alanpavelin.bsky.social
Interested in politics, theology, cinema, jazz, and assorted other topics. Believe in making up my own mind, never accept anything on authority. Racism and xenophobia have no place in grown-up debate. Ecumenical Christian.
33 posts
55 followers
50 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
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Surely not as bad as Johnson or Truss?
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They don’t have legal capital punishment in Russia. So they find other ways.
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Basically he’s declared war on the world. We all need to boycott US goods, especially those coming from states which supported him.
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We have the highest dependency ratio in history, and something has to give. Either big cuts in pensions and/or healthcare for the elderly, or continuing substantial net inward migration for years to come. Most European countries are in a similar position, some, like Italy, worse.
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He used to be a serious academic who worked with Rob Ford on a study of right-wing movements. Then he had some sort of brainstorm, had a flaming row with Ford, and got sucked into the Farage crowd. He now presents highly selective polls, sometimes worded to produce the result he wants.
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Goodwin’s ones were deliberately worded to get the results he wanted. For example, one based on 2019 Tory voters (many of whom would have voted for the Farage party if it had stood) were asked who they’d prefer as PM: the choice was several Tories (thus splitting their vote), and Farage,
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No, because there are no votes for them in California (though there were when Reagan and Schwarzenegger were governor).
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The “ignorance is strength” of Orwell’s 1984 is coming to pass, 40 years late. All clear-sighted people must fight against it.
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“Unfiltered free speech” is a nice-sounding way of saying “free speech for those intent on spreading lies and disinformation”. I prefer truth.
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I’ve become convinced that Musk, who knows zilch about Britain, has these posts written for him by one of the Farage mob. He’s just happy to sign them.
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Animals can of course do extremely cruel things from our perspective, but they don’t know they’re doing wrong so can’t be blamed. Unfortunately today’s world allows cruel evil people (eg Assad, Putin) to grab power over millions.
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A party run by millionaires, for millionaires.
What would be their policy on a millionaire asylum seeker?
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Oh dear, such a man of the people too.
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❤️
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I’ve noticed in recent months The Times has gone very right-wing and anti-Labour. It wasn’t always like that. Clearly an editorial decision, though it does carry alternative views unlike the Mail and Express.
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They try to hide their racism and xenophobia by talking about “cultures”. They want all immigrants to have the same “culture” as them. That’s why they chant slogans like “multiculturalism has failed”.
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This is a kind of blasphemy. Hegseth should go away somewhere and examine his conscience.
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That’s how I define populism, simplistic solutions for complex problems.
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I’ve no objection at all to the Right, meaning a belief in lower taxes and worse public services, because it’s a legitimate point of view about the distribution of wealth. What I object to is the “far right”, the racists and xenophobes who seem to predominate in “Reform UK”.
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His “polls” are invariably biased in their questions to get the answer he wants. Pre-election he asked Tory 2019 voters who they’d most like as PM. He offered about 5 choices: several leading Tories, plus Farage. Not Starmer. Inevitably Farage came ahead of the rest.
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He wouldn’t survive. The limelight is what he lives for.
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But not much fun when it lasts most of the day, as mine now does.
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When will he dismantle the Statue of Liberty?