Trump v Biden

 An article from Deroy Murdoch        Fox News

(incidentally, we used to be able to get Fox News in the UK on Sky TV.  You may well wonder, as I have, why they decided to discontinue it?)

Para four points out some attractive features to the voter of a Biden President, but asks us to examine the issues.  Spot on.

Next para asserts that a Biden government would be a disaster for schools.  I confess to not being sufficiently acquainted with the American educational system to be able to comment very sensibly.  From what I gather the argument is very similar to the British Academy schools system – championed by and implemented by the Conservative government.  Schools are encouraged to leave the control of the local authorities and become academies under the direct control, through funding, of the central government.  In Britain this is essentially an ideological argument. Successive Tory governments have been convinced that the teaching profession is overwhelmingly left-wing.  (they may be correct) so, the Academy system provides a counter-point to the local left-wing school boards.  It seems the Trump “school choice for every parent” seems to be similar.

(aside) How does this square with Brown v the Board?  Separate but equal is not constitutional.

Next para he contends that Biden would grant citizenship to 11 million illegal aliens, most of whom would vote Democrat.  Supposition.  Free healthcare for illegal aliens?  I’d like to see the proposals.  Seems no more daft that no healthcare for poor citizens who cannot afford insurance.  

(aside) Trump’s attempts to abolish or defuse Obamacare seems to have stopped.  Or am I misinformed?  I’ve no heard him commenting on this issue at rallies.  Have I missed it?)

Fracking.  Not an issue.  Reliance on fossil fuels will inevitably fall.  Fracking merely provides Americans with obscenely low energy prices and to that extent it’s good election policy for Trump to highlight the issue.

The Sandia Laboratories story is beyond the pale -  “According to Breitbart News and as reported on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” the men were forced to attend a training course titled, “White Men’s Caucus on Eliminating Racism, Sexism, and Homophobia in Organizations,” according to Christopher F. Rufo, an author, writer, and researcher.” - not exactly a balanced viewpoint, from a variety of sources.  

This sort of media sensationalism just reinforces prejudice.  The key word here is “forced”  on what compunction?  Discussing eliminating racism, sexism and homophobia in organisations is surely a good thing.  Or, are we free to be as racist, sexist and homophobic as we like in our private lives?  I suggest we are and the attendees were just trying to save their jobs.  Daft policy by the employer.  

The conclusion concentrates on the far-left agenda of Biden.  My suspicion is that this is overblown.  In the UK the policies discussed here would be seen as fairly mainstream.  The American obsession with labeling (particularly as socialist) shines through. I well remember when I used to teach Animal Farm to 15 year olds.  At the end of the first week the whole class were ready to man the barricades and march on Parliament.  When I asked them why we need Coke and Pepsi, why not just have State Cola Number One and use the millions, maybe billions of dollars, those corporations use to try to generate a 000.1 percent advantage in the buying habits of millions of Cola drinkers they were appalled by the wasted resources.  After reading Orwell’s critique of socialism (or more specifically Soviet Communism) they had all returned to the fold and were able to examine the issues with a critical focus.  That’s education.  He idea that teachers inculcate left-wing ideas in unknowing and unthinking children is a fantasy.  Tell kids how they must think and they will cheerfully tell you to get lost.  Fact.

Moaning, Groaning Whinging British Style

 

British Rule of Six

Britain already has a rule of six: grousing, griping, moaning, groaning, whingeing and wailing:  so says Jeremy Clarkson in the Sunday Times of September 20 2020

“In the run-up to the last general election we were all assured, many times, that the Conservatives had an “oven-ready” deal on Brexit. But it seems that, when they opened the packaging, they found that actually it was full of mould, subterfuge and razor blades.

Like everyone else in the world, I cannot get my head round the detail of the issues, but, also like everyone else in the world, I’m aware of the fact that to solve it, Britain says it may have to break international law. And, naturally, this has caused all sorts of wailing, with everyone explaining that if we openly go down this road, it will shatter our reputation around the world for fair play, cricket and decency.

Except the qualities usually ascribed to the British are really just a rose-tinted historical view and bear little resemblance to modern Britain – so sayeth Jeremy Clarkson.

Is he right?

There is little doubt that the British do have an over-inflated opinion of themselves. Just look at Brexit. The main driver was the idea that we can do very well without the rest of the world. Really? In 2020?

Back to Clarkson, who recounts the story of the WWII raid on St Nazaire where one of the soldiers, interviewed after the battle said, “I remember Johnny Proctor lying there, leg blown off, cheering us on . . . “ Clarkson says this is the idea of the British we like to most offer the world. Stiff upper lip, keep calm and carry on – but is it correct in 2020?

Churchill’s rousing rhetoric about the bomb-ravaged East End still sounds impressive today, but maybe the chaps digging in the rubble were just trying to find their dog or pieces of their gran? Back then no-one was recording the thoughts of the working class.

He saves his real bile for Twitter. Perhaps, he muses thousands objected to Brunel’s plans for the GWR. Same for the M1 – but down at the Dog and Duck who would listen? Now with 24 hour Twitter we hear every squeak of complaint about HS2 hi-speed railway.

Could the Aussie’s have been right all along – the British are just a bunch of Whinging Poms?

He hopes so, so we can ditch the British stiff upper and idolized fair play and do what the Greeks do – We put our masks on so we can concentrate fully on ignoring everything the EU says.

No prize for guessing where his sympathies lie.