on both sides of the pond- the extreme left is scuppering their own cause

I am really concerned about the issues of postal voting that are coming out in America, I have been watching the election forecast in the economist and it is very encouraging but the postal vote issue may change all that.

Given a binary choice Grandad which would you prefer:

1 A Labour Party in government with Starmer as PM

or

2 Another five years of a Conservative government after the next election?

Bernie Sanders is doing the rounds on the Sunday talk shows and his latest appearance is on NBC’s Meet The Press. He said that issues the US Postal Service faces as cuts to the agency hinder its chances of handling mail-in votes in November’s election are “a crisis for American democracy”.

“This, again, is not a debate about the postal service alone,” Sanders said. “That’s important. This is about the future of American democracy and whether people have a right to participate.”

He said Donald Trump had made a “deliberate effort” to hinder mail-in voting.

“I hope the American people come together – progressives, moderates, conservatives – to say, ‘Sorry, Mr President. We may have our disagreements, but in America, we are a democracy. Everybody is going to vote, and we’re not going to let you get away with what you’re doing,’” said the Vermont senator.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/aug/16/trump-usps-mail-in-voting-election-biden-kamala-harris-coronavirus-live-updates-latest-news?page=with:block-5f3957468f0803703d924533#block-5f3957468f0803703d924533

I rather liked Bernie Sanders and now think he might have had a better chance of beating Trump in 2016.

I am glad he is standing up against the scandalous behaviour of Trump refusing to fund the USPS to deal with the expected increase in postal (mail-in) ballots at a time when many voters do not want to go to polling stations for fear of infection.

Trump has openly admitted that he is doing this because he thinks that depriving people of a postal vote will advantage the Republicans. His claims that postal voting will be fraudulent has absolutely no basis in fact.

biba70

Trisher, honestly. really?

Where is that post about falling for a smiling murderer- seems to be gone. How can you accuse Keir Starmer for Irak???

Jabberwork - you are so right. So the left would rather see ERG and Cummings win- than Keir Starmer. If that is the level they are at- I for one will never forgive them. Another term ot Tories will finish the destruction of our Democracy and NHS, and so much more.

It was the right wingers in Labours Central office that went out of their way to ensure that Cummins and the ERG group had the opportunity to ensure the destruction of our Democracy, The NHS, and so much more.

But of course the right wing in the Labour party do not wish to discuss that. Just all bow down and worship the Dear Leader Starmer, the wonderful invisible man. ?

Moving to the other side of the pond, Donald Trump says that the prospective VP Democratic candidate Kamala Harris is "the most liberal person in Congress- she's even more liberal than Bernie Sanders"

We have to remember that "liberal" is a term of abuse in US politics (pretty much synonymous with communist).

In fact, Kamala Harris is well to the right of the UK Liberal Democrats. Even so I think that she is a good choice as Biden's running mate.

Keir Starmer is very much in favour of Keir Starmer and to ensure he does not stir policy controversy he guarantees that Labour has none.

Then to avoid difficult questions in regard to having no policies he makes sure he does not show up anywhere so as to avoid questions about having no policies. ?

He is good though at handing out six-figure sums that many experts advised Labour need not pay and do not have the financial resources to meet so as to guarantee that the party obtained................nothing. ??

On second thoughts though, Labour have obtained something out of that six-figure pay-out, they are guaranteed to gain..........more claims. ?

Trisher, honestly. really?

Where is that post about falling for a smiling murderer- seems to be gone. How can you accuse Keir Starmer for Irak???

Jabberwork - you are so right. So the left would rather see ERG and Cummings win- than Keir Starmer. If that is the level they are at- I for one will never forgive them. Another term ot Tories will finish the destruction of our Democracy and NHS, and so much more.

Does anyone know anything Keir Starmer is in favour of?

Varian, your comment and smiley faces made me reread the last sentence in the light of political direction. I see your amusement and am also amused at my unintentional faux pas.
Of course the Times were trying to be helpful. How could you think otherwise from such a noble Tory rag. So, why do we take it?
'Thou's got to know what t'enemy's thinking.'

We need a whole new political system - starting with a review of political funding and a democratic voting system.

Does anyone know whether Kier Starmer is in favour of Proportional Representation?

Money talks biba and the foriegn and tax exile billionaires have made a great success of funding the Tory Party and, at the same time, using the gutter press to poison the minds of their readers to serve their own ends,.

so- the left will be divided yet again - and allow ERG and Cummings, with Trump or Putin or both- to continue to destroy the country and all the amazing and wonderful things that made it great.

Third time- but I have to repeat it - I truly, deeply despair.

POGS I said I have yet to see any explanation of how that has contributed to stopping anti-semitism in the LP.Indeed I think it may have aggraveted the issue. There are those who see Israeli plots and actions against Palestine in any such actions (this isn't an endorsement of such thoughts by the way, just a recognition).
You chose to quote
I have yet to see any explanation of how that has contributed to stopping anti-semitism in the LP.Indeed I think it may have aggraveted the issue
You choose not to debate my statement as a whole which I consider spurious (Apologies to the pedants for the spelling mistake)

Fennel

Grandad on previous page:
*Starmer will have turn to the trade unions to fund the huge amounts that are predicted will be required if the Parliamentary Labour Party is to avoid insolvency in the near future."
This has always been a problem for the LP.
Whereas it's never been a problem for the Tories because money is what the party stands for. The one simple principle.
Even so, it would be a difficult compromise for Starmer to go begging from the Unions.

The trade unions have funded the Labour Party for over one hundred years due to the fact that the Party was born out of the trade union movement.

Starmer will have to turn to that same body for the extra seven million-plus that it is predicted the Parliamentary Party will require to pay all the claims, prosecutions and legal fees that the actions of the right in the organisation have drawn onto the party.

However, due to the total dismissal of the left by Starmer since being elected as leader I believe that no such extra funding will be given to Starmer and his cohorts without large operational, economic and structural reform of the PLP. That reform will have to ensure to ALL in the movement that the atrocious actions the right-wing has carried out within the Labour party can never take place again.

And that's the way it should be. ?

There are more unions than Unite.

Grandad on previous page:
*Starmer will have turn to the trade unions to fund the huge amounts that are predicted will be required if the Parliamentary Labour Party is to avoid insolvency in the near future."
This has always been a problem for the LP.
Whereas it's never been a problem for the Tories because money is what the party stands for. The one simple principle.
Even so, it would be a difficult compromise for Starmer to go begging from the Unions.

Can take it that The Times is trying to be helpful?

Devorgilla

Short notification in Times today re KS's revolutionary past: As a young Socialist lawyer he called for the overthrow of capitalism and the mode and means of production being controlled by the Unions. I believe him to be to the left of the Party but smart enough to know you change nothing if you are not in Government.
We should all remember we are in a strange situation at the moment where normal channels of political exchange are on the back burner. Very difficult, with a Tory press controlling most of what is put out, to get a fair hearing.
There is still GD43's option of Unite forming its own party with JC as life long leader to point the misguided electorate in the right direction.

???your last sentence.

Short notification in Times today re KS's revolutionary past: As a young Socialist lawyer he called for the overthrow of capitalism and the mode and means of production being controlled by the Unions. I believe him to be to the left of the Party but smart enough to know you change nothing if you are not in Government.
We should all remember we are in a strange situation at the moment where normal channels of political exchange are on the back burner. Very difficult, with a Tory press controlling most of what is put out, to get a fair hearing.
There is still GD43's option of Unite forming its own party with JC as life long leader to point the misguided electorate in the right direction.

trisher

'POGSif you want to debate matters with me please don't use half a quote of what I said. Either post the whole thing or ignore it as I shall ignore your spurious comments until you can quote properly.'
--
Nothing spurious trisher!

What was spurious in my post stating /using your own words to give rise to your accusation?

What in my post makes you think I was making false/fake /bogus/not genuine /fabricated comments?

Why would I post your entire posts if I only ask for certain points to be brought into question? We would be here all day and night and might I add you do the same, as we all do, select points we wish to query or comment on.

If you don't want to respond to questions that is fine I am used to that but please do not accuse posters of being spurious, that is a sign of the age old game of deflection because it is easier than debating or wanting only to make statements without being challenged.

Exactly Lemon! K.S is a winner but if labour insist on fielding a far left leader then they will kiss the next election goodbye , but for some reason some people seem incapable of seeing that!

Laura Piddock lost her seat, and a good thing too.
I can’t believe anyone is actually serious about thinking that anyone else would take over from Starmer before the next GE.
When he is the best thing to happen for the LP in a long time.

Laura Pidcock was my MP. Her history of political achievements is dismal.

biba70 I loved Laura Piddock but she lost her seat- out of those left I think it has to be Lisa Nandy. Not enough experience now but bythe next election?

That's a good question biba70 I could just become a member of the local activists. It might be the Green Party. Last time I left- Iraq war time it was when the LibDems were to the left of the LP- pre that great politician Nick Clegg. I will look at the policies and decide. I, like many others in the NE, won't fall for a smiling assassin again.