FlyTheNest

Morning all.

Unsurprisingly the DWP fail to provide accessible information re UC for Shadow Minister.

McVey certainly competitive regarding the lie a minute IDS habit.

It's a funny old world when I find myself liking a Louise Mensch Tweet

@LouiseMensch
4h4 hours ago

Hey guys. You know what taking back the House means?

It means we get to IMPEACH @realDonaldTrump.

Good from Starmer

@Keir_Starmer
57m57 minutes ago

Early start heading to Brussels for further Brexit discussions with EU politicians and representatives.

Labour will not back a blind Brexit that’ll simply increase uncertainty and open the door to a Tory hard Brexit. That’s not in the national interest.

Sister in law is the secretary of the Brussels branch of the Labour Party.Met him a few times

Bonjour !

https://results.decisiondeskhq.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Only a lonely FOUR Dem to Rep ‘flips’ on this image, so far

Kettle boiling on stove, called Kit, and a minute later he came in through his flap. He's obviously found somewhere comfortable enough to be in no hurry for the warm kitchen .

EDIT: Hilarious Crazy that about Mensch !

From Jolyon Maugham
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(Not sure where this quote originally comes from)

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... ingborough" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Government reveals second new prison in England to be privately run

frog222 wrote:Bonjour !

https://results.decisiondeskhq.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Only a lonely FOUR Dem to Rep ‘flips’ on this image, so far

I think the results seem to be - on the whole - remarkably in line with the prediction ranges, and are a solid mixture of good and bad. Winning the House really matters and will make a real difference IF the Democrats behave even a little like the Republicans do when they hold against a Dem president. On the other hand, a lot of the aggressively racist campaigning seems to have done its job and whilst it's not on the cards if Trump were to get another Supreme Court pick, anybody he chose would walk it. And Ginsberg is 85.

Lovely that Walker has lost in Wisconsin, and we may have a candidate for 2020 in the making in O'Rourke.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultat ... on-schemes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Open consultation

Delivering collective defined contribution pension schemes

Good-morning, everyone

Note to self:
Remember the colours red and blue representing the two primary political parties in the UK don't translate into the same broadly left- and right-wing political party ideologies of the colors blue and red representing the two primary political parties in the US

UK Labour = red
UK Tory = blue

US Democrat = blue
US Republican = red

Remember too this is merely a rough guide, a very simplified analysis of the political realities of US-UK political parties

And of course we have " The Red Flag, flying high ..."

The Propaganda War is already warming up for 2020, just wait for it —

DJT : ” I couldn’t carry out my GREAT PLANS because those saboteurs stopped me. SAD ! “

Definitely a Victim !

Like those UK clowns dressing up as Spitfire pilots for that match against Germany (0 to 4 !) many Americans are still stuck in a time-warp, but theirs is literally deadly.

The American civil war didn't end. And Trump is a Confederate president Rebecca Solnit

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... -president" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This morning's Richard Wolffe is another reminder of that dark side --

" ” In Florida, where the Democratic disappointment in the Senate and governor’s races was profound, the changes are coming. A state that just decided two contests by less than 100,000 votes also decided to restore voting rights to 1.4 million former felons.

Yes, Ron DeSantis won the governorship despite his close ties to white nationalists. He’ll need many more of the white-sheet gang once those former felons start voting. Meanwhile, Kris Kobach in Kansas, running with the support of similarly racist friends, failed to win the governorship in a state that Trump won by more than 20 points.

Life just changed fundamentally for Donald Trump. He may not know it yet, but he soon will. With his defeat in the House of Representatives, Democrats have ended two years of the Republican party’s determined refusal to conduct any meaningful oversight of his administration.”

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... d-midterms" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Trump and the “white-sheet gang” !

PS " Felons " sounds to me like a word from many centuries ago, I thing it refers to "serious crimes" , but that depends on one's idea of "serious" and also on the whole notion of disenfranchisement .

citizenJA wrote:Note to self:
Remember the colours red and blue representing the two primary political parties in the UK don't translate into the same broadly left- and right-wing political party ideologies of the colors blue and red representing the two primary political parties in the US

UK Labour = red
UK Tory = blue

US Democrat = blue
US Republican = red

Remember too this is merely a rough guide, a very simplified analysis of the political realities of US-UK political parties

Prior to 2000, the US often used red for Dem and blue for GOP ("our" colour scheme) Not quite sure why the opposite is so firmly entrenched now.

Brilliant !

The election cycle saw the emergence of a new trend in political campaigning: denouncing the candidacies of one’s own family members. In Missouri, Steve West, a Republican candidate for the state general assembly, faced opposition from his son and daughter, who spoke out against his racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic views.

In Utah, 12 relatives of Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Laxalt wrote an op-ed calling the politico out for his “phoniness”. (Twenty-two relatives responded with their own op-ed supporting Laxalt, proving at the very least that the politico has a significant number of relatives.)

And in Arizona, six of Republican congressman Paul Gosar’s nine siblings starred in a series of attack ads against their rightwing brother.

West and Laxalt both lost, Gosar won, and 45 people can look forward to a very interesting Thanksgiving.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/liv ... e809aa710e" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[youtube]IZuayQFD51w[/youtube]

Family dynamics

frog222 wrote:Brilliant !

The election cycle saw the emergence of a new trend in political campaigning: denouncing the candidacies of one’s own family members. In Missouri, Steve West, a Republican candidate for the state general assembly, faced opposition from his son and daughter...
---
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/liv ... e809aa710e" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(cJA edit)

I've consoled myself imagining the children of Cameron and Osborne growing up free spirits, entertaining crowds wholesomely with their comic burlesque roadshow. The troupe includes the Miliband boys, of course; their closest friends.

I strenuously disagree with my parent's political and social views. My eldest sister and I stare warily at each other. We don't often meet.

citizenJA wrote:I strenuously disagree with my parent's political and social views. My eldest sister and I stare warily at each other. We don't often meet.

My sister is very busy on anti-fracking and New Age treatments, but NEVER a word about brexit . I have my suspicions .

Definitely UGH !

” Whether the Republican establishment likes it or not – and more and more are actually perfectly happy with it – the Grand Old Party is now Trump’s Party. Their fate is intertwined with his. The old conservative Republican party is dead, for now.

The coming two years they will campaign as a radical right party, led by an omnipresent leader, who will define the Republican party for a whole generation of Americans. ”

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... -for-trump" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Faced with that there is a leaderless Dem coalition of dynamic younger rainbow progressives ... ...

and the Old Guard .

frog222 wrote:

citizenJA wrote:I strenuously disagree with my parent's political and social views. My eldest sister and I stare warily at each other. We don't often meet.

My sister is very busy on anti-fracking and New Age treatments, but NEVER a word about brexit . I have my suspicions .

There is definitely *some* crossover there......

Her husband reads the Daily Express ...

Unsurprisingly only about a quarter of homeowners offered a interest bearing loan for any housing support have taken it.Equally unsurprising but a complete mystery (hah)as to why there are no further details as to how many are sick/disabled/carers saving the State countless amounts.The usual non distinction between those with non pernicious choice and those who have worked all their lives until not expected to that haven't..Clearly they shouldn't be an treated the same .It was previously time limited for JSA which was fair enough.Of course by doing so provides the non justification of targeting by any other name.Well paid back any support the savings accrued to the NHS alone incalcuable,before you get to the very basics of reciprocity./accounting for contributions.You do your bit and take responsibility the State says fuck you.

Wonder how much more we will hear about that almost legendary "refugee convoy" now?

frog222 wrote:

citizenJA wrote:I strenuously disagree with my parent's political and social views. My eldest sister and I stare warily at each other. We don't often meet.

My sister is very busy on anti-fracking and New Age treatments, but NEVER a word about brexit . I have my suspicions .

I don't mind anti-fracking or New Age treatments
that's an aside

edited to add - anti-fracking as in not wanting hydraulic fracturing, right?

Far more likely to need assistance post situation with debt enacting non work stipulation,it's the stupidest policy I can think of but spending more money enacting misanthropy seems to be the Tory way.

They are blind to the cost saving independent uses of benefits.

HindleA wrote:They are blind to the cost saving independent uses of benefits.

Tory government aren't reasonable
I'm terrified of them; they're not rational

frog222 wrote:Her husband reads the Daily Express ...

This alone doesn't tell me enough about him to make any sort of judgement

Put a housing element in the extra costs if you remove otherwise.They've done the opposite,DLA/PIP not supposed to account for housing costs,it's ye old double accounting ruse without saying it.

citizenJA wrote:

frog222 wrote:Her husband reads the Daily Express ...

This alone doesn't tell me enough about him to make any sort of judgement

Nor me, but enough for doubt ...

I rarely see them and we've never discussed politics .

A banana in lieu of respite.They are rational according to their level of ignorance.

Constance has bought an exercise bike but keeps falling off muttering "Bloody Hancock"

HindleA wrote:Constance has bought an exercise bike but keeps falling off muttering "Bloody Hancock"

Why, does she not find him funny?

Wish I hadn't listened to the Guardian's P.Butler podcast on UC and IDS's not contributing comment,even tied to a syringe driver contributed more than that wanker and in a positive way.

AK -hah

[youtube]GHhD4PD75zY[/youtube]

https://amp.theguardian.com/business/20 ... ssion=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Elderly 'at risk' as home care regulator warns over Allied Healthcare
Up to 9,300 people in danger of losing services, warns Care Quality Commission

Not yet certain, but looking like the US Senate could end up 54-46 to the GOP. Not great.

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Not yet certain, but looking like the US Senate could end up 54-46 to the GOP. Not great.

Generally speaking, how loyal are US Republican leadership in comparison to Tory loyalty to their party?

citizenJA wrote:

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Not yet certain, but looking like the US Senate could end up 54-46 to the GOP. Not great.

Generally speaking, how loyal are US Republican leadership in comparison to Tory loyalty to their party?

If you look at the last two years then of those remaining in the Senate there are two Republicans - Lisa Murkowski from Alaska and Susan Collins from Maine - who have loudly stood up to Trump's leadership from time to time, but not consistently. There are a few established loose cannons - Rand Paul in particular - and there is Romney arriving who could, but probably won't, be a kind of internal leader of the opposition.

Generally, though, things tend to be fairly slavishly bipartisan.

It's worth bearing in mind that, even with a 51/49 split over most of the last two years, I'm not sure that Trump has actually lost on a single point.

Its rare in fact for the House and Senate results to diverge as markedly as they have here, and the explanation seems fairly clear - the GOP decided a while ago that there was little hope of holding on to Congress entirely, and they should therefore go for a strategy of shoring up their core vote in "blue" states. Given that some of their Senate gains/crucial holds were by fairly narrow margins, this strategy seems to have - regrettably - paid off.

Even though he didn't win, though - O'Rourke? One to watch for sure, and can't be ruled out to run against Trump in 2020 even.

15.34 LIVE " Trump’s 2020 election map still looks OK

" While Democrats made gains in some of the states that were part of the much vaunted “blue wall” in 2016, Trump is still in strong position in the swing states that gave him his electoral college victory.

Democrats lost governor’s races in Florida and Iowa that party operatives were feeling bullish about. Further, Democrats had an underwhelming performance in Ohio, where gubernatorial nominee Richard Cordray lost and incumbent senator Sherrod Brown won by only six points against a weak Republican. All are states that Barack Obama won twice but that Trump won in 2016, and are a indication that Republicans may have made lasting gains in those states. "

Damn that Electoral College !

Whilst the GOP didn't have a terrible night, far from it, that does seem a slightly panglossian view of their performance.

And there are now rumours that Florida, assumed a win for them, may be in recount territory.

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Whilst the GOP didn't have a terrible night, far from it, that does seem a slightly panglossian view of their performance.

And there are now rumours that Florida, assumed a win for them, may be in recount territory.

It seems to be described as 'mandatory territory to consider a recount' - but the decision to recount has to be made by the Secretary of State - who was appointed by the Republican candidate Rick Scott...

Re my above post, it seems that going on House results the Dems may have a PV lead of approaching 10% nationally.

Electoral college or not, it is almost inconceivable that an advantage of that magnitude would not deliver them the White House.

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Re my above post, it seems that going on House results the Dems may have a PV lead of approaching 10% nationally.
Electoral college or not, it is almost inconceivable that an advantage of that magnitude would not deliver them the White House.

I completely agree that it should not , but it could conceivably be possible ?

I don't know why but I really dislike the word gubernatorial.