Politics & Stuff

[Fulham Broadway 17,305]

58 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

False equivalence helps them a lot both in social and news media.

One of these days CNN had an article reporting on what the polls (gallup and others) regarding the next election, and the middle east debacle appears to only be popular in Social Media. It won't swing the election for any groups.
Immigration is the thing that can hurt Biden, which is hardly a surprise.

CNN trying to outdo Fox with shitcunt propaganda

 

[robsblubot 3,595]

4 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

CNN trying to outdo Fox with shitcunt propaganda

 

While what he says may be true, or more truthful than what the anchor said, a youtuber making claims confidently really does not work for me as source of news.

[Fulham Broadway 17,305]

1 minute ago, robsblubot said:

While what he says may be true, or more truthful than what the anchor said, a youtuber making claims confidently really does not work for me as source of news.

Thats great.

The CNN bullshit is just being highlighted for what it is -zionist scripted dogshit- and she is supposedly a 'journalist' 🤣

[robsblubot 3,595]

2 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Thats great.

The CNN bullshit is just being highlighted for what it is -zionist scripted dogshit- and she is supposedly a 'journalist' 🤣

Did I say that? 😃
Don't watch CNN, or MSNBC, much less fox news. I do read articles from CNN when, and only if, there is data in them. I rather have less opinion in my news, not more. That's the reason I also don't get my news from youtube: yes, news media, especially professional journalists still do some vetting of information, which is entirely optional in youtube content.

[Vesper 30,090]

So empire and the slave trade contributed little to Britain’s wealth? Pull the other one, Kemi Badenoch

The business and trade secretary played into the ideological tosh that the wonders of the Industrial Revolution were funded by beer brewers and sheep farmers

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/may/05/so-empire-and-the-slave-trade-contributed-little-to-britains-wealth-pull-the-other-one-kemi-badenoch

Britain ran an empire for centuries that at its peak 100 years ago occupied just under a quarter of the world’s land area. Yet if you believe “Imperial Measurement”, a report released last week from the rightwing Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), the net economic impact of this vast empire on Britain was negligible, even negative.

If you thought the empire profoundly shaped our industry, trade and financial institutions, with slavery an inherent part of the equation, helped turbocharge the Industrial Revolution and underwrote what was the world’s greatest navy for 150 years, think again. The contribution of the transatlantic trade in enslaved people to our economy was trumped by domestic brewing and sheep farming, opines the IEA. The tax “burden” of defending this barely profitable empire was not worth the candle. Instead, it was free-market economics that unleashed British economic growth – a truth that must be restated before Marxists and reparation-seeking ex-colonies start controlling the narrative.

It is a risible recasting of history that should have been ignored as self-serving ideological tosh. But enter the business and trade secretary and aspiring Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, who took it upon herself to endorse this IEA “research”. She told an audience of financial services bosses at a conference in London: “It worries me when I hear people talk about wealth and success in the UK as being down to colonialism or imperialism or white privilege or whatever.” If you believe any of this story about oppression and exploitation as the cause of British wealth, then the solutions to “our growth and productivity problem” will be even worse. It was “free markets and liberal institutions” that drove the Industrial Revolution and economic growth thereafter.

Except that, while they were certainly part of a cocktail of reasons for Britain’s rise to economic pre-eminence, they were only part. Recent historical research, blithely dismissed by author Kristian Niemietz, the IEA’s head of political economy, has increasingly uncovered a mountain of evidence that places ever more importance on empire, and slavery in particular, as important drivers of the Industrial Revolution and evolution of our economy.

Take innovation, and the correctly celebrated inventions – James Hargreaves’ spinning jenny of 1764/5, Richard Arkwright’s water frame, patented in 1769, and Samuel Crompton’s mule, introduced in 1778/9 – that together made it possible to harness the delicate but tough Barbadense cotton and manufacture it at scale. By the turn of the 18th century, Lancashire had emerged as Europe’s pre-eminent manufacturing centre of high-quality cotton, usable with other weaves and whose dyes and prints would hold. It was a position of global dominance that Lancashire cotton manufacture, soon joined by West Yorkshire, would reinforce over the century ahead.

But as Maxine Berg and Pat Hudson write in their brilliant Slavery, Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution, it was no accident that this all began a few miles from Europe’s largest slave port, Liverpool. Or that fine Barbadense cotton flourished in Britain’s slave plantations in Barbados and elsewhere in the West Indies. Or that much of the finance for investing in these expensive, but highly profitable, innovative machines came from Liverpool merchants whose own fortunes originated in transatlantic trade.

In painstaking research, they place slavery at the heart, not only of early industrialisation, but the growth of services such as banking and insurance. By the last decades of the 18th century, they demonstrate that the West Indies was co-equal with Europe as Britain’s biggest trading partner. Cotton’s importance was preceded by slave-grown sugar, which became a national staple. All this spawned a vast boom in British shipping, from 1m tons and 50,000 seamen in the 1780s to 2.5m tons and 130,000 seamen in the 1830s, with the growth propelled by the Atlantic plantation trade.

The ships and their cargoes, whether of enslaved people, sugar or cotton, needed insuring, generating a large marine insurance industry. Sugar refineries were prone to burning down easily – there were over 100 in London alone in the 1780s – causing the need for specialist fire insurance companies. No account of the boom in the textile industry either side of the Pennines or the City of London is complete without empire and the slave trade, which even after abolition in 1833 would continue as trade in indentured labour.

The trade needed protecting and policing. A strong navy was an imperative – the West Indies became the second most important theatre for the navy outside British home waters, and where the custom of giving sailors a daily tot of West Indian rum originated. A 74-gun ship of the line from 1805 might cost the equivalent of 16 cotton mills, but the money was easily found from burgeoning tariffs. The navy was also a richly profitable and important market for British farmers and gun makers.

No one argues that slavery caused the Industrial Revolution, least of all Berg and Hudson. But to minimise and abstract, as Niemietz attempts, the economic impact of first the sugar and then cotton slave plantations, and also the industries that radiated from them, as not part of the story is plainly inadmissible. It is also true that liberal institutions, such as judicial independence and rule of law, helped early capitalism and was additionally fostered by the creation of a unified internal market.

Britain’s liberal approach to immigration, in welcoming inventors, scientists and engineers from all over Europe, fanned the fires of invention and manufacture, as economic historian Joel Mokyr argues in The Enlightened Economy. Badenoch would be more persuasive if, while exalting such liberal factors, she conceded the critical role of slavery, but also that her own government is hardly a friend of judicial independence, celebrates leaving the largest single market on earth and could scarcely be more hostile to immigration – very different illiberal principles to those she thinks drove the Industrial Revolution.

Empire, without doubt, profoundly affected the British economy. Not least, it was a source of lush, easy profits and rents which have become a benchmark that most British companies target even now, so limiting the projects in which they invest. British industry was still sheltering behind preferential imperial tariffs in 1970.

Empire absolved us of thinking how to develop our national economy; the market seemed to achieve that magically by itself. This magical thinking is now integral to our headlong decline, and the IEA is one of its leading advocates, betraying a wilful ignorance that goes beyond history. Its advice wrecked Liz Truss’s career. Badenoch should beware it does not do the same for her.

[Fulham Broadway 17,305]

8 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

Did I say that?

I dont think I inferred you said anything 🤔

 

9 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

Don't watch CNN, or MSNBC, much less fox news. I do read articles from CNN when, and only if, there is data in them. I rather have less opinion in my news, not more. That's the reason I also don't get my news from youtube: yes, news media, especially professional journalists still do some vetting of information, which is entirely optional in youtube content.

Know youre not British so I dont expect you to know Owen Jones. I would trust anything he says as a journalist than any scripted corporate media whore.

[robsblubot 3,595]

6 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

I dont think I inferred you said anything 🤔

 

Know youre not British so I dont expect you to know Owen Jones. I would trust anything he says as a journalist than any scripted corporate media whore.

Fair enough, but they all have agendas. Having an agenda we happen to agree with does not make it more right or wrong. That's why I rather just have the facts, and if they aren't available I will take that as the information I need.

The biggest impact these protests will have is to ruin the lives of some of these students. 

Edited May 5, 2024 by robsblubot

[Vesper 30,090]

Angry Trump Calls Biden Admin the ‘Gestapo,’ Predicts ‘World War Three and Everything Else!’

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/angry-trump-calls-biden-admin-173308435.html

Donald Trump unleashed his anger against Joe Biden at a closed door GOP fundraiser on Saturday where he made a speech that was “frustrated and often obscene,” according to The New York Times. In a Truth Social post the following morning, Trump attacked Biden as “a very dishonest man, a Manchurian Candidate” and predicted “World War Three, and everything else!”

“These people are running a Gestapo administration,” Trump said of Biden at the fundraiser hosted at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida, audio of which was obtained by the Times. “And it’s the only thing they have. And it’s the only way they’re going to win, in their opinion, and it’s actually killing them. But it doesn’t bother me.”

Trump baselessly accused the Biden administration of secretly masterminding the indictments against him in numerous jurisdictions, resulting in 88 criminal charges. Trump is facing business fraud charges in New York, classified documents charges in Florida, a state election interference case in Georgia and a federal election interference case in Washington, D.C.

The former president espoused conspiracy theories about why he lost the election in 2020 and without evidence accused Democrats of cheating in elections and getting “welfare to vote.”

“When you are Democrat, you start off essentially at 40 percent because you have civil service, you have the unions and you have welfare,” Trump said Saturday. “And don’t underestimate welfare. They get welfare to vote, and then they cheat on top of that. They cheat.”

Even Trump’s own former attorney general, William Barr, has called Trump’s election interference allegations “all bullshit” and admitted there was not voter fraud on any scale that would have influenced the election. At the fundraiser, Trump attacked Barr and said his future pick for attorney general would need “courage” should Trump win the presidency.

Speaking to donors, Trump mocked Special Counsel Jack Smith as “unattractive both inside and out,” adding, “This is one unattractive dude.” Trump then used “two expletives to describe” Smith, per the Times. According to NBC News, the former president called Smith an “evil thug” and “deranged.”

Trump also mentioned South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who was at the event but reportedly left early. He called Noem “somebody that I love” even though sources told Rolling Stone that Trump was “disgusted” by an anecdote in Noem’s book where she proudly described shooting her family dog.

On Sunday, Trump took his anger to his keyboard, posting a rambling message on Truth Social attacking his opponent. Trump blamed Biden for the anti-war protests that are taking place on college campuses and falsely claimed Biden is “unable to talk, unable to reason, unable to put two simple sentences together, unable to even climb 3 steps to a helicopter, or the main stairs to Air Force One.”

Trump also — without evidence — accused Biden of “receiving money, for no apparent reason, from foreign countries.”

“Now we have the protests, and Crooked Joe Biden doesn’t know what to do — Next will be World War Three, and everything else!” Trump wrote. “We are a Nation in Serious Decline, a Failing Nation, but we will not be a Failing Nation much longer. Four years ago we were a GREAT NATION, AND WE WILL SOON BE A GREAT NATION AGAIN!!! MAGA2024.”

During his speech on Saturday evening, Trump challenged donors in attendance to give $1 million that night. If they did, Trump promised, “I will let you come up and speak.” According to the Times, Trump “sounded disappointed until someone accepted the invitation.”

One of the people who accepted the challenge, per NBC, was a woman who came to the podium and stated that “Donald J. Trump is the person that God has chosen.”

[Fulham Broadway 17,305]

12 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

Fair enough, but they all have agendas. Having an agenda we happen to agree with does not make it more right or wrong.

Ironically some of the most truthful respected journalists dont work for Corporate media where editorial control is tightly controlled to an agenda.

 

13 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

The biggest impact these protests will have is to ruin the lives of some of these students. 

Maybe true, but people are idealistic when young, and they see the bigger picture.

The millions that protested about South Africa, Iraq invasions, Vietnam slaughter have all been vindicated and proved right

End of the day you are (not you personally), either against mass murder or you support it.

[robsblubot 3,595]

3 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Ironically some of the most truthful respected journalists dont work for Corporate media where editorial control is tightly controlled to an agenda.

Perhaps, and on the other hand they are freer to give their own take on the news. That's actually the content that sells on youtube.

3 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Maybe true, but people are idealistic when young, and they see the bigger picture.

The millions that protested about South Africa, Iraq invasions, Vietnam slaughter have all been vindicated and proved right

End of the day you are (not you personally), either against mass murder or you support it.

I think the exact opposite. They are know-nothing gullible people who definitely cannot see the bigger picture because they still lack the experience to understand the nuances in most real world situations. The most easily manipulated people are at both ends of the age spectrum.

 

[Fulham Broadway 17,305]

7 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

erhaps, and on the other hand they are freer to give their own take on the news. That's actually the content that sells on youtube.

They could earn a lot more towing a Corporate media agenda. 

 

8 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

They are know-nothing gullible people who definitely cannot see the bigger picture

Thats a very sweeping generalisation 🤣

Governments, historians and even Corporate media admit that the students that protested about the Vietnam slaughter, the two Iraq invasions, the aparteid regime in South Africa, the segregtion in the US were 100% right

[robsblubot 3,595]

22 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

They could earn a lot more towing a Corporate media agenda. 

 

Thats a very sweeping generalisation 🤣

Governments, historians and even Corporate media admit that the students that protested about the Vietnam slaughter, the two Iraq invasions, the aparteid regime in South Africa, the segregtion in the US were 100% right

Disagree. You can't acquire life experience exclusively from books much less social media. And even then, the only absolute requirement to learn and, in time, acquire wisdom is time and that's the one thing we have zero control over.

The second part is where we most disagree about because I think the level of nuance is drastically different from the other cases (and also Ukraine). Would really like to see these protestors demand the release of the hostages still being held in Gaza, for example. We are going in circles around this one tho.

Edited May 5, 2024 by robsblubot

[Fulham Broadway 17,305]

11 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

Disagree. You can't acquire life experience exclusively from books much less social media. And even then, the only absolute requirement to learn and, in time, acquire wisdom is time and that's the one thing we have zero control over.

The second part is where we most disagree about because I think the level of nuance is drastically different from the other cases (and also Ukraine). Would really like to see these protestors demand the release of the hostages still being held in Gaza, for example. We are going in circles around this one tho.

Yes I completely disagree. Like I said the protests I highlighted above have ALL been vindicated. Conversely you could say they havent been tainted by 30 pieces of silver, a corporate wage to promote an agenda.

There are plenty of student and relatives protests in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem by Jews about the 'hostages' and most can see through Netanyahus lies and prevarication. But perhaps you re right, they know nothing and are 'gullible'.

[robsblubot 3,595]

22 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Yes I completely disagree. Like I said the protests I highlighted above have ALL been vindicated. Conversely you could say they havent been tainted by 30 pieces of silver, a corporate wage to promote an agenda.

Never said they were not vindicated. What I said was that these are not equivalent in my view.

22 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

There are plenty of student and relatives protests in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem by Jews about the 'hostages' and most can see through Netanyahus lies and prevarication. But perhaps you re right, they know nothing and are 'gullible'.

Nothing would change if Netanyahus were to leave right now--at least that's the information I have. This goes a lot deeper now than one man's wishes.

Oh no, they are all extremely wise teenagers and know everything there is to know about life and they apply all that vast acquired wisdom when analyzing this 60-year+ conflict. You are right, I'm the gullible one who tries to see different sides in a complex situation. It's much easier to just take a side--works great in social media too.

[Fulham Broadway 17,305]

7 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

Never said they were not vindicated. What I said was that these are not equivalent in my view.

None of them were viewed with equivalency to previous protests at the time, its only after the Military Industrial Complex have paid their shareholders that its looked at differently in the rear view mirror of history.

 

10 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

Oh no, they are all extremely wise teenagers and know everything there is to know about life and they apply all that vast acquired wisdom when analyzing this 60-year+ conflict.

Its the basic human instinct of empathy for fellow human beings. Like I said you are either for against mass murder.