A Political Thread pt. 2

[Saintjay]

I've only ever worked for publicly funded bodies. The Army, Police, Local Government. The first two under both Labour and Conservative governments. One thing they all had in common was the ability to over spend, and burn money on equipment and projects not fit for purpose. Often with very little challenge when it went belly up. The Police was probably the worst as the then "new" thing was used as evidence on a promotion board and more often than not simply reinventing the wheel.

Also both the Police and Army were shafted by both parties home secretary's at the time. Especially when money saving was needed. Jacqui Smith for Labour and Teresa May for the Cons being particularly unpopular.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

 

[TRF_Olyy]

"It was just resting...on my Mother's driveway"

 

[ncurd]

 

[Gavin]

She's absolutely mental

 

[Reiser99]

She's absolutely mental

Yeah, cause infinite growth and trickle down economics has really made the world fairer...

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

I know the 80s never died in the sense that reagonomics was just turned down and became neoliberal free trade championed by the center left but I have a fear that culturally and politically the 80s are making a hard comeback. I know trump stole his slogan from Reagan but I just have a different feeling now

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I know the 80s never died in the sense that reagonomics was just turned down and became neoliberal free trade championed by the center left but I have a fear that culturally and politically the 80s are making a hard comeback. I know trump stole his slogan from Reagan but I just have a different feeling now

It's weird as the 80's were a swing to the right pushing back against years of left wing government and ideology. Now it's swinging to the right off the back of right wing ideology... Even supposed left wing governments in the UK and USA have been far further to the right than ones of the 80's and the current right wing are even further across than they were then, overlapping with full blown fascism now.

 

[General Melchett]

Isn't what we're seeing just soundbites and plays to win votes across the demographic spectrum in the US? People born in the 80's or who look back at the 80's with nostalgia while there was a reasonably popular Republican President in office. Even Biden's visit to NI/Ireland must be a hit with the vast number of Americans with Irish heritage. It's no coincidence that every American President in my lifetime has visited Ireland at least once. All to win or retain the Irish American vote. His visit has just looked like a King Charles walkabout with one or two speeches thrown in.

Truss' rhetoric sounds like it was sponsored by the Republican party - anti woke, anti socialist/environmentalist. I wonder how much she pocketed for that. Maybe she's on the same daily rate as Kwasi.

 

[ncurd]

I guess this comes under political.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Environment Agency workers strike over pay

Workers responsible for protecting England's environment stage a three day walkout over low pay.

www.bbc.co.uk

More strikes, as usual it is everyone else's fault except the government's. Has there been a government that has faced this many strikes since the 70s and 80s? Can't ask for above inflation pay rises during periods of high inflation as that will "drive inflation" (even though wage growth has not been the driver of inflation) and can't ask for above inflation pay rises during the periods of low inflation as we "are all in this together" and need to "tighten our belts". Wage erosion has been going on for over a decade and Brits are now about 20-30% worse off in real terms than they were in the final years of Labour. This simply must turn around at some point, wages need to outstrip inflation or we will cease to be a "wealthy" country.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Voter ID checks could overwhelm election staff, councils warn

For the first time, people will need to show photo ID before voting in England's local elections.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Reiser99]

Voter ID checks could overwhelm election staff, councils warn

For the first time, people will need to show photo ID before voting in England's local elections.

www.bbc.co.uk

I'm sure the government has spent as much advertising this to the country as they have advertising their kick out asylum seekers plan.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Isn't what we're seeing just soundbites and plays to win votes across the demographic spectrum in the US? People born in the 80's or who look back at the 80's with nostalgia while there was a reasonably popular Republican President in office. Even Biden's visit to NI/Ireland must be a hit with the vast number of Americans with Irish heritage. It's no coincidence that every American President in my lifetime has visited Ireland at least once. All to win or retain the Irish American vote. His visit has just looked like a King Charles walkabout with one or two speeches thrown in.

Truss' rhetoric sounds like it was sponsored by the Republican party - anti woke, anti socialist/environmentalist. I wonder how much she pocketed for that. Maybe she's on the same daily rate as Kwasi.

I read an interesting article re American Presidents visits to Ireland (disregarding Trump who came on a golf holiday to his resort here).

The purpose of the visit is generally to align white voters with a pro-immigration policy, by US standards. It's essentially evolved from JFK, who needed the vote of every minority to beat the white protestant standard that had existed since Andrew Jackson, to most recently Obama who needed a greater proportion of the white vote and therefore likened his distant ancestors emigrating from Ireland to his father from Kenya.

Reagan adopted JFK's approach to win over the Irish vote which was quite significant at the time whilst Biden appears to be trying to pander to minorities by pushing the immigration narrative again.

Clinton came three times on account of the troubles.

Nixon was typically out of touch and thought all it took was a trip to Ireland to boost the vote, his visit was marred by protest

 

[ncurd]

Its been almost bonkers the past week looking at people trying to take all the credit for work of British, Irish, Northern Irish (Republican and Unionist) politicians bloody hard work. From Biden you'd think it was purely a American brokered peace deal.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I won't lie, the whole Biden Ireland thing is a little cringe.

 

[BiggusLaddus]

I won't lie, the whole Biden Ireland thing is a little cringe.

Informative though. I knew Rob Kearney was pretty old, but had no idea he'd been around since the black and tans.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

British right wing medias reaction to it bangs of jealousy anyway, and the lasting and continued success of the GFA being deemed a more significant political landmark by Biden than the coronation seems to be the motivation which is only hilarious in any way you look at it.

When I see Paddy whackery and xenophobia in multiple British media outlets I'm very happy to be more closely aligned with Europe and the US. One guy was bizarrely
criticising Biden for visiting because Ireland is a modern and multi-cultural society.

It's yet to be seen how the trip will reflect on Biden but it's been a total success for my island.

 

[Welsh Exile]

British right wing medias reaction to it bangs of jealousy anyway, and the lasting and continued success GFA being deemed a more significant political landmark by Biden than the coronation seems to be the motivation which is only hilarious in any way you look at it.

When I see Paddy whackery and xenophobia in multiple British media outlets I'm very happy to be more closely aligned with Europe and the US. One guy was bizarrely
criticising Biden for visiting because Ireland is a modern and multi-cultural society.

It's yet to be seen how the trip will reflect on Biden but it's been a total success for my island.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

View attachment 16598

Beat me to it