Off Topic Politics Thread
- Thread starter ChilcoSaint
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Britain's budget on direct and indirect scientific research has always been pathetic. We have also been all too easily leaned on by the USA, in the past, to stop doing projects that might end up as fierce competition to them. This is how a country loses, not only an aviation industry, but a world leading rocket programme in the matter of a decade or two. And the rocket programme was done on the usual shoestring budget, so nobody spent any proper money there. And frankly, they never have.
Good graphics and an interactive round-up of the results from 'Super Tuesday' - a really big night in the race for the White House.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/.../01/super-tuesday-results-live-state-by-state
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/.../01/super-tuesday-results-live-state-by-state
Yeah, sorry about the whole Trump thing y'all.
It's kind of hard to explain what is happening. But okay, like I live on the East Coast, right? And almost every state on the East Coast is the same. There's this mountain range that the states in half. East of that range is New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Boston, etc. Basically any place you have heard of or want to visit. And that part of those states is generally pretty sane. At least as a collective. I mean, in a big city there are tons of crazies but they even themselves out.
But the West half of all those states and really sweeping pretty far West... it's vast swatches of land that no one cares about. And that take lots of Federal Government dollars. And ironically, because they take so much money they feel entiled and wonder why they don't get more. Which you know is funny, since they rail against so-called "entitlements" the most. So that's part of it.
The other part is that the Baby Boomers really outnumber other generations and always have. This makes them the most selfish generation ever. In the late 60's these were the hippies. But in the 80's they were yuppies. And now they are Tea Party. There is no way to explain this massive political shift other than the policies they favor happened to be the ones that benefited them at the time.
And the situation is worse now, because these guys are all retired and have plenty of time to agitate. And they lack perspective. They really do not care what happens 20 years from now because they will be dead. All that matters is if we can keep things as close as possible to the 50's for the next 10 years and if that destroys our future it won't matter to them. Which is why the supposedly anti-government Tea Party is massively in favor of Social Security and Medicare . The only role of the government for them is to allow them to see out the rest of their lives comfortably via the tax dollars of their children.
So in short, things are not really that bad. What is actually happening is that the US is advancing, becoming more progressive and this is the last stand for those being left behind. They see the writing on the wall and it's not good so they have nothing to lose and are acting that way.
So if everyone could just bear with us for another 10 or 15 years, you'll be amazed at how quickly things turn around, I promise.
It's kind of hard to explain what is happening. But okay, like I live on the East Coast, right? And almost every state on the East Coast is the same. There's this mountain range that the states in half. East of that range is New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Boston, etc. Basically any place you have heard of or want to visit. And that part of those states is generally pretty sane. At least as a collective. I mean, in a big city there are tons of crazies but they even themselves out.
But the West half of all those states and really sweeping pretty far West... it's vast swatches of land that no one cares about. And that take lots of Federal Government dollars. And ironically, because they take so much money they feel entiled and wonder why they don't get more. Which you know is funny, since they rail against so-called "entitlements" the most. So that's part of it.
The other part is that the Baby Boomers really outnumber other generations and always have. This makes them the most selfish generation ever. In the late 60's these were the hippies. But in the 80's they were yuppies. And now they are Tea Party. There is no way to explain this massive political shift other than the policies they favor happened to be the ones that benefited them at the time.
And the situation is worse now, because these guys are all retired and have plenty of time to agitate. And they lack perspective. They really do not care what happens 20 years from now because they will be dead. All that matters is if we can keep things as close as possible to the 50's for the next 10 years and if that destroys our future it won't matter to them. Which is why the supposedly anti-government Tea Party is massively in favor of Social Security and Medicare . The only role of the government for them is to allow them to see out the rest of their lives comfortably via the tax dollars of their children.
So in short, things are not really that bad. What is actually happening is that the US is advancing, becoming more progressive and this is the last stand for those being left behind. They see the writing on the wall and it's not good so they have nothing to lose and are acting that way.
So if everyone could just bear with us for another 10 or 15 years, you'll be amazed at how quickly things turn around, I promise.
Certainly that is true if what we hear is correct in regards to Trump. I think it will do the states good to elect a woman as president will show how forward thinking they really are. Trouble is I am not sure Hilary Clinton is that women.......not sure she is strong enough.
I was thinking this. Trump on one side and Putin on the other.
I'm not sure who is crazier but I can't see either backing down. For this reason and nothing else I hope Hilary Clinton gets in (or basically anyone else).
I was thinking this. Trump on one side and Putin on the other.
This may surprise you, but having watched a Q & A session with Putin I suspect he's very much the saner of the two.
That doesn't mean I'd trust him or the other one.
He likes Putin...I was thinking this. Trump on one side and Putin on the other.
He went on some weird rant about how Putin is a great and powerful leader. Trump also said a lot of stuff is made up about Putin. He said the UK made up Putin was involved in the Litvinenko hit.
Trump is not really that big a problem per se. It's like he's competing on his own reality show. He just says stuff to win, I don't think he honestly cares that much about being President. Nor does he believe most of the stuff he says.
Most of his suggestions are just stupid. I mean, even if you were a total bigot it's still completely impractical to say, ban Muslims. Or make Mexico pay for a wall on the border. He has very little in the way of actual policy. He just says stuff to score points with the audience.
So as President he would be embarrassing, but not really harmful. He won't get much done, nor will he try. He won't get along with even other Republicans.
The problem is really with the electorate and the present culture in this country that Trump is this popular in the first place. There are people in Congress, Governors, state legislators etc. that will get elected who are essentially Trump but a bit more clever and interested. And well.. just the fact that there are large numbers of idiotic bigots hanging out in this country is rather depressing whether they vote or get involved in government or not.
Most of his suggestions are just stupid. I mean, even if you were a total bigot it's still completely impractical to say, ban Muslims. Or make Mexico pay for a wall on the border. He has very little in the way of actual policy. He just says stuff to score points with the audience.
So as President he would be embarrassing, but not really harmful. He won't get much done, nor will he try. He won't get along with even other Republicans.
The problem is really with the electorate and the present culture in this country that Trump is this popular in the first place. There are people in Congress, Governors, state legislators etc. that will get elected who are essentially Trump but a bit more clever and interested. And well.. just the fact that there are large numbers of idiotic bigots hanging out in this country is rather depressing whether they vote or get involved in government or not.
I was thinking this. Trump on one side and Putin on the other.
With Bumbling Boris in the middle!
With Bumbling Boris in the middle!
Teresa May will be the next Tory leader, as she is essentially Eurosceptic but has chosen to support her Government's decision to stay in the EU. Boris would divide the party, whereas Osborne is utterly a person without character. She would prevent the party splitting apart.
From another perspective, it would be excellent for the Tory party to split up in two, thus offering the voter more choice on the right of British politics. One would be a progressive, forward thinking centre right party like Angel Merkel's Christian Democrats and the other a more reactionary conservative that is forever banging on about law and order, immigration, cutting costs, and defence.
Her husband did a good enough job. If he could have kept his hands off the interns he'd have been a great leader. Doubt Hilary will have that problem - not saying she's past it, but with maturity comes a shift in focus.
He was a good leader in any case. OK, he did what he did. Makes him a faulted person perhaps, but he was a very good President.
Hilary will make a very good President. I think she may even make some real progress on gun control.