Trump and Musk: One Big Beautiful Break-up
The world’s richest man has fallen out with the President he helped elect. Elliot Crossan asks: does this mark the beginning of the […]
donald trump
The 2022 midterms and what happens next in US politics
Overall, the 2022 midterms were the best for any sitting Democrat President since 1978. Whilst losing control of the House is disappointing, the Republican majority is slim. Should hardliners try to block the Biden agenda as they did with Obama, they risk moderate Republicans breaking ranks. Further, hardline Republicans overplaying their hand in Congress may scare moderate voters away from the party and at the same time motivate the Democrat base to win back the House in 2024. Add to that the prospect of Trump returning in 2024, it could be about to get very messy in the Republican Party.
Democracy is on the Ballot – watershed US midterms this week.
At a campaign event last week President Biden said that in these mid-term elections “democracy is on the ballot”. This is absolutely true, and the outcome will be decided by those who show up to vote.
The US withdraws from Afghanistan and the inevitable happened
The withdrawal in August of US and allied troops from Afghanistan saw the return of the Taliban in control of that country. This sadly was always going to be the outcome once the US and its allies withdrew.
The ugly finale of the Trump Presidency
Wednesday’s insurrection further tarnishes America’s reputation as a credible democratic nation. Significant changes will be needed before this reputation can be restored and it is hard to be optimistic that the US political system is capable of reforming itself in the way it needs to.
Trump loses the presidency, but Trumpism lives on
The reality is that the United States is a poor example of a functioning democracy in 2020.
Black lives matter
The civil war may have ended slavery, the civil rights movement may have changed the legal framework ending segregation in the Southern States, but the idea that white people’s lives matter more has survived into the 21st century.
Pandemics are no a time for inward-looking nationalism
Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s Blog
Trump is focused on the November US Presidential Election. His anti-Chinese, nationalist, America First rhetoric is his go-to response to keep his political base onside. He is placing his political ambition ahead of millions of lives both in the US and globally. Trump has placed electoral politics ahead of leadership that could save millions of lives.
Mueller Report Complete
The Mueller report has dropped. The next few days are going to be crucial for the Trump presidency.
Walls and Bridges
It’s been a horror week for two leaders and a leader who will never be leader.
TRP casts a wary and weary eye over three political zombies whose time appears up.
And, oh, Jeremy Corbyn.
The SPOTY’s 2018
Here’s your chance to vote in the Standard’s Politician of The Year awards. The SPOTY’s are recognised worldwide as the leading indicator of political success in NZ and have been awarded annually for over two hundred years.
Now it’s your turn to prick the Thorndon Bubble, dear reader. Who’s your Politician of the Year?
A Right Shambles
With the UK Tories self imploding, the US President contemplating jail time, Angela Merkel moving on and the conservative parties on both sides of the Tasman looking increasingly irrelevant, what should the left do to fill the gap?
Saudi Arabia Admits Killing Khashoggi
Saudi Arabia sensationally fesses up to killing missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But it was all his own fault, apparently.
US Mid Terms; Obama Enters the Ring
America gets ready to rumble in the November mid terms, as Barack Obama enters the ring. At stake is control of both houses and the fate of the Trump presidency.
United Sanctions of America
The US State department has announced sanctions on Russia for the use of Novichok nerve agent. The ruble has plunged, the Russians are furious and Donald Trump is saying … nothing.
Wanna know why?
Трамп; проследить за деньгами!
Is Donald Trump’s grovelling to Vladimir Putin in Helsinki proof that he is some how fatally compromised or even a long term Russian intelligence asset? There seems to be growing suspicion that it’s Moscow gold not golden showers that’s at the heart of the American President’s Putin problem.
Trumping Obama?
A post on big boy’s scouting medals.
The Adventures of CosmoGuy: US Ambassador to New Zealand (and Samoa!)
The alleged ‘thoughts’ of Scott Brown, the highly intelligent and very cool ambassador of the Partisan States of America to NooZiland. In an exposition of typical blinding intelligence, he tries to explain to his beloved Orange Lord what he is doing here (and in Samoa!).
US presidential campaign heats up along with the hurricanes
The first contender has declared, albeit so far in a humorous manner. Less humorous has been the hurricanes that have been hitting southern states this season. You can understand why the oil industries anti-scientist Scott Pruitt that Trump put in charge of the EPA doesn’t want to talk about it.
Fire and Fury over North Korea
Donald Trump may not know it but Koreans certainly remember the last time the United States unleashed fire and fury over North Korea. In the 1950s, B-29s used bombs and napalm to flatten every North Korean city. Gen Curtis Lemay boasted that the USAF killed off 20% of the population. That’s why this time they have nuclear weapons.
American political right -spectacular self-harm
I know that insane news out of America has become predictably ho-hum, but this week has been stunning. There is now a real risk that the Republican administration will break healthcare deliberately and burn their own people out of spite. That’s the level of right-wing politics in America.
Trump’s Russia smoking gun
Some of the best tweets on the latest chapter of the Trump tragedy. We never expected the smoking gun to be friendly fire. Will Republicans meekly swallow this too?
President Pence
Mensch and Taylor report that: “Multiple sources close to the intelligence, justice and law enforcement communities say that the House Judiciary Committee is considering Articles of Impeachment against the President of the United States.”
Four eyes and an arsehole
NZ with its various operations around this end of the Pacific really doesn’t need its own intelligence gathering operations blown by the current incompetent blowhard of the White House. Nor does anyone else who shares information with the US. That is the problem with Trump childishly boasting about the intelligence gathered by others merely to boost his ego.
New ambassador will represent Trump well.
Trump has nominated a failed senator Scott Brown to be the ambassador to New Zealand. As a Fox presenter of alt-facts and a supporter of waterboarding to produce them, he sounds like a ignorant dickhead. A worthy representative of the Donald.
Duck and Cover
Donald Trump is engaged in some over the top brinkmanship with North Korea which is increasing the prospects of at least a limited exchange of nuclear weapons.
My five books for Donald Trump
What books should POTUS read during this most religious of times.
Avoid big plans and win
To win the 2017 election Labour does not need a broad suite of policies, rather it needs to make sure that it is asking the right questions.
What is the story?
I’m finding that the way that stories are reported rather interesting and full of hidden bias. Looking at the London attack and the “Hit and Run” stories, you have to ask about what editors and some journalists choose to focus on in stories. They often seem to miss the point about why things happen and what the consequences are.
#Trumpcare
The proposed Republican replacement of Obamacare will, surprise surprise, result in lower benefits, reduced coverage and a tax cut for the wealthy.
Five ways Donald Trump is wrong about Islam
Donald Trump’s recently announced replacement policy in immigration is wrong. And this is why.
Trump’s confidence: The kiss of death?
Watching Steve Brannon and his alter ego Donald Trump operate from a long way away is almost amusing. Total confidence == Jeff Sessions needs to recuse himself from the enquiry into unlawful contacts with the Russians..
Trump Whitehouse bans critical media from briefing
It is day 37 of Donald Trump’s reign as POTUS. Today he decided to attack elements of the press that have been critical of him by banning them from a press conference.
The Trump bump
This week’s Economist looks at the resurgence in the business of the more effective mainstream media in the US. But the effect reaches all the way over here. Even I’m reading more on a the ongoing debacle that is the incompetent Trump White House. Good reporting and perfect reading for the summer season and I suspect that it is impacting all of the blogs at present.
The new world order
With former adversaries USA and Russia now the best of friends and with China now emerging again as the preeminent economy in the world the question is will the transition of power be handled smoothly?
Hypocrisy watch – Michael Flynn
Over in the United States of Trumpsville National Security Advisor to the Trump White House Mike Flynn, who famously said that Hillary Clinton should be locked up for threatening national security by having a private email server, has been sacked for threatening national security and for lying to the vice president.