The Politics Thread

[mills_and_bhuna]

How do the Russian people get rid of Putin?

There must be some way to get him out.

How do the British people get rid of Sunak?
There must be some way of getting him out .
Unfortunately that 'way' involves replacing him with someone with essentially the same policies by and large .
Isn't 'democracy' wonderful?

[PepeMAGA]

Maybe they don't want him out .
Maybe they don't want Antony Blinken or the like picking their new President or deciding whether the Russians are picking someone suitable.
Like happened in Ukraine in 2014.

I think independent polls have shown he is popular in Russia. I've never spoken to any Russians about him, but I did know a Bulgarian who used to like him until the Ukraine episode.

[RandomGuy99]

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[RadioKid]

How do the British people get rid of Sunak?
There must be some way of getting him out .
Unfortunately that 'way' involves replacing him with someone with essentially the same policies by and large .
Isn't 'democracy' wonderful?

That's the issue. Truss before him was a joke and the alternatives now seem to be Penny or Suella, Gove, Mogg etc.

All a bunch of mates with nefarious links and hoarding an insane amount of wealth.

[mills_and_bhuna]

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still believing that shite I see.
Mueller couldn't find any evidence despite having the resources of an FBI determined to get Trump at his disposal.
 

[mills_and_bhuna]

That's the issue. Truss before him was a joke and the alternatives now seem to be Penny or Suella, Gove, Mogg etc.

All a bunch of mates with nefarious links and hoarding an insane amount of wealth.

You'd better watch out.
You'll be accused of being a conspiracy theorist if you're not careful

[mh]

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The airbrushing is far too generous to both of them.

[RandomGuy99]

The airbrushing is far too generous to both of them.

I'm not sure what they were both doing in Amsterdam. Perhaps a dirty weekend for them?

[scutty brown]

The airbrushing is far too generous to both of them.

So's the hairbrushing

[Doc Holliday]

So's the hairbrushing

 

Clearly a fake photo ... unlike this one.

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[akauya]

Clearly a fake photo ... unlike this one.

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Awww they look adorable             

[RandomGuy99]

Awww they look adorable             

I am hoping we don't get a post on the Favourite Porn Clip thread featuring the two of them. 🙈🙉

[catweazle]

Trump has tried, and failed, multiple times to obtain a bond to cover  his $400 million fine. He wanted one while appealing the case.  All the bonds companies declined saying its much too large.   He was denied a request to post a $100 million bond instead.   In the meantime  he still has the $80-odd million defamation fine to pay and the bigger one is accruing interest at $112,000 a day.

[timsussex]

Trump has tried, and failed, multiple times to obtain a bond to cover  his $400 million fine. He wanted one while appealing the case.  All the bonds companies declined saying its much too large.   He was denied a request to post a $100 million bond instead.   In the meantime  he still has the $80-odd million defamation fine to pay and the bigger one is accruing interest at $112,000 a day.

Its a classic case of people are willing to lend you money if they think you don't need it (ie can repay it).
Trump of course has played them in the past - overestimating his wealth and they are now wondering if the house of cards may tumble and they are unsure of what he's really worth and that's without more lawsuits which are probably in the pipeline

[RandomGuy99]

Its a classic case of people are willing to lend you money if they think you don't need it (ie can repay it).
Trump of course has played them in the past - overestimating his wealth and they are now wondering if the house of cards may tumble and they are unsure of what he's really worth and that's without more lawsuits which are probably in the pipeline

The scary thing is that he is likely to get in again this year. All hell will break lose. He just tells all the different groups of people that he'll do whatever they want. A classic conman and the American people just believe everything he says.

[mills_and_bhuna]

The scary thing is that he is likely to get in again this year. All hell will break lose. He just tells all the different groups of people that he'll do whatever they want. A classic conman and the American people just believe everything he says.

And of course the American people are not used to politicians saying one thing and doing another.
Trump is such an aberration.

[RandomGuy99]

And of course the American people are not used to politicians saying one thing and doing another.
Trump is such an aberration.

Not the people from Hicksville, USA, which is most of the ones not on the east or west coasts.

[badsin]

Anybody know why Obama visited no.10 today?

[RandomGuy99]

Anybody know why Obama visited no.10 today?

Lunch?

[mills_and_bhuna]

Not the people from Hicksville, USA, which is most of the ones not on the east or west coasts.

That's a very condescending attitude.
Like the coastal elites know better and the rednecks just vote for any old bigot.
FWIW until recently California had as one of it's senators a certain 93 year old by the name of Diane Feinstein.
With no great pushback from the overwhelmingly Democrat controlled media.
She made Biden look like a spring chicken.

[mills_and_bhuna]

Anybody know why Obama visited no.10 today?

Probably to promote war .
One things for sure. It won't be to help normal people.

[RandomGuy99]

That's a very condescending attitude.
Like the coastal elites know better and the rednecks just vote for any old bigot.
FWIW until recently California had as one of it's senators a certain 93 year old by the name of Diane Feinstein.
With no great pushback from the overwhelmingly Democrat controlled media.
She made Biden look like a spring chicken.

No, that's based on experiencing Americans from east coast, west coast and middle America. The ones on the coasts sometimes have passports and have visited other countries and are a bit more educated about the world than the ones in the middle.  There's a reason why the US army recruits a lot from the southern states.

[chrishornx]

fully agree with you but you just can't win.

 if you had said Mountain time folk were the most intelligent and emotionally balanced folk in the States some antagonistic idiot would have said just the same about your 'condescending' view.

 Some are just born to argue.

[badsin]

The most deprived area's often produce the best soldiers.
Limited life opportunities, the military can provide an escape route.
Same over here tbh.

[RandomGuy99]

The most deprived area's often produce the best soldiers.
Limited life opportunities, the military can provide an escape route.
Same over here tbh.

And if they can't afford college then they join the army and take advantage of the GI Bill External Link/Members Only

[Blackpool Rock]

The most deprived area's often produce the best soldiers.
Limited life opportunities, the military can provide an escape route.
Same over here tbh.

There is a saying that when the rich wage war it's the poor that die 

I remember a bit in that film Fahrenheit 911 by Michael Moore where he asks Congressmen whether they have children in the army, only 1 of the 535 has a child enlisted and in Iraq

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[Followyourdick]

Probably to promote war .
One things for sure. It won't be to help normal people.

FFS 🙄

[mills_and_bhuna]

FFS 🙄

What's so controversial about that.
Can you name anything he's done for the benefit of normal people of are you smitten because he speaks eloquently?

[mills_and_bhuna]

And if they can't afford college then they join the army and take advantage of the GI Bill External Link/Members Only

You show that like it's a good thing.
It's clearly a cynical ploy to make kids from poor families have no real choice .
Given that the US has no real defence concerns these soldiers are just pawns in the building of a Economic Empire .
They might come out of it with a college degree and less debt.
They might come out minus a limb .

[badsin]

And if they can't afford college then they join the army and take advantage of the GI Bill External Link/Members Only

I was thinking more the UK.
Our armed forces used to have fantastic apprenticeships. Such as royal engineers etc.
There used to be junior leaders, even junior para. Many of those that passed went onto SF roles.
As a member of the armed forces, you will be a soldier, sailor airman, with that associated risk .

[badsin]

BBC News - Leo Varadkar steps down as taoiseach for 'personal and political' reasons - follow live - BBC News
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Irish taoiseach steps down.
I'm aware there has been a great deal of unrest in Eire for a good few months now. However this is never really reported this side of the water. Any Irish members able to provide a bit of an update as the mood in Eire at the moment? 

[RandomGuy99]

I was thinking more the UK.
Our armed forces used to have fantastic apprenticeships. Such as royal engineers etc.
There used to be junior leaders, even junior para. Many of those that passed went onto SF roles.
As a member of the armed forces, you will be a soldier, sailor airman, with that associated risk .

I think the UK armed forces are too small and they're overworked and underfunded. They have a good retirement programme where they'll train you in a trade as part of your retirement package.

In the US I think your general infantry person generally isn't as bright as a UK equivalent. I think that's part of the reason US forces fire a lot more small arms ammo than other countries. They keep going until their magazine is empty.

[PepeMAGA]

BBC News - Leo Varadkar steps down as taoiseach for 'personal and political' reasons - follow live - BBC News
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Irish taoiseach steps down.
I'm aware there has been a great deal of unrest in Eire for a good few months now. However this is never really reported this side of the water. Any Irish members able to provide a bit of an update as the mood in Eire at the moment? 

The things that I know of
Farmers protests
Mass immigration protests/ making out those who don't agree with it to be far right
The attempt to change the Irish constitution to lessen the value of marriage.

[Squire Haggard]

Ireland has seen a huge rise in recent years.  The ''far right'' are quite right to be concerned IMO.

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[myothernameis]

How do the Russian people get rid of Putin?

There must be some way to get him out.

How do the American people stop Trump, becoming the next President of America.  If the current court cases dont stop him, and jail him by Nov, then there a good chance the court cases will literary fall apart

Think Trump lawyers are aware of this, and trying to delay ongoing court cases, and come Nov Trump could be un-touchable

[ulstersubbie]

BBC News - Leo Varadkar steps down as taoiseach for 'personal and political' reasons - follow live - BBC News
External Link/Members Only

Irish taoiseach steps down.
I'm aware there has been a great deal of unrest in Eire for a good few months now. However this is never really reported this side of the water. Any Irish members able to provide a bit of an update as the mood in Eire at the moment? 

The Irish people never took to Varadkar (forget the media worship of the man), for obvious reasons. Ireland is still a largely conservative country in attitude (catholicism exerts a powerful influence on its society), attitudes towards multiculturalism and LGBT rights are less than positive (Varadkar who is openly homosexual and of partial Indian descent), would have been aware of this.

I lived in Northern Ireland for near on a decade, where attitudes towards multiculturalism and LGBT rights were even less positive than across the border in Eire. Ireland ( both north and south) are relatively new to changing societies, hence the recent unrest and disorder, I hope this explains some of it.

[badsin]

Ireland has seen a huge rise in recent years.  The ''far right'' are quite right to be concerned IMO.

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Thanks.
Don't seem "far right" to me....which is currently a label seemingly thrown at anybody who doesn't agree with overly progressive ideals.
With close to 20% foreign born population, seems bloody tricky.
Who are the far right? Indigenous population or immigrants? Soon found that two gay chaps were decapitated, and another stabbed in the eye.
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That's a far right action to me?
There was also those young children and their teacher stabbed towards the end of 2023.

[badsin]

The Irish people never took to Varadkar (forget the media worship of the man), for obvious reasons. Ireland is still a largely conservative country in attitude (catholicism exerts a powerful influence on its society), attitudes towards multiculturalism and LGBT rights are less than positive (Varadkar who is openly homosexual and of partial Indian descent), would have been aware of this.

I lived in Northern Ireland for near on a decade, where attitudes towards multiculturalism and LGBT rights were even less positive than across the border in Eire. Ireland ( both north and south) are relatively new to changing societies, hence the recent unrest and disorder, I hope this explains some of it.

Thank you. I haven't been to Ireland although apparently my surname is Irish, which I wouldn't of known without somebody telling me this a while back.
If the majority of the population don't want their society to change, shouldn't that just be accepted? I would of thought that would be unifying across catholic and protestant ?

[PepeMAGA]

How do the American people stop Trump, becoming the next President of America.  If the current court cases dont stop him, and jail him by Nov, then there a good chance the court cases will literary fall apart

Think Trump lawyers are aware of this, and trying to delay ongoing court cases, and come Nov Trump could be un-touchable

They don't vote for him if they didn't want him to be president, do vote for him if they do.

[mills_and_bhuna]

They don't vote for him if they didn't want him to be president, do vote for him if they do.

EXACTLY.
I read that as 'how do the combined forces of the judicial system, the media, the Security state, the political parties, and the electoral college join forces to subvert the democratic will of the voters?'
I have an idea.
Try maybe not running an 80 year old wayyyy  past his sell by date

[badsin]

Not sure if it's already been covered, but there's been farming protests in central London today
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This with numerous farmers protests across Europe, obviously the French love a good protest. But this is Dutch, German, polish, Irish, Spanish and Portuguese......

Without farming, we don't eat, quite simple. What do we eat without them?

Seemed a massive protest, little coverage that I'm aware of

[Blackpool Rock]

Scott Benton has finally done the honourable thing and stood down as an MP or rather jumped before the final push 

Yet another byelection for Rishi to lose and this one is close to me in neighbouring Blackpool South, how the fuck one of the most deprived areas of the country vote in a Tory MP is totally beyond me.
It was previously Labour but always fairly close however last time out was the Brexit election to "Get Brexit done", wonder how those with the misplaced sense of National pride to stop the boats will feel this time seeing as many of the run down shitty hotels in town have been packed to the rafters in the last few years with boat people 

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[PepeMAGA]

Not sure if it's already been covered, but there's been farming protests in central London today
External Link/Members Only

This with numerous farmers protests across Europe, obviously the French love a good protest. But this is Dutch, German, polish, Irish, Spanish and Portuguese......

Without farming, we don't eat, quite simple. What do we eat without them?

Seemed a massive protest, little coverage that I'm aware of

I don't know if it's purely an ideology thing, trying to shift farming to other countries or making more room for housing...or just stupid policies. I don't know how any government can be coming out of COVID and not think homegrown produce is essential.

[badsin]

I don't know if it's purely an ideology thing, trying to shift farming to other countries or making more room for housing...or just stupid policies. I don't know how any government can be coming out of COVID and not think homegrown produce is essential.

We tired this in the 1920's, effectively "rewilding" the countryside. Didn't turn out to well, when we relied on the US to supply us with food.
Surely any country should aim for basic food security for its own population?

[PepeMAGA]

We tired this in the 1920's, effectively "rewilding" the countryside. Didn't turn out to well, when we relied on the US to supply us with food.
Surely any country should aim for basic food security for its own population?

Yes and they didn't really seem to think things through, like the proposal to add wolves to Scotland or wildcats in the south west...I think there's a park in the west with bears in it, albeit fenced off to the general public

[DastardlyDick]

Surely any country should aim for basic food security for its own population?

We haven't been able to produce enough food in the UK to feed ourselves since WWI and relied on the Empire, as it was then, to supply us - Wheat from Canada, Lamb and Butter from Australia and New Zealand, etc etc. The respective Naval Blockades made the end result a close run thing - fortunately for us, the Kaiser blinked first.

[Blackpool Rock]

We haven't been able to produce enough food in the UK to feed ourselves since WWI and relied on the Empire, as it was then, to supply us - Wheat from Canada, Lamb and Butter from Australia and New Zealand, etc etc. The respective Naval Blockades made the end result a close run thing - fortunately for us, the Kaiser blinked first.

Yes everyone seems to think importing food is a fairly recent thing however I remember seeing a history program and being amazed at the % of food being imported prior to WW1

[badsin]

So why are we making it harder for farmers to operate?

[Blackpool Rock]

So why are we making it harder for farmers to operate?

Are we 

Surely getting out of the EU was going to make everything easier as we wouldn't be hamstrung by Brussels 

[petermisc]

Surely any country should aim for basic food security for its own population?

What use is food security if we are reliant on imports for other critical supplies, such as fuel and energy?  Either we aim for total self-sufficiency, or we accept that we are reliant on imports.  Going for total self-sufficiency would mean radical changes to our lifestyles and standards of living.

For example, I understand that we are reliant on American wheat for white bread, as the type of wheat grown in the UK is not particularly good for it.  And Australia can produce butter cheaper than we can, because of the economies of scale with their massive farms.