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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The betting strategy if for some reason Trump or Clinton ar

SystemSystem Posts: 11,015
edited August 2016 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The betting strategy if for some reason Trump or Clinton aren’t candidates on election day

Paddy Power have markets up on whether Trump or Clinton won’t be their party’s Presidential candidate on election day. After all there has been speculation about Trump quitting the race (or the GOP trying to replace him.)

Read the full story here


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Comments

  • Options
    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    Just a Mo ....

    Gold for JackW - First .. :smile:
  • Options
    MTimTMTimT Posts: 7,034
    Silver for Tim
  • Options
    ToryJimToryJim Posts: 3,404
    Third like China!
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,859
    Fourth, and hoping for someone in front to be disqualified!
  • Options
    JohnLoonyJohnLoony Posts: 1,790
    Fifth, just like Martin Wolfram!

    I think Hillary Clinton will be elected, and become, POTUS. But there ought to be a thingy for the odds of what might happen after 20th January 2017: I think there is a substantial possibility that she will (a) serve only one term, and not seek re-election for a second; (b) be impeached and removed from office; (c) resign due to legal difficulties; (d) resign due to poor health; (e) die in office. All of these possibilities are far more likely for Hillary than for any other normal modern POTUS.
  • Options
    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    Sandpit said:

    Fourth, and hoping for someone in front to be disqualified!

    Congratulations, You are now 3rd.

    After checking the replays of the thread again and finding nothing obviously untoward JackW has been DQ for an irregular handing over from the overnight thread to the morning thread.
  • Options
    ToryJimToryJim Posts: 3,404
    JohnLoony said:

    Fifth, just like Martin Wolfram!

    I think Hillary Clinton will be elected, and become, POTUS. But there ought to be a thingy for the odds of what might happen after 20th January 2017: I think there is a substantial possibility that she will (a) serve only one term, and not seek re-election for a second; (b) be impeached and removed from office; (c) resign due to legal difficulties; (d) resign due to poor health; (e) die in office. All of these possibilities are far more likely for Hillary than for any other normal modern POTUS.

    Bear in mind that Hillary is attempting to do something that has only been pulled off once since the 22nd Amendment fully applied, namely win a third term for the same party. Only Bush Sr has pulled it off in the post war era. In fact extending back to the start of the last century only 4 candidates have extended a parties run to 3 elections and two of them were called Roosevelt.

    If Hillary is successful in November she will be the first Democrat to follow a strictly two term predecessor since Martin van Buren won in 1840 following Andrew Jackson.
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,972
    Suspect Mr Loony is right on (a); Clinton will be 70 when elected, so 74 when the next election comes. I don’t think she’ll be impeached, or be forced to resign; I expect she’ll carry on with a noise grumbling in the background. I think, though that she’ll only serve one term, although a 74 year old woman, especially one with access to excellent health care, isn’t “old” in the sense of diminished mental ability.
  • Options
    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    edited August 2016
    Moses_ said:

    Congratulations, You are now 3rd.

    After checking the replays of the thread again and finding nothing obviously untoward JackW has been DQ for an irregular handing over from the overnight thread to the morning thread.

    On appeal the "irregular handling" was found to be a legitimate movement of my ARSE caused by Brazilian activity and by a hairs breadth the completely unbiased Rio boxing judges have awarded me the match ....
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    JackW said:

    Moses_ said:

    Congratulations, You are now 3rd.

    After checking the replays of the thread again and finding nothing obviously untoward JackW has been DQ for an irregular handing over from the overnight thread to the morning thread.

    On appeal the "irregular handling" was found to be a legitimate movement of my ARSE caused by Brazilian activity and by a hairs breadth the completely unbiased Rio boxing judges have awarded me the match ....
    Your ARSE has a Brazilian?

    I am as green as a diving pool with envy!
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    Good morning, everyone.

    Just one gold ahead of the Chinese. Last day of competition today.

    FPT: I for one agree with Sadiq Khan that Sadiq Khan's judgement, in putting Corbyn on the ballot in the first place, has been shown to be utterly atrocious.
  • Options
    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    edited August 2016
    JackW said:

    Moses_ said:

    Congratulations, You are now 3rd.

    After checking the replays of the thread again and finding nothing obviously untoward JackW has been DQ for an irregular handing over from the overnight thread to the morning thread.

    On appeal the "irregular handling" was found to be a legitimate movement of my ARSE caused by Brazilian activity and by a hairs breadth the completely unbiased Rio boxing judges have awarded me the match ....

    The evidence provided has been reviewed in light of the the claimed ARSE movement and an official response from committee is as follows;

    It was found that although the said ARSE movement may have been "regular" and without use of any medicinal or natural enhancement the final "movement" was outside the area allocated for this process although fortunately on this occasion we don't have any video evidence to back it up. ( just like last time) . Judges have also reserved judgement on the Brazilian but did take take the rather unusual placement of a tattoo fully into account.

    Www.breakingwindnews/olympics16/latest.
  • Options
    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787

    Your ARSE has a Brazilian?

    I am as green as a diving pool with envy!

    Of course you are ....

    It was a close shave but I went for it in the end .... :smile:
  • Options
    CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,612
    FPT:

    THE BREXIT GAMES :)

    Almost all the training and development took place before the referendum, and of course we have not yet even started Brexit!.

    These are our last EU games...
    So we're bound to do better in Tokyo then, aren't we?
  • Options
    ToryJimToryJim Posts: 3,404

    Suspect Mr Loony is right on (a); Clinton will be 70 when elected, so 74 when the next election comes. I don’t think she’ll be impeached, or be forced to resign; I expect she’ll carry on with a noise grumbling in the background. I think, though that she’ll only serve one term, although a 74 year old woman, especially one with access to excellent health care, isn’t “old” in the sense of diminished mental ability.

    If Hillary triumphs in November she will be 69 years and 85 days old upon inauguration. Reagan was 69 years and 349 days. I suspect that if she only serves one term it will be because she doesn't win re-election rather than anything.
  • Options
    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865

    FPT:

    THE BREXIT GAMES :)

    Almost all the training and development took place before the referendum, and of course we have not yet even started Brexit!.

    These are our last EU games...
    So we're bound to do better in Tokyo then, aren't we?
    The Olympics medals table Brexiters don't want you to see

    http://indy100.independent.co.uk/article/the-olympics-medals-table-brexiters-dont-want-you-to-see--WkSTPZqqDZ

    :smirk:
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    Miss Vance, clearly. We'll get forty gold medals and save the city from Godzilla.
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    In the unlikely event that Trump or Clinton is removed as candidate, the process looks so disruptive that any new candidate would be doomed. The POTUS betting is not value at any price in my book.
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    ThreeQuidderThreeQuidder Posts: 6,133

    In the unlikely event that Trump or Clinton is removed as candidate, the process looks so disruptive that any new candidate would be doomed. The POTUS betting is not value at any price in my book.

    Unless, of course, both are removed.
  • Options
    CD13CD13 Posts: 6,351
    Mr Moses,

    On that basis, if we were part of an Earth team, we would win all the medals and all future medals.

    Rejoice.
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    In the unlikely event that Trump or Clinton is removed as candidate, the process looks so disruptive that any new candidate would be doomed. The POTUS betting is not value at any price in my book.

    Unless, of course, both are removed.
    If they were both removed the process would be beyond farcical!

    I think this could only happen if there was a similtaneous death, such as a bomb in the debates.
  • Options
    JonnyJimmyJonnyJimmy Posts: 2,548
    Moses_ said:

    FPT:

    THE BREXIT GAMES :)

    Almost all the training and development took place before the referendum, and of course we have not yet even started Brexit!.

    These are our last EU games...
    So we're bound to do better in Tokyo then, aren't we?
    The Olympics medals table Brexiters don't want you to see

    http://indy100.independent.co.uk/article/the-olympics-medals-table-brexiters-dont-want-you-to-see--WkSTPZqqDZ

    :smirk:
    Obviously, we all know that table is a statistical crock of shite; but...

    Presumably it does show the total number of golds the EU could have won with a proper selection process. It would be interesting to see how many fewer silvers and bronzes the EU team would have won; how many fewer athletes would have competed (and which countries would have lost the most athletes); and what percentage of the EU team and total EU medals would have been courtesy of the GB division.

    I hope someone's bored enough to work it out!
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    The main way in which I could see the president not being either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump is if both of them withdraw. While not inconceivable given their respective travails, that does seem unlikely indeed.

    For those who have better imaginations than me, I would lay Donald Trump now and wait for the Betfair prices to move a bit in the hope of laying Hillary Clinton at an opportune moment to create a green position on both main candidates and a supergreen position on everyone else. (If you think that Donald Trump's price is likely to shorten in the short term, you should of course do it the other way around.) That way you don't have to worry about picking the wrong long shot.

    Right now, however, I would prefer simply to be laying Donald Trump. His campaign looks adrift right now.
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    edited August 2016
    CD13 said:

    Mr Moses,

    On that basis, if we were part of an Earth team, we would win all the medals and all future medals.

    Rejoice.

    That table does show how dominant European, USA, the Old Commonwealth and North Asia are in Olympic sports.

    It is not just the Islamic world, and Indian subcontinent underrepresented, so is all of africa (bar long distance runners) Latin America and South East Asia.
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    The main way in which I could see the president not being either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump is if both of them withdraw. While not inconceivable given their respective travails, that does seem unlikely indeed.

    For those who have better imaginations than me, I would lay Donald Trump now and wait for the Betfair prices to move a bit in the hope of laying Hillary Clinton at an opportune moment to create a green position on both main candidates and a supergreen position on everyone else. (If you think that Donald Trump's price is likely to shorten in the short term, you should of course do it the other way around.) That way you don't have to worry about picking the wrong long shot.

    Right now, however, I would prefer simply to be laying Donald Trump. His campaign looks adrift right now.

    Laying Trump does look like a good return in particular.

    His "medical report" is typical of his campaign:

    http://europe.newsweek.com/donald-trump-health-doctor-490836
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    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,607
    I think Team GB have second place sewn up, China have just one medal chance today in the Wrestling where they are not the favourites.
  • Options
    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    edited August 2016

    CD13 said:

    Mr Moses,

    On that basis, if we were part of an Earth team, we would win all the medals and all future medals.

    Rejoice.

    That table does show how dominant European, USA, the Old Commonwealth and North Asia are in Olympic sports.

    It is not just the Islamic world, and Indian subcontinent underrepresented, so is all of africa (bar long distance runners) Latin America and South East Asia.
    Indeed. Though an alternative medals table had been developed back in 2012 which is interesting. Based on such things as population total, GDP.

    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/datablog/2012/jul/30/olympics-2012-alternative-medal-table

    Edit - looks like it's updated here for 2016

    https://landing.google.com/altmedaltable/results/
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,961

    FPT:

    THE BREXIT GAMES :)

    Almost all the training and development took place before the referendum, and of course we have not yet even started Brexit!.

    These are our last EU games...
    So we're bound to do better in Tokyo then, aren't we?
    How much funding for sports actually comes form the EU? I can't say I've ever heard of any, but there must be some, surely?
  • Options
    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    Moses_ said:

    JackW said:

    Moses_ said:

    Congratulations, You are now 3rd.

    After checking the replays of the thread again and finding nothing obviously untoward JackW has been DQ for an irregular handing over from the overnight thread to the morning thread.

    On appeal the "irregular handling" was found to be a legitimate movement of my ARSE caused by Brazilian activity and by a hairs breadth the completely unbiased Rio boxing judges have awarded me the match ....

    The evidence provided has been reviewed in light of the the claimed ARSE movement and an official response from committee is as follows;

    It was found that although the said ARSE movement may have been "regular" and without use of any medicinal or natural enhancement the final "movement" was outside the area allocated for this process although fortunately on this occasion we don't have any video evidence to back it up. ( just like last time) . Judges have also reserved judgement on the Brazilian but did take take the rather unusual placement of a tattoo fully into account.

    Www.breakingwindnews/olympics16/latest.
    :lol:

    I see Simon Timson - head of UK Sport has some ambitious plans for Tokyo - apparently shooting is a sport with lots of medals to grab. Archery and badminton funding cut due to poor performance too. “We fund approximately 1,400 athletes on world-class programme funding, of which around 60% are what we call ‘podium potential athletes’.

    1400! And 700 that are already tipped for a bright future. Wow. Just 10% would storm Rio2016 results.
  • Options
    JonnyJimmyJonnyJimmy Posts: 2,548



    Presumably it does show the total number of golds the EU could have won with a proper selection process. It would be interesting to see how many fewer silvers and bronzes the EU team would have won;

    Actually silvers should be right too in that table..
  • Options
    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383

    Moses_ said:

    FPT:

    THE BREXIT GAMES :)

    Almost all the training and development took place before the referendum, and of course we have not yet even started Brexit!.

    These are our last EU games...
    So we're bound to do better in Tokyo then, aren't we?
    The Olympics medals table Brexiters don't want you to see

    http://indy100.independent.co.uk/article/the-olympics-medals-table-brexiters-dont-want-you-to-see--WkSTPZqqDZ

    :smirk:
    Obviously, we all know that table is a statistical crock of shite; but...

    Presumably it does show the total number of golds the EU could have won with a proper selection process. It would be interesting to see how many fewer silvers and bronzes the EU team would have won; how many fewer athletes would have competed (and which countries would have lost the most athletes); and what percentage of the EU team and total EU medals would have been courtesy of the GB division.

    I hope someone's bored enough to work it out!
    What would a NATO table look like :wink: ?
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,961



    Presumably it does show the total number of golds the EU could have won with a proper selection process. It would be interesting to see how many fewer silvers and bronzes the EU team would have won;

    Actually silvers should be right too in that table..
    I don't think one country gets two entries for each sport.
  • Options
    ThreeQuidderThreeQuidder Posts: 6,133

    In the unlikely event that Trump or Clinton is removed as candidate, the process looks so disruptive that any new candidate would be doomed. The POTUS betting is not value at any price in my book.

    Unless, of course, both are removed.
    If they were both removed the process would be beyond farcical!
    This presidential election is brought to you in part by the Rio OCOG.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,181
    edited August 2016
    ToryJim said:

    JohnLoony said:

    Fifth, just like Martin Wolfram!

    I think Hillary Clinton will be elected, and become, POTUS. But there ought to be a thingy for the odds of what might happen after 20th January 2017: I think there is a substantial possibility that she will (a) serve only one term, and not seek re-election for a second; (b) be impeached and removed from office; (c) resign due to legal difficulties; (d) resign due to poor health; (e) die in office. All of these possibilities are far more likely for Hillary than for any other normal modern POTUS.

    Bear in mind that Hillary is attempting to do something that has only been pulled off once since the 22nd Amendment fully applied, namely win a third term for the same party. Only Bush Sr has pulled it off in the post war era. In fact extending back to the start of the last century only 4 candidates have extended a parties run to 3 elections and two of them were called Roosevelt.

    If Hillary is successful in November she will be the first Democrat to follow a strictly two term predecessor since Martin van Buren won in 1840 following Andrew Jackson.
    IIRC, there have only been three occasions since the Civil War when a party has won four or more consecutive terms - the Republicans from 1860 to 1884, again from 1896 to 1912, and the Democrats from 1932 to 1952.

    Hilary Clinton is no Harry Truman. If she does win, it is very improbable that she will win the nomination again in 2020, even if she gets that far (goodness knows she found it hard enough this time).

    However, I would suggest under this scenario the value is in placing a bet, on about the 30th January, on Tim Kaine to be the next President, because it seems unlikely the Republicans will return to sanity in the next election and the barriers to Hilary even completing her term are fairly high,
  • Options
    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,149
    ToryJim said:

    JohnLoony said:

    Fifth, just like Martin Wolfram!

    I think Hillary Clinton will be elected, and become, POTUS. But there ought to be a thingy for the odds of what might happen after 20th January 2017: I think there is a substantial possibility that she will (a) serve only one term, and not seek re-election for a second; (b) be impeached and removed from office; (c) resign due to legal difficulties; (d) resign due to poor health; (e) die in office. All of these possibilities are far more likely for Hillary than for any other normal modern POTUS.

    Bear in mind that Hillary is attempting to do something that has only been pulled off once since the 22nd Amendment fully applied, namely win a third term for the same party. Only Bush Sr has pulled it off in the post war era. In fact extending back to the start of the last century only 4 candidates have extended a parties run to 3 elections and two of them were called Roosevelt.

    If Hillary is successful in November she will be the first Democrat to follow a strictly two term predecessor since Martin van Buren won in 1840 following Andrew Jackson.
    The relevant question is: Having done 2 terms, how often does the incumbent party win vs lose? You're cutting off at the 22nd Amendment but I'm not sure that's relevant because before that a lot of the times they keep the same party involved a change of president anyhow.

    Skimming through Wikipedia from 1900 I make it 4 wins, 4 losses. The 22nd Amendment cut-off gives you 1 win and 4 losses, but that's not much evidence that the challenger is favoured given how teensy the sample was, especially when you consider that one of the losses was basically a draw.
  • Options
    JonnyJimmyJonnyJimmy Posts: 2,548
    RobD said:



    Presumably it does show the total number of golds the EU could have won with a proper selection process. It would be interesting to see how many fewer silvers and bronzes the EU team would have won;

    Actually silvers should be right too in that table..
    I don't think one country gets two entries for each sport.
    Of course, you only have one in team sports.. So silvers would take a hit
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    PlatoSaid said:

    Moses_ said:

    FPT:

    THE BREXIT GAMES :)

    Almost all the training and development took place before the referendum, and of course we have not yet even started Brexit!.

    These are our last EU games...
    So we're bound to do better in Tokyo then, aren't we?
    The Olympics medals table Brexiters don't want you to see

    http://indy100.independent.co.uk/article/the-olympics-medals-table-brexiters-dont-want-you-to-see--WkSTPZqqDZ

    :smirk:
    Obviously, we all know that table is a statistical crock of shite; but...

    Presumably it does show the total number of golds the EU could have won with a proper selection process. It would be interesting to see how many fewer silvers and bronzes the EU team would have won; how many fewer athletes would have competed (and which countries would have lost the most athletes); and what percentage of the EU team and total EU medals would have been courtesy of the GB division.

    I hope someone's bored enough to work it out!
    What would a NATO table look like :wink: ?
    In Jezza world - the same as it does now!
  • Options
    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    Do we have any chance in the Mountain Biking? I'm guessing little in the Marathon though our two brothers will provide local drama.

    So it's the massive boxer with the degree in Fine Art for our last nail-biter?
  • Options
    PongPong Posts: 4,693
    edited August 2016
    Interesting article, TSE.

    The other way to bet against trump/clinton being on the ballot, is to lay both on betfair. The market assigns somewhere between a 2-3% chance that someone other than Clinton or Trump will be POTUS, so you could lay both now, then lay whoever replaces the dropped-out candidate to equalise your winnings.

    Anyway, big news is.... Sam Wang pretty much called it for Clinton a few hours ago;

    http://election.princeton.edu/

    Somewhere between 1/20 & 1/10, he thinks.

  • Options
    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419
    ToryJim said:

    JohnLoony said:

    Fifth, just like Martin Wolfram!

    I think Hillary Clinton will be elected, and become, POTUS. But there ought to be a thingy for the odds of what might happen after 20th January 2017: I think there is a substantial possibility that she will (a) serve only one term, and not seek re-election for a second; (b) be impeached and removed from office; (c) resign due to legal difficulties; (d) resign due to poor health; (e) die in office. All of these possibilities are far more likely for Hillary than for any other normal modern POTUS.

    Bear in mind that Hillary is attempting to do something that has only been pulled off once since the 22nd Amendment fully applied, namely win a third term for the same party. Only Bush Sr has pulled it off in the post war era. In fact extending back to the start of the last century only 4 candidates have extended a parties run to 3 elections and two of them were called Roosevelt.

    If Hillary is successful in November she will be the first Democrat to follow a strictly two term predecessor since Martin van Buren won in 1840 following Andrew Jackson.
    Van Buren won in 1836.

    I don't see someone with Hillary's drive for the office simply giving it up although the chances of political, legal or health problems forcing her hand are not insignificant. She may end up, like Truman or Johnson, withdrawing after performing poorly in the primaries.
  • Options
    ThreeQuidderThreeQuidder Posts: 6,133

    RobD said:



    Presumably it does show the total number of golds the EU could have won with a proper selection process. It would be interesting to see how many fewer silvers and bronzes the EU team would have won;

    Actually silvers should be right too in that table..
    I don't think one country gets two entries for each sport.
    Of course, you only have one in team sports.. So silvers would take a hit
    Rowing and the combat sports only get one each too, I think.
  • Options
    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    Moses_ said:

    The evidence provided has been reviewed in light of the the claimed ARSE movement and an official response from committee is as follows;

    It was found that although the said ARSE movement may have been "regular" and without use of any medicinal or natural enhancement the final "movement" was outside the area allocated for this process although fortunately on this occasion we don't have any video evidence to back it up. ( just like last time) . Judges have also reserved judgement on the Brazilian but did take take the rather unusual placement of a tattoo fully into account.

    Www.breakingwindnews/olympics16/latest.

    @Moses .... The First Commandment of PB :

    I am the Lord JackW and on the Sabbath day you shall not take the name of the ARSE in vain and you shall not bear false witness to the ARSE and covet no other.

    Honour Smithson, the father and his son of PB, that your days may be long upon the site which the Lord JackW and his ARSE doth also give you much profit.
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    JonnyJimmyJonnyJimmy Posts: 2,548
    RobD said:



    Presumably it does show the total number of golds the EU could have won with a proper selection process. It would be interesting to see how many fewer silvers and bronzes the EU team would have won;

    Actually silvers should be right too in that table..
    I don't think one country gets two entries for each sport.
    It is true for many individual events though isn't it? You get two spots if you have two good enough to qualify?
  • Options
    PlatoSaidPlatoSaid Posts: 10,383
    Oh my

    Euro Guido
    The Remainers house journal went to press before Brexit Britain won Olympic gold. Not as smart as they think. https://t.co/b8hzwE529r
  • Options
    JonnyJimmyJonnyJimmy Posts: 2,548
    edited August 2016
    This is more complicated than I first thought.. Presumably the EU would actually win more golds than the individual countries added together because all of the EU teams should in theory be at least as good as the best individual country.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,983
    ydoethur said:

    ToryJim said:

    JohnLoony said:

    Fifth, just like Martin Wolfram!

    I think Hillary Clinton will be elected, and become, POTUS. But there ought to be a thingy for the odds of what might happen after 20th January 2017: I think there is a substantial possibility that she will (a) serve only one term, and not seek re-election for a second; (b) be impeached and removed from office; (c) resign due to legal difficulties; (d) resign due to poor health; (e) die in office. All of these possibilities are far more likely for Hillary than for any other normal modern POTUS.

    Bear in mind that Hillary is attempting to do something that has only been pulled off once since the 22nd Amendment fully applied, namely win a third term for the same party. Only Bush Sr has pulled it off in the post war era. In fact extending back to the start of the last century only 4 candidates have extended a parties run to 3 elections and two of them were called Roosevelt.

    If Hillary is successful in November she will be the first Democrat to follow a strictly two term predecessor since Martin van Buren won in 1840 following Andrew Jackson.
    IIRC, there have only been three occasions since the Civil War when a party has won four or more consecutive terms - the Republicans from 1860 to 1884, again from 1896 to 1912, and the Democrats from 1932 to 1952.

    Hilary Clinton is no Harry Truman. If she does win, it is very improbable that she will win the nomination again in 2020, even if she gets that far (goodness knows she found it hard enough this time).

    However, I would suggest under this scenario the value is in placing a bet, on about the 30th January, on Tim Kaine to be the next President, because it seems unlikely the Republicans will return to sanity in the next election and the barriers to Hilary even completing her term are fairly high,
    As the incumbent president Hillary would almost certainly win the nomination in 2020 and unless things are really bad would most likely not face a primary challenger. If it is Hillary v Cruz in 2020 that is probably a 4th Democratic term in the White House completing a dominance to match the FDR-Truman eras and that of the GOP in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the GOP would still control Congress in all likelihood
  • Options
    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,149
    edited August 2016
    FPT David Rothschild on the LA Times tracker, which has been showing a very close race.
    http://predictwise.com/blog/2016/08/uscla-times-interesting-and-exciting-but-not-too-believable/

    tl;dr: They've got a single panel, weighted by previous vote recall, so they're polling the same people repeatedly. Previous vote recall is unreliable and their sample is probably wonky, but pay attention to it as a way to pick up trends quickly.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,983
    edited August 2016
    MaxPB said:

    I think Team GB have second place sewn up, China have just one medal chance today in the Wrestling where they are not the favourites.

    Yes even if China won gold in the wrestling GB would still beat them on silvers, Mo has sealed it and second place and the best GB performance at an Olympics since 1908 at the height of the British Empire.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,961

    RobD said:



    Presumably it does show the total number of golds the EU could have won with a proper selection process. It would be interesting to see how many fewer silvers and bronzes the EU team would have won;

    Actually silvers should be right too in that table..
    I don't think one country gets two entries for each sport.
    It is true for many individual events though isn't it? You get two spots if you have two good enough to qualify?
    I'm not sure what the rules are, but you definitely don't for the team sports (hockey is a good example). So the silver tally would be somewhat lower.
  • Options
    stodgestodge Posts: 12,847
    Morning all :)

    Logistics notwithstanding and ignoring the actuarial possibilities which could be applied to anyone in any situation, Trump is not so far behind as to make his removal from the ticket an inevitability. In any case, this is not about changing the leader of the party, the role of candidate is more nebulous than that.

    Not a bet for me. The more interesting potential "black swan" would be if Gary Johnson got into the debates but he's not going to make it I suspect.

    Congratulations to all our Olympians, whether successful or not and congratulations to all who take part - the moments or minutes of competition we see obscure months and years of dedication and training we don't.

    As a gambler who has walked close to the line of addiction in my time, I have some real concerns about the Lottery particularly the Scratchcards but if the money I and millions of others have poured into it in the last 20 years has been an integral factor in our success, I'll give myself a pat on the back.

    Perhaps Camelot can fund the Olympic Parades we seem destined to have.

    I've not commented much on the Labour leadership - I'm not a member or supporter of Labour and they can have as leader whomsoever they democratically choose.

    Corbyn's comment about the UK not militarily intervening if the Russians invade one of the Baltic States was however a comment I couldn't pass. Owen Smith's comment about negotiating with ISIS is silly - the salient point is ISIS don't negotiate with anyone so the entire point is moot.

    Corbyn on the other hand was directly undermining the key point of British defence and security policy since 1949 - an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. Rightly or wrongly, we are pledged to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (not the Ukraine) and their inclusion under the NATO umbrella provides the sole guarantee of their continued independence from Moscow. Without a guarantee, they are at risk of being overrun as they were in 1940.

    There is a wider question being asked (Trump is asking it too) about the role of NATO and many will ask if risking nuclear annihilation to save Tallinn or Riga is really something we should be doing - are they "far off countries of which we know nothing ?" Unfortunately, whether they are or not, unless we eject them from NATO, we are committed to their defence (as we are Turkey as well).
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,181
    HYUFD said:

    As the incumbent president Hillary would almost certainly win the nomination in 2020 and unless things are really bad would most likely not face a primary challenger. If it is Hillary v Cruz in 2020 that is probably a 4th Democratic term in the White House completing a dominance to match the FDR-Truman eras and that of the GOP in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the GOP would still control Congress in all likelihood

    It is true the last time an incumbent one-term* president was not the nominee was 1968. However, Clinton might well have lost this time had it not been for the early support of superdelegates building some momentum. If a younger, more radical and above all more honest candidate emerges before 2020 I think she would face a real fight and we all know how bad she is at close elections.

    *I know he served fifteen months of Kennedy's term too.
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,972
    edited August 2016
    On Owen Smith's “negotiations with ISIS”, I suspect it was a "never say never” point. AIUI the present leadership of ISIS is young or at best (worst?) middleaged. At some point, sometime, the fire is going to die down as happens to all revolutionay movements eventually, even religious ones. I understand the flow of recruits is now falling off a bit.

    I don’t think Smith was advocating or even expecting negotiations any time soon.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,983
    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    As the incumbent president Hillary would almost certainly win the nomination in 2020 and unless things are really bad would most likely not face a primary challenger. If it is Hillary v Cruz in 2020 that is probably a 4th Democratic term in the White House completing a dominance to match the FDR-Truman eras and that of the GOP in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the GOP would still control Congress in all likelihood

    It is true the last time an incumbent one-term* president was not the nominee was 1968. However, Clinton might well have lost this time had it not been for the early support of superdelegates building some momentum. If a younger, more radical and above all more honest candidate emerges before 2020 I think she would face a real fight and we all know how bad she is at close elections.

    *I know he served fifteen months of Kennedy's term too.
    1968 yes but that was at the height of the Vietnam War and with opponents like Eugene McCarthy and Bobby Kennedy and LBJ's Vice President still won the nomination in the end after he withdrew. The power of incumbency is huge and Bernie Sanders was the best the radicals could come up with, I don't see another Bobby Kennedy on the horizon at the moment
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    HYUFD said:

    MaxPB said:

    I think Team GB have second place sewn up, China have just one medal chance today in the Wrestling where they are not the favourites.

    Yes even if China won gold in the wrestling GB would still beat them on silvers, Mo has sealed it and second place and the best GB performance at an Olympics since 1908 at the height of the British Empire.
    In 1908 there were far fewer countries to compete with. It can justifiably be seen as our most successful Olympiad ever.


    Congratulations to the team and to the Brazillians for doing their bit.
  • Options
    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    stodge said:

    Morning all :)

    Logistics notwithstanding and ignoring the actuarial possibilities which could be applied to anyone in any situation, Trump is not so far behind as to make his removal from the ticket an inevitability. In any case, this is not about changing the leader of the party, the role of candidate is more nebulous than that.

    Not a bet for me. The more interesting potential "black swan" would be if Gary Johnson got into the debates but he's not going to make it I suspect.

    Congratulations to all our Olympians, whether successful or not and congratulations to all who take part - the moments or minutes of competition we see obscure months and years of dedication and training we don't.

    As a gambler who has walked close to the line of addiction in my time, I have some real concerns about the Lottery particularly the Scratchcards but if the money I and millions of others have poured into it in the last 20 years has been an integral factor in our success, I'll give myself a pat on the back.

    Perhaps Camelot can fund the Olympic Parades we seem destined to have.

    I've not commented much on the Labour leadership - I'm not a member or supporter of Labour and they can have as leader whomsoever they democratically choose.

    Corbyn's comment about the UK not militarily intervening if the Russians invade one of the Baltic States was however a comment I couldn't pass. Owen Smith's comment about negotiating with ISIS is silly - the salient point is ISIS don't negotiate with anyone so the entire point is moot.

    Corbyn on the other hand was directly undermining the key point of British defence and security policy since 1949 - an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. Rightly or wrongly, we are pledged to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (not the Ukraine) and their inclusion under the NATO umbrella provides the sole guarantee of their continued independence from Moscow. Without a guarantee, they are at risk of being overrun as they were in 1940.

    There is a wider question being asked (Trump is asking it too) about the role of NATO and many will ask if risking nuclear annihilation to save Tallinn or Riga is really something we should be doing - are they "far off countries of which we know nothing ?" Unfortunately, whether they are or not, unless we eject them from NATO, we are committed to their defence (as we are Turkey as well).

    Smith wishing to negotiate with ISIS who never negotiate is just " tokenism" isn't it?
  • Options
    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865

    On Owen Smith's “negotiations with ISIS”, I suspect it was a "never say never” point. AIUI the present leadership of ISIS is young or at best (worst?) middleaged. At some point, sometime, the fire is going to die down as happens to all revolutionay movements eventually, even religious ones. I understand the flow of recruits is now falling off a bit.

    I don’t think Smith was advocating or even expecting negotiations any time soon.

    Ha..so I was right just tokenism then. :lol:
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,181
    HYUFD said:

    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    As the incumbent president Hillary would almost certainly win the nomination in 2020 and unless things are really bad would most likely not face a primary challenger. If it is Hillary v Cruz in 2020 that is probably a 4th Democratic term in the White House completing a dominance to match the FDR-Truman eras and that of the GOP in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the GOP would still control Congress in all likelihood

    It is true the last time an incumbent one-term* president was not the nominee was 1968. However, Clinton might well have lost this time had it not been for the early support of superdelegates building some momentum. If a younger, more radical and above all more honest candidate emerges before 2020 I think she would face a real fight and we all know how bad she is at close elections.

    *I know he served fifteen months of Kennedy's term too.
    1968 yes but that was at the height of the Vietnam War and with opponents like Eugene McCarthy and Bobby Kennedy and LBJ's Vice President still won the nomination in the end after he withdrew. The power of incumbency is huge and Bernie Sanders was the best the radicals could come up with, I don't see another Bobby Kennedy on the horizon at the moment
    I wouldn't say Humphrey 'won' the nomination exactly...more 'was granted' the nomination. He didn't even contest any primaries. And he only lost narrowly, true.

    Bobby Kennedy effectively only entered the 1968 race after Johnson had decided to withdraw. So it's a McCarthy you should be looking for.

    I am pleased you are so sanguine about the prospects for international peace with an erratic and unstable adventurer like Hilary Clinton at the helm. I must confess I am less optimistic, although hopefully no tangle she causes will be as disastrous as Vietnam.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,721

    On Owen Smith's “negotiations with ISIS”, I suspect it was a "never say never” point. AIUI the present leadership of ISIS is young or at best (worst?) middleaged. At some point, sometime, the fire is going to die down as happens to all revolutionay movements eventually, even religious ones. I understand the flow of recruits is now falling off a bit.

    I don’t think Smith was advocating or even expecting negotiations any time soon.

    No doubt he wasn't, but whatever he meant he said it such a stupid way he made Corbyn look the safer option. I believe he was trying to show 'statesman' credentials by pushing dialogue a la Ireland, as well as making a play for Corbynite anti war votes, and forgot that you cannot really even be seen to support negotiations until the right moment, when the public and both sides are ready, or else it is taken as weakness, you do it in secret. Even if make that caveat, do it too soon, and people will think you mean now.

    But really the problem seems to be that smith has turned out to be a bit of a prat.
  • Options
    stodgestodge Posts: 12,847
    HYUFD said:



    As the incumbent president Hillary would almost certainly win the nomination in 2020 and unless things are really bad would most likely not face a primary challenger. If it is Hillary v Cruz in 2020 that is probably a 4th Democratic term in the White House completing a dominance to match the FDR-Truman eras and that of the GOP in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the GOP would still control Congress in all likelihood

    She'll be roughly the same age in 2020 as Reagan was in 1984 so if her health holds up, that shouldn't be an issue though I would argue the nature of the role has become even more intense - it has visibly aged Obama and I now have time to make a coffee between his sentences.

    The real question will be how the GOP manages defeat - Stodge's Second Law of Politics states that how a Party deals a defeat is more important than how it deals with victory.

    The US system allows for a clean slate in a way the British system doesn't. A Party can come back four years after a later with a completely new candidate espousing completely different policies and the process by which this has happened has gone virtually unnoticed.

    We are always told (especially by the pro-GOP supporters on here) about the wealth of talent in the GOP ranks (yet they chose Trump). Ryan would be the obvious choice especially if he remains Speaker for a couple more years and would be barely 50 in 2020.

    As an aside, IF Trump wins, I'd expect a midterm bloodbath for the GOP losing both the Senate and the House (a reverse 1994 if you like).


  • Options
    Moses_Moses_ Posts: 4,865
    edited August 2016
    JackW said:

    Moses_ said:

    The evidence provided has been reviewed in light of the the claimed ARSE movement and an official response from committee is as follows;

    It was found that although the said ARSE movement may have been "regular" and without use of any medicinal or natural enhancement the final "movement" was outside the area allocated for this process although fortunately on this occasion we don't have any video evidence to back it up. ( just like last time) . Judges have also reserved judgement on the Brazilian but did take take the rather unusual placement of a tattoo fully into account.

    Www.breakingwindnews/olympics16/latest.

    @Moses .... The First Commandment of PB :

    I am the Lord JackW and on the Sabbath day you shall not take the name of the ARSE in vain and you shall not bear false witness to the ARSE and covet no other.

    Honour Smithson, the father and his son of PB, that your days may be long upon the site which the Lord JackW and his ARSE doth also give you much profit.
    I should be more gracious indeed to ARSE master of great wisdom and age.
    Thank you oh great Lord for personally opening the great tome to show a lesser mortal where these great words are written

    http://tinyurl.com/jjsloee
  • Options
    stodgestodge Posts: 12,847
    Moses_ said:


    Smith wishing to negotiate with ISIS who never negotiate is just " tokenism" isn't it?

    It's up there with "Brexit means Brexit" in my view as something he didn't need to say but said and has then got into trouble for saying it.


  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,181
    Moses_ said:

    JackW said:

    Moses_ said:

    The evidence provided has been reviewed in light of the the claimed ARSE movement and an official response from committee is as follows;

    It was found that although the said ARSE movement may have been "regular" and without use of any medicinal or natural enhancement the final "movement" was outside the area allocated for this process although fortunately on this occasion we don't have any video evidence to back it up. ( just like last time) . Judges have also reserved judgement on the Brazilian but did take take the rather unusual placement of a tattoo fully into account.

    Www.breakingwindnews/olympics16/latest.

    @Moses .... The First Commandment of PB :

    I am the Lord JackW and on the Sabbath day you shall not take the name of the ARSE in vain and you shall not bear false witness to the ARSE and covet no other.

    Honour Smithson, the father and his son of PB, that your days may be long upon the site which the Lord JackW and his ARSE doth also give you much profit.
    I should be more gracious indeed to ARSE master of great wisdom and age.
    Thank you oh great Lord for personally opening the great tome to show a lesser mortal where these great words are written

    http://tinyurl.com/jjsloee
    Surely you mean you will worship the entire ARSE, whole?

    I'll get my coat, as I'm due to be playing the organ directly...
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172
    edited August 2016
    stodge said:

    Morning all :)

    Corbyn's comment about the UK not militarily intervening if the Russians invade one of the Baltic States was however a comment I couldn't pass. Owen Smith's comment about negotiating with ISIS is silly - the salient point is ISIS don't negotiate with anyone so the entire point is moot.

    Corbyn on the other hand was directly undermining the key point of British defence and security policy since 1949 - an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. Rightly or wrongly, we are pledged to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (not the Ukraine) and their inclusion under the NATO umbrella provides the sole guarantee of their continued independence from Moscow. Without a guarantee, they are at risk of being overrun as they were in 1940.

    I think the Baltics are safe, but Ukraine is a different matter. Of course, Ukraine is not currently a member of NATO, but there are worrying signs that it might be allowed or (even worse) encouraged to join.

    Ukraine is like the old Yugoslavia. In the absence of a truly exceptional leader, the Ukraine is simply not, long term, sustainable as a country. The differences between the West and the East of the Ukraine are too great.

    Everyone I know both in Russia and in the Ukraine expects this country to split in two. A war is coming in the Ukraine, probably within the next few years.

    I see no reason why we should meddle into it. In fact, we should be encouraging the Ukraine to accept the inevitable and to split into two rather more viable states, which could pursue different long-term strategies.

    Corbyn’s comments do make some sense in this context.

    We should not allow NATO to be dragged into wars protecting the (artificial) boundaries of the old Soviet states in the former USSR.



  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,983

    HYUFD said:

    MaxPB said:

    I think Team GB have second place sewn up, China have just one medal chance today in the Wrestling where they are not the favourites.

    Yes even if China won gold in the wrestling GB would still beat them on silvers, Mo has sealed it and second place and the best GB performance at an Olympics since 1908 at the height of the British Empire.
    In 1908 there were far fewer countries to compete with. It can justifiably be seen as our most successful Olympiad ever.


    Congratulations to the team and to the Brazillians for doing their bit.
    Yes a great achievement
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,983
    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    As the incumbent president Hillary would almost certainly win the nomination in 2020 and unless things are really bad would most likely not face a primary challenger. If it is Hillary v Cruz in 2020 that is probably a 4th Democratic term in the White House completing a dominance to match the FDR-Truman eras and that of the GOP in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the GOP would still control Congress in all likelihood

    It is true the last time an incumbent one-term* president was not the nominee was 1968. However, Clinton might well have lost this time had it not been for the early support of superdelegates building some momentum. If a younger, more radical and above all more honest candidate emerges before 2020 I think she would face a real fight and we all know how bad she is at close elections.

    *I know he served fifteen months of Kennedy's term too.
    1968 yes but that was at the height of the Vietnam War and with opponents like Eugene McCarthy and Bobby Kennedy and LBJ's Vice President still won the nomination in the end after he withdrew. The power of incumbency is huge and Bernie Sanders was the best the radicals could come up with, I don't see another Bobby Kennedy on the horizon at the moment
    I wouldn't say Humphrey 'won' the nomination exactly...more 'was granted' the nomination. He didn't even contest any primaries. And he only lost narrowly, true.

    Bobby Kennedy effectively only entered the 1968 race after Johnson had decided to withdraw. So it's a McCarthy you should be looking for.

    I am pleased you are so sanguine about the prospects for international peace with an erratic and unstable adventurer like Hilary Clinton at the helm. I must confess I am less optimistic, although hopefully no tangle she causes will be as disastrous as Vietnam.
    McCarthy was effectively a stalking horse for Bobby Kennedy and Humphrey's eventual nomination suggests the only likely alternative nominee to her for the Democrats in 2020 is Kaine.

    Vietnam saw U.S. ground troops facing fatalities and casualties every day and most young Americans send over their because of the draft, the U.S. is not involved in any conflict on that scale today and especially after withdrawing ground troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. Whatever Hillary does I cannot see her invoking the draft again even if she sent ground troops into Syria, Libya or the Baltic States or South Korea
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,859

    stodge said:

    Morning all :)

    Corbyn's comment about the UK not militarily intervening if the Russians invade one of the Baltic States was however a comment I couldn't pass. Owen Smith's comment about negotiating with ISIS is silly - the salient point is ISIS don't negotiate with anyone so the entire point is moot.

    Corbyn on the other hand was directly undermining the key point of British defence and security policy since 1949 - an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. Rightly or wrongly, we are pledged to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (not the Ukraine) and their inclusion under the NATO umbrella provides the sole guarantee of their continued independence from Moscow. Without a guarantee, they are at risk of being overrun as they were in 1940.

    I think the Baltics are safe, but Ukraine is a different matter. Of course, Ukraine is not currently a member of NATO, but there are worrying signs that it might be allowed or (even worse) encouraged to join.

    Ukraine is like the old Yugoslavia. In the absence of a truly exceptional leader, the Ukraine is simply not, long term, sustainable as a country. The differences between the West and the East of the Ukraine are too great.

    Everyone I know both in Russia and in the Ukraine expects this country to split in two. A war is coming in the Ukraine, probably within the next few years.

    I see no reason why we should meddle into it. In fact, we should be encouraging the Ukraine to accept the inevitable and to split into two rather more viable states, which could pursue different long-term strategies.

    Corbyn’s comments do make some sense in this context.

    We should not allow NATO to be dragged into wars protecting the (artificial) boundaries of the old Soviet states in the former USSR.
    There's a difference between allowing a split in Ukraine (think Czechoslovakia) and standing by while allowing Putin to invade Ukraine against their will.
  • Options
    GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 20,803
    edited August 2016



    In 1908 there were far fewer countries to compete with. It can justifiably be seen as our most successful Olympiad ever.


    Congratulations to the team and to the Brazillians for doing their bit.

    I guess you can also say congratulations to Sir John Major (who introduced the lottery, the proceeds of which have been used to fund our athlete's) I guess after nearly 20 years since he lost power he finally has a legacy...



  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,983
    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:



    As the incumbent president Hillary would almost certainly win the nomination in 2020 and unless things are really bad would most likely not face a primary challenger. If it is Hillary v Cruz in 2020 that is probably a 4th Democratic term in the White House completing a dominance to match the FDR-Truman eras and that of the GOP in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the GOP would still control Congress in all likelihood

    She'll be roughly the same age in 2020 as Reagan was in 1984 so if her health holds up, that shouldn't be an issue though I would argue the nature of the role has become even more intense - it has visibly aged Obama and I now have time to make a coffee between his sentences.

    The real question will be how the GOP manages defeat - Stodge's Second Law of Politics states that how a Party deals a defeat is more important than how it deals with victory.

    The US system allows for a clean slate in a way the British system doesn't. A Party can come back four years after a later with a completely new candidate espousing completely different policies and the process by which this has happened has gone virtually unnoticed.

    We are always told (especially by the pro-GOP supporters on here) about the wealth of talent in the GOP ranks (yet they chose Trump). Ryan would be the obvious choice especially if he remains Speaker for a couple more years and would be barely 50 in 2020.

    As an aside, IF Trump wins, I'd expect a midterm bloodbath for the GOP losing both the Senate and the House (a reverse 1994 if you like).


    As you say Hillary will still likely be healthy enough in 2020 and if the GOP lose the base will likely decide Trump was too socially liberal and pick a social conservative like Cruz. Ryan was on the losing 2012 ticket and will not give up the position of U.S. Speaker to make a likely futile run for president in 2020. Whether Hillary or Trump wins they will almost certainly lose the mid terms in 2018
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,972
    stodge said:

    Moses_ said:


    Smith wishing to negotiate with ISIS who never negotiate is just " tokenism" isn't it?

    It's up there with "Brexit means Brexit" in my view as something he didn't need to say but said and has then got into trouble for saying it.


    Yup. Mrr Kle4’s comment also applies.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,181


    We should not allow NATO to be dragged into wars protecting the (artificial) boundaries of the old Soviet states in the former USSR.

    I'm afraid you have it backwards Bard. It's Ukrainian territory that had massive Russian immigration to it due to the murders of the native peoples (mostly Cossacks) under Stalin, starting to a lesser extent with Rusification under the Tsars, paused under Khrushchev, and more or less completed under Brezhnev.

    It is not in any way comparable toYugoslavia, where several different ethnic groups were uneasily amalgamated into one state. Northern Ireland would be the nearest parallel, or perhaps the Israeli settlements on the West Bank. But what happened in Ukraine was a hell of a lot nastier than what happened to the Ulster Irish or even the Palestinians. Until you understand that, you won't understand the extent of the problem. Crimea, which was after all part of Russia until 1954, was a very different matter.

    It may have to split in the end. But that will still be a naked land-grab by Russia, albeit one that the current country didn't instigate and merely took advantage of.

    I also think you underestimate the real fear that Putin is after first the Donbass, and next, the Ukraine. Remember that originally Russia *was* what is now the Ukraine, and the first capital of Rus was Kiev. Putin may well want to emulate Lenin and Trotsky by seizing an independent Ukraine and incorporating it back into a Russian Empire that had surrendered it very reluctantly in the first place.
  • Options
    DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:



    As the incumbent president Hillary would almost certainly win the nomination in 2020 and unless things are really bad would most likely not face a primary challenger. If it is Hillary v Cruz in 2020 that is probably a 4th Democratic term in the White House completing a dominance to match the FDR-Truman eras and that of the GOP in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the GOP would still control Congress in all likelihood

    She'll be roughly the same age in 2020 as Reagan was in 1984 so if her health holds up, that shouldn't be an issue though I would argue the nature of the role has become even more intense - it has visibly aged Obama and I now have time to make a coffee between his sentences.

    The real question will be how the GOP manages defeat - Stodge's Second Law of Politics states that how a Party deals a defeat is more important than how it deals with victory.

    The US system allows for a clean slate in a way the British system doesn't. A Party can come back four years after a later with a completely new candidate espousing completely different policies and the process by which this has happened has gone virtually unnoticed.

    We are always told (especially by the pro-GOP supporters on here) about the wealth of talent in the GOP ranks (yet they chose Trump). Ryan would be the obvious choice especially if he remains Speaker for a couple more years and would be barely 50 in 2020.

    As an aside, IF Trump wins, I'd expect a midterm bloodbath for the GOP losing both the Senate and the House (a reverse 1994 if you like).


    Be careful backing Ryan. As Boehner just found, Speaker can be an impossible job because there are a lot of Republicans (and mainly Tea Party) in Congress who do not follow the normal political conventions and just will not compromise on anything at all. Four years as Speaker could break Ryan as easily as make him.

  • Options
    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Is there a market on Galloway rejoining labour?

    @georgeeaton: George Galloway on why Respect has deregistered itself: "because we support Corbyn's Labour Party".
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,052
    ydoethur said:


    We should not allow NATO to be dragged into wars protecting the (artificial) boundaries of the old Soviet states in the former USSR.

    I'm afraid you have it backwards Bard. It's Ukrainian territory that had massive Russian immigration to it due to the murders of the native peoples (mostly Cossacks) under Stalin, starting to a lesser extent with Rusification under the Tsars, paused under Khrushchev, and more or less completed under Brezhnev.

    It is not in any way comparable toYugoslavia, where several different ethnic groups were uneasily amalgamated into one state. Northern Ireland would be the nearest parallel, or perhaps the Israeli settlements on the West Bank. But what happened in Ukraine was a hell of a lot nastier than what happened to the Ulster Irish or even the Palestinians. Until you understand that, you won't understand the extent of the problem. Crimea, which was after all part of Russia until 1954, was a very different matter.

    It may have to split in the end. But that will still be a naked land-grab by Russia, albeit one that the current country didn't instigate and merely took advantage of.

    I also think you underestimate the real fear that Putin is after first the Donbass, and next, the Ukraine. Remember that originally Russia *was* what is now the Ukraine, and the first capital of Rus was Kiev. Putin may well want to emulate Lenin and Trotsky by seizing an independent Ukraine and incorporating it back into a Russian Empire that had surrendered it very reluctantly in the first place.
    I don't think Northern Ireland or the West Bank are good analogies. Ukraine is a Russian state in the same sense that Austria is a German state. The problem is that neither they nor the Russians currently see it that way.
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172
    ydoethur said:


    We should not allow NATO to be dragged into wars protecting the (artificial) boundaries of the old Soviet states in the former USSR.

    I'm afraid you have it backwards Bard. It's Ukrainian territory that had massive Russian immigration to it due to the murders of the native peoples (mostly Cossacks) under Stalin, starting to a lesser extent with Rusification under the Tsars, paused under Khrushchev, and more or less completed under Brezhnev.

    I also think you underestimate the real fear that Putin is after first the Donbass, and next, the Ukraine. Remember that originally Russia *was* what is now the Ukraine, and the first capital of Rus was Kiev. Putin may well want to emulate Lenin and Trotsky by seizing an independent Ukraine and incorporating it back into a Russian Empire that had surrendered it very reluctantly in the first place.
    I don’t believe it is possible to undo the population movements & changes of the 18th, 19th and 20th century (otherwise Crimea would be returned to the Tartars).

    Given where we are, I think it is pointless trying to maintain the territorial integrity of a state that cannot work.

    I think the country that will become Eastern Ukraine will end up including the Donbass.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,721
    Sandpit said:

    stodge said:

    Morning all :)

    Corbyn's comment about the UK not militarily intervening if the Russians invade one of the Baltic States was however a comment I couldn't pass. Owen Smith's comment about negotiating with ISIS is silly - the salient point is ISIS don't negotiate with anyone so the entire point is moot.

    Corbyn on the other hand was directly undermining the key point of British defence and security policy since 1949 - an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. Rightly or wrongly, we are pledged to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (not the Ukraine) and their inclusion under the NATO umbrella provides the sole guarantee of their continued independence from Moscow. Without a guarantee, they are at risk of being overrun as they were in 1940.

    I thin
    There's a difference between allowing a split in Ukraine (think Czechoslovakia) and standing by while allowing Putin to invade Ukraine against their will.
    Quite. If we're brutal, that many in Ukraine wanted to turn more West has turned out to be a headache (and then a disaster) but people are allowed to want that (I don't buy the argument some have about it being the EU's fault for 'meddling' in Russia's sphere of influence, since if Ukraine wants to turn away from that sphere, why cannot it do so). Now, there would have been problems there regardless, as plenty of the country still looks to Russia, but that doesn't make what has happened and is happening ok.

    As for the point about Corbyn's comments making some sense in contexts, well everyone makes a little sense now and then. Corbyn is the ultimate broken clock, his positions are fixed, new events are slotted into existed positions without any hesitation (we know this to be the case since the inflexibility of his ideology, which informs those views, is a key part of his appeal), and sometimes he will even be right, but for the wrong reasons.
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,972

    ydoethur said:


    We should not allow NATO to be dragged into wars protecting the (artificial) boundaries of the old Soviet states in the former USSR.

    I'm afraid you have it backwards Bard. It's Ukrainian territory that had massive Russian immigration to it due to the murders of the native peoples (mostly Cossacks) under Stalin, starting to a lesser extent with Rusification under the Tsars, paused under Khrushchev, and more or less completed under Brezhnev.

    I also think you underestimate the real fear that Putin is after first the Donbass, and next, the Ukraine. Remember that originally Russia *was* what is now the Ukraine, and the first capital of Rus was Kiev. Putin may well want to emulate Lenin and Trotsky by seizing an independent Ukraine and incorporating it back into a Russian Empire that had surrendered it very reluctantly in the first place.
    I don’t believe it is possible to undo the population movements & changes of the 18th, 19th and 20th century (otherwise Crimea would be returned to the Tartars).

    Given where we are, I think it is pointless trying to maintain the territorial integrity of a state that cannot work.

    I think the country that will become Eastern Ukraine will end up including the Donbass.
    How important, economically, would be the Donbass to rUkraine?

    And, if the current leadership of Belarus wasn’t pre-Russian, would we be seeing a Ukraine-type situation there.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,052
    kle4 said:

    Sandpit said:

    stodge said:

    Morning all :)

    Corbyn's comment about the UK not militarily intervening if the Russians invade one of the Baltic States was however a comment I couldn't pass. Owen Smith's comment about negotiating with ISIS is silly - the salient point is ISIS don't negotiate with anyone so the entire point is moot.

    Corbyn on the other hand was directly undermining the key point of British defence and security policy since 1949 - an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. Rightly or wrongly, we are pledged to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (not the Ukraine) and their inclusion under the NATO umbrella provides the sole guarantee of their continued independence from Moscow. Without a guarantee, they are at risk of being overrun as they were in 1940.

    I thin
    There's a difference between allowing a split in Ukraine (think Czechoslovakia) and standing by while allowing Putin to invade Ukraine against their will.
    Quite. If we're brutal, that many in Ukraine wanted to turn more West has turned out to be a headache (and then a disaster) but people are allowed to want that (I don't buy the argument some have about it being the EU's fault for 'meddling' in Russia's sphere of influence, since if Ukraine wants to turn away from that sphere, why cannot it do so). Now, there would have been problems there regardless, as plenty of the country still looks to Russia, but that doesn't make what has happened and is happening ok.
    The tragedy is that since the end of the Cold War we've allowed Europe to slip back to a position where looking 'East' or 'West' has such significance.
  • Options
    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419

    kle4 said:

    Sandpit said:

    stodge said:

    Morning all :)

    Corbyn's comment about the UK not militarily intervening if the Russians invade one of the Baltic States was however a comment I couldn't pass. Owen Smith's comment about negotiating with ISIS is silly - the salient point is ISIS don't negotiate with anyone so the entire point is moot.

    Corbyn on the other hand was directly undermining the key point of British defence and security policy since 1949 - an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. Rightly or wrongly, we are pledged to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (not the Ukraine) and their inclusion under the NATO umbrella provides the sole guarantee of their continued independence from Moscow. Without a guarantee, they are at risk of being overrun as they were in 1940.

    I thin
    There's a difference between allowing a split in Ukraine (think Czechoslovakia) and standing by while allowing Putin to invade Ukraine against their will.
    Quite. If we're brutal, that many in Ukraine wanted to turn more West has turned out to be a headache (and then a disaster) but people are allowed to want that (I don't buy the argument some have about it being the EU's fault for 'meddling' in Russia's sphere of influence, since if Ukraine wants to turn away from that sphere, why cannot it do so). Now, there would have been problems there regardless, as plenty of the country still looks to Russia, but that doesn't make what has happened and is happening ok.
    The tragedy is that since the end of the Cold War we've allowed Europe to slip back to a position where looking 'East' or 'West' has such significance.
    Spheres of influence belong to the 19th and 20th centuries. If self-determination means anything then it must mean the right for a country's government - elected by the people - to determine who it chooses as its allies and partners. To write off Ukraine, the Baltics and so on simply because Russia isn't keen, when they want our friendship and partnership would be to deny them their right to full statehood and imply that any request they make must be referred to Moscow first.
  • Options
    kjohnwkjohnw Posts: 1,456
    HYUFD said:

    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:



    As the incumbent president Hillary would almost certainly win the nomination in 2020 and unless things are really bad would most likely not face a primary challenger. If it is Hillary v Cruz in 2020 that is probably a 4th Democratic term in the White House completing a dominance to match the FDR-Truman eras and that of the GOP in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the GOP would still control Congress in all likelihood

    She'll be roughly the same age in 2020 as Reagan was in 1984 so if her health holds up, that shouldn't be an issue though I would argue the nature of the role has become even more intense - it has visibly aged Obama and I now have time to make a coffee between his sentences.

    The real question will be how the GOP manages defeat - Stodge's Second Law of Politics states that how a Party deals a defeat is more important than how it deals with victory.

    The US system allows for a clean slate in a way the British system doesn't. A Party can come back four years after a later with a completely new candidate espousing completely different policies and the process by which this has happened has gone virtually unnoticed.

    We are always told (especially by the pro-GOP supporters on here) about the wealth of talent in the GOP ranks (yet they chose Trump). Ryan would be the obvious choice especially if he remains Speaker for a couple more years and would be barely 50 in 2020.

    As an aside, IF Trump wins, I'd expect a midterm bloodbath for the GOP losing both the Senate and the House (a reverse 1994 if you like).


    As you say Hillary will still likely be healthy enough in 2020 and if the GOP lose the base will likely decide Trump was too socially liberal and pick a social conservative like Cruz. Ryan was on the losing 2012 ticket and will not give up the position of U.S. Speaker to make a likely futile run for president in 2020. Whether Hillary or Trump wins they will almost certainly lose the mid terms in 2018
    i'm not so sure her health will hold up lots of reports on internet about her getting seizures and constant coughing

    https://youtu.be/YMHOcmDVBP0
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,721

    kle4 said:

    Sandpit said:

    stodge said:

    Morning all :)

    Corbyn's comment about the UK not militarily intervening if the Russians invade one of the Baltic States was however a comment I couldn't pass. Owen Smith's comment about negotiating with ISIS is silly - the salient point is ISIS don't negotiate with anyone so the entire point is moot.

    Corbyn on the other hand was directly undermining the key point of British defence and security policy since 1949 - an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. Rightly or wrongly, we are pledged to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (not the Ukraine) and their inclusion under the NATO umbrella provides the sole guarantee of their continued independence from Moscow. Without a guarantee, they are at risk of being overrun as they were in 1940.

    I thin
    There's a difference between allowing a split in Ukraine (think Czechoslovakia) and standing by while allowing Putin to invade Ukraine against their will.
    Quite. If we're brutal, that many in Ukraine wanted to turn more West has turned out to be a headache (and then a disaster) but people are allowed to want that (I don't buy the argument some have about it being the EU's fault for 'meddling' in Russia's sphere of influence, since if Ukraine wants to turn away from that sphere, why cannot it do so). Now, there would have been problems there regardless, as plenty of the country still looks to Russia, but that doesn't make what has happened and is happening ok.
    The tragedy is that since the end of the Cold War we've allowed Europe to slip back to a position where looking 'East' or 'West' has such significance.
    People need labels to feel a sense of belonging to a larger group. The European identity is not strong enough in Britain to sacrifice individual national identity, but it and 'The West' is still stronger than general connection to some vague notion of shared humanity, and Russia has, I think, long had a sense of identity on the outside of that European identity in some ways. It's not the same divisions as the Cold War exactly, but without changing human nature I don't see how it will end any time soon.

    Good day all.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    From the BBC Olympic livefeed. Lochte continues to be a fool:
    ""I wasn't lying to a certain extent. I over-exaggerated what was happening to me," he said."
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,721

    From the BBC Olympic livefeed. Lochte continues to be a fool:
    ""I wasn't lying to a certain extent. I over-exaggerated what was happening to me," he said."

    What a douche.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    King Cole, could be wrong, but I think Belarus has been the most pro-Russian of the ex-Soviet states by a long stretch, for a long time.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,052
    kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Sandpit said:

    stodge said:

    Morning all :)

    Corbyn's comment about the UK not militarily intervening if the Russians invade one of the Baltic States was however a comment I couldn't pass. Owen Smith's comment about negotiating with ISIS is silly - the salient point is ISIS don't negotiate with anyone so the entire point is moot.

    Corbyn on the other hand was directly undermining the key point of British defence and security policy since 1949 - an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. Rightly or wrongly, we are pledged to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (not the Ukraine) and their inclusion under the NATO umbrella provides the sole guarantee of their continued independence from Moscow. Without a guarantee, they are at risk of being overrun as they were in 1940.

    I thin
    There's a difference between allowing a split in Ukraine (think Czechoslovakia) and standing by while allowing Putin to invade Ukraine against their will.
    Quite. If we're brutal, that many in Ukraine wanted to turn more West has turned out to be a headache (and then a disaster) but people are allowed to want that (I don't buy the argument some have about it being the EU's fault for 'meddling' in Russia's sphere of influence, since if Ukraine wants to turn away from that sphere, why cannot it do so). Now, there would have been problems there regardless, as plenty of the country still looks to Russia, but that doesn't make what has happened and is happening ok.
    The tragedy is that since the end of the Cold War we've allowed Europe to slip back to a position where looking 'East' or 'West' has such significance.
    People need labels to feel a sense of belonging to a larger group. The European identity is not strong enough in Britain to sacrifice individual national identity, but it and 'The West' is still stronger than general connection to some vague notion of shared humanity, and Russia has, I think, long had a sense of identity on the outside of that European identity in some ways. It's not the same divisions as the Cold War exactly, but without changing human nature I don't see how it will end any time soon.

    Good day all.
    A good thing to aim for would be a free trade area from the Atlantic to the Urals. The long term relationship between the EU and Russia has too much geopolitical significance for it to be kicked into the long grass as too difficult.
  • Options
    ToryJimToryJim Posts: 3,404
    If Hillary wins in November then she will almost certainly be the nominee in 2020. It is difficult to imagine any plausible scenario where she wouldn't be. That means it will be down to the GOP to prevent her taking the oath a second time.

    The demographics that are trending democrat will still be going that way so the Republicans will need a far more appealing candidate next time round. I think they will learn some important lessons from this year about not having an overcrowded field etc. It's difficult to contemplate what else they might do, as to who might wander through their nomination process that's really unclear. One name I'd expect to see in 2020 running is Nikki Haley, she'll be under 50 still and for a southern republican she actually seems sane.
  • Options
    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    On Ukraine:

    It is a newly emerged state, so much the same as Poland in 1919, which was by and large part of the Russian Empire too, albeit with some parts from Austria and Germany too.

    West Ukraine was Hapsburg Galicia, and going back further much of West Ukraine was also part of the Grand Duchy of Poland and Lithuania, with Crimea and other parts under Ottoman control.

    East Ukraine only really developed in 19th and early twentieth centuries with Russian agricultural and military settlements then the industrialisation of the late Czarist and Soviet periods.

    It is not for us to partition the country, and I think it quite unclear how much any part of the Ukraine really wants to be part of Putin's empire. West Ukraine certainly does not want that, and East Ukraine is ambivalent at best.

    Personally, I would far rather have Russia onside with NATO to face the common enemy of Islamism.

    Sabre rattling over this has got quite serious once more:

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-18/separatist-shelling-kills-most-ukrainian-soldiers-in-a-year
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    Mr. Glenn, the EU wanting free trade (but not free movement) with Russia whilst refusing that with the UK would be an interesting move.

    [Assuming you're not suggesting free movement should include Russia].
  • Options
    ToryJimToryJim Posts: 3,404
    kjohnw said:

    HYUFD said:

    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:



    As the incumbent president Hillary would almost certainly win the nomination in 2020 and unless things are really bad would most likely not face a primary challenger. If it is Hillary v Cruz in 2020 that is probably a 4th Democratic term in the White House completing a dominance to match the FDR-Truman eras and that of the GOP in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the GOP would still control Congress in all likelihood

    She'll be roughly the same age in 2020 as Reagan was in 1984 so if her health holds up, that shouldn't be an issue though I would argue the nature of the role has become even more intense - it has visibly aged Obama and I now have time to make a coffee between his sentences.

    The real question will be how the GOP manages defeat - Stodge's Second Law of Politics states that how a Party deals a defeat is more important than how it deals with victory.

    The US system allows for a clean slate in a way the British system doesn't. A Party can come back four years after a later with a completely new candidate espousing completely different policies and the process by which this has happened has gone virtually unnoticed.

    We are always told (especially by the pro-GOP supporters on here) about the wealth of talent in the GOP ranks (yet they chose Trump). Ryan would be the obvious choice especially if he remains Speaker for a couple more years and would be barely 50 in 2020.

    As an aside, IF Trump wins, I'd expect a midterm bloodbath for the GOP losing both the Senate and the House (a reverse 1994 if you like).


    As you say Hillary will still likely be healthy enough in 2020 and if the GOP lose the base will likely decide Trump was too socially liberal and pick a social conservative like Cruz. Ryan was on the losing 2012 ticket and will not give up the position of U.S. Speaker to make a likely futile run for president in 2020. Whether Hillary or Trump wins they will almost certainly lose the mid terms in 2018
    i'm not so sure her health will hold up lots of reports on internet about her getting seizures and constant coughing

    https://youtu.be/YMHOcmDVBP0
    That is not a seizure, that is someone being startled and exaggeratedly repeating it.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,052

    Mr. Glenn, the EU wanting free trade (but not free movement) with Russia whilst refusing that with the UK would be an interesting move.

    [Assuming you're not suggesting free movement should include Russia].

    Mutual visa liberalisation needs to be one of the priorities, certainly.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,983
    ToryJim said:

    If Hillary wins in November then she will almost certainly be the nominee in 2020. It is difficult to imagine any plausible scenario where she wouldn't be. That means it will be down to the GOP to prevent her taking the oath a second time.

    The demographics that are trending democrat will still be going that way so the Republicans will need a far more appealing candidate next time round. I think they will learn some important lessons from this year about not having an overcrowded field etc. It's difficult to contemplate what else they might do, as to who might wander through their nomination process that's really unclear. One name I'd expect to see in 2020 running is Nikki Haley, she'll be under 50 still and for a southern republican she actually seems sane.

    Too sane for the GOP base at the moment, she is pro immigration and took down the Confederate flag from the South Carolina statehouse
  • Options
    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,607
    edited August 2016
    Trump is set to propose amnesty for all 11m illegal immigrants in the US as part of his border wall programme. It's an interesting idea. May lose him support on the right and nit win him support on his left. Feels like too little too late.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,983
    kjohnw said:

    HYUFD said:

    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:



    As the incumbent president Hillary would almost certainly win the nomination in 2020 and unless things are really bad would most likely not face a primary challenger. If it is Hillary v Cruz in 2020 that is probably a 4th Democratic term in the White House completing a dominance to match the FDR-Truman eras and that of the GOP in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the GOP would still control Congress in all likelihood

    She'll be roughly the same age in 2020 as Reagan was in 1984 so if her health holds up, that shouldn't be an issue though I would argue the nature of the role has become even more intense - it has visibly aged Obama and I now have time to make a coffee between his sentences.

    The real question will be how the GOP manages defeat - Stodge's Second Law of Politics states that how a Party deals a defeat is more important than how it deals with victory.

    The US system allows for a clean slate in a way the British system doesn't. A Party can come back four years after a later with a completely new candidate espousing completely different policies and the process by which this has happened has gone virtually unnoticed.

    We are always told (especially by the pro-GOP supporters on here) about the wealth of talent in the GOP ranks (yet they chose Trump). Ryan would be the obvious choice especially if he remains Speaker for a couple more years and would be barely 50 in 2020.

    As an aside, IF Trump wins, I'd expect a midterm bloodbath for the GOP losing both the Senate and the House (a reverse 1994 if you like).


    As you say Hillary will still likely be healthy enough in 2020 and if the GOP lose the base will likely decide Trump was too socially liberal and pick a social conservative like Cruz. Ryan was on the losing 2012 ticket and will not give up the position of U.S. Speaker to make a likely futile run for president in 2020. Whether Hillary or Trump wins they will almost certainly lose the mid terms in 2018
    i'm not so sure her health will hold up lots of reports on internet about her getting seizures and constant coughing

    https://youtu.be/YMHOcmDVBP0
    In such a scenario Kaine would likely be nominee
  • Options
    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    stodge said:

    Morning all :)

    Corbyn's comment about the UK not militarily intervening if the Russians invade one of the Baltic States was however a comment I couldn't pass. Owen Smith's comment about negotiating with ISIS is silly - the salient point is ISIS don't negotiate with anyone so the entire point is moot.

    Corbyn on the other hand was directly undermining the key point of British defence and security policy since 1949 - an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. Rightly or wrongly, we are pledged to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (not the Ukraine) and their inclusion under the NATO umbrella provides the sole guarantee of their continued independence from Moscow. Without a guarantee, they are at risk of being overrun as they were in 1940.

    I think the Baltics are safe, but Ukraine is a different matter. Of course, Ukraine is not currently a member of NATO, but there are worrying signs that it might be allowed or (even worse) encouraged to join.

    Ukraine is like the old Yugoslavia. In the absence of a truly exceptional leader, the Ukraine is simply not, long term, sustainable as a country. The differences between the West and the East of the Ukraine are too great.

    Everyone I know both in Russia and in the Ukraine expects this country to split in two. A war is coming in the Ukraine, probably within the next few years.

    I see no reason why we should meddle into it. In fact, we should be encouraging the Ukraine to accept the inevitable and to split into two rather more viable states, which could pursue different long-term strategies.

    Corbyn’s comments do make some sense in this context.

    We should not allow NATO to be dragged into wars protecting the (artificial) boundaries of the old Soviet states in the former USSR.



    Problem is that the Russians want Kyiv as it's the heart of their foundation myth.
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,972

    King Cole, could be wrong, but I think Belarus has been the most pro-Russian of the ex-Soviet states by a long stretch, for a long time.

    Yes, and if it hadn’t been would it be in Ukraine’s situation?
  • Options
    rural_voterrural_voter Posts: 2,038

    On Ukraine:

    It is a newly emerged state, so much the same as Poland in 1919, which was by and large part of the Russian Empire too, albeit with some parts from Austria and Germany too.

    West Ukraine was Hapsburg Galicia, and going back further much of West Ukraine was also part of the Grand Duchy of Poland and Lithuania, with Crimea and other parts under Ottoman control.

    East Ukraine only really developed in 19th and early twentieth centuries with Russian agricultural and military settlements then the industrialisation of the late Czarist and Soviet periods.

    It is not for us to partition the country, and I think it quite unclear how much any part of the Ukraine really wants to be part of Putin's empire. West Ukraine certainly does not want that, and East Ukraine is ambivalent at best.

    Personally, I would far rather have Russia onside with NATO to face the common enemy of Islamism.

    Sabre rattling over this has got quite serious once more:

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-18/separatist-shelling-kills-most-ukrainian-soldiers-in-a-year

    I agree, need an alliance of 'developed countries' versus I.S. or similar loons.

    I think it was idiotic for NATO to invite/accept the 'boundary states' as members. Any fool could see that it would threaten Russia's perceived security, just as the USA over-reacted to Cuba.

    BTW Finland was invaded by the Soviet Union during WW2 but is now neutral. I don't think anyone would be so stupid as to ask Finland to become a NATO member; why are we different with regard to the Baltic states?
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Finland_during_World_War_II
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,976
    King Cole, possibly. Ukraine's situation is complicated by the nuclear aspect, whereby it surrendered its nukes and in return got its borders guaranteed by four powers [one of which was Russia...].
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,972

    On Ukraine:

    It is a newly emerged state, so much the same as Poland in 1919, which was by and large part of the Russian Empire too, albeit with some parts from Austria and Germany too.

    West Ukraine was Hapsburg Galicia, and going back further much of West Ukraine was also part of the Grand Duchy of Poland and Lithuania, with Crimea and other parts under Ottoman control.

    East Ukraine only really developed in 19th and early twentieth centuries with Russian agricultural and military settlements then the industrialisation of the late Czarist and Soviet periods.

    It is not for us to partition the country, and I think it quite unclear how much any part of the Ukraine really wants to be part of Putin's empire. West Ukraine certainly does not want that, and East Ukraine is ambivalent at best.

    Personally, I would far rather have Russia onside with NATO to face the common enemy of Islamism.

    Sabre rattling over this has got quite serious once more:

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-18/separatist-shelling-kills-most-ukrainian-soldiers-in-a-year

    I’m no expert; for that we have to wait for the return from Church/Chapel of Mr Ydoethur, but AFAIR the borders of “states” in East Europe/West Russia have moved considerably to and fro over the past 1000 years and indeed that the populations have also migrated hither and thither over the period.
  • Options
    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    kle4 said:

    Sandpit said:

    stodge said:

    Morning all :)

    Corbyn's comment about the UK not militarily intervening if the Russians invade one of the Baltic States was however a comment I couldn't pass. Owen Smith's comment about negotiating with ISIS is silly - the salient point is ISIS don't negotiate with anyone so the entire point is moot.

    Corbyn on the other hand was directly undermining the key point of British defence and security policy since 1949 - an attack on one member of NATO is an attack on all members. Rightly or wrongly, we are pledged to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (not the Ukraine) and their inclusion under the NATO umbrella provides the sole guarantee of their continued independence from Moscow. Without a guarantee, they are at risk of being overrun as they were in 1940.

    I thin
    There's a difference between allowing a split in Ukraine (think Czechoslovakia) and standing by while allowing Putin to invade Ukraine against their will.
    Quite. If we're brutal, that many in Ukraine wanted to turn more West has turned out to be a headache (and then a disaster) but people are allowed to want that (I don't buy the argument some have about it being the EU's fault for 'meddling' in Russia's sphere of influence, since if Ukraine wants to turn away from that sphere, why cannot it do so). Now, there would have been problems there regardless, as plenty of the country still looks to Russia, but that doesn't make what has happened and is happening ok.
    The tragedy is that since the end of the Cold War we've allowed Europe to slip back to a position where looking 'East' or 'West' has such significance.
    I don't think you can blame the current generation of politicians. "The West vs Mordor" is deeply embedded in our cultural psyche
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    On Ukraine:

    It is a newly emerged state, so much the same as Poland in 1919, which was by and large part of the Russian Empire too, albeit with some parts from Austria and Germany too.

    West Ukraine was Hapsburg Galicia, and going back further much of West Ukraine was also part of the Grand Duchy of Poland and Lithuania, with Crimea and other parts under Ottoman control.

    East Ukraine only really developed in 19th and early twentieth centuries with Russian agricultural and military settlements then the industrialisation of the late Czarist and Soviet periods.

    It is not for us to partition the country, and I think it quite unclear how much any part of the Ukraine really wants to be part of Putin's empire. West Ukraine certainly does not want that, and East Ukraine is ambivalent at best.

    Personally, I would far rather have Russia onside with NATO to face the common enemy of Islamism.

    Sabre rattling over this has got quite serious once more:

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-18/separatist-shelling-kills-most-ukrainian-soldiers-in-a-year

    The EU helped fan the flames of an already precarious situation.

  • Options
    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    King Cole, could be wrong, but I think Belarus has been the most pro-Russian of the ex-Soviet states by a long stretch, for a long time.

    I thought Belarus was more or less artificial. I don't recall either Minsk or Smolensk being recent acquisitions in the way that, for instance, Crimea was independent until the mid 18th century
This discussion has been closed.