Election Year or Fear!

[MadAmster]

I read this a couple of days ago online. It will be interesting to see how this pans out...

In the next few weeks, there will be a powerful information attack on Ukraine from the United States. We will hear claims that Ukraine is an artificially created country that should not exist. That Ukraine was jointly created by the Austrian General Staff and USAID. That Ukraine is primarily inhabited by russians who want to go back to russia. That Ukraine is a dictatorship where elections have never taken place and is ruled by Nazis. That Ukraine is illegally producing weapons of mass destruction. (And, of course, that Biden is to blame for all of this.)
The next few weeks will be very difficult. It will seem as if everyone has betrayed Ukraine — America has openly sided with the enemy, and Europe remains asleep.
This is part of Trump’s “peace plan.” He needs to end the war immediately, but Putin is not ready for negotiations — he is only prepared to accept Ukraine’s capitulation in the form of demilitarization, “denazification,” and the return of russian agents to the public sphere to implement something between the Ichkerian and Georgian scenarios. The U.S. has no leverage over russia (though that’s not entirely true, but using leverage is seen as escalation rather than a quick resolution of the war). Moreover, the collapse of the russian regime must not be allowed — russia must be preserved and used against China.
Under these circumstances, all pressure will fall on the side that appears more vulnerable to it — that is, on Ukraine. Ukraine disrupts the new U.S. administration’s plans in two ways. First, Ukraine prevents Europe from becoming defenseless. Second, Ukraine hinders the strengthening of russia so that it can be turned against China. Ukraine is an inconvenient obstacle that must be punished.
The only thing we can do is prove that we cannot yield, because yielding means surrendering the lives of our friends, relatives, and possibly ourselves. I see that many of you do not believe in the possibility of Bucha and Mariupol happening across the entire country. That you believe in the “courtesy” and “decency” of russian occupation forces. I don’t know what it would take for these people to wake up. A hundred years ago, this has already happened.
(And please, don’t think that Ukrainian concessions will lead to increased military aid. Military aid prolongs the war, but Trump needs to end it immediately. No amount of gratitude or apologies will help here.)
Everyone who can speak, write, and influence Americans and Europeans already knows what to do and is doing it. Everyone else simply needs to hold on. If you cannot be part of the solution, at least do not become part of the problem. Do not spread enemy propaganda or enemy narratives.
This information attack will not last forever. Time moves quickly. If we endure, we move forward. There are many forces in the world that do not benefit from our defeat. Most importantly, we ourselves.

[ramAnag]

Apologies for cross threading! Incidentally, if Id find it difficult to find examples of left wing press in this country, why refer to it as right wing press rather than simply press. Isn't it tautology

No…because there, imo, remain areas of the press and media which attempt to remain objective, impartial, or at best/worst, centrist. They maybe the minority, but everything that isn’t right wing isn’t necessarily left wing.

[MadAmster]

I've been of the opinion that Trump would do a lot to help his billionaire buddies. I thought that was likely to be giving them tax cuts funded by the "savings" his favourite "DOGE" (PRONOUNCED DOGGY) is achieving. It seems he's found another ruse to increase their, and his, wealth.

Step 1. Announce high import tariffs. This leads to the stock market plummeting.
Step 2. Billionaires buy up the lower priced stock which... drum roll... leads to the market recovering

The billionaires are suddenly somewhat richer. I'm still certain those tax breaks for the mega rich are on their way.

PS - From tomorrow up to and including next Wednesday, I will not be posting on here as I will be doing my level best to help out the impoverished public house landlords of the City of Derby.

[Trickytreesreds]

It?s true, MA. The Sentencing Council for England and Wales has suggested that the ethnic background of offenders should be made a greater factor in determining sentences.
It?s apparently aimed at addressing the over representation of black and ethnic minority people within the criminal justice system.

What also appears to be true is the fact that Ministers have criticised such plans and Shabana Mahmood has stated very clearly that she will be writing to the Sentencing Council to ?register my displeasure and to recommend reversing this change to guidance?.

Of course the likes of Jenrick, GoBSh*t* News and you know who have got it round their necks?again!
One has to wonder about what the purpose of constantly regurgitating such mistaken nonsense might be. You?d think they?d learned nothing from the events of last summer.

oh really? It seems Labours finger prints are all over this, no matter how much Mahmood squirms.

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics...ammy-6h2s6djgn

[Trickytreesreds]

No…because there, imo, remain areas of the press and media which attempt to remain objective, impartial, or at best/worst, centrist. They maybe the minority, but everything that isn’t right wing isn’t necessarily left wing.

absolute kack. your bible the Guardian is a left wing news source, total anti Tory and either slants it all left wing.woke, or ignores the stories full stop. Its lists of columists include Corbyn loving Own Jones, and "I'm virtually a communist" Ash Sakar,
centrist my arse

[MadAmster]

oh really? It seems Labours finger prints are all over this, no matter how much Mahmood squirms.

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics...ammy-6h2s6djgn

Behind a paywall.

The Sentencing Council for England and Wales is not subservient to HMG. That is a fact. Lammy might have written a suggestion, I don't know as I can't access the URL you posted. The Sentencing Council for England and Wales is in no way bound to follow that suggestion. Nuance matters but, it seems, not to you. Context seems to be a stranger. That's probably why the more intelligent of people look further than the end of their nose before coming to a conclusion. Your rants, the URL's you post all seem to have one thing in common. They lack context, they lack nuance, they lack perspective.

Could you let us know, with context, what it is Lammy wrote? Was it a suggestion or an instruction? Was the Sentencing Council for England and Wales bound, in any way, to follow the content? Did the Sentencing Council for England and Wales merely come to a conclusion themselves?

The info requested is really necessary in order to ponder our own conclusion on this. TIA.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Behind a paywall.

The Sentencing Council for England and Wales is not subservient to HMG. That is a fact. Lammy might have written a suggestion, I don't know as I can't access the URL you posted. The Sentencing Council for England and Wales is in no way bound to follow that suggestion. Nuance matters but, it seems, not to you. Context seems to be a stranger. That's probably why the more intelligent of people look further than the end of their nose before coming to a conclusion. Your rants, the URL's you post all seem to have one thing in common. They lack context, they lack nuance, they lack perspective.

Could you let us know, with context, what it is Lammy wrote? Was it a suggestion or an instruction? Was the Sentencing Council for England and Wales bound, in any way, to follow the content? Did the Sentencing Council for England and Wales merely come to a conclusion themselves?

The info requested is really necessary in order to ponder our own conclusion on this. TIA.

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/comment...122576.article

The above should clarify for you MA - its from the Law Society Gazzette, so in theory should be free from the right wing bias rA sees round every corner: but maybe not. Its free.

Its an odd one really - the pre sentencing process seems to be seen in different ways. The Lammy report (almost 10 years old now) unsurprisingly concluded that it worked against BAME (not sure of thats now politically correct phraseology) felons and meant such were more likely to receive longer sentences. It was contended that this was not appropriate, if true. The concern now seems to be that that "BAME" receive softer sentences because of that status. So its a double edged sword .

Note the PSR process is not just aimed at racial minoroties but all manner of convicted persons, including trans, pregnant women, thouse with mental health problems etc

Dont know if it helps but, for what its worth, I think politicians of whatever flavours should butt out of the operation of the legal process. Set the rules and then let the professionally qualified bodies wotk within that framework. Politicians, like most people, have their own inherent biases - usually associated with getting reelected. By all means establist review panels to oversee the effectiveness of the process but otherwise STFU

[MadAmster]

Ta, GP. So basically, it's guidance, not demands. Doesn't come from HMG. The Lammy report to which TTR referred was 10 years ago. Basically, he and God knows how many others are getting their panties in a pickle over very little. I know he'll come back with something like "same sentence for same crime" but as long as it's not violence, seks related (and yes, some have been and shouldn't have) or some other serious crime, it's not unreasonable to come up with a punishment that doesn't put the criminal in serious danger.

I also remember a few reports of people getting fines and/or community service because they ran a business and, if they were incarcerated, the business would fold and several people would find themselves out of work.

[ramAnag]

absolute kack. your bible the Guardian is a left wing news source, total anti Tory and either slants it all left wing.woke, or ignores the stories full stop. Its lists of columists include Corbyn loving Own Jones, and "I'm virtually a communist" Ash Sakar,
centrist my arse

Thanks for that well informed and thoughtful response.

[ramAnag]

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/comment...122576.article

The above should clarify for you MA - its from the Law Society Gazzette, so in theory should be free from the right wing bias rA sees round every corner: but maybe not.

Hardly just little old me, GP.

Consider this from the Press Gazette:

‘Kier Starmer will have to contend with a largely right wing printed press…

…the Mail, Express titles, Sun and Telegraph give right leaning daily newspapers a substantial 2.2 million to 300,000 circulation advantage over left wing titles’.

Still, what would they know compared to you and Tricky? Must all be in my imagination.