was having all sorts of contact with News International not to Mr Hunt's knowledge apparently.

    Indeed so, but it was a trivial failure compared with the failures of Andy Burnham to get a grip on Mid Staffs and the other hospitals where things not only went badly wrong, but were covered up.
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,928
    tim said:

    Bercow, Unite, all that was missing was the BBC and the immigrant cat, Dave could be a PB (Red) Tory.

    "Mr Cameron’s face turned the shade that the Dulux colour chart is pleased to call Sumptuous Plum. He was evidently still chewing on the humiliation 10 minutes later, because during an answer about poverty he broke off to shout, “I’m keen to answer the question, Mr Speaker! It’s a very direct answer! Yes!”

    It might have helped his cause if he hadn’t tried to answer quite so many questions with an attack on the Unite union for its alleged behaviour in Falkirk. He’s starting to sound obsessed. I hope he isn’t like this at home.
    “David darling, have you got any dirty laundry? I’m doing a whites wash.”
    “The right honourable wife asks about dirty laundry. I’ll tell you who’s got dirty laundry: the Unite union in Falkirk! And Labour’s inquiry into their vote-rigging was a complete whites wash!”
    “Not again, David. I’ve no interest in this nonsense. Just give me your vests.”
    “Vests? Interest? I’ll tell you who’s got vested interests: the Unite union in Falkirk!”
    “Right. If you don’t shut up about the Unite union in Falkirk, you can jolly well do your own washing.”
    “Threats. Bullying. The attempted intimidation of a decent family man. I’ll tell you who this reminds me of: the Unite union in Falkirk!”"

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/pmqs/10430955/PMQs-sketch-Mr-Speaker-and-the-Sumptuous-Plum.html

    Shame on those who think the Torygraph is all bad.
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453


    Indeed so, but it was a trivial failure compared with the failures of Andy Burnham to get a grip on Mid Staffs and the other hospitals where things not only went badly wrong, but were covered up.

    The Speaker did his best to stop the PM reminding the house about patients drinking water out of vases on Burnham's watch, but the press gallery picked it up anyway.
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited November 2013
    Tristram Hunt reselected for Stoke-on-Trent Central:

    "Tristram Hunt ‏@TristramHuntMP 6h

    Great privilege to be reselected as the Labour Party candidate for Stoke-on-Trent Central for 2015 General Election #prideinthePotteries"


    twitter.com/TristramHuntMP/status/398054531109371904
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    Tim is right about China's demographics. The population is expected to start dropping in about seven years' time when the UK's will still be rising.
  • O/T Anecdote alert. Talking student loans with The Office Girls today and they were astonished by the funding back in ye olde days. I described my just about liveable Grant, my Housing Benefit and Supp Benn in the easter and chrimbo as well as the summer hols which allowed us to take foregranted we could fart around on the taxpayers bill and they simply could not conceive of such dollops of largess being doled out. The interesting thing though was tha despite having serios and burdensome loans themselves they thoroughly disapproved of it. "Shocking" and "Disgusting" were used. Tonys not Maggies cchildren. Interested me anyway.
This discussion has been closed.