POLITICS CORNER

[plaques]

Who needs these washed up geriatrics?

There's probably more posts on this site from geriatrics than can be found on facebook. I include myself in that statement. Been there, done that, and it doesn't work is advice we all like to hand down to the youngsters. Surveys suggest that less than 20% study and think about what they read. The other 80% either accept or reject it depending on their prejudices. The majority of people are gullible and can be whipped up into a frenzy by oratory that re-enforces their prejudices, Nuremberg Rally, Princess Diana's funeral, Get Brexit Done. Trump understands that basic concept and panders to it.

[Marilyn]

Nothing wrong with geriatrics
But they shouldn’t be in such high profile positions.

[Stanley]

Maz, ability not age is what should govern who has control.
I'm listening to the election broadcast from the US. All sorts of things could go wrong today and make no mistake, what happens in the US today concerns the whole world.

[Marilyn]

The sun will still rise in the morning no matter which way it goes, Stanley.

[Big Kev]

There's not a lot in it at the moment, reports are the postal vote counting will mean it could be a few days before the final result is in.

[Tizer]

Nothing wrong with geriatrics
But they shouldn’t be in such high profile positions.

Tell that to 90-year-old Warren Buffett, Maz!

Well here we are with America, the world's most powerful nation, teetering on the brink. As I write 41 of 50 states have reported their results and currently Biden has 224 electoral college votes against Trump's 213. He who takes 270 wins. Meanwhile Trump has already announced that he's won. Here are some notes from the BBC reporting...

`Biden for President Campaign Manager Jen O’Malley Dillon said Trump's statement about the legitimacy of yet-to-be-counted ballots "was outrageous, unprecedented, and incorrect". "It was outrageous because it is a naked effort to take away the democratic rights of American citizens," she said. "It was unprecedented because never before in our history has a president of the United States sought to strip Americans of their voice in a national election." Trump's statement was incorrect, O’Malley Dillon said, because the law requires every legitimate vote to be counted.'

A post from BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher...
`Donald Trump has been telegraphing for weeks that if the presidential election were close, he would accuse his Democratic opponents of committing voter fraud and trying to steal victory away from him. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, he did exactly that. It is the doomsday scenario that many Americans were fearing, where the president of the United States – from the White House itself – would undermine ballot-counting. It’s a process that stretches on for days after the election, even in years when voters haven’t turned to mail-in or early voting because of an ongoing pandemic. After Trump spoke, Vice-President Mike Pence tried to smooth over his remarks, declining to declare premature victory and insisting that all the legally cast votes will be counted. It was much more in line with how a US leader would be expected to behave in a moment of political uncertainty. The damage had been done, however. Whether Trump ultimately wins or loses, he has cast a pall on this election, as he calls the very machinery of American democracy into question.'

BBC: Donald Trump has long criticised postal voting in the presidential election, saying it leads to widespread fraud - but what evidence is there for this? Numerous national and state-level studies in the US have shown that although there have been isolated cases, electoral fraud is very rare. According to one study, the rate of voting fraud overall in the US is less than 0.0009%. `Debunking the Voter Fraud Myth' Brennan Center for Justice

[Big Kev]

Trump.JPG

[Tizer]

Lovely, Kev! That was my thought when I saw the claims. By the way, I saw a report that in a video a little while back he referred to Yosemite National Park but pronounced it Yo Semite. Apparently Jewish tweeters had a field day with that and also Yo Semite is something to do with rap lyrics so the rappers got into it too!

The Russian media are also making hay while the sun shines and treating their viewers to `crazy America' stories. On the other hand, Chinese news media have paid less attention to the US election and more to the US leaving the climate change treaty when Americans create twice as much CO2 emissions per person than China.

[Whyperion]

Trump has tapped into re-inforcing his message to his supporters (and it seems thats in Florida with both more people voting, more in proportion have gone for Trump).

And conversely Biden has not convinced enough , either non voters or those that are backing Trump ( questions about the Economy vs Covid seem to be the problem this year), that his offer for the next 4 years will be best for them, or for their country. So until the Democrats find a reliable candidate who can get either Texas or Florida on top of their other supporting states , or the Republicans Implode (and I suspect the Trump dynasty will give 2024 a try). the white house wont turn blue, though Congress might, due to the 50/50 nature of present voter split working out differently on the sub state level.

[Marilyn]

It is like watching grass grow isn’t it?

[Stanley]

Maz. I think you have completely missed the point as to what is happening here.
I am slightly less anxious than I was when I went to bed. It's not over, Biden is gradually overtaking the Orange One as postal votes are counted.
This quote encapsulates what's happening at the moment. "At a news conference in Clark County - which includes the biggest city in the state, Las Vegas - a protester jumped in front of cameras, yelling: “The Biden crime family is stealing this election! The media is covering it up!”."
Trump is protesting a bit too much. I think he knows he has probably lost. We shall see later...

[Marilyn]

I don’t trust either of them

[Stanley]

I thought you said you had no opinions Maz.
Later, reasons for cautious optimism. The Trumps are having to send in lawyers to try to get counting stopped but so far have produced no evidence to support their allegations of corruption. Biden is in the lead in terms of electoral college votes at the moment and the key states that have yet to declare appear to be moving to the Democrats. As Biden keeps telling his supporters, "Keep the faith". Be patient, it's moving our way."
It begins to look as though Trump suspects this is the case. That's why the lawyers have been sent in.
It will be an interesting few days.

[Marilyn]

Stanley get this right.
I have NO opinion.
I don’t trust EITHER of them.
I HATE America. I hate it’s politics. I hate American movies. I hate American morning news, and morning shows where they are all full of beans and shout over each other to be heard, all so full of themselves. I hate Halloween. I hate diets or lifestyle tips from America. I hate their sport/movie/tv stars. I hate guns. I hate that we must have a percentage of their rubbish TV on our screens.
I find absolutely NOTHING attractive about America. They represent everything we do not care to identify with.
And may I quietly add, the UK is going the same way.
Mind you, I was born in UK, so maintain heart strings.

Have I made myself clear enough?

[Big Kev]

Hate is not a nice word...

[Marilyn]

No indeed. I do not use it often....
Perhaps we are subject to more American content on our TVs than you? Perhaps that is where it grates.
(Precocious children in beauty pageants etc)
Yuk.

[plaques]

I find absolutely NOTHING attractive about America. They represent everything we do not care to identify with.
And may I quietly add, the UK is going the same way.

There are lots of very good and what I consider to be nice Americans. 'Everything' is perhaps an all too encompassing word but certainly what you see on TV doesn't give a good impression all at bit too brash and in your face. Many in America still believe in the American dream which is a kin to believing in the tooth fairy. The UK is going down the same road of total lack of empathy coupled with the 'not my problem' attitude. Here we are entering a second phase of lockdown pushing millions below the poverty threshold from which it could take them years to recover and yet we hear glib comments that with nothing to do they could spend the time on a holiday abroad to escape the virus. Central government is trying to engineer opinions that are quietly dividing the nation into North and South with the emphasis on protecting the south in order to protect their political voting base. The north gets aspirations the south gets the money.

[Marilyn]

Awwwww... I refuse to go any further with my low grade political thoughts...it won’t do any of us any good. And I would hate to lose friends. ( bad enough that I have a son who loves Trump).
Suffice to say that I respect that everyone has their own opinion.

[PanBiker]

Indeed Maz, the truth of the matter is that as it stands, Trump is effectively trying to pull of and illegal Coup. Never heard of before in the same situation. No wonder the major cities have closed down and boarded up hundreds of shops and businesses. A lot of Trumps supporters are the gun toting crazies and I suppose they are trying to prepare for worse case scenario. It's actually playing out more like a dictatorship than a democratic electoral process with the rhetoric coming from the Republicans. Trump is doing no more than attempting to disenfranchise millions of voters to his own ends. He asks why there is a dramatic increase in postal votes but does not acknowledge the global Covid pandemic. He says that is fake news as well so that has nothing to do with it. He's not used to losing, or so they say and is acting like a child having a tantrum which just about sums it up if it wasn't so serious.

[Tizer]

That sounds like an accurate summary to me, Ian. Thanks for saving me having to write it. Trump wanted to become the Putin of America. He loves dictators and envies them.

Maz, have you ever been to America? Do you have American friends?

[Sue]

That sounds like an accurate summary to me, Ian. Thanks for saving me having to write it. Trump wanted to become the Putin of America. He loves dictators and envies them.

Maz, have you ever been to America? Do you have American friends?

I have been to America several times. In general individuals are as nice and friendly as anywhere else I have travelled. My daughter lived there for three years and found them to be a friendly , family orientated society BUT she found the children precocious and came home as she wanted to have a family in the UK.

I think a certain president should not be regarded as a typical American. As for their politics, yes I dislike their politics, but I don’t live there and it is not my place to comment. My friends over there fall into the two camps, though mainly Biden. The Republican friends I have do not like Trump but are scared of Socialism, they see it as Communism. Most have invested through out their lives in one way or another and are frightened they will lose it all under a Democrat President.Some have a State health system that the pay into but were unable to opt out of Obama care, hence their dislike of it as they did not think they should have to pay twice.

So there are lots of pros and cons. I think this election is seen over here as if it is about the person, In America that is not the case, its about a declining economy. Only 11 % said they were concerned about Health Care, then it was crime, next up was covid which they see as a temporay issue and not relevant to the full length of the next presidential term . So it was economy top and after that was Black rights.

Hate is a very strong word, dislike is better or more relevant is that I do not understand the way they think.

[Sue]

PS the America you see on TV and in programmes is NOTHING. Like the real America and the real Americans

[Tripps]

Two good thoughtful, intelligent, and insightful posts.

Thank you.

[Marilyn]

Son has wanted to visit America for years and wanted me to go with him. No thanks...I will happily go to Canada and Alaska, but the US doesn’t appeal. ( “doesn’t appeal” is a better term than “hate” )

[Tripps]

.I will happily go to Canada and Alaska,

Take care - Alaska is a state of the USA,