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Post by Zenrider on May 4, 2021 16:31:44 GMT
Interesting article that, the real horror is summed up in the last paragraph, "Or maybe the real scandal lies with us, the electorate, still seduced by a tousled-hair rebel shtick and faux bonhomie that should have palled years ago. Americans got rid of their lying, self-serving, scandal-plagued charlatan 100 days ago. They did it at the first possible opportunity. Next week, polls suggest we’re poised to give ours a partial thumbs-up at the ballot box. For allowing this shameless man to keep riding high, some of the shame is on us."
The country seems to have lost the ability, if it ever had it, for critical thinking.
We may have voted the Orange Turd out of office, but sadly we have a Republican party full of right wing conspiracy lunatics and outright white supremacists, of which nothing good can come from. What happens in the 2022 midterm elections will determine the direction to the USA will be heading in. With so many voter suppression laws being enacted, we are not out of the woods in the States yet. In the meantime, as stated in an above post, going to enjoy life as best I can. |
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Post by beef on May 7, 2021 7:32:06 GMT
Hartlepool... WTF?
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Post by olirow on May 7, 2021 7:44:45 GMT
This is the least talented, virtually anonymous Labour leadership team that I can ever remember. I would guess 90% of the population couldn't name any member of the shadow cabinet except Starmer. Labour seems to have nothing to say, so no-one is interested. There is no effective opposition so no reason for anyone to vote for them. The total absence of talent makes it difficult to think of anyone who could provide effective leadership. I guess Corbyn saw Rebecca Long-Bailey as the heir apparent, so at least had some sort of succession plan, although she was quickly sidelined by Starmer and has now disappeared from public view. I did vote Labour in the locals, but I could just as easily have voted for the Greens.
All very depressing and it is still a stretch to work out why anyone would switch to voting Tory when it is clearly against their own interests. It shows how little people care about politics.
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Post by beef on May 7, 2021 12:55:37 GMT
...and Harlepool voted almost 70% leave. Boris 'got Brexit done' (yeah...), plus the vaccine rollout has been a success (just forget about the terrible preceding year)... I think that explains it, but I don't think I'll ever understand how people can vote for such self-harming nonsense.
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Post by Zenrider on May 7, 2021 18:58:12 GMT
Sigh, not going to say how much, but just got the estimate for my roof. It always seems other people enjoy my money far more than I do.  It will be nice to have a new roof, properly installed and enjoy rainy and snowy days again.  |
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Post by Zenrider on May 8, 2021 19:44:17 GMT
Due to running late on another job today and weather, the materials are delivered, but the roofing job will be waiting until Wednesday. It actually works better for me, but I wouldn't have taken yesterday off. Then again, I really didn't want to go to work yesterday anyway. 😏
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Post by olirow on May 8, 2021 23:06:53 GMT
In better election news, the Tories have lost control of my local council (Tunbridge Wells) for the first time ever (*)....
(*) this may need to be fact checked but it's probably true...
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Post by philspinynorman on May 10, 2021 12:02:05 GMT
This is the least talented, virtually anonymous Labour leadership team that I can ever remember. I would guess 90% of the population couldn't name any member of the shadow cabinet except Starmer. Labour seems to have nothing to say, so no-one is interested. There is no effective opposition so no reason for anyone to vote for them. The total absence of talent makes it difficult to think of anyone who could provide effective leadership. I guess Corbyn saw Rebecca Long-Bailey as the heir apparent, so at least had some sort of succession plan, although she was quickly sidelined by Starmer and has now disappeared from public view. I did vote Labour in the locals, but I could just as easily have voted for the Greens. All very depressing and it is still a stretch to work out why anyone would switch to voting Tory when it is clearly against their own interests. It shows how little people care about politics. I don't consider Starmer to be a credible socialist party leader. He comes across to me as the leader of a resurrected "New Labour" party. In the elections last week I voted for Green candidates where they were standing, and only for Labour otherwise. The country was guided by the media to trash the only viable socialist leader in recent times prior to the last General election  . My Wife is a Filipina - at least the corruption in her birth country is well documented and recognized. Having lived in this country for the last 4+ years she now understands that it exists here too . |
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Post by beef on May 10, 2021 20:48:42 GMT
The English seem to have been brainwashed into an unquestioning belief that the Tories, however untrustworthy, are the only party to be trusted in Government. While Labour are inherently dangerous and unstable socialists who will run the country into the ground. Hello morons! Have a look at what the Tories have served up over the last 11 years... I shudder with revulsion and incredulity at "the system" every I see someone in the newsagents buying the Daily Mail or Express..
Having said that, or ranted that, Labour don't do themselves many favours in terms of their public perception... a strong, cohesive opposition has never been more needed... there are few winners in this desperate game.
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Post by olirow on May 10, 2021 21:12:08 GMT
I doubt whether Starmer considers himself a socialist. He comes across as someone who should have joined Change (remember them?!) and has similar electoral appeal. In a FPTP world, your Tory lite candidate has no chance unless they have massive personal charisma (which Starmer clearly doesn't) but a persuasive socialist leader could win many people round, given its long been known that socialist policies are actually pretty popular. I see Andy Burnham is the bookies favourite to be the next Labour leader, and yeah maybe he'd be better than Starmer but he's still a white middle-aged bloke, he's hardly inspirational and I could see him going the way of someone like Nick Clegg.
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Post by beef on May 13, 2021 12:59:10 GMT
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Post by Zenrider on May 13, 2021 15:22:48 GMT
Seems they are taking the cue from Trump's immigration policies. I'm just wondering why they sent a woman from the Czech Republic to Mexico? |
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Post by mikey on May 13, 2021 16:39:48 GMT
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Post by beef on May 13, 2021 19:22:05 GMT
Seems they are taking the cue from Trump's immigration policies. I'm just wondering why they sent a woman from the Czech Republic to Mexico? ... it's just because that's where she'd travelled from, for whatever reason... none of it makes sense. Supposing you just say you're coming here, to this shit hole of a country, for a holiday... what then? Where does this paranoia end? Maybe immigration would say, "but no one would come to this shit hole of a country for a holiday..." This has been going on for quite a while, pre-dating Trump, ever since idiot posh boy Cameron promised to get immigration down to 10,000s a year... in fear of rabid tabloids and votes going to UKIP. Zealot Home Secretary, Theresa May took on the hopeless-but-tough-looking-challenge by introducing "the hostile environment" - now weirdly enjoyed and embodied by 2nd generation immigrant herself, Priti Patel www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/13/cruel-paranoid-failing-priti-patel-inside-the-home-office |
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Post by Zenrider on May 14, 2021 0:31:55 GMT
Seems they are taking the cue from Trump's immigration policies. I'm just wondering why they sent a woman from the Czech Republic to Mexico? ... it's just because that's where she'd travelled from, for whatever reason... none of it makes sense. Supposing you just say you're coming here, to this shit hole of a country, for a holiday... what then? Where does this paranoia end? Maybe immigration would say, "but no one would come to this shit hole of a country for a holiday..." This has been going on for quite a while, pre-dating Trump, ever since idiot posh boy Cameron promised to get immigration down to 10,000s a year... in fear of rabid tabloids and votes going to UKIP. Zealot Home Secretary, Theresa May took on the hopeless-but-tough-looking-challenge by introducing "the hostile environment" - now weirdly enjoyed and embodied by 2nd generation immigrant herself, Priti Patel www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/13/cruel-paranoid-failing-priti-patel-inside-the-home-officeWouldn't it have made more sense to send her to the country on her passport? I suppose to right wingers, perhaps any government to some degree, keeping things simple just doesn't make sense to them. I can't help but feel for these people. Trying to do things the right way. Being honest, and yet being treated far worse than the dishonest people. The ones with relatives in the UK should have just said they were their visiting relatives. I'm thinking that's going to be what people will do from now on, and just say they are on holiday. Which would be true, can't imagine traveling all that way just for a job interview without doing some sight seeing. |
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It will be nice to have a new roof, properly installed and enjoy rainy and snowy days again. 
. My Wife is a Filipina - at least the corruption in her birth country is well documented and recognized. Having lived in this country for the last 4+ years she now understands that it exists here too 
