Trumps visit.

[Captain Kong]

I cannot understand how the Russians interfered with the result of the US elections.
who put their crosses on the ballot paper???
How embarrassing for the US Security to admit Russia can hack into their security systems. they cannot be any good.
Two English kids with Asperger's , recently hacked into the Pentagon. how easy is that?
Obama and the Clinton wanted a war with Russia. how stupid is that?
Trump can see Business opportunities in Russia.
Of the two I would go with Trump.

[j.sabourn]

As most modern countries with large populations and taking the USA as an example , have many departments in government who get the authority over time to be a law unto themselves . Those who remember the Hoover years and the power he is said to have over others , also the McCarthy years where many on here will remember, where literally you had to prove you were not a communist and not the other way round. Russia I would imagine also have this quandary where different departments of government have different and often far seeking powers. The back stabbing and seeking for more power within must be beyond imagination. Even the UK will have certain departments in certain areas of government just about answerable to no one. If the general public has its share of criminal behaviour, then so must areas of government. Democracy is not a pure subject. Both America and Russia will have its share of the Wanabees. The fall guy is always the visible leader at the top , similar to the maritime world and any mishaps. As regards interfering in the USs election, you could just as easy say the UK did so as well by the bad publicity shown on computer sites by alien viewers. As far as I would be concerned the USA election was fair as it’s ever going to be, and any ruckus caused otherwise is just sour grapes. Was around Morecambe area Brian , surprised how sun tanned the residents appear to be these days. Cheers JS

[robpage]

he did promise to drain the swamp John , from an engineering point of opinion , you need bigger pumps donald

[j.sabourn]

Had a partially flooded hold on an ore carrier once Rob. The hat boxes were clogged up and couldn’t pump out through the bilge system. Had no salvage pump on board. A mate of mine who was third engineer at the time saw a way out and disconnected the fresh water mega pump and fixed it up as a salvage pump. Cleaned the hold out in a couple of hours. Cleaned the pump up and put it back into its normal position. Don’t think anyone even noticed it had been used for extra duties. Went to see him in Morecambe three weeks ago but have other things to talk about usually the price of beer in the pub of course. That was over 40 years ago and seems like yesterday. Maybe a couple of mega pumps may assist Trump in his clear out, maybe he may even pay for the tip . Cheers JWS.

[robpage]

you would need an engine driven maceration pump for the swamp

[Rodney Mills]

I do not comment on Anglo-Australian-Canadian Politics though I have lived in all three countries: a. it was a long time ago, b. my opinions would be based purely on news reports. I am leaving for a vacation in Germany and Poland in a few days. I am already aware that my German friends favor Chancellor Merkel and my Polish friends look upon their current government with disfavor. So what opinions will I return with?

Donald Trump is a disaster, not only to me; his current approval is 40%. I am part of the 60% who disapprove of his behavior.

I recognize he is my President and that no one held on to my finger and tried to make me push the voting pad in a certain direction, However, there is overwhelming evidence that the Russians interfered with our election process and Trump, either through intent or ignorance, aided them. That is what the Mueller Investigation is all about. So far 5 Americans, 13 Russians, and 3 Russian companies have been charged. Two of the three American are plea bargaining (squealing). More charges are awaited and moving closer up the ladder to the inner circle and above.

Captain Kong: I don't who you spoke to in California that gave you the understanding that Trump is doing a great job: a. California voted 61.6% Democrat. 32.8% Republican in the 2016 Presidential election. San Diego county voted 56.1% Democrat. 38.2% Republican.

A new poll shows President Trump's approval rating has hit a new low in California:

By Jessica Castro
"A new poll shows President Trump's approval rating has hit a new low in California.
The Public Policy Institute of California says only 25 percent of Californians think the president is doing a good job. That's down from 30 percent in January".

President Trump could not win his own state, New York, nor his city of residence Metropolitan New York, or his borough, Manhattan. Neither could he win the adjacent States of Connecticut or New Jersey, he got whooped. NY. 59'9% to 32.8%—NJ. 55% to 41%—CT 54.9% to 40. These states mostly rely on New York for TV and Radio news so they are well versed on the antics, business failures and disgusting behavior and the lop-side results showed this.

So how did he win? As you must know Clinton won the popular vote but what was more important Trump won the Electoral College vote

In previous elections it was a given that if you could win the states of New York, California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania and a couple of other states with large urban voting areas you had the election in the bag. Rural areas have a tendency to vote Republican, urban areas favor Democrats. This election year the Dem's blew it big time. They concentrated on the above states and cities and lost in Florida and Texas and Trump whipped them in the rural states.

One electoral vote in a rural state like Wyoming was worth 140,000 votes, one electoral vote in California cost 730,000 votes. Trump gathered up electoral votes while Clinton just gathered a lot of votes and nothing.

O.K.. a quick primer on our voting system. How does the Electoral College Work?

Registered voters are counted, and divided by the number the total congressmen (varies by state) plus two senators. This is the value in votes of each elector.

Each party has to register in each voting area. Lets assume there are a hundred voters (keeping it simple) and our example state eight congressmen and two senators that's ten into one hundred or ten electors.

The votes taken but only 50% show up to vote, so now the electors for our mythical state is reduced to 5 electors.


The potential elector agrees under oath to support his parties candidate and after the election the winning set of electors meet in Washington D.C. and vote.

Now to add to the confusion some states proportion the electors according to each parties votes received. So we could say 3 for Trump and 2 for Clinton.
and some states have winner take all which could be 5 for Trump.

I honestly believe Trump never planned on winning and actually becoming President and having to work. His modus operandi always has been be outlandish, lie, do what ever but make the front page everyday. Don't care what they say just as long as they say and spell the name right. When he won, the next day he had to go to the congress and the waiting leaders of the Republican party greeted him on the capital steps and marched him into the halls of congress with him in the lead with the speaker followed in order of seniority the others. Trump looked utterly scared to death and in a state of shock. It didn't take long though to fall in love with the idea. Secret Service protection, world leaders phoning in congratulations, being welcomed into the White House by Obama etc. etc..

Which brings me back to why I wrote this. He is a disgrace and bring shame on my nation name me one leader who respects him. Not even Putin! He cleaned his clock last week. Politifacts are evaluating truthfulness, currently he averagely lies 6.5% times a day, every day he has been in office, and daily list his lies. He even doubles down and corrects a lie with a second lie.

Even impeachment will not solve anything. Awaiting in the wings is the Vice-President Mike Pence an ultra right wing conservative and a religious nut.

I've been a citizen and voted for 50 years. I was a registered Republican and voted accordingly and played an active part in local California politics. George H. Bush pushed me into becoming an Independent, Trump has pushed me into the Democrats. Had it been a mainstream Republican running in 2016 he or she would have had my vote, but with Trump in I held my nose and voted for Clinton. It wasn't me that left the Republican Party...the Republican Party left me. As much as Regan is honored within the Republican Party today, if he had maintained his same views he could not win today, he would be too far left for the current Republican Party.

I have not addressed all the errors and misunderstandings of U.S, political system, but to those of you, and there are many, who think Trump is wonderful and wish you had him in your country, be careful what you ask for, you may get him.

[Captain Kong]

hI Rodney,
Thanks for the explanation of US politics.
I went off Obama when he said if the UK comes out of Europe we will be at the back of the line when it comes to Trade.
Trump said he wants to Trade with the UK.
So in our situation we have not got a lot of choice of who we would go along with.
Obama/Clinton do not like Russia, why??
but for Russia in WW2 , D-Day in Normandy would have been a complete wipe out, and that saved thousands of US , British, Canadian and Allied Lives. but the US does not like Russia. It is not the Stalin era now and with a little encouragement Russia could be a good ally.
Better to have Russia on our side than against us.
Cheers
Brian

[Keith at Tregenna]

I have not addressed all the errors and misunderstandings of U.S, political system, but to those of you, and there are many, who think Trump is wonderful and wish you had him in your country, be careful what you ask for, you may get him.

Thanks Rodney, certainly a very interesting read, appreciate your view and:
Please, what ever you do with him, keep him over there somewhere. Alaska ?

Keith.

[j.sabourn]

The UK has the best political system in the world. The only problem is the politicians. Party politics has never interested me. Similar as religion holds no sway over my personal beliefs. JS

[Keith at Tregenna]

Thanks Rodney, certainly a very interesting read, appreciate your view and:
Please, what ever you do with him, keep him over there somewhere. Alaska ?

Keith.

PS. Would Alaska be close enough to Russia for him ?

k.