The Political Thread

[TordelBack]

- somebody thinks X,Y and Z are good ideas and so imposes them regardless of impacts on individuals. It makes my blood boil, I can't help it, and only adds fuel to my dislike of government authority. Every time, or almost every time, some privileged buffoon in government puts his name to a piece of legislation (artificial law, in my view), somebody suffers in reality. I know few people sympathise with my view of government and that my style of argument wins me no support but I do proceed from a foundation of treating human beings (all human beings, from Trumps to tramps) with humanity. Government is unable and unwilling to do the same, it simply has to be callous or else lose its authority, which is why I detest it.

Well made points. You already know what I'll ask next, and I know what your answer will be so let's not bother, but there's no denying my sympathy for this part  of your position.

[Professor Bear]

Tinfoil hattery of the worst kind.

[TordelBack]

Tinfoil hattery of the worst kind.

I'd believe every word of that, but my knowledge of all this isn't good enough to trust.

[The Legendary Shark]

Thanks, Tordels.

Although I disagree with the reason given for my recent seven day banishment, I am determined to take it on the chin and reel myself in a bit. As has been said before, we come here for enjoyment and I don't want to spoil that for anyone, least of all myself. All I ask is that you cut me a bit of slack and let me know if, or when, I start frothing again.

I apologise, therefore, unreservedly and to everyone for the upset I have caused.

Just because you're all idiots*, that doesn't mean I despise you... 


*No you're not, I'm just pulling your legs!

[Jim_Campbell]

I'm so glad we have our wasteland back.

FWIW, I shouldn't have responded to the trolling and am suitably contrite about that. I thought that the original (linked) post was detailed and (I don't think) worded in an inflammatory manner, which is why I brought it up again, since it seemed relevant to the current line of discussion.

The possibility of still-further devaluation of sterling concerns me deeply, it concerns people far smarter than me deeply*, and I'm very keen to know why it doesn't seem to concern brexit supporters or, if it does, what solution they think is available that eludes me.

*I have one friend whose job involves the mechanisms that facilitate trading shares and currency. As such, he is prevented from having financial interests in such things, so watches the movements thereof with a dispassionate eye; another whose primary role is doing 'big data' work for a very large bank. Conversations with them, even limited to what they can talk about without disclosing privileged information, are quite revelatory.

[Jim_Campbell]

Tinfoil hattery of the worst kind.

To be fair, it's getting kind of hard to know where the tinfoil hattery begins and the actual raving madness ends, given that Trump has sidelined the Joint Chiefs of Staff and put national security in the hands of a white supremacist with no governmental, military, diplomatic or intelligence community experience.

[Modern Panther]

Grima Wormtongue

[Jim_Campbell]

Grima Wormtongue

[Tjm86]

Tinfoil hattery of the worst kind.

To be fair, it's getting kind of hard to know where the tinfoil hattery begins and the actual raving madness ends, given that Trump has sidelined the Joint Chiefs of Staff and put national security in the hands of a white supremacist with no governmental, military, diplomatic or intelligence community experience.

Plus the news that his team has effectively 'sacked' the top echelon in the state department, culling it of any experience.  Can we check that listing from the Scottish newspaper about the inauguration?  This is really starting to feel like they were soft pedalling it just a little.  Ronald Reagan is starting to look like a reasonable and knowledgable statesman about now!   

[von Boom]

Time for some truth about the inauguration from the Washington Post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2017/01/24/the-true-correct-story-of-what-happened-at-donald-trumps-inauguration/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2016/06/14/how-to-cover-donald-trump-fairly-a-style-guide/?utm_term=.4737114408f1&tid=a_inl

[SuperSurfer]

Fascinating CNN 'gigapixel' which doesn't seem to be working at the moment. My ancient browser might be at fault.

http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2017/01/politics/trump-inauguration-gigapixel/

Frankly, I don't trust much of the press as I believe they sold us some real stinkers, in particular over Syria. But that's another story for another day.

[Goaty]

Oh dear...

Trump sacks defiant acting attorney general

[Old Tankie]

She was leaving anyway.

[Jim_Campbell]

She was leaving anyway.

It's less the sacking, TBH, since she was the outgoing AG, but rather Trump's worrying declaration that she had 'betrayed' the justice dept by expressing concern about the constitutional validity of the banning order.

Both she, and Trump, swore oaths to uphold the constitution and to declare observing that oath to be treachery is troubling, to say the least.

[The Legendary Shark]

Corruption Perceptions Index 2016.