The Political Discussion Thread

[Annoyed]

And we predicted you would reject any claim that paints Kavanagh in a negative light regardless if It's credible or not. I'll take my bacon cigar now GF

Ok, how about this? Suppose Trump withdraws Kavanaugh, and nominates Comey-Bennett, and the Republicans do a hurry up and get her confirmed in a week or so.

You good with that, or do you want further delay?

[jelgate]

Put those goal posts back

[Annoyed]

Put those goal posts back

No, it's a relevant question. Do you really object to Kavanaugh, or do you really want a delay, in hopes of the Dems taking the Senate? Would another strong conservative be ok with you?

[SoulReaver]

^btw you suggested there could be Democrat turncoats who'd vote for Kavanaugh because they're in red states & think it will get them reelected - how do you know there won't be Republicans in blue states who'll block Kavanaugh for the same reason?

[aretood2]

Meanwhile, in the world beyond internal American squabbles, China is finding asymmetric new ways to push back against Trump's trade war and other policies:

China cancels US warship visit to Hong Kong amid military sanction backlash

Losing access to Hong Kong port is a pretty big deal.

I'm sure Bibi approves of any and all actions Trump takes. I just can't take him seriously these days anymore than I can China. The Chinese have been pushing for headlines since they took our spy plane earlier this century.

[Gatefan1976]

Meanwhile, in the world beyond internal American squabbles, China is finding asymmetric new ways to push back against Trump's trade war and other policies:

China cancels US warship visit to Hong Kong amid military sanction backlash

Losing access to Hong Kong port is a pretty big deal.

I'm surprised they didn't loose access as soon as the handover happened.

[Coco Pops]

Love some of the hypocrissy on display here.

It's alright when it's the other side but dare you pick on our side then that's bad.

[Annoyed]

^btw you suggested there could be Democrat turncoats who'd vote for Kavanaugh because they're in red states & think it will get them reelected - how do you know there won't be Republicans in blue states who'll block Kavanaugh for the same reason?

There are a few that might defect, but not as many as on the Democrat side. Not all Senators are up for election this year, only about a third, and it just works out that there are more Democrats in that situation.

[Womble]

I'm sure Bibi approves of any and all actions Trump takes. I just can't take him seriously these days anymore than I can China. The Chinese have been pushing for headlines since they took our spy plane earlier this century.

I have no idea what Bibi approves or doesn't approve, but public repudiation or confrontation with a US President isn't going to happen unless Obama-level hostility to Israel is reached.

And China has been asserting itself for a while now, yes. Trump didn't cause it but he exacerbated it. My main concern is that a new global Great Depression will be triggered by all this nonsense. There will be no winners.

[aretood2]

I have no idea what Bibi approves or doesn't approve, but public repudiation or confrontation with a US President isn't going to happen unless Obama-level hostility to Israel is reached.

That makes it sound like Israel is an American client state that dare not criticise anything the master does...It's a bad course of action to rely so heavily on the US especially when its politics fluctuate so radically. What are you going to do when the US votes in an anti-Israel president? You think Obama was bad? You lucked out with Obama. Alienating the left isn't going to bring anymore Bill Clinton types...You need new friends.

Speaking of new firends, licking Trump's rear end isn't going to net you any new friends any faster In fact your PM almost lost gains made in Latin America with his twitter stunt while attempting to smooch Trump's butt cheeks. He could have simply not said anything about any walls...and then the possibility that it was his kid who put him up to it as well as that bafoonish Nation State law...I lost all respect for that guy. But I can relate, having the mother of all bafoons as president and all.

And China has been asserting itself for a while now, yes. Trump didn't cause it but he exacerbated it. My main concern is that a new global Great Depression will be triggered by all this nonsense. There will be no winners.

It's what happens when you let Trump worshipers dictate foreign and economic policy.

[Womble]

That makes it sound like Israel is an American client state that dare not criticise anything the master does...It's a bad course of action to rely so heavily on the US especially when its politics fluctuate so radically. What are you going to do when the US votes in an anti-Israel president? You think Obama was bad? You lucked out with Obama. Alienating the left isn't going to bring anymore Bill Clinton types...You need new friends.

Israel has to navigate dangerous waters all the time. We tend to play nice with not-so-favorably disposed countries at times, because that's what it takes.

I prefer Israel being in America's corner in the Great Game; it is arguably the only alliance out there right now that's not based on cold calculation, and therefore isn't easily broken. It survived Obama. But yes, one of my fears is that the time has come to diversify and that could put Israel into dependency on countries which I trust much less than I do the USA.

As for the left, it left us, not the other way round.

Speaking of new firends, licking Trump's rear end isn't going to net you any new friends any faster In fact your PM almost lost gains made in Latin America with his twitter stunt while attempting to smooch Trump's butt cheeks. He could have simply not said anything about any walls...and then the possibility that it was his kid who put him up to it as well as that bafoonish Nation State law...I lost all respect for that guy. But I can relate, having the mother of all bafoons as president and all.

I personally think that Netanyahu was a great Prime Minister for some time but he has been in the chair for too long and it's starting to show in his choices. And yes, his wife and son... don't get me started. I won't be voting for him next time. Yair Lapid has the potential to be the best next PM, I think. He may have started out as a leftie, but he had an open enough mind to arrive to very sensible positions. I guess every good Prime Minister should do a term or two as the Finance Minister before being allowed to run a country...

[SoulReaver]

how the hell did someone like Netanyahoo remain in power for 4 terms in a row anyway

I know he was elected (not like Putin) but it's no secret he's not exactly a friend of the commonfolk so how was he able to convince the lower incomes the working class etc. to keep voting for him all these years
the fear/security card? that can't work for so long

[Womble]

how the hell did someone like Netanyahoo remain in power for 4 terms in a row anyway

I know he was elected (not like Putin) but it's no secret he's not exactly a friend of the commonfolk so how was he able to convince the lower incomes the working class etc. to keep voting for him all these years
the fear/security card? that can't work for so long

He was, for a long time, phenomenally good at finance. Ariel Sharon saw him as a dangerous rival and stuck him into the job of a finance minister - because nobody ever likes the finance minister and nobody has ever come out of that job and remained politically viable. Netanyahu ended up being the best finance minister Israel has ever had. Among other things, he helped Israel survive the global financial crisis of the late 2000s with minimal losses, and the Israeli economy has generally been doing pretty well during the Netanyahu years.

He also mostly brought Palestinian terrorism to a halt. Netanyahu was first elected in 1996 in the wake of a horrific wave of Hamas suicide bombings. Israel is much safer now than it was when I came here back in 1995, there is no question about that.

[Chaka-Z0]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImBTtTdYgRY

A must-watch video, interview with Trump supporter

[Womble]

U.S. Navy doesn't have enough ships for future war with Russia or China

The U.S. Navy does not have enough ships to provide armed escorts for the massive sealift that any future large-scale conflict with a major power like Russia or China would require, a retired officer has warned.

Mark Buzby, a retired rear admiral who was appointed to head the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration, said that civilian ships that would be needed to transport military personnel and equipment in a future war would most likely be 'on their own.'

‘The Navy has been candid enough with Military Sealift Command and me that they will probably not have enough ships to escort us,’ Buzby told Defense News.

‘It’s: “You’re on your own; go fast, stay quiet’’.’

Obama's famous reply to that was, back in 2012, that "we also have fewer horses and bayonets, because the nature of our military's changed". It was tremendously popular... and tremendously stupid.