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Prime Minister Ardern: "Yes President-Elect Biden, we will be happy to help you in any way we can."
One key element of the post Trump world is the nee balance in Asia. A lot things are happening there, without the US. Trade treaties moving forward despite Trump taking no interest is a signal that Asian countries are slowly learning to look after themselves.Zico wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 8:11 pm For better or worse the US is no longer the leader of the free world.
In four years time the US could have Orange Scumbag 2.0 or some relative of, running another clown show.
The world is already rewiring itself to work around the US, the Biden admin should not try to interfere with that. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
Asia though is defined by China's geopolitical interests vs. everyone else. So if you're rest of Asia and you need a friend to counterbalance, where do you go? There's in my opinion 3 credible options. The first is Russia, but the Russians can realistically only do so much out of Vladivostok and they're isolated from southeast Asia and south Asia. The second is they all band together as an anti-Chinese bulwark, but the problem there is getting all of them on one page to agree. South Koreans and Japanese who are the most natural "should be" allies in all of east Asia are ultra-competitive racists to one another. And in such a theoretical grouping it'd be easy for the Chinese to play divide and conquer. The third option are the Americans due to their presence around the region. The Europeans are a less credible option than the Russians practically (EU navies are going to the South China Sea to aid the Philippines for Chinese encroachment into their territorial waters, really?) and India has its own problems in its near abroad to consider (including the Chinese border) before it can worry about projecting power to say aid Vietnam.TheFrog wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:25 pmOne key element of the post Trump world is the nee balance in Asia. A lot things are happening there, without the US. Trade treaties moving forward despite Trump taking no interest is a signal that Asian countries are slowly learning to look after themselves.Zico wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 8:11 pm For better or worse the US is no longer the leader of the free world.
In four years time the US could have Orange Scumbag 2.0 or some relative of, running another clown show.
The world is already rewiring itself to work around the US, the Biden admin should not try to interfere with that. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
You mean they've eaten 48.3 million sheep since the lockdown? They'll run out soon at this rate...Mr Mike wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 9:01 pm apparently Joe was enthusiastic about reinvigorating relations, Fox viewers less so.
ComeInRangoon
24 Nov
Expertise? They have two islands, two airports, 5 million people and 75 million sheep.
BRBRBR8
ComeInRangoon
25 Nov
Actually we only have 26.7 million sheep.
Try a few paragraphs, it's hard to dysect misinformation in such a mass.Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:58 pmAsia though is defined by China's geopolitical interests vs. everyone else. So if you're rest of Asia and you need a friend to counterbalance, where do you go? There's in my opinion 3 credible options. The first is Russia, but the Russians can realistically only do so much out of Vladivostok and they're isolated from southeast Asia and south Asia. The second is they all band together as an anti-Chinese bulwark, but the problem there is getting all of them on one page to agree. South Koreans and Japanese who are the most natural "should be" allies in all of east Asia are ultra-competitive racists to one another. And in such a theoretical grouping it'd be easy for the Chinese to play divide and conquer. The third option are the Americans due to their presence around the region. The Europeans are a less credible option than the Russians practically (EU navies are going to the South China Sea to aid the Philippines for Chinese encroachment into their territorial waters, really?) and India has its own problems in its near abroad to consider (including the Chinese border) before it can worry about projecting power to say aid Vietnam.TheFrog wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:25 pmOne key element of the post Trump world is the nee balance in Asia. A lot things are happening there, without the US. Trade treaties moving forward despite Trump taking no interest is a signal that Asian countries are slowly learning to look after themselves.Zico wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 8:11 pm For better or worse the US is no longer the leader of the free world.
In four years time the US could have Orange Scumbag 2.0 or some relative of, running another clown show.
The world is already rewiring itself to work around the US, the Biden admin should not try to interfere with that. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
Yeah, that's what was stopping you from forming an intelligent response.Zico wrote: ↑Tue Dec 01, 2020 2:10 amTry a few paragraphs, it's hard to dysect misinformation in such a mass.Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:58 pmAsia though is defined by China's geopolitical interests vs. everyone else. So if you're rest of Asia and you need a friend to counterbalance, where do you go? There's in my opinion 3 credible options. The first is Russia, but the Russians can realistically only do so much out of Vladivostok and they're isolated from southeast Asia and south Asia. The second is they all band together as an anti-Chinese bulwark, but the problem there is getting all of them on one page to agree. South Koreans and Japanese who are the most natural "should be" allies in all of east Asia are ultra-competitive racists to one another. And in such a theoretical grouping it'd be easy for the Chinese to play divide and conquer. The third option are the Americans due to their presence around the region. The Europeans are a less credible option than the Russians practically (EU navies are going to the South China Sea to aid the Philippines for Chinese encroachment into their territorial waters, really?) and India has its own problems in its near abroad to consider (including the Chinese border) before it can worry about projecting power to say aid Vietnam.TheFrog wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:25 pmOne key element of the post Trump world is the nee balance in Asia. A lot things are happening there, without the US. Trade treaties moving forward despite Trump taking no interest is a signal that Asian countries are slowly learning to look after themselves.Zico wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 8:11 pm For better or worse the US is no longer the leader of the free world.
In four years time the US could have Orange Scumbag 2.0 or some relative of, running another clown show.
The world is already rewiring itself to work around the US, the Biden admin should not try to interfere with that. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
I'd be willing to bet real money they haven't. I'm really not liking many of Biden's picks. Neera Tanden. Really?TheFrog wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 4:08 pm Well, you'd hope they learn their lessons by now ... Trump has been a serious warning about what could happen to the country if the drift continues.
There are a lot of suffering people out there. I have driven through the Appalachia in Virginia and West Virginia and what I saw hurts. There is so much poverty out there, in the most beautiful landscapes, it was a shock to me who is discovering your country for the first time.
Yeah, the other bad thing about the Trump n Rudy 3-Ring Circus is it's distracting us from the transition. We really should be picking apart Joe's incoming cabinet right now.flaggETERNAL wrote: ↑Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:00 amI'd be willing to bet real money they haven't. I'm really not liking many of Biden's picks. Neera Tanden. Really?TheFrog wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 4:08 pm Well, you'd hope they learn their lessons by now ... Trump has been a serious warning about what could happen to the country if the drift continues.
There are a lot of suffering people out there. I have driven through the Appalachia in Virginia and West Virginia and what I saw hurts. There is so much poverty out there, in the most beautiful landscapes, it was a shock to me who is discovering your country for the first time.
Yes. What i mean is that Trump sent a message to the Asian countries that is shifting the balance a bit. That message is basically "the people of the USA are tired to fight wars abroad, to fight for causes they don't relate to. We do not want to protect you any longer, or only to the extent that you pay us like mercenaries".Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:58 pmAsia though is defined by China's geopolitical interests vs. everyone else. So if you're rest of Asia and you need a friend to counterbalance, where do you go? There's in my opinion 3 credible options. The first is Russia, but the Russians can realistically only do so much out of Vladivostok and they're isolated from southeast Asia and south Asia. The second is they all band together as an anti-Chinese bulwark, but the problem there is getting all of them on one page to agree. South Koreans and Japanese who are the most natural "should be" allies in all of east Asia are ultra-competitive racists to one another. And in such a theoretical grouping it'd be easy for the Chinese to play divide and conquer. The third option are the Americans due to their presence around the region. The Europeans are a less credible option than the Russians practically (EU navies are going to the South China Sea to aid the Philippines for Chinese encroachment into their territorial waters, really?) and India has its own problems in its near abroad to consider (including the Chinese border) before it can worry about projecting power to say aid Vietnam.TheFrog wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:25 pmOne key element of the post Trump world is the nee balance in Asia. A lot things are happening there, without the US. Trade treaties moving forward despite Trump taking no interest is a signal that Asian countries are slowly learning to look after themselves.Zico wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 8:11 pm For better or worse the US is no longer the leader of the free world.
In four years time the US could have Orange Scumbag 2.0 or some relative of, running another clown show.
The world is already rewiring itself to work around the US, the Biden admin should not try to interfere with that. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
Yep - it's well known that the new President puts up one or two candidates that he expects to have declined - Biden knows how the game is played. Just a question of whether there's still enough Republican Senators that are in favour of going back to the old 'ways' of wheeling and dealing to ensure the country can be governed.DOB wrote: ↑Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:06 amYeah, the other bad thing about the Trump n Rudy 3-Ring Circus is it's distracting us from the transition. We really should be picking apart Joe's incoming cabinet right now.flaggETERNAL wrote: ↑Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:00 amI'd be willing to bet real money they haven't. I'm really not liking many of Biden's picks. Neera Tanden. Really?TheFrog wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 4:08 pm Well, you'd hope they learn their lessons by now ... Trump has been a serious warning about what could happen to the country if the drift continues.
There are a lot of suffering people out there. I have driven through the Appalachia in Virginia and West Virginia and what I saw hurts. There is so much poverty out there, in the most beautiful landscapes, it was a shock to me who is discovering your country for the first time.
Tanden's getting flack from both sides. I suspect she may end up being the sacrificial nominee, so that everyone can say "we blocked her." Van Jones got himself a nice career as a pundit out of it.
The Cold War has been over for 29 years. I'm still waiting for European governments to become responsible adults not depending on the U.S. to do their work for them. Yugoslavia happened and that was an embarrassment for western and central European powers that this massive genocide happened on their doorstep and they did nothing about it, in fact the Germans were clothing and arming the Croatians...which then went and did an offensive against a Canadian-led UN force in Krajina. We've learned our lessons, blah blah blah.
I feel for you being forced to talk about the thing you're not really interested in instead of the thing that you are.DOB wrote: ↑Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:06 amYeah, the other bad thing about the Trump n Rudy 3-Ring Circus is it's distracting us from the transition. We really should be picking apart Joe's incoming cabinet right now.flaggETERNAL wrote: ↑Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:00 amI'd be willing to bet real money they haven't. I'm really not liking many of Biden's picks. Neera Tanden. Really?TheFrog wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 4:08 pm Well, you'd hope they learn their lessons by now ... Trump has been a serious warning about what could happen to the country if the drift continues.
There are a lot of suffering people out there. I have driven through the Appalachia in Virginia and West Virginia and what I saw hurts. There is so much poverty out there, in the most beautiful landscapes, it was a shock to me who is discovering your country for the first time.
A lot of Senate Democrats have opposition to his long-rumored Defense Secretary choice Michele Fluornoy, reason being she was too hawkish during the Obama administration I guess. A bit where diversity politics are clashing with progressive politics. She'd be the first woman to ever run the Pentagon.DOB wrote: ↑Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:06 amYeah, the other bad thing about the Trump n Rudy 3-Ring Circus is it's distracting us from the transition. We really should be picking apart Joe's incoming cabinet right now.flaggETERNAL wrote: ↑Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:00 amI'd be willing to bet real money they haven't. I'm really not liking many of Biden's picks. Neera Tanden. Really?TheFrog wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 4:08 pm Well, you'd hope they learn their lessons by now ... Trump has been a serious warning about what could happen to the country if the drift continues.
There are a lot of suffering people out there. I have driven through the Appalachia in Virginia and West Virginia and what I saw hurts. There is so much poverty out there, in the most beautiful landscapes, it was a shock to me who is discovering your country for the first time.
Tanden's getting flack from both sides. I suspect she may end up being the sacrificial nominee, so that everyone can say "we blocked her." Van Jones got himself a nice career as a pundit out of it.
I guess Rahm Emanuel got kicked out of the club.WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden is facing escalating pressure from competing factions within his own party as he finalizes his choice for Secretary of Defense.
Black leaders have encouraged the incoming president to select an African American to diversify what has so far been a largely white prospective Cabinet, while others are pushing him to appoint a woman to lead the Pentagon for the first time.
At the same time, a growing collection of progressive groups is opposing the leading female contender, Michele Flournoy, citing concerns about her record and private-sector associations.
A coalition of at least seven progressive groups warned Biden to avoid Flournoy in an open letter to Biden obtained Wednesday by the Associated Press that referred to her record of “ill-advised policy decisions” — particularly in relation to Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Afghanistan — and an “opaque history of private-sector activity.”
“Ms. Flournoy’s consistent support for military interventions has contributed to devastating crises around the world, including in Yemen,” said Jehan Hakim, chairperson of the Yemeni Alliance Committee, which helped organize the letter.
Other contenders are emerging, including retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin and Jeh Johnson, who served as the Pentagon’s top lawyer and then as head of the Department of Homeland Security during President Obama’s second term. Both Austin and Johnson are Black.
The competing pressures are intensifying less than a month into Biden’s urgent push to build an administration while trying to preserve the broad coalition that fueled his victory over President Trump last month.
And facing massive governing challenges once he takes office Jan. 20, Biden can perhaps least afford to lose the backing of the Democratic Party’s fiery progressive base. Nearly 100 House Democrats belong to the Progressive Caucus, which may wield significant influence over Biden’s policy agenda as Democrats cling to their narrowest House majority in a century.
Biden has already promised to enact a sweeping pandemic relief bill while overhauling healthcare, immigration and education systems and fighting for the most aggressive environmental protections in U.S. history.
Progressive groups have cheered a handful of Biden’s early hires — particularly Heather Boushey and Jared Bernstein to his Council of Economic Advisors — but have been far from satisfied overall. Despite early disappointment, they have resisted the temptation to embrace an adversarial tone as they decide how to flex their muscles most effectively in the new political climate, especially with several major Cabinet positions and senior positions yet to be filled.
Justice Democrats spokesperson Waleed Shahid called Biden’s early picks “a mixed bag,” but noted that they have generally been more progressive than Obama’s early picks after his 2008 election victory.
“The thing that was alarming to me was when Joe Biden said, ‘We already have a significant number of progressives in our administration,’” Shahid said. “I talked to a lot of people, and they said, ‘We have no idea what he’s talking about.’”
Beyond the Defense Department, progressives are gearing up for the possibility of more aggressive fights on Commerce, Labor, Education, Interior and Justice, among other unfilled Cabinet posts. They have already signaled intense opposition to the likes of Rahm Emanuel, a former Obama White House chief being considered for Transportation Secretary, and Mike Morell, another Obama-era figure being eyed for CIA Director.
Flournoy had been seen as the leading candidate for Defense Secretary under a Democratic president since Hillary Clinton’s failed 2016 campaign.
She stood out as deeply experienced, respected on Capitol Hill and well-known on the international stage. But soon after Biden’s victory, her stock seemed to slip as others, including Austin and Johnson, came into consideration.
A leading Black voice in Congress, South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, has openly called for Biden to choose more Black men and women for Cabinet positions. The Pentagon job, which has never been held by a woman or a Black person, is one of the last remaining opportunities for Biden to demonstrate his commitment to diversity at the senior levels of his national security team.
Liberal critics have suggested that Flournoy’s views are more hawkish than the president-elect’s, particularly on the war in Afghanistan, and some have pointed to her position as a co-founder of consulting firm WestExec Advisors, which provides what it calls “unique geopolitical and policy expertise to help business leaders” and which has become a source of Biden picks for other national security positions. Another of WestExec’s founders, Antony Blinken, is Biden’s nominee for Secretary of State, and Avril Haines, the nominee for Director of National Intelligence, is a former WestExec principal.
There was no reference to race or gender in Wednesday’s letter opposing Flournoy. The signatories include the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation; Justice Democrats, which is aligned with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders; Demand Progress, and Just Foreign Policy, among others.
They were especially critical of reports that Flournoy had resisted calls to end the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Biden has promised to end U.S. support for the war.
The letter offers support for two potential Flournoy alternatives: Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. Advisors for both camps declined to comment, though neither is believed to have emerged as a leading contender. Gillibrand, in particular, is thought to have little interest in the position.
“While we are by no means winning all of these fights, it is clear that a focus by progressives on personnel is making a difference that will likely pay dividends when it comes to policy determinations over years to come,” said David Segal, who leads the progressive group Demand Progress.
He added, however, that “the national security space is more worrisome.”
Shahid, of Justice Democrats, suggested that progressives would give Biden a relatively long leash before revolting, even if there are more disappointments to come as he builds out his administration.
The true nature of Biden’s presidency won’t be known until he takes office in January and begins to work with Congress to enact his agenda, Shahid said. Biden has promised both to fight for big, bold policy changes and to compromise with Republicans.
“In the same way Joe Biden said his campaign was a fight for the soul of America, the Cabinet is the beginning, not the end, of the fight for the soul of the Biden presidency,” Shahid said. “If he chooses the path of deal-making with Mitch McConnell, those divides within the Democratic Party will become much more apparent.”
These are the people to oppose China huh?A Washington, D.C. consulting firm co-founded by two of Joe Biden’s Cabinet nominees scrubbed references to its work in China from its website shortly after Biden won the Democratic nomination over the summer.
WestExec Advisors lists among its co-founders Anthony Blinken, Biden’s nominee for secretary of state, and Michèle Flournoy a former Pentagon official who is Biden’s nominee for secretary of defense. At least two more upcoming Biden administration executives have also worked for WestExec, incoming White House press secretary Jen Psaki and Avril Haines, a former WestExec principal and Biden’s nominee for director of national intelligence.
The firm, whose team consists of dozens of former high-level government officials, boasts of “bringing the Situation Room to the Board Room” and helping American institutions do business successfully with both the U.S. government and China.
This is also in large part a play to have far stricter voting laws put in place in an effort to once again disenfranchise people that they don't want voting.TheFrog wrote: ↑Thu Dec 03, 2020 3:53 am https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5284 ... lege-votes
Sadly, this tells me that Trump may long weigh on the Republican. Obviously this man is making a move for his own electorate, to show them he is a loyal servant of their beloved master.
We disproved that trope this election because we had modern era record turnout and the Democrats lost seats at all levels downballot. It's one of the reasons Democrats are glum concerning the results of this election for everything that's not president.
It's an odd one - I've never been asked for ID when I've voted in the UK - but I don't think anyone is concerned that UK election are dodgy.Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Fri Dec 04, 2020 1:45 pmWe disproved that trope this election because we had modern era record turnout and the Democrats lost seats at all levels downballot. It's one of the reasons Democrats are glum concerning the results of this election for everything that's not president.
I'm like Everready, there's no valid reason to not have voter ID requirements considering the modern world we live in that requires an ID for EVERYTHING. We have it in Indiana, and residents can cite poverty if they don't have a driver's license and be provided a free one.
So you don't have the phrase over there "the dead vote" like we do?ovalball wrote: ↑Fri Dec 04, 2020 2:17 pmIt's an odd one - I've never been asked for ID when I've voted in the UK - but I don't think anyone is concerned that UK election are dodgy.Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Fri Dec 04, 2020 1:45 pmWe disproved that trope this election because we had modern era record turnout and the Democrats lost seats at all levels downballot. It's one of the reasons Democrats are glum concerning the results of this election for everything that's not president.
I'm like Everready, there's no valid reason to not have voter ID requirements considering the modern world we live in that requires an ID for EVERYTHING. We have it in Indiana, and residents can cite poverty if they don't have a driver's license and be provided a free one.
In my defence, it was the bachelor’s choice of location, and it was near his favorite pool hall.
Like I said before. If the Dems managed to engineer 8m votes by lashing them in, undetected, they deserve to run the country
Was the name not recorded?Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Fri Dec 04, 2020 2:34 pmSo you don't have the phrase over there "the dead vote" like we do?ovalball wrote: ↑Fri Dec 04, 2020 2:17 pmIt's an odd one - I've never been asked for ID when I've voted in the UK - but I don't think anyone is concerned that UK election are dodgy.Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Fri Dec 04, 2020 1:45 pmWe disproved that trope this election because we had modern era record turnout and the Democrats lost seats at all levels downballot. It's one of the reasons Democrats are glum concerning the results of this election for everything that's not president.
I'm like Everready, there's no valid reason to not have voter ID requirements considering the modern world we live in that requires an ID for EVERYTHING. We have it in Indiana, and residents can cite poverty if they don't have a driver's license and be provided a free one.
City machine politics which only really disappeared in the '70s were heavily corrupt. There's a credible theory that Nixon might've actually won the 1960 election over Kennedy (which only fed into Nixon's paranoia about his political enemies). Lyndon Johnson in his home state of Texas had the nickname of "Landslide Lyndon" for his ability to have these boxes of votes appear out of nowhere in random rural communities to help him or his preferred candidate cross the line. A common Tammany Hall tactic which was the New York City Democratic Party machine and had taken control of the Irish immigrant vote late 1800s was everyone would grow full facial hair, and vote early. They'd then shave off the beard, then vote. They'd then shave off the mustache and vote. So the same person could come and vote 3 times.
Well, New York State's election administration this election have been doing a good job showing they haven't advanced much past the 1800s. Look up NY-22.
Still that corrupt?Flyin Ryan wrote: ↑Sat Dec 05, 2020 3:25 amWell, New York State's election administration this election have been doing a good job showing they haven't advanced much past the 1800s. Look up NY-22.
In France you need a valid ID to vote. If you don't, you can't vote.
Shitting upside down is a bit problematic, tho'.koroke hangareka wrote: ↑Mon Dec 07, 2020 7:45 am In Australia all you need is to be able to read upside down. It doesn't seem to cause any problems.
holy sh1t, I'm impressed, I had no idea Michael McIntyre spoke fluent ChineseSanta wrote: ↑Tue Dec 08, 2020 10:33 am Saucey stuff from the Chinese. Watch it while it's still up. You get what you vote for.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=you ... cZXridt7wM