Off Topic Political Debate

I hope I haven't been too political on the Political Thread?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...le-what-drove-british-farmer-syrian-frontline

I found this article fascinating. Even though I would consider myself a pacifist, I can see how one can be driven to defend a cause with violence if necessary, and this article is the perfect example of someone fighting to improve the life of others.

Joining the national army when your country is at peace, from my point of view, is cowardly. I have no respect for the military and get angered by the fake grief generated by headlines in the paper.

On my phone so can't elaborate more, but I'd be happy to debate the merits of joining the armed forces.

 

Couldn't 'like' such an article, that would be facile. Complex arguments there including the questions:
"How has our system of society in this country failed to give such a man any sense of purpose or self-respect and driven him to this?"
"How far do the media control our views and how many people take their positions at face value?"

 

Anyone know who the possible vice-presidents are?

 

Anyone remember Quayle? That mad bitch from Alaska? Cheney? Ford? Nixon? At least the world has always been in safe hands if the main man/wonder woman gets it.

 

Oh I don't know about that - here's one VP who took America to war after being appointed...

 

I really do find it hard to believe why some refer to the SNP as 'nazis' and'Tartan Tories' when they have people like this in their ranks at Westminster. Neither can I believe that what she says doesn't resonate with a majority of the population.

 

I'm different. naturally i'm peaceful and i try to avoid violence but i think there are time when you need to use force.

I like to think this guy did the right thing and reading about his story is something that has touched me.

Thanks for the article

 

I'm not quite sure how this 'so called' 'Foreign Enlistment Act of 1870' fits in with the thousands of Britons who fought in the Spanish Civil War - a couple from my family included.

 

What an inspiring speech.

As society wends down a road with which I'm very uncomfortable, it is so comforting to know young people like this fine lady are of the same mind as me.

Along with the government's responsibility for its own language and actions, those of the media are more immediately to blame. Channel 5 is a hate-filled, far-right broadcaster, pedalling programmes with names like 'Benefit Cheats', '15 children and on Benefits' 'Immigrants on Benefits' etc etc. It is the sort of broadcaster that would have aired the rats films the Nazis made about Jews. I fear it is laughed off now as the Sun newspaper was in the 1980s. But the damage is huge and immediate, and pretty much unrecoverable from.

 

Question Time in Watford tonight - anyone here going?

 

Rather doubt it, and probably will not watch it either unless it is a contest under the floodlights.

 

Apparently the fast food chain McDonalds has filed a 20 Million Dollar lawsuit against the City of Florence for blocking a proposed outlet in the City's most revered square - The Piazza del Duomo. The Mayor turned down the application in June, confirmed by a technical panel in charge of preserving the city's ancient heart. Also worried about the proliferation of fast food outlets, the council introduced new licencing regulations requiring restaurants in the historic heart to use products either from the city or from Tuscany. Apparently McDonalds also have their greedy eyes on a site in St. Peters Square in Rome - naturally the Cardinals are, rightly, up in arms about the architectural aspects of this ! Is this the shape of things to come under CETA rules ? Are cities or countries going to be left unprotected against these types of predatory claims - simply for acting on behalf of their electorate ?

 

I rather doubt that any town or city does not have the right to choose how to safeguard itself. There is no countrywide legislation in the UK or France that stops a local council from deciding what is best for their area. We have just fought a battle to stop wind turbines being erected in the countryside all around us, which to some extent is taking on the government who want to see them. If we have won, which we have to date, then it shows that people can take on much larger organizations successfully.

 

It may be, but in this case the lawsuit has been filed in the Administrative Court, so presumably is permissible under Italian Law?

I've just told the wife & youngest never to expect me to darken the doors of a McDonalds outlet again. Mind you, I've always had to be dragged screaming through said doors anyway...

 

Well, it looks like the DNC campaign strategy backfired somewhat spectacularly...



What on earth to expect now?

 

TBH I am actually not surprised Trump won - just had to happen after the Brexit result.

Just think he would have across better to the common American than Clinton and the political elite do..

Lets just hope his advisors do reign Trump in a bit with some of his ideas!

 

True. And after the Scottish Independence Referendum, Brexit and now this, I'll never bother with opinion polls again - spectacularly wrong doesn't really cover what happened.

 

Following Trump's amazing victory will next years French elections result in victory for the right winger Le Pen?

She is favourite to be in the final dance off with Juppe, an establishment figure who was convicted and sentenced to an 18 month suspended jail sentence, the deprivation of civic rights for five years, and the deprivation of the right to run for political office for 10 years.

Unlikely but not impossible now.

 

Is this really that bad.....

I would bet that the establishment both Republican and world powers - both political and economic - will have a big say.

he will get nothing through senate that his party dont want.

His rhetoric though is potentially damaging.

Can he really:
Pull US out of NATO
End free trade agreements
etc??

I reckon they will let him build a wall, do some social stuff, invest in local manufacturing and reward war vets.. and little else will change.