N/Korea...over reaction

[cdnmatt]

True, and he pissed off all of his political capital in about the first four months on nothing. He's right, and is definitely the best at some things, just not in the way he thinks. Hell, it cook Clinton 6 years to get impeached, and Trump might have that little feat accomplished during his first year.

The guy doesn't really have any political capital left, and it's not like he's going to gain some anytime soon, because he keeps going around publicly berating and attacking leading members of his own party. He even ran out of executive orders to sign a while ago, so began having big signing ceremonies with the media and cameras present for memos to Congress.wxx

[scottish-guy]

ASSERTION WARNING:

There is no democratic justification for either the American electoral college system or the UK FPTP system. Highest share of the popular vote ought to decide the UK Govt/US Prez IMHO

Sure I've heard all the arguments about how the UK system (usually) results in a strong and stable Govt- but that's gone for a Burton now that the UK Govt has to be propped up by (at best) terrorist sympathisers and (at worst) actual/former terrorists

Oh, and I quite liked Clinton - anybody who will risk everything for a quick BJ and then deny it ever happened definitely strikes a chord with me.

Now if you'll excuse me I've got a bottle of very good red wine and an Eartha Kitt album to finish.

Where Is My Man ....... Purrrrrrrrrr

[arsenal]

As truly awful as he is, Donald Trump is actually trying his absolute best to prevent a rogue state like North Korea from acquiring nuclear weapons. Weapons that will be able to take out Los Angeles. It also seems to me that he is trying to do this virtually single handed when simple but clear language from the five permanent members of The UN Security Council would probably be sufficient.

Something like "Oi Fat Boy, lose the nuclear shit or we're coming in. Got it?"

And Scottish. Your homework on the sinking of the General Belgrano (she survived the Pearl Harbour attack you know) is overdue.

[TaoR]

Each state is allowed electors based upon the number of House and Senate members they have and every state has two Senators regardless of the population of the state and each state has a minimum of one House member. Subsequently, Wyoming has three electors for a population of 560,000. California with a population of over 39,000,000 has 55 electors. Then add to the fact that Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennslyvania have lost population since the last census was used to determine House seats they had more electors than their population deserved and these four states represented 21% of Trump's total electoral college win. Then when you add to this, the fact that all but three states award their electors on a winner take all basis its pretty easy to understand that national elections are not all that representative of a nation.

As our elections are run on the state and local level and with the Republicans controlling 27 states totally (Governor, House, and Senate) and the Democrats only controlling 6 its quite obvious that the gerrymandering and restricting of voting access and tightening of voter standards will only continue through the 2020 census.

Its not a very democratic picture and its only going to get worse.

This just lays out the arena in which Democratic candidates have to compete in then when you add to the fact that the Democrats were pursuing a flawed strategy with a flawed candidate and with absolutely no desire to broaden their base beyond the Obama coalition they pretty much left a whole group (white, non college educated voters which make up 32% of the US population) with no choice but to vote Trump and they did so gladly.

[arsenal]

Political demagoguery is an art form. Pitch it too low and you'll alienate the majority, pitch it too high and you'll fail to reach your target mob. In electoral terms both Donald Trump and Nigel Farage got their pitch just right and hence they both won. Unfortunately.

[cdnmatt]

I'm sure I'll get chastized for this, but why not just life the sanctions on NK, and accept the fact they're a nuclear power? They're not going to pre-emptively attack the US or any other country for that matter. They're not that stupid, know it would be suicide, and the main thing they care about is that their regime remains intact and in power.

The only chance of them doing a pre-emptive strike is by squeezing them with sanctions and making their life a living hell. Isn't that basically why Japan entered WWII on this Acis side?

I know NK started the Korean war, but that was more than 70 years ago, and the geo-political landscape has slightly changed since then. So why, because they're communist, which is the main reason cited for the US coming to South Korea's aid? That can't be it, because we love us some China. Maybe because they don't treat their citizens very humanely? Well, that's loads of countries, and we seem to think Saudi Arabia is the cat's ass, so that can't be it either.

NK looks out into the world, and sees nothing but enemies who want to invade, and destory their regime. All they want is their sovereignty, so give it to them, let them do some free trade with other nations, and so on, and maybe they'll tamper down the rhetoric. They're not going to invade anyone, because they know that's a death sentence for their regime.

The US has been bitching for decades that they will never allow NK to become a nuclear power. Well, we lost that one, because they're now a nuclear power and if reports are true are capable of nuclear ICBMs. Might as well change the rhetoric coming from our side since it's now a moot point, and approach this with a fresh look given the new situation,, no?

Maybe I'm wrong though...

[arsenal]

Matt wrote:
"Maybe I'm wrong though..."

That's why.

[frequent]

Every single day we citizens of the US have to feel embarrassed, apologetic about what the "leader" of our country says/does. Now he's added the possibility, in response to the utterances of the North Korean numbskull, of a catastrophic war. Be grateful that you are of the UK or Canada or Australia or any other country than the US.

Trust me, Bob, you Americans have nothing at all to be embarrassed or apologetic about. Year after year an American president has provided the rest of the world with entertainment, viz

• Gerald Ford who famously couldn't walk and fart at the same time
• Hoppalong and his astrology loving, just say no wife
• "Poppy" Bush with his mistress and his wife both in the White House
• Bill "I did not have sex with that woman" Clitoris along with State-sponsored pornography in the form of the Starr Report
• George Bush - eight years of 7-11
• Barry "Yes we can't" Obama
• And now Donald "Just grab them by the pussy" Trump

As I say, nothing at all to be embarrassed or apologetic about. We should be paying you for the non-stop entertainment

[frequent]

I'm sure I'll get chastized for this, but why not just life the sanctions on NK, and accept the fact they're a nuclear power? They're not going to pre-emptively attack the US or any other country for that matter. They're not that stupid, know it would be suicide, and the main thing they care about is that their regime remains intact and in power.

Unfortunately the role of Secretary-General of the UN was recently filled, otherwise you'd be a shoo-in

[scottish-guy]

.. And Scottish. Your homework on the sinking of the General Belgrano (she survived the Pearl Harbour attack you know) is overdue.

You chastised me and told me it was a separate subject - make your fucking mind up.