US Election November 5th

[Terry - Somerset]

It may be too late for the Democrats to back another horse - it would create further division within the party and likely remove any realistic chance of winning. At least Harris is a known quantity with endorsements and funds.

Her best bet may be to paint the Donald as being nearly as old as Biden, rapidly losing or already out of touch with the 2020s, likely incapable of another 4 years at the helm. Whilst Trump made Biden look frail and enroute to a nursing home, Harris may be able to do likewise by comparison with Trump.

 

[Cabinetman]

The second debate will, if it still goes ahead show that Harris is more than a bit dim, some of the things she says are cringeworthy, it’s like being in a primary school class when she talks to you.
It will certainly be interesting!

 

[Keith Cocker]

Trump has said that neither the Russians or Hammas would have dared start the wars as they did had he been President, I do tend to agree with him and that it was Biden weakness that allowed them. He also has said the war in Ukraine will be over very soon after he wins in November. We shall see.

Boll**ks!!! The man is deluded beyond belief.

 

[Keith Cocker]

The second debate will, if it still goes ahead show that Harris is more than a bit dim, some of the things she says are cringeworthy, it’s like being in a primary school class when she talks to you.
It will certainly be interesting!

Oh dear! Smoke away!!

 

[Blackswanwood]

The second debate will, if it still goes ahead show that Harris is more than a bit dim, some of the things she says are cringeworthy, it’s like being in a primary school class when she talks to you.
It will certainly be interesting!

Dim? Compared to Trump?

 

[selectortone]

The more this current American election season goes on, the more it looks like it is being scripted in Hollywood. God help us all.

 

[Majimoto]

It may be too late for the Democrats to back another horse - it would create further division within the party and likely remove any realistic chance of winning. At least Harris is a known quantity with endorsements and funds.

Her best bet may be to paint the Donald as being nearly as old as Biden, rapidly losing or already out of touch with the 2020s, likely incapable of another 4 years at the helm. Whilst Trump made Biden look frail and enroute to a nursing home, Harris may be able to do likewise by comparison with Trump.

I would love Harris to win -- but looking at her non record as VP , and recent speeches-- she has virtually no personality or charisma.
Not a chance of beating Trump.

 

[sploo]

I would love Harris to win -- but looking at her non record as VP , and recent speeches-- she has virtually no personality or charisma.
Not a chance of beating Trump.

That's a major problem with modern democracy though isn't it: I don't care if a political leader does or does not have charisma or a personality - I'd like them to be competent (and, you know... not a convicted felon). But, that's not how it works in the real world.

 

[Delaney]

I didn't suggest it was. Just pointing out that suggesting the Ukraine war and Gaza have similar causes is fundamentally wrong.

They don't seem too different to me.
Both are in satellite pieces of land and populations, attached to a larger more powerful state. As long as they act and behave in accordance with that larger neighbour, their lives will be relatively safe.
When the smaller state tries to break free of that control and or rebels, the consequences are the same.
One view relies on perception and bias, the other on reality.
John Mearsheimer is probably the most cogent voice on both conflicts.

I hope that fighting stops in both places, especially since we in the west are rapidly declining in numbers and can’t much afford to lose such large amounts of population, especially for political powers that don’t have anything to lose themselves; the USA.
Literally if Russia wins, the US will just shrug and focus on something else, meanwhile we’ll have an armed, battle ready and battle experienced Russia on our borders, as opposed to an unarmed Russian satellite.
This whole thing has been an utter disaster and has made us far less safe.
We could have let Russia take Ukraine and let Ukrainians emigrate into western Europe.
Instead we’re now responsible for nealry a million europeans being slaughtered, which js a deep, deep shame, on us as Europeans.
You could argue that Ukraine is fighting for its land but that land has been mostly bought by US corporations. They wouldn’t own it even if they win.
Europe needs to seek a more pragmatic path with it’s neighbour whilst seeking our own path forward as a wider European continent.

Of course all of this is pointless if we don’t start having more children. There won't be a Europe.

 

[Blackswanwood]

I wonder if Stormy Daniels was seduced by Donald’s charisma and personality …

 

[whereistheceilidh]

They don't seem too different to me.
Both are in satellite pieces of land and populations, attached to a larger more powerful state. As long as they act and behave in accordance with that larger neighbour, their lives will be relatively safe.
When the smaller state tries to break free of that control and or rebels, the consequences are the same.
One view relies on perception and bias, the other on reality.
John Mearsheimer is probably the most cogent voice on both conflicts.
It’s all very simple when you rise above the propaganda.
I hope that fighting stops in both places, especially since we in the west are rapidly declining in numbers and can’t much afford to lose such large amounts of population, especially for political powers that don’t have anything to lose themselves, aka the US. Literally if Russia wins, the US will just shrug and focus on something else.
Meanwhile we’ll have an armed and battle ready Russia on out borders, as opposed to an unarmed russian satellite.
This whole thing has been an utter disaster and has made me come to realise that the US is not a stable partner.
We could have let Russia take Ukraine and let Ukrainians emigrate into western Europe.
Instead we’re now responsible for nealry a million europeans being slaughtered, which js a deep, deep shame, on us as Europeans.
You could argue that Ukraine is fighting for its land but that land has been mostly bought by US corporations. They wouldn’t own it even if they win.
Europe needs to seek a more pragmatic path with it’s neighbour whilst seeking our own path forward as a wider European continent.

Of course all of this is pointless if we don’t start having more children. There won't be a Europe. Europe needs to focus kn itself and get its house in order. Stop the population replacement by mass immigration, put in place policies to increase birth rates and if all of this makes us slightly less competitive for a while, then so be it.

......not too sure who the 'we' refers to but I find it difficult to see how you arrive at the idea that we are resposible for a million European deaths.
....& why would we want to increase the birth rate? We do not have the land, food, resources to cope with the population we have. I suspect we may need to adjust our society to the population the land/Earth can cope with......but things may be different in Liphook.

 

[Delaney]

I wonder if Stormy Daniels was seduced by Donald’s charisma and personality …

The pettiness of the insults are interesting, given that the people making them, see that as one of the main characteristics they despise in Trump.

 

[Delaney]

......not too sure who the 'we' refers to but I find it difficult to see how you arrive at the idea that we are resposible for a million European deaths.
....& why would we want to increase the birth rate? We do not have the land, food, resources to cope with the population we have. I suspect we may need to adjust our society to the population the land/Earth can cope with......but things may be different in Liphook.

I’ve explained how we are responsible.

Birth decline is exponential. It’s not a case of going down gradually.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

They don't seem too different to me.
Both are in satellite pieces of land and populations, attached to a larger more powerful state. As long as they act and behave in accordance with that larger neighbour, their lives will be relatively safe.
When the smaller state tries to break free of that control and or rebels, the consequences are the same.
One view relies on perception and bias, the other on reality.
John Mearsheimer is probably the most cogent voice on both conflicts.

I hope that fighting stops in both places, especially since we in the west are rapidly declining in numbers and can’t much afford to lose such large amounts of population, especially for political powers that don’t have anything to lose themselves; the USA.
Literally if Russia wins, the US will just shrug and focus on something else, meanwhile we’ll have an armed, battle ready and battle experienced Russia on our borders, as opposed to an unarmed Russian satellite.
This whole thing has been an utter disaster and has made us far less safe.
We could have let Russia take Ukraine and let Ukrainians emigrate into western Europe.
Instead we’re now responsible for nealry a million europeans being slaughtered, which js a deep, deep shame, on us as Europeans.
You could argue that Ukraine is fighting for its land but that land has been mostly bought by US corporations. They wouldn’t own it even if they win.
Europe needs to seek a more pragmatic path with it’s neighbour whilst seeking our own path forward as a wider European continent.

Of course all of this is pointless if we don’t start having more children. There won't be a Europe.

1991 saw the dissolution of the old Soviet Union at which time the principal borders (including Ukraine) were defined. Many were based on old USSR regions with limited input to take account of ethnic, racial, economic relationships etc.

Ukraine was established in 1991 based on this dissolution. There were a number of fairly minor variations which were agreed subsequently - but the general shape of the borders and Crimea within them was not in doubt and agreed by Russia.

Crimea was invaded by the Russians in 2014 - the Western response to such aggression was indetectable. Emboldened by the apparent complacency of the West, the rest of Ukraine was invaded in 2022.

The lines drawn on the map - as in other parts of the world were somewhat arbitrary. Both Crimea and Donetsk are dominated Russian heritage and language.

That Russia felt vulnerable due to the expansion of NATO and EU into previously Russian aligned states is understandable. That Putin who grew up in the cold war Soviet era has views based on a world order now irrelevant is unsurprising.

However there is little doubt that Russia invaded that which was agreed sovereign Ukrainian territory. They are the aggressors.

 

[Spectric]

This area of the world has been at each others throats for thousands of years.

So why did the Uk and others decide to stick some Jewish state into the middle of it knowing that it would be a catalyst for ongoing conflict and suffering for so many for decades to come. Yes another failure for western leadership yet again.

Its easy when people are making excuses for the slaughter of 40,000 + people.

There is no excuse that can be acceptable to anyone who lives in a civilised society, genocide and the deliberate killing of civilians is illegal under the geneva convention and any leader who supports such actions has to be equally guilty of genocide. Even more important is that it is inhumane to standby and watch let alone condone and supply the weapons needed so this is really degrading the supporters of genocide and the countries involved to bring them down to a level of being nothing more than the same as the butchers of Israel.

So what is the solution, Israel has blatantly ignored everyone and undertaken many landgrabs and have become nothing more than a military led dictatorship that places no value on life unless it is jewish and must be stopped before they start a war that would escalate out of control. First step would be to stop all arms trade to israel and then force them to live within the boundaries set out in 1947 and surrender all stolen land, if they fail to comply then basically disown them and let countries like Iran and North Korea put them back in there place.

No one has even remotely supported the murder of 40,000 people

Failing to object to the slaughter of civilians and taking action to stop this is just as bad as supporting it, no such thing as an innocent bystander.

Swing west hey, the americans seem in as much if not more political turmoil than here in the uk, what a choice they have with sleepy Joe replaced by a giggling fool and then trump. How do they approach there problem, someone who might do well with home affairs but no hope on the world stage or someone who might not do as well with home affairs but have a presence on the world stage. Be interesting to get Putins thoughts on this or Kim Jong's.

 

[Blackswanwood]

So why did the Uk and others decide to stick some Jewish state into the middle of it knowing that it would be a catalyst for ongoing conflict and suffering for so many for decades to come. Yes another failure for western leadership yet again.

I think it was Moses rather than the UK that made that decision?

 

[Ed Weber]

So why did the Uk and others decide to stick some Jewish state into the middle of it knowing that it would be a catalyst for ongoing conflict and suffering for so many for decades to come. Yes another failure for western leadership yet again.

Well, since I'm not 100 years old and a diplomat attached to the UN, how on earth would I know why our grandfathers and great grandfathers did what they did. I don't have a crystal ball that can see the future.
You're the one with all the answers, you tell me.
You seem to think they knew it would be like this? The global sentiment at the time was that no one was ready to start another war but I'm sure they were all wrong.

 

[Cabinetman]

Oh dear! Smoke away!!

Have you been in the States for most of this last year listening to her? No you haven’t, but I have, and I stand by what I said. She just isn’t Presidential material, her as President? It’s a joke.

 

[Noel]

Can we please swing west to Washington DC - Biden/Harris/Trump/Vance? Nov 5th etc.

The above was a suggestion.
This isn't: stick to the topic in hand, not the M East, not E Europe. You want to discuss these issues, go elsewhere.
It's Biden/Harris/Trump/Vance/DNC/GOP/Dems/RNC/Taylor Swift etc, etc.

 

[John Brown]

Have you been in the States for most of this last year listening to her? No you haven’t, but I have, and I stand by what I said. She just isn’t Presidential material, her as President? It’s a joke.

And Trump is presidential material? I know which I think is the bigger joke.
Why would you need to be in the States to listen to her, by the way?