The Politics Thread

[Montreal Wanderer]

Cannot help but wondering why Corbyn and his motley crew are so vehemently opposed to ID checks at polling stations?

We certainly have to show government photo id over here (passport, driver's license, Medicare card, etc.). Otherwise anyone could vote early in my name (I rise a little later these days).

[Montreal Wanderer]

All those who mocked Trump as President. I can understand the gut impulse, but in actuality he's both turned around the US economy, and initiated the first meaningful talks with North Korea in over sixty years.

He's also destroying the environment, health and education systems, while making the rich richer. And we don't know how those North Korean talks will go.

There has been no US president who hasn't destroyed the environment. Indeed the activities surrounding coal mining in the Appalachians were as equally devastating under JFK, Clinton, and Obama, as they were under any utterly capitalist Republican administration.
I'm not entirely convinced either that health and education are being destroyed by him.
I'll take your point that the North Korean talks do not, as yet, have an outcome.
I'm just saying he's not exactly turned out to be either a) the total moron, b) the total war-monger or c) the evil capitalist bastard he was portrayed to be.
Sometimes Power corrupts, but sometimes Power allows a different perspective to achieve things that were thought impossible.

Not sure about all these assertions. Obama certainly put in regulations governing coal mining and Trump quashed them. Trump put a climate change naysayer as head of the EPA and has removed many environmental protections. He is trying to get rid of affordable health care. As for the older presidents - our scientific knowledge of the damage of certain activities has grown since then. I grew up with Bolton fogs and thought all trees had black slimy bark - then clean air acts came in. I'm not claiming he is any of the things you mention although he does appear to suffer from a comprehensive list of delusions of which grandeur is by no means the least.

[BWFC_Insane]

All those who mocked Trump as President. I can understand the gut impulse, but in actuality he's both turned around the US economy, and initiated the first meaningful talks with North Korea in over sixty years.

a) No he hasn't.
b) Lets see the outcome
c) He repealed gun law, making it ok for mentally ill people to buy guns...a mentally ill student then buys an AR and murders their schoolmates
d) He threatens other countries on twitter like an embarrassing schoolboy.

It has nowt to do with gut impulse, the man is completely unsuitable to be a leader of a major country. I haven't even had to start on his disastrous health and social policies.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

All those who mocked Trump as President. I can understand the gut impulse, but in actuality he's both turned around the US economy, and initiated the first meaningful talks with North Korea in over sixty years.

a) No he hasn't.
b) let's await the outcome.

Well I've read at least three articles in the Times (editorial, business section, and a specific article about the US economy) that states he has.
And b) you obviously missed my concession to Monty that indeed I will await the outcome.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

All those who mocked Trump as President. I can understand the gut impulse, but in actuality he's both turned around the US economy, and initiated the first meaningful talks with North Korea in over sixty years.

He's also destroying the environment, health and education systems, while making the rich richer. And we don't know how those North Korean talks will go.

There has been no US president who hasn't destroyed the environment. Indeed the activities surrounding coal mining in the Appalachians were as equally devastating under JFK, Clinton, and Obama, as they were under any utterly capitalist Republican administration.
I'm not entirely convinced either that health and education are being destroyed by him.
I'll take your point that the North Korean talks do not, as yet, have an outcome.
I'm just saying he's not exactly turned out to be either a) the total moron, b) the total war-monger or c) the evil capitalist bastard he was portrayed to be.
Sometimes Power corrupts, but sometimes Power allows a different perspective to achieve things that were thought impossible.

Not sure about all these assertions. Obama certainly put in regulations governing coal mining and Trump quashed them. Trump put a climate change naysayer as head of the EPA and has removed many environmental protections. He is trying to get rid of affordable health care. As for the older presidents - our scientific knowledge of the damage of certain activities has grown since then. I grew up with Bolton fogs and thought all trees had black slimy bark - then clean air acts came in. I'm not claiming he is any of the things you mention although he does appear to suffer from a comprehensive list of delusions of which grandeur is by no means the least.

Obama put in coal mining regulations knowing damn well that they were subject to Congressional Review Act, and he only put them forward less than 60 days before the end of his term making them deliberately subject the Congressional Review act because he wouldn't have got them through congress even with a Democrat majority because at least six Democrat Senators would have voted against it if it wasn't subject to the Act. It's called having your cake and looking like you've eaten it whilst all the time not even turning your oven on to bake it...

Grisham was so annoyed by Obama and his obvious vacillation against the coal barons he even wrote a novel about it to highlight the Monstrosity that US coal mining industry is [Gray Mountain], and has been for well over a century... Obama did fxck all about it for the the entire time he was in office and could have exacted lasting changes (2009-2017)

(I don't disagree that Trump is a climate change denier and an utter foolish tw@t when it comes to the environment - I'm merely pointing out that it's not just Trump who's done fxck all the protect the environment)

[boltonboris]

Cannot help but wondering why Corbyn and his motley crew are so vehemently opposed to ID checks at polling stations?

Quite ironic, considering you need ID to attend a Labour General Meeting

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I don't get this idea that the poor are disproportionately targeted by banning buy one get one free deals on meals.
It would appear, by way of evidence (i.e. Fat Fxckers disproportionately inhabiting the lower echelons of British society) that the 'poor' are able to access sufficient food resources.
I think the poor in India would consider themselves rich if they had the same access to food, alcohol, tobacco, and personal media devices that the poor of this country consume as a matter of choice.

[BWFC_Insane]

I don't get this idea that the poor are disproportionately targeted by banning buy one get one free deals on meals.
It would appear, by way of evidence (i.e. Fat Fxckers disproportionately inhabiting the lower echelons of British society) that the 'poor' are able to access sufficient food resources.
I think the poor in India would consider themselves rich if they had the same access to food, alcohol, tobacco, and personal media devices that the poor of this country consume as a matter of choice.

They're talking about banning buy one get one free for junk food like crisps aren't they? I mean if people cannot eat responsibly and look after themselves then they don't have a choice.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I don't get this idea that the poor are disproportionately targeted by banning buy one get one free deals on meals.
It would appear, by way of evidence (i.e. Fat Fxckers disproportionately inhabiting the lower echelons of British society) that the 'poor' are able to access sufficient food resources.
I think the poor in India would consider themselves rich if they had the same access to food, alcohol, tobacco, and personal media devices that the poor of this country consume as a matter of choice.

They're talking about banning buy one get one free for junk food like crisps aren't they? I mean if people cannot eat responsibly and look after themselves then they don't have a choice.

I'm challenging this in particular: "Banning buy one get one free deals on food would be a kick in the teeth for hard pressed shoppers. Retail promotions benefit shoppers particularly low-income shoppers, by making food more affordable".
It's obvious that if you are obese there is no problem with the Affordability of food, more a problem with the Too Ease Of Accessibility of food.
To put it basically if low-income shoppers were struggling with the affordability of food they wouldn't be able to become the size of whales.

[BWFC_Insane]

I don't get this idea that the poor are disproportionately targeted by banning buy one get one free deals on meals.
It would appear, by way of evidence (i.e. Fat Fxckers disproportionately inhabiting the lower echelons of British society) that the 'poor' are able to access sufficient food resources.
I think the poor in India would consider themselves rich if they had the same access to food, alcohol, tobacco, and personal media devices that the poor of this country consume as a matter of choice.

They're talking about banning buy one get one free for junk food like crisps aren't they? I mean if people cannot eat responsibly and look after themselves then they don't have a choice.

I'm challenging this in particular: "Banning buy one get one free deals on food would be a kick in the teeth for hard pressed shoppers. Retail promotions benefit shoppers particularly low-income shoppers, by making food more affordable".
It's obvious that if you are obese there is no problem with the Affordability of food, more a problem with the Too Ease Of Accessibility of food.
To put it basically if low-income shoppers were struggling with the affordability of food they wouldn't be able to become the size of whales.

Probably a little extreme, but yeah. Ultimately the issue might be more trying to make healthier food more affordable as well as making crisps and processed meats more expensive.

[Prufrock]

Not sure I agree. Oddly, rubbish is cheaper than quality. You can buy some horrific stuff for under £2 in the freezer section of most supermarkets or knock off chicken brands. It'll fill you up and keep you alive, but it sure as shit isn't good for you, and it'll make you fat.

The answer isn't to eat half a £2 microwave roast dinner.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I think the food Insano is referring to probably shouldn't be classified as food and therefore is a problem, particularly with the less well off in society. They could however make healthy soup for similar money if they knew how and could be arsed.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

All those who mocked Trump as President. I can understand the gut impulse, but in actuality he's both turned around the US economy, and initiated the first meaningful talks with North Korea in over sixty years.

a) No he hasn't.
b) Lets see the outcome
c) He repealed gun law, making it ok for mentally ill people to buy guns...a mentally ill student then buys an AR and murders their schoolmates
d) He threatens other countries on twitter like an embarrassing schoolboy.

It has nowt to do with gut impulse, the man is completely unsuitable to be a leader of a major country. I haven't even had to start on his disastrous health and social policies.

Well, so far looks good. Not that you'll agree with that because you're pathologically opposed to Anything that Trump can do.

[Hoboh]

Amber Rudd QUITS as Home Secretary

There really is a God!

[Harry Genshaw]

Amber Rudd QUITS as Home Secretary

There really is a God!

No surprise but I find it a bit disappointing. She seemed, to me at any rate, one of the better ones in a very bad bunch

[TANGODANCER]

Just another shining example of how to make our government look ridiculous.

[BWFC_Insane]

Just another shining example of how to make our government look ridiculous.

You mean "our government making themselves look ridiculous" surely? This is self inflicted.

They lied, time and time again. And now are exposed. How anyone could vote for them after this is beyond me. But they will.

[TANGODANCER]

Just another shining example of how to make our government look ridiculous.

You mean "our government making themselves look ridiculous" surely? This is self inflicted.
They lied, time and time again. And now are exposed. How anyone could vote for them after this is beyond me. But they will.

The topic Insaney, the topic and Amber Rudd's behaviour is the example. Who did you think I meant, Donald Trump?

[BWFC_Insane]

Just another shining example of how to make our government look ridiculous.

You mean "our government making themselves look ridiculous" surely? This is self inflicted.
They lied, time and time again. And now are exposed. How anyone could vote for them after this is beyond me. But they will.

The topic Insaney, the topic and Amber Rudd's behaviour is the example. Who did you think I meant, Donald Trump?

But the way you phrased it, made it sound like you were blaming someone else. Like they'd been stitched up.

As an aside, not sure how May can survive this. She's in it up to her neck.

[TANGODANCER]

Just another shining example of how to make our government look ridiculous.

You mean "our government making themselves look ridiculous" surely? This is self inflicted.
They lied, time and time again. And now are exposed. How anyone could vote for them after this is beyond me. But they will.

The topic Insaney, the topic and Amber Rudd's behaviour is the example. Who did you think I meant, Donald Trump?

But the way you phrased it, made it sound like you were blaming someone else. Like they'd been stitched up.

No, no it didn't, that's just your misreading of a simple statement. It was a govenment minister (Amber Rudd) that was/is at the centre of things and made our government look the clowns they are. Maybe I should have said more ridiculous than they already are, but they certainly need no help with that.