The US Election.

And Mt61, Musk may be on the autistic spectrum but that doesn’t excuse bad behaviour - thst May well be down to his personality and life choices

Borrowing from the CNN piece you sent a link to Wyllow3, I think this sums up how I feel about Musk -

“The bottom line is it’s really disappointing that someone with as many resources and as big of a platform as he clearly has would use those resources and allow that platform to be misused to spread misinformation,” Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson told CNN, “when he could help us restore and ensure people can have rightly placed faith in our election outcomes, whatever they may be.”

Is as if Musk believes his money gives him the divine right to interfere in the democratic process in the US as well as interfering in our politics in the UK. He is an ideal ally for Trump who in his previous campaign cosied up to the alt-right Bannon, but this time has found himself someone who has unlimited means to spew the kind of misinformation Trump thrives on, and Musk is slightly more articulate though that is no real competition.
Is like badly written satire.

The good that someone in that position could do babs instead of these evils.

Its destroying their democracy - surely people can see that from here?

Farage is back in America with GB News. Why isn’t he working in his constituency?

Oh of course Farage is in the US, so full of his own self importance that he is fit to burst. As for his constituency I hear they haven't had any mileage out of him since the election so they probably won't notice he has gone.

Indeed Farage has been to the US 3 times since being elected, yet has not been seen in Clacton.
Bet they're glad they voted for him.

When I consider how bright Musk is I always remember his attempt to help out those 13 or so boys in Thailand, I think, who went spelunking and got trapped inside the cave when the water rose. To get to where they were they had had to wriggle and bend and twist their bodies. It was clear that the boys would also have to be able to wriggle and twist and bend through the same narrow passage . . . but underwater. But Elon came to the rescue! He invented something the boys could lie in so that they could get through the passage in order to get out! The problem was that Elon didn't have the least understanding of cave exploration, and he turned up to save the day . . . with a rigid, solid metal device that was absolutely useless and downright stupid. He came to the rescue when Americans needed breathing devices during covid, too, and made a big fuss about that (as he always does) in order to attract praise and admiration (a bit like Trump). Unfortunately he donated CPAP machines, which are just grand for people who have sleep apnea . . . but they were completely useless for people hospitalized for covid. Both of those stunts strike me as the work of a man who wants to be admired but is simply clueless about a lot of real-world practicalities and doesn't learn from his mistakes--as in, before you donate something, Elon, make sure it will WORK.

I'm sure you heard about how he called one of the British divers trying to save those boys a "pedo" because the diver said Musk's device was useless. What a childish, nasty person! But that's right in line with Trump: anyone he doesn't like or who disagrees with him is dumb and stupid and so on. I wish Musk would go "save" some country other than the USA.

@Nmama, glad you reminded me of that, had completely forgotten. Am sorry your country has to cope with this circus, can recall previous elections, rather a lot of them because am in my late sixties, and up until Trump got involved it was never like this, or if it was you can correct me. I rather liked Carter, though am sure the Iranian revolution and hostage crisis damaged his time as president. After that I liked Obama.

Three states in theUS have activated the National Guard soldiers as back ups to the police in case of civil unrest tomorrow. Something about burning ballot boxes. Why don't they have those boxes in a building I wonder.

Macadia

Three states in theUS have activated the National Guard soldiers as back ups to the police in case of civil unrest tomorrow. Something about burning ballot boxes. Why don't they have those boxes in a building I wonder.

Perhaps they were in transit? Or not under lock and key?

Well Farage there - what a surprise - some MP! Not only not here for his constituents but earning a nice bob or two for GB news and lining his pockets.

Macadia

Three states in theUS have activated the National Guard soldiers as back ups to the police in case of civil unrest tomorrow. Something about burning ballot boxes. Why don't they have those boxes in a building I wonder.

This is one of the ballot boxes that was set on fire. As you can see, it is a huge steel contraption with welded seams that is bolted into the concrete. These have always been outside and most often are drive up. Trying to get into one of these is like getting into Fort Knox.

The most important thing to note here is that these ballot boxes have been used for years in most states and there has never been a problem before. There has been no need to have them inside and it would be difficult to move them inside. It would lesson the number of locations ballot drop off could occur, thus making it even harder then it already is for minorities, young people, and those with limited resources.

Which is why Republicans have been trying to limit the number of drop boxes for years.

Have to have national guard/police on now?

David49

SMEs. Many are not that small I don’t know how many employees is the most that qualify. Clearly a haulage business has to employ a driver for every truck, the owner is usually the manager and may have 10 trucks. Even Elon Musk started as an SME, most stay as an SME a few grow into big companies.

Musks wealth is entirely the value based on the company shares, the value the stock market puts on them, he obviously needs a lot of employees to run the companies, making the products we want to buy.

How does Musk spend $300 billion the answer is he doesn’t, Bill Gates gives most of it away to charity. Capitalism means individuals accumulate wealth, all wealth controlled by the state has been tried and failed USSR, Cuba and Venezuela.

There is no incentive to work so everyone is worse off, China although a communist state does allow personal wealth if you follow the party rules. Those that abhor wealth really would not like living in a communist state where wealth doesn’t exist.

How does Musk spend $300 billion the answer is he doesn’t, Bill Gates gives most of it away to charity. Capitalism means individuals accumulate wealth, all wealth controlled by the state has been tried and failed USSR, Cuba and Venezuela.

Seriously? Is anyone on here who opposes Capitalistic greed suggesting the alternative economic model should be the same as the above three - USSR, Cuba and Venezuela? Why are these always wheeled out as the only alternative?

How about the mixed economy model with both privately and publicly owned enterprises? Similar to that of the Nordic countries -Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden?

Highly developed economies that combine the welfare state with free, good quality education and healthcare - with open markets... low tariffs and minimal trade barriers.

???

Trump activists are staking out ballot boxes

www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/10/arizona-ballot-drop-box-vigilantes

Good post Dickens.

Nmama

When I consider how bright Musk is I always remember his attempt to help out those 13 or so boys in Thailand, I think, who went spelunking and got trapped inside the cave when the water rose. To get to where they were they had had to wriggle and bend and twist their bodies. It was clear that the boys would also have to be able to wriggle and twist and bend through the same narrow passage . . . but underwater. But Elon came to the rescue! He invented something the boys could lie in so that they could get through the passage in order to get out! The problem was that Elon didn't have the least understanding of cave exploration, and he turned up to save the day . . . with a rigid, solid metal device that was absolutely useless and downright stupid. He came to the rescue when Americans needed breathing devices during covid, too, and made a big fuss about that (as he always does) in order to attract praise and admiration (a bit like Trump). Unfortunately he donated CPAP machines, which are just grand for people who have sleep apnea . . . but they were completely useless for people hospitalized for covid. Both of those stunts strike me as the work of a man who wants to be admired but is simply clueless about a lot of real-world practicalities and doesn't learn from his mistakes--as in, before you donate something, Elon, make sure it will WORK.

I'm sure you heard about how he called one of the British divers trying to save those boys a "pedo" because the diver said Musk's device was useless. What a childish, nasty person! But that's right in line with Trump: anyone he doesn't like or who disagrees with him is dumb and stupid and so on. I wish Musk would go "save" some country other than the USA.

The man sued him for defamation but Musk won by convincing the judge that the term he used ‘Paedo Guy’ was a common term in South Africa which meant something different. Money always talks.

An Ohio (Clark County) sheriff's lieutenant has been reprimanded after stating on social media posts how he would refuse to assist people who voted for Democrats.

How would he know you might ask - well he stated he would require proof of a person's voting choice before providing aid.

John Rogers posted this on Facebook.

The problem is that I know which of you supports the Democratic Party, and I will not help you survive the end of days

There's an internal-investigation file that's been seen by the WHIO* which indicates that Rodgers has been taking sleeping tablets which had a side effect of causing some of his communications to be "out of character". In the inter-office communication he alleges he does not remember either writing or deleting said posts.

He's received a written reprimand for violating the department's social-media policy, and will remain on duty.

* WHIO is a television network. The article appears in The Guardian under US news.

... it's pure Hollywood. The End of Days? Those sleeping aids must be very potent.

@Dickens good post.
The reason only the same old culprits are wheeled out is because as Chomsky points out, an unfair and unjust capitalist country will seek to tell its population that the only alternatives are failed economies in what are considered countries not as civilised as their own. It is the big ‘there is no other way’
con.

Babs03

@Dickens good post.
The reason only the same old culprits are wheeled out is because as Chomsky points out, an unfair and unjust capitalist country will seek to tell its population that the only alternatives are failed economies in what are considered countries not as civilised as their own. It is the big ‘there is no other way’
con.

The weirdest thing is that those countries get trotted out whenever one suggests that a country which issues and exclusively uses its own currency doesn't actually have to 'borrow' money in order to finance its spending. A government issuing its own money is apparently is on the path to hyperinflation and economic devastation. Yet when banks create the country's money every time they make a loan the doomsayers don't bat an eyelid. Why not? It's the same money, issued by permission of the government. It just comes from a different source, a bank, rather than being spent directly into the economy by the state...

Dickens is correct. What differentiates the 'failures' from the successful mixed economies is the sociopolitical conditions which obtain in the respective countries.

Chomsky is correct, too. Neoliberal economic theory, which is what drives capitalism and has been the ruling theory in the UK since it was embraced wholeheartedly by Thatcher 40plus years ago, is hotly defended by the rich and powerful who would hate to see their opportunities to amass more wealth be curtailed.

Macadia

Three states in theUS have activated the National Guard soldiers as back ups to the police in case of civil unrest tomorrow. Something about burning ballot boxes. Why don't they have those boxes in a building I wonder.

So, the ballots that were burned are permanently lost. What a way to steal an election 😱

Mind you, surely those boxes must be vulnerable to being stuffed with fake ballot papers, too.

The American way of voting is truly bizarre..

With apologies to our US friends. But it is weird..

MaizieD

With apologies to our US friends. But it is weird..

It's very strange and doesn't sound at all secure. Open to corruption.

Police have issued a description of a man they suspect of setting fire to boxes. They say he is portly, in his late 70s with bouffant blond hair and a rather strange orange tan.

Sorry - apologies, false information!

The suspect is described as a White man between 30 and 40 years old who is balding or has very short hair, Portland Police Bureau spokesperson Mike Benner said.
The man has a medium to thin build, according to Benner.

He could be an experienced welder.

I’m resigned to the fact that Trump will win. It’ll be interesting watching him and Melania playing happy families in public. I still can’t believe that someone who has done and said so many bad things that even one of them would make them unelectable is probably going to regain the presidency.