bickster Posted October 24, 2020 Moderator Share Posted October 24, 2020 Just now, snowychap said: It's still not a word I'd use but I've called them a number of other quite choice ones in the last couple of days. Its not a word I'd use either, its far to f***ing polite 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ml1dch Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 "Superforecasters" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Mark Albrighton Posted October 25, 2020 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted October 25, 2020 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 (edited) 56 minutes ago, ml1dch said: "Superforecasters" As I've been saying for a while, the prospects of a US trade deal are nil for as long as either a Democrat is in the White House or Democrats control the House. The second condition already meant the prospects were nil until 2023; if Biden does win, as seems more likely than not at this stage (though not certain!), the first condition means the trade deal is not a goer until at least 2025. Edited October 25, 2020 by HanoiVillan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 I can’t see Trump doing a good deal to buy our stuff as it doesn’t really align with his creating jobs or making American CEOs richer. It would do the opposite wouldn’t it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 3 minutes ago, Genie said: I can’t see Trump doing a good deal to buy our stuff as it doesn’t really align with his creating jobs or making American CEOs richer. It would do the opposite wouldn’t it. I don't understand? He's not particularly interested in creating jobs anyway, and I can't see why a trade deal would hurt American CEO pay. Can't imagine it would make any impact at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 (edited) 8 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said: I don't understand? He's not particularly interested in creating jobs anyway, and I can't see why a trade deal would hurt American CEO pay. Can't imagine it would make any impact at all. He made a huge stand about buying stuff from China because he wanted businesses to buy from other American companies. I know there was a political edge to that but he jacked up tariffs to encourage purchasing from within the US. I can’t see him reducing tariffs on our products to make us more attractive for that reason. He is also regularly using levels of employment as a barometer of how well he’s doing. If Trump and Boris are “close” and a good deal was possible we’d have given the EU 2 fingers a long time ago and signed trade deals with the US already. Edited October 25, 2020 by Genie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted October 25, 2020 Moderator Share Posted October 25, 2020 4 minutes ago, Genie said: He made a huge stand about buying stuff from China because he wanted businesses to buy from other American companies. I know there was a political edge to that but he jacked up tariffs to encourage purchasing was within the US. I can’t see him reducing tariffs on our products to make us more attractive for that reason. He is also regularly using levels of employment as a barometer of how well he’s doing. You appear to be falling into the trap of thinking he knows anything about economics. Trump is not a great businessman, never has been. He'd have made more money sticking his inheritance in a low risk managed fund than he ever has made in his life Trump's actions are posturing to his base and nothing else. His base don't understand economics either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 Just now, Genie said: He made a huge stand about buying stuff from China because he wanted businesses to buy from other American companies. I know there was a political edge to that but he jacked up tariffs to encourage purchasing was within the US. I can’t see him reducing tariffs on our products to make us more attractive for that reason. He is also regularly using levels of employment as a barometer of how well he’s doing. Yes, he's happy that there are positive numbers about unemployment, but it's not like he's *pursuing full employment as an objective* or anything. It's just something that he's happy about. Our trade with America is orders of magnitude less important than China's, so that's not a very relevant comparison - our manufacturing industry is tiny and not in competition with theirs. The attraction from an American perspective of a free trade deal is that Big Agriculture could get an export market for food with lower standards than the EU, while Big Pharma and Healthcare could benefit from opening up our healthcare sector. However, neither of those industries are particularly important to Democrats, and the political considerations are far more important than the economic ones. Trump might have actually signed a deal, albeit probably with poor terms for UK consumers, but the Dems just aren't even going to bother talking about the idea IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 (edited) Due to the “special relationship” we have I think it’s valid that if there were something worthwhile to be signed we’d have done it by now (with Trump). If Biden gets in as it appears then I don’t really see it being much worse than the nothing worthwhile we’ve gotten out of Trump and the Republicans. Quote Donald Trump won the 2016 US presidential election riding on one simple phrase: "Make America Great Again". As he seeks a second term, he faces a country struggling with challenges from the coronavirus and the pandemic's economic aftershocks - and an electorate that will weigh his record from his four years in office. His 2020 pitch is to bring back the economy, boost jobs, protect US trade interests, and to continue with his hard-line stance on immigration. None of these things look like someone wanting to do anything special in terms of a UK trade deal. Link Edited October 25, 2020 by Genie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 18 minutes ago, Genie said: Due to the “special relationship” we have I think it’s valid that if there were something worthwhile to be signed we’d have done it by now (with Trump). I don't think we're disagreeing very much. I also agree that a trade deal is unlikely at any point, and that it would be small and make little noticeable difference to most people's lives. All I'm saying is that while it was 'unlikely' with a Trump administration/GOP House, it is *even less likely* with a Biden administration/Dem House. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 A food manufacturer with a campaign in aid of starving families. Is this not really bizarre? At what point do we classify as 3rd world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NurembergVillan Posted October 25, 2020 Moderator Share Posted October 25, 2020 58 minutes ago, darrenm said: At what point do we classify as 3rd world? When those starving kids start to die. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mjmooney Posted October 26, 2020 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted October 26, 2020 I'm not a dreadlocked crusty. I don't wear a Guy Fawkes mask, or have any anarchist badges. I don't have any Crass albums. I'm not a member of the Labour Party, let alone Momentum. I'm a comfortable middle-class-by-default pensioner, living in a nice, 98% white leafy suburb. I, personally, have no need for foodbanks or 'handouts'. Probably the ideal Tory voter demographic. I believe in the rule of law and the democratic process. I've lived through Tory governments under Macmillan, Douglas-Hume, Heath, Thatcher, Major, Cameron and May, and gritted my teeth through it. But I've never felt more like going out on the streets and throwing bricks. I hate this government with every fibre of my being. And I feel helpless, and more angry than I can remember in my 66 years. I hope they and those who continue to vote for them rot in hell. 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post HanoiVillan Posted October 26, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted October 26, 2020 3 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Further evidence for the 'why must everything be compared to Australia' question: Turns out British people like Australia as much or more than they like Britain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meregreen Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 20 hours ago, mjmooney said: I'm not a dreadlocked crusty. I don't wear a Guy Fawkes mask, or have any anarchist badges. I don't have any Crass albums. I'm not a member of the Labour Party, let alone Momentum. I'm a comfortable middle-class-by-default pensioner, living in a nice, 98% white leafy suburb. I, personally, have no need for foodbanks or 'handouts'. Probably the ideal Tory voter demographic. I believe in the rule of law and the democratic process. I've lived through Tory governments under Macmillan, Douglas-Hume, Heath, Thatcher, Major, Cameron and May, and gritted my teeth through it. But I've never felt more like going out on the streets and throwing bricks. I hate this government with every fibre of my being. And I feel helpless, and more angry than I can remember in my 66 years. I hope they and those who continue to vote for them rot in hell. Apart from the fact I’m 65 and a member of the Labour Party, I fit your description to a tee. The caricature of our generation as Tory supporting boomers is well wide of the mark for many of us. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Stevo985 Posted October 27, 2020 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted October 27, 2020 (edited) I can't seem to copy the picture link, but David Squires' latest comic is a good one Quote David Squires on ... Marcus Rashford v the Tory government Our cartoonist on the striker’s mission to provide meals for children in need, and the grimly predictable obstacles in his way (picture on link) Edited October 27, 2020 by Stevo985 8 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts