Election Year or Fear!

[swaledale]

As regards that last sentence, I’m not sure how long that will remain the case, Sith. We live in a time when blatant lying is par for the course and when AI is increasingly being used to disguise, or even add credibility, to the content of such untruths.
Half a century or so ago Nixon got caught out where his lies were concerned. Despite the huge increase in technology since the seventies I think he may have got away with it nowadays. Trump and his accolites seem to get away with more and more on an almost daily basis, his lies and bull sh1t seem to me to have been weaponised by communication technology. I doesn’t bode well imo.

I'm not convnced that politicians or others for that matter lie more than in the past, there are plent yof examples from the '50's and '60's, but it does seem that a lie or indeed facts are no longer relevant, comaprd to what people choose to believe and that has been amplified and spread wider by social media and a 24hr "news" window.

As for Starmer, I'm sure personally he'd want to condemn Trumps' actions, but of course as PM he has to act in the UK's broader interests and it isn't in anybody's interest to attack the orange manbaby.

Trump is dangerous, a narcicissist, who uses power and strength to threaten others who don't bend to his will. The only people who can stop him are the American People and opposition politicians, we must hope they manage to doso before he really ****s the world up.

[Geoff Parkstone]

I think, on balance that Trump's actions in Venezuela, whilst probably illegal, may prove beneficial to the people in Venezuela by removing a corrupt narco overlord from power. However let's see how it plays out: a big yellow taxi moment - they don't know what they've got till it's gone.

But as to Starmer's dilemma, I don't think it's a problem. Noone gives a **** what he thinks on a world stage. Equally his views do not reflect the views of the majority of the people. He's just a lame duck and so it's best he says nothing as it would only destroy what little credibility he and the UK has left

[ramAnag]

I'm not convnced that politicians or others for that matter lie more than in the past, there are plent yof examples from the '50's and '60's, but it does seem that a lie or indeed facts are no longer relevant, comaprd to what people choose to believe and that has been amplified and spread wider by social media and a 24hr "news" window.

As for Starmer, I'm sure personally he'd want to condemn Trumps' actions, but of course as PM he has to act in the UK's broader interests and it isn't in anybody's interest to attack the orange manbaby.

Trump is dangerous, a narcicissist, who uses power and strength to threaten others who don't bend to his will. The only people who can stop him are the American People and opposition politicians, we must hope they manage to doso before he really ****s the world up.

Agree with virtually all that and yes, for as long as I can remember, politicians have always had a reputation for being economical with the truth.

More recently however those such as Johnson, Farage and Trump seem to have turned such dishonesty into a political ‘art form’ and so far only the former has paid any sort of price.

As regards Starmer, I think he’s walking a political tightrope where Trump is concerned. Most people - even alleged ‘lefties’ like me - don’t know quite what to make of the Venezuelan situation - a mixture of great concern over Trump’s disregard for international law and contempt for Maduro - but as regards Greenland, Starmer has surely made his stance clear. It’s easy for us to offer our opinions, rather harder for the British PM who is seeking to re establish a better relationship with Europe while simultaneously maintaining NATO and positive relations with the U.S.

[Ram Pant]

One step at a time, easy does it. A huge leap EU-wards would likely see riots. Smell steps also gets the job done.

[SithHappens]

One step at a time, easy does it. A huge leap EU-wards would likely see riots. Smell steps also gets the job done.

I don't think it matters. Those who will riot need to be told when to be angry by the media

So depends what the mail tell them.

[SithHappens]

Trump and Vance and Supporters are doubling down on the shooting in Minnesota. Interesting how the media responds here, the sun/mirror are clearly supporting trumps view, others not so.

My view, unsurprisingly, is more in defence of the woman killed.

Don't get me wrong I think her and wife were initially making a nuisance of themselves.

However I don't buy that she was trying to run hom over.

She is clearly turning the wheel in an attempt to leave, if her intention was to run him over she wouldn't have reversed to angle her car to leave.

He's not supposed to stand in front of the car anyway but had when she went to leave he hadn't been intent on filming her on his phone and pulling his gun, stepping out the way wouldn't have been as much of an issue.

But to shoot 2 further times when clear shows intent to kill.

As said personally I think she should have got out the car when asked but the actions of the ICE agents was aggressive from the start including the language they used. I get her wanting to leave.

Having watched it a number of times I cannot see the justification for murdering her. It was a situation of the ICE agents doing.

[Ram Pant]

That ICE agent supposedly (according to Fanta face) is seriously injured and in hospital. Video shows him walking away from the incident perfectky normally.

Venezuela? Has nowt to do with drugs. It's all about the oil. Always was. However, I do wonder if he realises what he's actually done. That is to poke both the Russian and the Chinese bears. Russia because one of the siezed tankers is Russian. China because they get dirt cheap oil from Venezuela in repayment of the $60Bn dollars Venezuela owe them. Also, annual oil production is controlled by OPEC. I wonder how they'll respond if Trump suddenly starts taking oodles of the stuff out of Venezuela...

He's also given both carte blanche to sieze sovereign territories. Putin Ukraine and then further into NATO countries. China to take Taiwan, something he said he'd make them sorry for if they ever tried it...

Greenland? Very little, at best, to do with security. There's loads of untapped rare minerals in their glaciers and global warming is making it easier and cost effective to mine. It's those rare minerals he wants.

In both cases, it's all about the money.

I am most definitely glad I'm closer to the end of my life than I am to the beginning of it as (still aim to be 100 before creating my long term plan ), as I predicted a couple of years back in one of these political threads, the rich will bypass buying politicians and become the rulers themselves. It's well under way. Putin and the oligarchs in Russia. Xi and his cronies in China. Kim and his buddies in North Korea. The vast majority in all 3 have no say and little future other than to obey ansd be poor. Noe the USA has Trump and his cronies who are rich and have all but siezed power.

Not a world I desire. Hopefully the midterms can stimy Trump and the USA can return to being what passes for normality there and to being the free world's friend.

[Geoff Parkstone]

What free world??

[macstheman]

It's the younger generations that I feel sorry for, in a logical sense they should prepare for Armageddon but how can anyone prepare for such a frightening scenario. It is, however, one that is becoming very real. One idiot with a twitchy finger is bad but we now have multiple digits around the globe with an unsatisfied lust for power.

[SithHappens]

It's the younger generations that I feel sorry for, in a logical sense they should prepare for Armageddon but how can anyone prepare for such a frightening scenario. It is, however, one that is becoming very real. One idiot with a twitchy finger is bad but we now have multiple digits around the globe with an unsatisfied lust for power.

I dunno if my niece is anything to go by she's 34 and probably doesn't even know about a shooting, venezuela or Greenland

Her kids will be just the same, being oblivious as the bombs drop wouldn't be too bad