SHRIMPER 328 Posted July 31, 2020 The govenment might be out but the vast civil service is still there. They carry on running things no matter what. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted July 31, 2020 6 hours ago, Surfer said: . In the UK we call an election, and once the results are in the government changes hands. In fact the national government at least is suspended during the campaign too, and a new one is seated very quickly after the election. Not actually correct While the legislative is disbanded and an MP is no longer an MP - the executive (government0 remains in place - those being ministers, in charge of departments (civil service). It is only when there can be seen a clear decision by the ballot (GE) that the PM and subsequently) ministers resign Which is often the morning after the vote. But even there is is instant, and during the four week election period the governments actions are restricted, by convention, and so they are merely 'keeping shop' until a new PM is appointed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rock The Boat 1,332 Posted August 1, 2020 On 31/07/2020 at 14:47, The Raptor said: Like his son or son in law? Surely no.one would be dumb enough to fall for that... Well, that's the other side of the argument that he won't resign as he wants to create a dynasty. And I think it more likely that his daughter would be the candidate. But I can also see a scenario where he wants out Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) He clearly wants Ivanka to be his successor. Her husband Jarred is just “a useful idiot” to use an old Russian phrase. Edited August 1, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) Oh very droll Jools. Trying to distract from the Republicans slashing aid to unemployed workers so that they can give even more billions of $ to military contractors are we? Edited August 1, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rock The Boat 1,332 Posted August 1, 2020 13 minutes ago, Surfer said: Oh very droll Jools. Trying to distract from the Republicans slashing aid to unemployed workers so that they can give even more billions of $ to military contractors are we? Naturally you miss out the most important parts of this story, Surfer. What you refer to is temporary unemployment benefit which expires in a few days time. This payment has been made because states have been tardy in rolling out state programs that would pay unemployed 70% of their salaries before they lost their job. The proposals are part of a $1 trillion relief bill due to corona virus. The $200 is in addition to whatever the unemployed is already receiving from the state. The $600 benefit saw some workers receiving more in income staying at home than from employment. There is no linkage between these benefits and payments to military contractors. You made that up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) Oh nice try RTB. The average unemployment payment - paid by the States - is $200 per week for 12 weeks. It’s intended to help workers bridge between jobs. The pandemic has destroyed tens of millions of jobs and, unlike the UK, the US has no furlough program with the government picking up 80% and the employer 20%. This $600 per week top up is in effect in place of that. So cue the usual “workers are lazy” thinking from the party of big business, let’s cut the payment by 2/3 as some of the lowest paid workers were making more than when working for minimum wage. Says a lot about their ideas of what minimum wage should be ..... And yes in the proposals there was money for the Air Force to buy more F35 jets and almost $2B for a new FBI building. The Democrat led House passed their own $3T version of this legislation 6 weeks ago, as usual the Repubs wait until the last minute to play the extortion game as at the end of the day - THEY JUST DON’T CARE. Edited August 1, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted August 1, 2020 oh dear, the orange- utan failed to muster the 10,000 expected to meet him, and hear his words of stupidity on Friday it's over... all bar the trial Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jools 584 Posted August 2, 2020 Biden in audience at dementia rally: Cheerleader ~ "What do we want?" Biden ~ "A cure for dementia!" Cheerleader ~ "When do we want it?" Biden ~ "Want what?" 🙃 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted August 2, 2020 Just now, Jools said: Biden in audience at dementia rally: Cheerleader ~ "What do we want?" Biden ~ "A cure for dementia!" Cheerleader ~ "When do we want it?" Biden ~ "Want what?" 🙃 given that you told us you were in your early 70's I would be careful about memory loss you might even forget who else you log in as 🤣 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TeemuVanBasten 3,327 Posted August 2, 2020 21 hours ago, Surfer said: Oh very droll Jools. Trying to distract from the Republicans slashing aid to unemployed workers so that they can give even more billions of $ to military contractors are we? Helps not to just read headlines Surfer. The $600 was the additional money paid to the unemployed during lockdown. Reducing this boost to $200 is similar to our plans to reduce furlough payments. It is on top of the normal welfare check. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted August 2, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said: Helps not to just read headlines Surfer. The $600 was the additional money paid to the unemployed during lockdown. Reducing this boost to $200 is similar to our plans to reduce furlough payments. It is on top of the normal welfare check. Reducing it to $200 from $600 is a $400 a WEEK reduction in income for those who's job does not exist because of the virus. So what are those people supposed to do - go back to work to a job that does not exist? Unlike Europe and even the UK, the US is in the middle of rapid spread because the Federal Government - read Trump, Fox News and idiot Republican politicians - have taken no responsibility for managing the public health crisis and the resultant economic crisis. So if millions of people don't get the $400 per week, that is millions x $400 per week that is not circulating in the US economy. The average "welfare check" is about $100 in the middle of the country and $200 on the coasts. Pathetically small amounts. But it's O.K if you still have your executive job I guess. Yet another case of I'm alright jack? Edited August 2, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted August 2, 2020 On 01/08/2020 at 15:10, Bill said: oh dear, the orange- utan failed to muster the 10,000 expected to meet him, and hear his words of stupidity on Friday it's over... all bar the trial Ah but Bill you missed the posting the President's PR team gave to the press - "fake news" in all it's glory..... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) Joe Biden stutters - get over it. He always has. Donald Trump sets his thugs on women.... and this is why he is going lose, despite what his Republican allies do. Edited August 3, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TeemuVanBasten 3,327 Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) 11 hours ago, Surfer said: Reducing it to $200 from $600 is a $400 a WEEK reduction in income for those who's job does not exist because of the virus. So what are those people supposed to do - go back to work to a job that does not exist? Unlike Europe and even the UK, the US is in the middle of rapid spread because the Federal Government - read Trump, Fox News and idiot Republican politicians - have taken no responsibility for managing the public health crisis and the resultant economic crisis. So if millions of people don't get the $400 per week, that is millions x $400 per week that is not circulating in the US economy. The average "welfare check" is about $100 in the middle of the country and $200 on the coasts. Pathetically small amounts. But it's O.K if you still have your executive job I guess. Yet another case of I'm alright jack? The bit in bold is an utterly bizarre comment. What on earth does my employment status in the UK have to do with US unemployment. It was always obvious that this was an emergency measure similar to our furlough scheme. The key difference being that our furlough scheme saw people technically remain employed (and then either return to their jobs or become unemployed), in the US alternative they would become technically unemployed (and then either remain unemployed or return to their jobs). Do you live in a fantasy land where $600 a week could continue indefinitely, that's $31,200 a year for being unemployed, almost exactly the same as the US median salary for those in full-time employment before you even consider the normal welfare payment (which averages $400 a month I believe). Keeping the scheme would make it financially beneficial to not work. As for throwing around figures like $2bn for an FBI headquarters, a quick google shows that this has been on the cards since December 2016. Do one with your fake news! Edited August 3, 2020 by TeemuVanBasten Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted August 3, 2020 how strange, a poster rarely seen in these parts should pick up an argument using exactly the same line of defence as a previous (and now absent) poster Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TeemuVanBasten 3,327 Posted August 3, 2020 8 minutes ago, Bill said: how strange, a poster rarely seen in these parts should pick up an argument using exactly the same line of defence as a previous (and now absent) poster Sounds like something to talk to your psychologist about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted August 3, 2020 multi personalities, perhaps 😉 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keelansgrandad 6,679 Posted August 3, 2020 13 hours ago, Surfer said: Ah but Bill you missed the posting the President's PR team gave to the press - "fake news" in all it's glory..... Bit like faking pictures with David Bowie 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted August 3, 2020 I wonder if Trump attended a Fleetwood Mac concert in the late sixties ..... it would make him around the same age as Jools 😊 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said: The bit in bold is an utterly bizarre comment. What on earth does my employment status in the UK have to do with US unemployment. As for throwing around figures like $2bn for an FBI headquarters, a quick google shows that this has been on the cards since December 2016. Do one with your fake news! My apologies, maybe I should have written “their” not “your” it was not aimed at you. Just a description of the Republican Party attitude. Two things on the FBI building - these are Coronavirus relief negotiations, what has that got to do with it? And the backstory is not just the $, it’s the fact the President wants to refurbish the existing building so it does not become a hotel to compete with his own. Edited August 3, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TeemuVanBasten 3,327 Posted August 3, 2020 6 hours ago, Surfer said: My apologies, maybe I should have written “their” not “your” it was not aimed at you. Just a description of the Republican Party attitude. Two things on the FBI building - these are Coronavirus relief negotiations, what has that got to do with it? And the backstory is not just the $, it’s the fact the President wants to refurbish the existing building so it does not become a hotel to compete with his own. Everybody knows Donald Trump is an absolute lunatic and I can't wait for Joe Biden to thrash him. But the problem with your criticism of ending or reducing the special relief for unemployment on the basis of the government funding other projects, is that you may be failing to consider that people need to be employed to carry those projects through to completion. Is it better to pay a builder $600 a week to do nothing or $800 a week to build an FBI headquarters. I would argue that in times of unemployment that is precisely when you should invest in infrastructure projects like this. The existing FBI building has apparently had structural problems going all the way back to 2001, its also a hideous brutalist structure which deserves to be demolished on aesthetic grounds alone. The FBI workforce is also scattered across multiple sites in Washington, and one would assume that putting them all under one roof will create efficiencies, including being able to scrap three or four buildings and replace with a single large building which is fit for purpose. The Obama administration suggested renovating the existing building over a period of 14 years, at a cost of $1.7bn, so it appears that building a new one and knocking it down may be the best option. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) Fair enough, but this FBI building issue is not related to “providing work” if it was there would be a much bigger “infrastructure” plan - something promised for 3 years now. Instead there was as a proposal from a developer to purchase the FBI building to demolish it and build a hotel, And in the same deal build the FBI new a campus outside DC. But as soon as Trump came to power the proposal changed to demolish and rebuild on the same site at taxpayer expense. Why? Well it would mean no new DC hotel to compete against Trumps.... Edited August 3, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted August 3, 2020 Meanwhile : no need for a comment https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-bank-fraud-cyrus-vance-manhattan-district-attorney-michael-cohen-mazars-a9652101.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1596475751 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted August 4, 2020 (edited) Meanwhile; the President recently appointed a big campaign contributor and stock holder of competitors to the very organization he is running, as the new head of the US Post Office. Oh I wonder why; could it be because the President wants the Post Office to fail to deliver mail in ballots on time? But maybe only in those areas like marginal seats where the election outcome will be decided? Well the new guy just got called to testify to Congress, I wonder if he will turn up. Meanwhile the President is today acting all innocent wondering "if the US Post Office would be ready" to deliver so many ballots.... Edited August 4, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted August 4, 2020 Oh dear. The more he speaks the more his intelligence is revealed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted August 4, 2020 as a classic righty, he doesn't even see the obvious flaw in his idiocy he produces computer print outs of bar charts that show other countries figures which we have to assume are correct when the journalist quotes other figures from the same country we are told by this buffoon 'how can we trust those figures' truly frightening to have such a complete idiot in such a position Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted August 4, 2020 (edited) "A New York prosecutor trying to access Donald Trump’s tax returns told a judge on Monday that he was justified in demanding them, citing public reports of “extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization”." https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/03/donald-trump-tax-investigation-new-york "Cohen is serving the last two years of a three-year prison sentence in home confinement after pleading guilty to campaign finance violations and lying to Congress, among other charges. He has said he plans to publish a book critical of the president before the November election." More dirt on the fat crook. I would expect Edited August 4, 2020 by Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigFish 1,988 Posted August 4, 2020 One think I have never understood is why the Brexiteers have this fetish about Trump. He was never going to do the UK any favours. Rather he expected the UK to jump at his command. Hardly taking back control. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites