sunnykerr

While this is the Lighter side of the news, it should be noted that some topics within this thread could contain stories, images and discussions that may cause a triggering event. To be respectful of everyone on the El&I board we have divided the News & Politics thread into two separate categories. "Lite" & "Sensitive"

This is the Lite thread. Topics discussed here should be the ones that fall on the lighter side of the news such as political cartoons, presidential campaigns, advances in science & technology....etc. The darker side of the news should be posted here News & Politics | Sensitive Topics this thread is clearly labeled so those who may be upset by certain topics can avoid them.

Thanks.

sunnykerr

Beyond veto: Trump seeks more workarounds to avoid Congress That's not ominous at all, is it? POTUS ignoring Congress over something he himself has said he does not need to do... Well, he also says it'll be a great election issue. If he remembers this in 2020, perhaps it'll remind him why he's a terrible, terrible president.

I won't lie, Trump's shenanigans reminded me of what almost happened in Algeria: Algerian protests against President Bouteflika 'biggest yet' The Algerian was going to run for election for the 5th time in a row despite not having been seen or heard in six years. It's still not over for the Algerians. Just like it's certainly not over for the U.S. citizens.

And, somewhere in there, common sense prevailed: James Gunn: Disney rehires sacked Guardians of the Galaxy director

canflam

Thanks for starting this. Yeah. I was just reading about that Algerian story in today's N.Y. Times issue. That is odd that he apparently hasn't been seen or heard in more than 5 years. I would guess that happens in other countries, but it's hard for me to imagine something like that happening in most countries with a democracy. Vote for for someone that wins to never having seen or heard from that person again. Yikes.

HipHopKingMike

The less I say about Trump the better and Brexit too

The recent event in New Zealand was just awful. My heart goes out to the families who have lost their loved ones.

sunnykerr

No worries, Mike. We don't talk about news stories involving massacres on this thread anyhow.

Algeria's president is pretty old, Matt. He's had a lot of health issues. Including a stroke in 2013. That is possibly/probably why he hasn't been seen in public since then. Algeria isn't a democracy either. Remember, North Korea has elections, too. They're not evidence of a democracy. China has a parliament. That's not evidence of a democracy. Democracy is found in the day-to-day management of government and how much is outside the control of the electorate through its elected representatives. Democracy is also found when you can express dissent.

canflam

I understand that he has health issues, which in theory would be more reason to give up power. I know they got rid of the 2-term limit in 2008 there, so curious to see if that's something they go back to after Bouteflika finally leaves. I think the D.P.R.K. is different because of the whole cult of personality shaped around Kim-il-sung & then his son later. Hopefully they do get to hold their elections this year which have been pushed back.

Trump is showing again that he has no lows. Attacking the deceased John McCain. This time over the dossier that buzzfeed published. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/17/u...n-twitter.html

In better news, Joe Biden almost stated that he is going to run for President at a fundraiser in Delaware, but did catch himself & said that he has the most progressive record of anybody that would run for President. I'd like him to run. It was disappointing that he didn't do it last time I thought.

Also, this is from last month, but did see it an an issue of the New York Times that the tomb of Karl Marx in London was defaced twice. I'm not particularly a fan of his, but still know that's not OK to do. Apparently in 2017 China kept purchasing statues of Marx for Germany.

sunnykerr

Well, he's the one who got ride of term limits in the first place, so right there you know Bouteflika isn't super interested in the democratic process. And, who knows, maybe he's no longer even in charge. That's part of the problem with not having been seen or heard in six years, isn't it? For all we know, his son/daughter/wife or whomever else is just propping up as a figurehead while they control everything.

I saw that Trump attacked Joe Biden as having a low IQ, so I figured Biden had done something to bring this on. If Trump thinks his is the biggest IQ, I do hope he realizes how wasted it is on him.

canflam

Trump could be removed from Washington state ballot if he doesn't release his tax returns

I hope that this actually happens & it doesn't get held up in courts. Of course he did not win Washington in 2016 & probably won't next year whether he releases his tax returns or not, but am all for Presidential candidates releasing their tax returns & if a law is needed to be passed to make sure that happens, then so be it. After Trumps Tweet storm he had over the weekend & once again going after the late John McCain. George Conway put up a tweet that was: ''all americans should be thinking seriously now about Trump's mental condition and psychological state, including and especially the media, Cogress-and the Vice President and Cabinet.''

sunnykerr

We will see if Trump wins in 2020. I wouldn't count him out yet. The Democrats are still as disorganized as ever. That's a problem.

La Scala returns US$3.4 million in funding to Saudi Arabia They haven't written off the possibility of partnering with Saudi Arabia in the future, which I suppose makes sense. Everyone wants a piece of that oil money. But, hey, over the short term? Good on them.

Kazakh leader Nazarbayev resigns after three decades Just goes to show it's not just in Algeria, where Bouteflika has decided (allegedly) to extent his current mandate.

canflam

I don't know how you mean they are disorganized. Their first primary isn't until this June. Now there are a lot of people running for President on the Democratic side, but it looks like only a few are doing decent in the polls & of course Biden hasn't announced yet if he'll run.

Anyway, this Conway/Trump spat is bizarre & really should be beneath a U.S. President. Ugh.

sunnykerr

I mean that the Democratic Party is pretty well-know for its lack of party discipline. The GOP is much better at lining up behind a candidate or a ticket, even when they disagree with them.

In the "real world," you obviously want to hear from everyone and for everyone to have their say. But when there's an election, you need to get behind your party's candidate. And the Democrats aren't awesome at doing that when they don't agree with said candidate. And the fact that new candidates keep coming out of the woodwork isn't a good sign that things will be any different this time. It would just be nice if they stopped splitting the vote, that's all.

Italian senate blocks criminal case against Matteo Salvini Well, that's disappointing. I hope the EU has something to say about this, though they're obviously more preoccupied with the UK right now.

Alarm over leaked U.S. database targeting journalists and immigration activists The crackdown on people who are speaking out is becoming creepier and creepier with every new piece of information that comes out about just how far the current government is willing to go.

Jen's Herald

https://www.oregonlive.com/2019/03/how-a-flight-attendant-from-texas-ended-up-in-an-ice-detention-center-for-six-weeks.html/



this really makes me angry with our current administration and immigration policy.

canflam

Thanks for this news. Bob Mueller has given his report to the D.O.J. Here's a link to that story:https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/spec...ry?id=61147281

I guess that's good that this is over apparently, though people still need to have their trials, such as Roger Stone. Curious to see what if anything in this report gets made public.

sunnykerr

The Mueller report has to go through the White House first, so I'm guessing we won't hear much.

Danish billionaires plan to rewild large swath of Scottish Highlands Honestly, I wouldn't be against any of this. But it's important to bear in mind that this is all going on in a context where people are not pleased that so much of the Highlands are in the hands of so few people... and presumably so few people who aren't from Scotland even. At the end of the day, if it benefits the area and its residents, I don't suppose it can be a big negative.

Anti-immigration populists surge in fragmented Dutch elections One party in 12 constituting the government is probably not gonna have that direct an impact on the whole, but it is certainly something to keep an eye on, given how the whole world seems to be trying to shift to the far-right.

There You'll Be

The Mueller report doesn't have to go through the White House. It does have to go through Trump's pick for Attorney Journal. I've thought for a long time it was about the money. Doesn't matter. Manafort is being tried again in NY. Trump and his family are being investigated in the innaugural fund, money contributed to the election campaign from foreign nation. The Trump foundation. And others. All in NY. No one can pardon those crimes, ever. They found no collusion, but did not exonerate Trump on Obstruction of Justice.

I don't think the Democrats are disorganized. They're already planning on going with Bernie Sanders if he wins the primary. Anyone who can beat Trump. I think they're all very committed to that.

The Washington State senate has passed a bill that keeps Trump off the 2020 ballot until he shows his tax returns. https://tribunist.com/news/washingto...e-tax-returns/