politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Away from the dramatic political events in the US tonight’s Lo

nielh said:

williamglenn said:

SeanT said:

another_richard said:

SeanT said:

another_richard said:

Apologies for attempting to derail such an enlightening discussion but are there any views on how things might have been different in the USA if Remain had won here ?

Without Brexit, Trump wouldn't have won. Simple as. Brexit was a crucial "inflection point" as Meeks has described it. We gave them permission.

I think so too.

Which makes Farage the most influential politician of this era.

No question. Farage is the most successful and important British politician in a generation. He has changed politics worldwide. It is surely sweet revenge: on all those who laughed at him.

I think to class as a successful politician you have to actually hold office and achieve things. I'll give you campaigner or activist: a kind of Emmeline Pankhurst de nos jours.

That's it. Farage has never been interested in running anything or being in power. In fact, he tried to run away as soon as the UK left the EU.

Much depends on what happens next: if Brexit is a disaster, Farage will be remembered as a sort of anachronistic parody of post colonial decline.

Black_Rook said:

Oh look:

https://twitter.com/suttonnick/status/796834442593574912

My immediate thought that (probably soon to be Lord) Farage might be appointed as the UK ambassador to Washington is (probably) daft, but this headline is no surprise.

Alistair said:

STEIN PREDICTION UPDATE!!!!!!

Error in my spreadsheet. She is instead heading for 0.98%, I had accidentally projected Oregon's results with California high percentage of remaining votes to cast

Sean_F said:

nielh said:

williamglenn said:

SeanT said:

another_richard said:

SeanT said:

another_richard said:

Apologies for attempting to derail such an enlightening discussion but are there any views on how things might have been different in the USA if Remain had won here ?

Without Brexit, Trump wouldn't have won. Simple as. Brexit was a crucial "inflection point" as Meeks has described it. We gave them permission.

I think so too.

Which makes Farage the most influential politician of this era.

No question. Farage is the most successful and important British politician in a generation. He has changed politics worldwide. It is surely sweet revenge: on all those who laughed at him.

I think to class as a successful politician you have to actually hold office and achieve things. I'll give you campaigner or activist: a kind of Emmeline Pankhurst de nos jours.

That's it. Farage has never been interested in running anything or being in power. In fact, he tried to run away as soon as the UK left the EU.

Much depends on what happens next: if Brexit is a disaster, Farage will be remembered as a sort of anachronistic parody of post colonial decline.

A politician can be very successful, without holding high office, if he causes a break with the status quo. Farage is one such.

Black_Rook said:

Oh look:

https://twitter.com/suttonnick/status/796834442593574912

My immediate thought that (probably soon to be Lord) Farage might be appointed as the UK ambassador to Washington is (probably) daft, but this headline is no surprise.

TOPPING said:

Black_Rook said:

Oh look:

https://twitter.com/suttonnick/status/796834442593574912

My immediate thought that (probably soon to be Lord) Farage might be appointed as the UK ambassador to Washington is (probably) daft, but this headline is no surprise.

Davis, Redwood, Cash, and now Farage with their hands on the tiller or in positions of influence.

Sweet Jesus help us.

Sean_F said:

Black_Rook said:

Oh look:

https://twitter.com/suttonnick/status/796834442593574912

My immediate thought that (probably soon to be Lord) Farage might be appointed as the UK ambassador to Washington is (probably) daft, but this headline is no surprise.

Very good news.

Theuniondivvie said:

TOPPING said:

Black_Rook said:

Oh look:

https://twitter.com/suttonnick/status/796834442593574912

My immediate thought that (probably soon to be Lord) Farage might be appointed as the UK ambassador to Washington is (probably) daft, but this headline is no surprise.

Davis, Redwood, Cash, and now Farage with their hands on the tiller or in positions of influence.

Sweet Jesus help us.

I seem to recall pre Brexit that most of the Leavers were assuring one and all that Farage would be nowhere near the levers of power if Leave won.
Probably misremembered.

SimonStClare said:

Alistair said:

STEIN PREDICTION UPDATE!!!!!!

Error in my spreadsheet. She is instead heading for 0.98%, I had accidentally projected Oregon's results with California high percentage of remaining votes to cast

+£300 kerching?

Black_Rook said:

FF43 said:

SeanT said:

Trump is a vain and arrogant man, as well as a very smart man. He will want a legacy, and he will want at least the possibility of a second term.

He will have to follow through on SOME of his manifesto, or be loathed and repudiated. He's an old man in a hurry, in short.

I don't see how he can deliver the protectionist, rust-belt reviving economic agenda, it is undoable. And as a businessman he knows this. So he HAS to deliver the anti-migrant, social conservative agenda. He will move against illegal immigrants, against Muslims, against liberal judges, against Obamacare etc etc

I'm not sure. Economic nationalism is why the Rust Belt unionised labour voted for Trump. They don't care about social conservatism, nor does Trump obviously. That's just for the Republican Party faithful.

How can the race be this close after everything Trump has said and done? Well maybe it’s because he’s said (correctly) that the Clintons’ support of NAFTA helped to destroy the industrial states of the Upper Midwest. Trump is going to hammer Clinton on this and her support of TPP and other trade policies that have royally screwed the people of these four states. When Trump stood in the shadow of a Ford Motor factory during the Michigan primary, he threatened the corporation that if they did indeed go ahead with their planned closure of that factory and move it to Mexico, he would slap a 35% tariff on any Mexican-built cars shipped back to the United States. It was sweet, sweet music to the ears of the working class of Michigan Michael Moore - 5 Reasons why Trump will win

That 35% tariff will destroy NAFTA and quite possibly the WTO too. But I think he will do it. Why should he care about International rules that have brought the country to its knees? He's there for America.

How much power does Trump have w.r.t. tariffs, esp. when these may contravene trade agreements made by treaty? Wouldn't Congress have to agree?

In so far as I am aware, Congress is Republican establishment-dominated. They obviously won't frustrate Trump over everything he wants to do, but they will demand compromises. Free trade is likely to be near the top of the list of things that they will try to defend in so far as is reasonable. The interest of wealthier Republican voters and rich donors demands it.

Black_Rook said:

FF43 said:

SeanT said:

Trump is a vain and arrogant man, as well as a very smart man. He will want a legacy, and he will want at least the possibility of a second term.

He will have to follow through on SOME of his manifesto, or be loathed and repudiated. He's an old man in a hurry, in short.

I don't see how he can deliver the protectionist, rust-belt reviving economic agenda, it is undoable. And as a businessman he knows this. So he HAS to deliver the anti-migrant, social conservative agenda. He will move against illegal immigrants, against Muslims, against liberal judges, against Obamacare etc etc

I'm not sure. Economic nationalism is why the Rust Belt unionised labour voted for Trump. They don't care about social conservatism, nor does Trump obviously. That's just for the Republican Party faithful.

How can the race be this close after everything Trump has said and done? Well maybe it’s because he’s said (correctly) that the Clintons’ support of NAFTA helped to destroy the industrial states of the Upper Midwest. Trump is going to hammer Clinton on this and her support of TPP and other trade policies that have royally screwed the people of these four states. When Trump stood in the shadow of a Ford Motor factory during the Michigan primary, he threatened the corporation that if they did indeed go ahead with their planned closure of that factory and move it to Mexico, he would slap a 35% tariff on any Mexican-built cars shipped back to the United States. It was sweet, sweet music to the ears of the working class of Michigan Michael Moore - 5 Reasons why Trump will win

That 35% tariff will destroy NAFTA and quite possibly the WTO too. But I think he will do it. Why should he care about International rules that have brought the country to its knees? He's there for America.

How much power does Trump have w.r.t. tariffs, esp. when these may contravene trade agreements made by treaty? Wouldn't Congress have to agree?

In so far as I am aware, Congress is Republican establishment-dominated. They obviously won't frustrate Trump over everything he wants to do, but they will demand compromises. Free trade is likely to be near the top of the list of things that they will try to defend in so far as is reasonable. The interest of wealthier Republican voters and rich donors demands it.

rcs1000 said:

HYUFD said:

Jon Sopel says Trump was 'inspired by Brexit' and saw a path to victory as a result, he was in Scotland the day after the vote. An interview with Trump's trade adviser also confirms a Trump US will seek to do a trade deal with the 'like minded UK' before the EU

I'm intrigued to know what deal could be better for the US, than TPP is.

MP_SE said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Bbc had a NYC 3 part special a couple of months ago & they talked about this with focus on just NYC. They are currently building a massive expansion of the train system but it will only scratch the surface.

I completely forgot about my trip to NYC earlier in the year. What really surprised me was how antiquated their subway was. Nothing like the London underground.

HYUFD said:

rcs1000 said:

HYUFD said:

Jon Sopel says Trump was 'inspired by Brexit' and saw a path to victory as a result, he was in Scotland the day after the vote. An interview with Trump's trade adviser also confirms a Trump US will seek to do a trade deal with the 'like minded UK' before the EU

I'm intrigued to know what deal could be better for the US, than TPP is.

Trump has already said he will not sign TPP

edmundintokyo said:

MP_SE said:

edmundintokyo said:

I agree with all of those, although I'm not sure what he'll do about Obamacare. Just repealing it and letting millions of people go without healthcare probably wouldn't be popular in practice. There are a bunch of things he could do if he has the political space, like expanding medicare while deregulating private insurance, but it's all very complicated and has a lot of entrenched interests.

The other thing he can do is borrow money for serious infrastructure spending, a lot of which goes to rural areas. This is another thing that Obama would probably have liked to do, had the GOP let him. It's been a key component of Japan's eternal conservative government ever since the 1970s: Take money from urban voters, spend it on job-creating construction projects in rural areas, a portion of that money comes back as political donations from construction companies.

What sort of stuff could be built that does not end up being a bunch of white elephants? Seems kind of short term as there will need to be work for those who were involved in the projects once they have been completed.

From a political point of view it doesn't matter whether you end up building white elephants or useful infrastructure. Construction takes time, so the results will barely be in until after 2020. The goal is: Take government money, use it to employ your low-income rural supporters, via construction industry friends (he has lots of those) who kick some of it back as political donations. In Japan a lot of it does indeed end up with white elephants. (This includes some really awesome dams, each of which has a restaurant, which serves a replication of its respective dam, crafted out of the medium of curry rice.)

However, much of the US has quite shitty infrastructure, and getting viable construction projects going in the face of regulations and local opposition is Donald Trump's core competency.

Pulpstar said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PQrz8F0dBI

8:00 minutes in

Trump & Brexit the natural byproducts.

FF43 said:

Black_Rook said:

FF43 said:

SeanT said:

Trump is a vain and arrogant man, as well as a very smart man. He will want a legacy, and he will want at least the possibility of a second term.

He will have to follow through on SOME of his manifesto, or be loathed and repudiated. He's an old man in a hurry, in short.

I don't see how he can deliver the protectionist, rust-belt reviving economic agenda, it is undoable. And as a businessman he knows this. So he HAS to deliver the anti-migrant, social conservative agenda. He will move against illegal immigrants, against Muslims, against liberal judges, against Obamacare etc etc

I'm not sure. Economic nationalism is why the Rust Belt unionised labour voted for Trump. They don't care about social conservatism, nor does Trump obviously. That's just for the Republican Party faithful.

How can the race be this close after everything Trump has said and done? Well maybe it’s because he’s said (correctly) that the Clintons’ support of NAFTA helped to destroy the industrial states of the Upper Midwest. Trump is going to hammer Clinton on this and her support of TPP and other trade policies that have royally screwed the people of these four states. When Trump stood in the shadow of a Ford Motor factory during the Michigan primary, he threatened the corporation that if they did indeed go ahead with their planned closure of that factory and move it to Mexico, he would slap a 35% tariff on any Mexican-built cars shipped back to the United States. It was sweet, sweet music to the ears of the working class of Michigan Michael Moore - 5 Reasons why Trump will win

That 35% tariff will destroy NAFTA and quite possibly the WTO too. But I think he will do it. Why should he care about International rules that have brought the country to its knees? He's there for America.

How much power does Trump have w.r.t. tariffs, esp. when these may contravene trade agreements made by treaty? Wouldn't Congress have to agree?

In so far as I am aware, Congress is Republican establishment-dominated. They obviously won't frustrate Trump over everything he wants to do, but they will demand compromises. Free trade is likely to be near the top of the list of things that they will try to defend in so far as is reasonable. The interest of wealthier Republican voters and rich donors demands it.

The Republican establishment put up Bush, Rubio, even that ghastly Ted Cruz - anybody - to stop Trump. Then they secretly, or not so secretly, hoped for a Clinton win to stop him. Guess what? He's there, just to get rid of that free trade that destroyed the industry in the now Rust Belt.

Alistair said:

TheWhiteRabbit said:

SimonStClare said:

Alistair said:

STEIN PREDICTION UPDATE!!!!!!

Error in my spreadsheet. She is instead heading for 0.98%, I had accidentally projected Oregon's results with California high percentage of remaining votes to cast

+£300 kerching?

much less for me but I won't be happy till it's in my account!

At least my tipping reputation has been salvaged.

IanB2 said:

FF43 said:

Stark_Dawning said:

SeanT said:

another_richard said:

Apologies for attempting to derail such an enlightening discussion but are there any views on how things might have been different in the USA if Remain had won here ?

Without Brexit, Trump wouldn't have won. Simple as. Brexit was a crucial "inflection point" as Meeks has described it. We gave them permission.

I doubt many Trump voters either knew or cared about Brexit. This is America we're talking about: foreign news is what's happening in a neighbouring state.

Apparently there's now a #Calexit movement for California to leave the Trump presided Union. There's a lot of this stuff about, although undoubtedly more noise than substance in this case.

#Californaway, surely? Or #Califarewell

edmundintokyo said:

MP_SE said:

edmundintokyo said:

I agree with all of those, although I'm not sure what he'll do about Obamacare. Just repealing it and letting millions of people go without healthcare probably wouldn't be popular in practice. There are a bunch of things he could do if he has the political space, like expanding medicare while deregulating private insurance, but it's all very complicated and has a lot of entrenched interests.

The other thing he can do is borrow money for serious infrastructure spending, a lot of which goes to rural areas. This is another thing that Obama would probably have liked to do, had the GOP let him. It's been a key component of Japan's eternal conservative government ever since the 1970s: Take money from urban voters, spend it on job-creating construction projects in rural areas, a portion of that money comes back as political donations from construction companies.

What sort of stuff could be built that does not end up being a bunch of white elephants? Seems kind of short term as there will need to be work for those who were involved in the projects once they have been completed.

From a political point of view it doesn't matter whether you end up building white elephants or useful infrastructure. Construction takes time, so the results will barely be in until after 2020. The goal is: Take government money, use it to employ your low-income rural supporters, via construction industry friends (he has lots of those) who kick some of it back as political donations. In Japan a lot of it does indeed end up with white elephants. (This includes some really awesome dams, each of which has a restaurant, which serves a replication of its respective dam, crafted out of the medium of curry rice.)

However, much of the US has quite shitty infrastructure, and getting viable construction projects going in the face of regulations and local opposition is Donald Trump's core competency.

FF43 said:

edmundintokyo said:

MP_SE said:

edmundintokyo said:

I agree with all of those, although I'm not sure what he'll do about Obamacare. Just repealing it and letting millions of people go without healthcare probably wouldn't be popular in practice. There are a bunch of things he could do if he has the political space, like expanding medicare while deregulating private insurance, but it's all very complicated and has a lot of entrenched interests.

The other thing he can do is borrow money for serious infrastructure spending, a lot of which goes to rural areas. This is another thing that Obama would probably have liked to do, had the GOP let him. It's been a key component of Japan's eternal conservative government ever since the 1970s: Take money from urban voters, spend it on job-creating construction projects in rural areas, a portion of that money comes back as political donations from construction companies.

What sort of stuff could be built that does not end up being a bunch of white elephants? Seems kind of short term as there will need to be work for those who were involved in the projects once they have been completed.

From a political point of view it doesn't matter whether you end up building white elephants or useful infrastructure. Construction takes time, so the results will barely be in until after 2020. The goal is: Take government money, use it to employ your low-income rural supporters, via construction industry friends (he has lots of those) who kick some of it back as political donations. In Japan a lot of it does indeed end up with white elephants. (This includes some really awesome dams, each of which has a restaurant, which serves a replication of its respective dam, crafted out of the medium of curry rice.)

However, much of the US has quite shitty infrastructure, and getting viable construction projects going in the face of regulations and local opposition is Donald Trump's core competency.

And patronage. Which is another way Trump will resemble Putin. So Mr Senator, you want projects X, Y and Z in your patch? You don't want any challenge to your office? You'll be one of mine from now on.

FrancisUrquhart said:

MP_SE said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Bbc had a NYC 3 part special a couple of months ago & they talked about this with focus on just NYC. They are currently building a massive expansion of the train system but it will only scratch the surface.

I completely forgot about my trip to NYC earlier in the year. What really surprised me was how antiquated their subway was. Nothing like the London underground.

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/blog/this-massive-subway-expansion-would-completely-transform-nyc-022216

rcs1000 said:

HYUFD said:

rcs1000 said:

HYUFD said:

Jon Sopel says Trump was 'inspired by Brexit' and saw a path to victory as a result, he was in Scotland the day after the vote. An interview with Trump's trade adviser also confirms a Trump US will seek to do a trade deal with the 'like minded UK' before the EU

I'm intrigued to know what deal could be better for the US, than TPP is.

Trump has already said he will not sign TPP

That's my point. If TPP isn't good enough for the US, what trade deal is…?

Pulpstar said:

IanB2 said:

FF43 said:

Stark_Dawning said:

SeanT said:

another_richard said:

Apologies for attempting to derail such an enlightening discussion but are there any views on how things might have been different in the USA if Remain had won here ?

Without Brexit, Trump wouldn't have won. Simple as. Brexit was a crucial "inflection point" as Meeks has described it. We gave them permission.

I doubt many Trump voters either knew or cared about Brexit. This is America we're talking about: foreign news is what's happening in a neighbouring state.

Apparently there's now a #Calexit movement for California to leave the Trump presided Union. There's a lot of this stuff about, although undoubtedly more noise than substance in this case.

#Californaway, surely? Or #Califarewell

Will Oregon and Washington be invited to the party ?

Stark_Dawning said:

GeoffM said:

Stark_Dawning said:

SeanT said:

Stark_Dawning said:

SeanT said:

another_richard said:

Apologies for attempting to derail such an enlightening discussion but are there any views on how things might have been different in the USA if Remain had won here ?

Without Brexit, Trump wouldn't have won. Simple as. Brexit was a crucial "inflection point" as Meeks has described it. We gave them permission.

I doubt many Trump voters either knew or cared about Brexit. This is America we're talking about: foreign news is what's happening in a neighbouring state.

In other news: you're a misinformed cretin.

Here you go:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3919288/So-Trump-Mr-Brexit-Sarah-Palin-says-Britain-led-way-shock-EU-vote-celebrates-people-taking-control.html

Ha, ha. I get regular updates on America's preoccupations from my sister, and she's currently living in a Texas trailer park. Believe me, Brexit doesn't really enter the average red-neck's consciousness; they're more interested in shooting armadillos.

Your sister can't be a proper armaddillo-shooting redneck trailer park girl because otherwise she'd be shagging her .... brother ... hmmm.

In fairness, probably not all Texans are incestuous banjo players with a single, centred tooth. Most of what you hear is true though: her boyfriend's brother has $200,000 worth of guns about his mobile home.

Stark_Dawning said:

We get it every year, but a great British seasonal tradition is enacted once more: slagging off the John Lewis ad.

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/11/john-lewis-christmas-advert-mess/

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Pulpstar said:

IanB2 said:

FF43 said:

Stark_Dawning said:

SeanT said:

another_richard said:

Apologies for attempting to derail such an enlightening discussion but are there any views on how things might have been different in the USA if Remain had won here ?

Without Brexit, Trump wouldn't have won. Simple as. Brexit was a crucial "inflection point" as Meeks has described it. We gave them permission.

I doubt many Trump voters either knew or cared about Brexit. This is America we're talking about: foreign news is what's happening in a neighbouring state.

Apparently there's now a #Calexit movement for California to leave the Trump presided Union. There's a lot of this stuff about, although undoubtedly more noise than substance in this case.

#Californaway, surely? Or #Califarewell

Will Oregon and Washington be invited to the party ?

California should just repeal the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and return to Mexico

HYUFD said:

rcs1000 said:

HYUFD said:

rcs1000 said:

HYUFD said:

Jon Sopel says Trump was 'inspired by Brexit' and saw a path to victory as a result, he was in Scotland the day after the vote. An interview with Trump's trade adviser also confirms a Trump US will seek to do a trade deal with the 'like minded UK' before the EU

I'm intrigued to know what deal could be better for the US, than TPP is.

Trump has already said he will not sign TPP

That's my point. If TPP isn't good enough for the US, what trade deal is…?

The UK imports 9% of its imported goods from the US, a deal with a friendly UK could also be fairly easy to do compared to others on the table and one of the few Trump is likely to have much interest in doing, the others being probably with Israel and Australia and maybe Japan

FF43 said:

edmundintokyo said:

MP_SE said:

edmundintokyo said:

I agree with all of those, although I'm not sure what he'll do about Obamacare. Just repealing it and letting millions of people go without healthcare probably wouldn't be popular in practice. There are a bunch of things he could do if he has the political space, like expanding medicare while deregulating private insurance, but it's all very complicated and has a lot of entrenched interests.

The other thing he can do is borrow money for serious infrastructure spending, a lot of which goes to rural areas. This is another thing that Obama would probably have liked to do, had the GOP let him. It's been a key component of Japan's eternal conservative government ever since the 1970s: Take money from urban voters, spend it on job-creating construction projects in rural areas, a portion of that money comes back as political donations from construction companies.

What sort of stuff could be built that does not end up being a bunch of white elephants? Seems kind of short term as there will need to be work for those who were involved in the projects once they have been completed.

From a political point of view it doesn't matter whether you end up building white elephants or useful infrastructure. Construction takes time, so the results will barely be in until after 2020. The goal is: Take government money, use it to employ your low-income rural supporters, via construction industry friends (he has lots of those) who kick some of it back as political donations. In Japan a lot of it does indeed end up with white elephants. (This includes some really awesome dams, each of which has a restaurant, which serves a replication of its respective dam, crafted out of the medium of curry rice.)

However, much of the US has quite shitty infrastructure, and getting viable construction projects going in the face of regulations and local opposition is Donald Trump's core competency.

And patronage. Which is another way Trump will resemble Putin. So Mr Senator, you want projects X, Y and Z in your patch? You don't want any challenge to your office? You'll be one of mine from now on.

chestnut said:

rkrkrk said:

chestnut said:

rkrkrk said:

chestnut said:

I am starting to feel for those who have spent every day since May 2015 searching for bad news. They thought June would be it, but it seems not.

The churlishness has gone up a notch in the last 24 hours. It appears that some feel threatened and can probably see a successful Brexit.

My guess is that a new free trade area that excludes Mexico (min. wage $4 an hour), Bulgaria and Romania etc (€2 an hour) will very soon appear. The forward path is becoming obvious.

Care to wager on that?

On what?

The move will be to a free trade area where host nation wages become a factor...

A new free trade area between Canada, USA and UK and other Western European countries like France, Germany, Spain, Italy etc.

That's what you meant right? Apologies if I misunderstood.

I doubt very much that the Europeans will play ball - the currency and defence/historic issues are major obstacles.

I suspect that we will see an Anglosphere drive though. Trump makes the US seem more probable as a participant.

Alistair said:

HYUFD said:

rcs1000 said:

HYUFD said:

rcs1000 said:

HYUFD said:

Jon Sopel says Trump was 'inspired by Brexit' and saw a path to victory as a result, he was in Scotland the day after the vote. An interview with Trump's trade adviser also confirms a Trump US will seek to do a trade deal with the 'like minded UK' before the EU

I'm intrigued to know what deal could be better for the US, than TPP is.

Trump has already said he will not sign TPP

That's my point. If TPP isn't good enough for the US, what trade deal is…?

The UK imports 9% of its imported goods from the US, a deal with a friendly UK could also be fairly easy to do compared to others on the table and one of the few Trump is likely to have much interest in doing, the others being probably with Israel and Australia and maybe Japan

What could be changed about TPP to make out better for America?

Stark_Dawning said:

GeoffM said:

Stark_Dawning said:

SeanT said:

Stark_Dawning said:

SeanT said:

another_richard said:

Apologies for attempting to derail such an enlightening discussion but are there any views on how things might have been different in the USA if Remain had won here ?

Without Brexit, Trump wouldn't have won. Simple as. Brexit was a crucial "inflection point" as Meeks has described it. We gave them permission.

I doubt many Trump voters either knew or cared about Brexit. This is America we're talking about: foreign news is what's happening in a neighbouring state.

In other news: you're a misinformed cretin.

Here you go:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3919288/So-Trump-Mr-Brexit-Sarah-Palin-says-Britain-led-way-shock-EU-vote-celebrates-people-taking-control.html

Ha, ha. I get regular updates on America's preoccupations from my sister, and she's currently living in a Texas trailer park. Believe me, Brexit doesn't really enter the average red-neck's consciousness; they're more interested in shooting armadillos.

Your sister can't be a proper armaddillo-shooting redneck trailer park girl because otherwise she'd be shagging her .... brother ... hmmm.

In fairness, probably not all Texans are incestuous banjo players with a single, centred tooth. Most of what you hear is true though: her boyfriend's brother has $200,000 worth of guns about his mobile home.

Stark_Dawning said:

I see the Telegraph article about Farage as chief Anglo-American negotiator is now up:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/10/nigel-farage-to-be-donald-trumps-go-between-amid-claims-special/

Doesn't seems much in it though - just Farage grandstanding and taking a pot-shot at the Tories.

MP_SE said:

edmundintokyo said:

MP_SE said:

edmundintokyo said:

I agree with all of those, although I'm not sure what he'll do about Obamacare. Just repealing it and letting millions of people go without healthcare probably wouldn't be popular in practice. There are a bunch of things he could do if he has the political space, like expanding medicare while deregulating private insurance, but it's all very complicated and has a lot of entrenched interests.

The other thing he can do is borrow money for serious infrastructure spending, a lot of which goes to rural areas. This is another thing that Obama would probably have liked to do, had the GOP let him. It's been a key component of Japan's eternal conservative government ever since the 1970s: Take money from urban voters, spend it on job-creating construction projects in rural areas, a portion of that money comes back as political donations from construction companies.

What sort of stuff could be built that does not end up being a bunch of white elephants? Seems kind of short term as there will need to be work for those who were involved in the projects once they have been completed.

From a political point of view it doesn't matter whether you end up building white elephants or useful infrastructure. Construction takes time, so the results will barely be in until after 2020. The goal is: Take government money, use it to employ your low-income rural supporters, via construction industry friends (he has lots of those) who kick some of it back as political donations. In Japan a lot of it does indeed end up with white elephants. (This includes some really awesome dams, each of which has a restaurant, which serves a replication of its respective dam, crafted out of the medium of curry rice.)

However, much of the US has quite shitty infrastructure, and getting viable construction projects going in the face of regulations and local opposition is Donald Trump's core competency.

Thanks. I know absolutely nothing about construction and infrastructure so really useful to know.

Pulpstar said:

Pong said:

More free money;

https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/#/politics/market/1.125828948

How much have you got on that market out of interest ?

Mortimer said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Mortimer said:

Who is the anti-Trump American woman on the panel?

She is a lecturer at a London university.

She is really angry, it seems.