"American Idiot" song on chart for Trump's visit

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi Herlock. Uh, not really. That is indeed what they taught us in civics class in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s (without the catch phrase 'elitist') but a more accurate way of stating it is that the electoral college was devised to protect the interests of the South. Even in the 1780s the founders were wrestling with the idea of slavery, and the South knew that if the national elections were based on a popular vote, the northern candidates would always win. The college was thus devised to appease the worries of the South, who obviously wanted to retain a President friendly to slavery. It 'worked' for approximately 80 years but eventually ended in the bloodiest war in U.S. history. Source: Harvard University elitists.

Hi RJ,

I can’t debate the point with you as I didn’t make it in the first place. I’m afraid that I know nothing about American politics. I was just interested to hear an opinion of Trump from someone that actually voted for him. I have spoken, either online or in person, to around a dozen people that voted for Trump and every single one of them regrets their decision. I genuinely believe that we have a mentally ill and dangerous President Of The United States.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I think what she is saying Herlock is that democracy is a clumsy thing.

It's the best thing we have, but it's still clumsy.

People sometimes get it wrong (Britain voted Thatcher in for 3 terms).

It's ironic that any Democrat candidate apart from Hillary would have defeated Trump, and Hillary would probably have defeated any other candidate but Trump.

True Bat

It’s difficult to understand how anyone can look at Trump and say ‘this is a top man!’ Jaws drop every time that he opens his mouth. If he’d have been a character in Dr Strangelove critics would have said that he was too weird.

[rjpalmer]

If he’d have been a character in Dr Strangelove critics would have said that he was too weird.

If he was a character in Dr. Strangelove it certainly wouldn't have been the George C. Scott character wrestling Peter Bull in the War Room. Instead he'd be serving Bull poached eggs and giving him a foot rub. At Helskinki Trump looked weak, scared, and, in a word, compromised. It damaged his mystique, but whether enough to wake up the sleeping, I don't know.

[DirectorDave]

People sometimes get it wrong (Britain voted Thatcher in for 3 terms).

Jim Callaghan.

Michael Foot.

Neil Kinnock.



Uh huh.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Jim Callaghan.

Michael Foot.

Neil Kinnock.



Uh huh.

Foot and Kinnock were never voted into office and, if memory serves, Callaghan only became PM because Wilson resigned. The only election he took part in as leader he lost to The Witch.

[Sam Flynn]

Foot and Kinnock were never voted into office and, if memory serves, Callaghan only became PM because Wilson resigned. The only election he took part in as leader he lost to The Witch.

I think Dave's point was that the reason for Thatcher winning three elections was not so much due to people getting things wrong, but because of the perceived quality of the opposition. I say "perceived quality" because Foot and Kinnock were basically decent politicians whose public profiles were tarnished by the press and popular media; Foot as a doddery donkey-jacket-wearing old duffer, Kinnock as a "Welsh windbag" etc. The 1980s were arguably the birth of the modern era of British politics, where superficiality and populist appeal started to become more important than integrity and intelligence.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I think Dave's point was that the reason for Thatcher winning three elections was not so much due to people getting things wrong, but because of the perceived quality of the opposition. I say "perceived quality" because Foot and Kinnock were basically decent politicians whose public profiles were tarnished by the press and popular media; Foot as a doddery donkey-jacket-wearing old duffer, Kinnock as a "Welsh windbag" etc. The 1980s were arguably the birth of the modern era of British politics, where superficiality and populist appeal started to become more important than integrity and intelligence.

Thanks for pointing that out Gareth and apologies to Dave for misunderstanding his post

I agree with your points about Kinn0ck and Foot though. They were never going to be pin-up boys for the smooth talking modern politician. Hence Blair. One of the major differences between say Foot and Trump though were that Foot was a very intelligent man and Trump obviously isn’t and Foot was a very decent man as you say and Trump is.....well.

I get the impression that the wheels are coming off the Trump bandwagon though. I can’t see it ending well.

[Graham]

I think what did for Kinnock's chances was the US-style Rally in Sheffield, with his repeated yells (in his Valleys accent) of "Awwwl R-i-i-i-i-ght!" Not what we Brits wish to see and hear in our senior politicos. I rather feel he might have got in had it not been for that huge PR mistake, and I rather feel in addition (and I'm supporter of Labour) that he may well have made a good PM.

Blair got in basically because the electorate saw the Tory party as tired, listless, and knackered, especially John Major, he of the very little personality but huge love of cricket. Unfortunately, Major was backed up (?) by more than a few genuine oddballs who were never going to do him any or the country any favours. Cf: Boris Johnson.

Had Blair chosen a deputy PM other than Gorgeous Gordon he might have done a lot better, but Brown was never going to cut it with his radical approach.

However, compared with Donald, all the above mentioned were paragons of constitutional probity. And had proper hair.

Graham

[Herlock Sholmes]

I think what did for Kinnock's chances was the US-style Rally in Sheffield, with his repeated yells (in his Valleys accent) of "Awwwl R-i-i-i-i-ght!" Not what we Brits wish to see and hear in our senior politicos. I rather feel he might have got in had it not been for that huge PR mistake, and I rather feel in addition (and I'm supporter of Labour) that he may well have made a good PM.

Blair got in basically because the electorate saw the Tory party as tired, listless, and knackered, especially John Major, he of the very little personality but huge love of cricket. Unfortunately, Major was backed up (?) by more than a few genuine oddballs who were never going to do him any or the country any favours. Cf: Boris Johnson.

Had Blair chosen a deputy PM other than Gorgeous Gordon he might have done a lot better, but Brown was never going to cut it with his radical approach.

However, compared with Donald, all the above mentioned were paragons of constitutional probity. And had proper hair.

Graham

Who could forget one of the cringeist moments ever seen in U.K. politics.

https://youtu.be/ROKXlvYMKQc

[Graham]

Who could forget one of the cringeist moments ever seen in U.K. politics

Buttock-clenchingly embarrassing, wasn't it?

By the way, I meant to say in my post I'm NO supporter of Labour. What a mistake-a to make-a.

Graham

[Herlock Sholmes]

Buttock-clenchingly embarrassing, wasn't it?

By the way, I meant to say in my post I'm NO supporter of Labour. What a mistake-a to make-a.

Graham

I’ve pretty much given up on politics. I’ve been a lifelong Labour voter though. The next General Election might be the first time that I don’t bother to vote.

[Graham]

I’ve pretty much given up on politics. I’ve been a lifelong Labour voter though. The next General Election might be the first time that I don’t bother to vote.

I've never voted Labour in my life, but I was tempted to vote for Blair and New Labour in 1997 as he seemed to be a breath of fresh air after tired and tiresome Tory governments. Unfortunately, after a promising start, Blair out-Toried the Tories.

Graham

[Herlock Sholmes]

I've never voted Labour in my life, but I was tempted to vote for Blair and New Labour in 1997 as he seemed to be a breath of fresh air after tired and tiresome Tory governments. Unfortunately, after a promising start, Blair out-Toried the Tories.

Graham

I think that Brown was a bigger disappointment for me. I think that he’s basically a decent man who wanted to make things better but his poisonous fall out with Blair and any number of character defects tended to outweigh his good points. Also he was never great in front of camera which, unfortunately, is important these days.

Trump really stands alone in terms of arrogance, lack of intelligence, dangerousness, lack of statesmanship etc. I think that the penny is starting to drop though. A second term is unthinkable.

[Wickerman]

Trump really stands alone in terms of arrogance, lack of intelligence, dangerousness, lack of statesmanship etc. I think that the penny is starting to drop though. A second term is unthinkable.

As ridiculous as this so-called president is, what should be more worrying to average Americans is that 30+ million voters think just like him, and too many Republicans in Gov. are prepared to lie to defend him.

Comrade Trump can be got rid of by the Dem's just turning out en-mass. Not so the Trump supporters, they will be around a lot longer. And they could put another half-wit in the Whitehouse in the future.
America's problems go far deeper that this idiot of a president. He is a symptom of many underlying problems.

[Pcdunn]

I didn't vote for Trump, but I agree with your American friend's assessment of him, Herlock.

Re Trump voters thinking just like him, I hope not! Read recently that a journalist spoke to three Michigan voters who had supported Trump. Two of the three said they wouldn't vote for him again, the third stuck with him. What if that loss of two-thirds for Trump happens nation-wide?

Also read that there may be a realignment between the parties, as suburbs turn out more Democratic voters, while Republicans continue to win rural, blue-collar workers in more traditional industries. Larger cities in bigger states will indeed get more voters for Democrats, while the Republicans are likely to win smaller states with fewer electoral votes.

Still early days, as you Brits say.

Re the Helsinki debacle, and the staggering news that Trump invited his pal Vlad to visit D.C.-- I am a Baby Boomer, we were raised during the Cold War and we all knew The Soviets were the enemies of The Free World, led by Uncle Sam. This is too much for my brain to take, hence my addiction to kitten videos...