Sadly
Given all the people she's had to meet in the past, I doubt Trump even makes her top 10 of repulsiveness.
More than a million Britons have signed an online petition begging the government to prevent American President Donald Trump from making a state visit to the United Kingdom. The petition, which the Monday-muddled hacks at The Register are guessing is the most popular to have ever graced the site, broke 1,000,000 signatures …
are unlikely to try putting their hand up the skirt of her great-grandchildren's mother.
Neither is he. Not his type.
In any case, I would not worry about that. Any lady that has played hockey on grass can fend for herself. Someone stupid enough to try his luck uninvited will have his head removed.
Any lady that has played hockey on grass can fend for herself.
My wife was ordered by her school to use a different hockey stick when she was young - her dad had repaired her gran's old hockey stick by the dint of screwing a metal plate to the short part of the stick. Apparently, it made a fairly good scythe..
are unlikely to try putting their hand up the skirt of her great-grandchildren's mother.
Neither is he. Not his type.
In any case, I would not worry about that. Any lady that has played hockey on grass can fend for herself. Someone stupid enough to try his luck uninvited will have his head removed.
Oh please please please please try....
"You guys still do the tower and axeman?"
Given the tenacity of British bureaucracy:
In some civil servant warren, there's an office with a desk, whose occupant shuffles in every day, and checks his memos.
Then strokes "Old Friend" hanging on the wall, and mutters, "Not today old friend, not today.", before taking it off its hooks for oiling and sharpening.
"Signing Internet petitions is the 21st century equivalent of shouting at the telly. And about as effective."
No, it's not.
It's the equivalent of signing a massive physical petition, as was done before the internet.
It will be presented to the relevant parties. It is reported in mainstream media. Nothing like you shouting at your telly.
@anonymous boring coward
"It's the equivalent of signing a massive physical petition, as was done before the internet.
It will be presented to the relevant parties. It is reported in mainstream media."
It will then be totally ignored by the relevant parties, as was done before the internet.
(See Petitions Committee response to 250,000 signatures calling for further debate on the IP Act)
(about online petitions)
"It's the equivalent of signing a massive physical petition, as was done before the internet.".
Not per definition, not even close even.
The problem lies in the details: how the petition is carried out. Not many people who open such petitions also have the technical know-how to prevent abuse. You know: signing the petition multiple times using all the e-mail aliases you have for example. And speaking of which: what about actually verifying the validity of an e-mail address?
I know: let's request people to register prior to signing. All it takes is one valid e-mail address. Here we go again.
Maybe one sign per IP address? But that would deprive your family from signing. Or worse: those who know how public VPN's work will once again have plenty of ways to sign multiple times.
Online petitions are by far the same as physical ones.
>Signing Internet petitions is the 21st century equivalent of shouting at the telly. And about as effective.
I agree .... and .... I signed it as well ... not that I see the royals as anything other than bloodsuckers. I am an atheist, so the "They are the earthly representation of god" makes no sense to me, which, basically, disqualifies them from any prerogative they claim to have. However, I would not want Trump to mate with May, which might have already happened, she has been to the US, right ? I digress ... anyway, we have enough excrement in our country with May alone, no need for another helping!
Fellow Brits, as is customary with me, you know where the down-vote button is ... I have 2:1 upvotes vs downvotes and I would like to inverse that so .... be my guest!
@Hans1 - How about trying out: 'Constitutional monarchy' is tried and tested and probably one of the least worst (if not the least worst) options on the table. Having a 'president' is no guarantee against bloodsucking asshattery, or any of the other options designed to limit over weening power greed and idiocy.
If you have a significantly better alternative, let's being having it, with reasons.
but it was predicated on a non elected 2nd chamber to bring some thing a bit more - um make that considerably less unpleasant than the vote catching swamp that is democracy in action
(though that is the least worst option compared to everything else - especially perhaps those having elected heads of state)
@Doctor Syntax "So what sort of head of state would you prefer? The sort of product of the sort of process we've see in the US?"
Removing the royal element does not automatically mean we will be a republic operating the way the USA operates. Other republics exist in the world which in no way resemble that of the USA.
Why can't we have a prime minister, just as we have now, without the Royal barnacles clinging to the hull weighing us down?
In fact why can't we have a prime minister tempered by the proportional representation of the other parties involved? And if stalemate is achieved, so what? It would prevent one side or the other from fiddling with things and trying out their latest crack pot theories - EG Education is in constant flux as each party continuously tries to fix it according to their current ideology. Stalemate might force them to make a bit more effort to achieve consensus and allow society to remain more stable for longer and let it catch its breath before the next wave of ideological tinkering occurs.
"Why can't we have a prime minister, just as we have now, without the Royal barnacles clinging to the hull weighing us down?"
I suppose we could, but without the Royal barnacles our head of state would either be that prime minister or a barnacle chosen from the same pond or a barnacle chosen by popular vote on a Saturday evening TV show.
"Why can't we have a prime minister, just as we have now, without the Royal barnacles clinging to the hull weighing us down?"
There are two distinct roles, head of government and head of state. We keep them separate. The US doesn't. I'm surprised at that. At the time of the revolting colonials we'd already separated them. I find it odd that the US should, in the name of democracy, have devised a system that doesn't. They have checks and balances in that the legislative body can counter the head of govt & state. However, as far as I've seen, the most they can do is impose paralysis in most circumstances with impeachment as the only option. We have a situation whereby Parliament can, by a vote of confidence, provoke a general election and, less drastically, the cabinet (senior members of the majority party, which largely amounts to the same thing) can effectively remove the head of government.
We certainly don't have, as May has discovered, an equivalent of the Executive Order.
And having removed the monarch from active politics we have a non-political head of state which I think is a good thing although it's certainly cruel and unusual punishment to put anyone in the position of having to soldier on with no chance of retirement.
Now Doctor, don't drop your syntax.
"So what sort of head of state would you prefer? The sort of product of the sort of process we've see in the US?"
If you want to compare "head of state" in the USA and the UK it's about the president and the prime minister, Trump and May. And you know it very well and I believe most Americans know it too.
Kings and Queens in Europe have no power and are on the whole accepted, it's about tradition and while there is a certain cost to it, there is also some on the plus side. You could, in a way, compare the Queen to the Eiffel tower in Paris. Our friends in Paris won't chop it down because of the costs as they know there are very similar "somethings" on the plus side.
am an atheist, so the "They are the earthly representation of god" makes no sense to me
Makes no sense to me either, and I am a Christian. She's my queen, but she's nothing in the chain-of-command to the big man at the top (the Real One, not the weird orange freak with the weirder freakier hair!). The Bible says we have "one mediator between man and God", and any one else who tries to claim that throne (pope, queen, whoever/whatever) does not belong.
Fellow Brits, as is customary with me, you know where the down-vote button is ... I have 2:1 upvotes vs downvotes and I would like to inverse that so .... be my guest!
Afraid that you would have to write more downvote-worthy material to fix that. Look at BB, TV and a few other posters for advice (not me, I am better than 3:1). Does it mean something that your 13th upvote was from me? (probably not, 13 is seldom anything special especially when it occurs as a natural progression, like the floor between the 12th and 14th)
I actually quite enjoy shouting at the telly from time to time. A bit of a variant of punching a sack of potatoes like the Silastic Armourfiends of Striterax, as an alternative to the healthy and natural channeling of aggressive instincts in deeds of senseless violence.
Doffs hat (roo leather Barmah today) to the late, great Douglas Adams
~I bloody love Katie Hopkins
Is she still here? I thought she promised to move to the US if Trump became POTUS. Come to think of it, Sadiq Khan won the London Mayor election and there's no sign of her running down the road bollock naked with a sausage up her arse.
One big difference between Hopkins and Trump then - at least he's making an effort to fulfill all his pre-Election promises.
Ironically, this puts the government in a bit of a quandry, as clearly Europe aren't going to want to trade with us, and we don't have too many other options, the US being one. Now if the PM follows the wishes of the people, and not allow Trump over here, that will likely damage our trade negioations with the US.
So it's basically ignore the people to get get a trade deal, and risk peeing off the people, or listening to the people and risking a US trade deal.
I don't get how this is a problem for the government. So 1 million clicked on the petition. What about the rest of the population? Where is THEIR petition? Does it even exist?
I do understand that the 1M mark now requires Parliament to consider the petition, but are they not also tasked with considering the will of the other 63 million citizens?
"I do understand that the 1M mark now requires Parliament to consider the petition, but are they not also tasked with considering the will of the other 63 million citizens?"
You raise an interesting point here. In last year's EU Referendum, I do understand that the 33.5M turnout now requires Parliament to take us out of the EU, but are they not also tasked with considering the will of the other 13 million citizens?
You can't have it both ways.
> "...are they not also tasked with considering the will of the other 13 million citizens?"
No.
And you know perfectly well why not. Those people chose not to vote. Yet somehow you expect others to respect that non-event? Aren't you the desperate one.
Bottom line, your 'both ways' argument doesn't exist.
The vote does not require us to go out the EU, the vote was advisory, even though leave & remain both lied to voters & behaved as if it was binding.
Any PM with courage, would have said, the vote was marginally different from 50:50, however lots of people did not vote, so given it was advisory and insufficient mandate for such a major change, especially as certain "country" regions e.g Scots, Irish were against it making result very complex.
But Cameron was PM of zero courage, his own fault for thinking he would win & lying so the populace believed it was binding instead of a badly phrased opinion poll.
Which is the whole reason the judges said parliament must approve article 50 as non binding referendum so no mandate (though they were weak and feeble & brushed the Scots / Irish issues under the table).
There is now a petition supporting the state visit; it's at 3,132 signatures having collected 2,136 in the last hour. So I assume it's a bit more than an hour old. Making any potential comparisons a little premature.
I signed the no-state-visit petition because it's a way to express sentiment that passes before the government's eyes. I'll have an infinitesimal effect, but it took a negligible amount of time. So the return on my time investment is acceptable.
We should hold another referrendum just to find out what the whole country wants to do about Trump?
Generally, if people care enough - they sign a petition - so, if enough people want him to have a state visit, they will start a petition asking for him to be invited.
If no-one cares enough, or even thinks that - they don't bother.
So, we have one petition saying 'don't invite him' - if you want you can ask someone else from the UK to start a second petition saying 'do invite him' and then we can see how it goes.
But tbh, i reckon the vast majority of the 63 millions just don't care enough to bother with either petition.
>> "Where is THEIR petition? Does it even exist?"
It would appear it does exist: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/178844
Currently standing at 69k signatures, compared with 1.6 million for the "No-State-Visit" poll. Also, looking at the last hour of these petitions shows the Anti-Trump one still growing at twice the rate of signatures, despite being open for several days now.
So there you are. For the 69M people here, there's a way to vote for both sides of the argument, and as it currently stands, the public seem pretty damn sure that they do not want that incompetent buffoon to be given the "honour" of a state visit. And quite right too.
I'm more in favour of various quoted sources in that what is unprecedented is the speed at which he was invited. Perhaps we should have waited until he has done something that has been proven to have been worthwhile.
I don't necessarily want the State visit but now it's been offered....
I'm not sure how the USA as a mainly service economy like our own could actually help.
It seems likely that all the businesses that rely on being inside the EEA will relocate so they remain within the EEA. We will be left with empty buildings and unemployed people.
The best we can hope for is for our current arrangements with America not to be victims of the America First policy.
I suspect Trump will simply come here for an ego trip, and we'll have to suck up to him to avoid losing our American trade. He knows this, and if May wants to walk away from our trade with Europe, she'll have to do it.
Personally I hope the petition gets big enough to make him have a hissy fit and cancel himself. Perhaps may will them rethink this insane hard brexit.
@AC
"So it's basically ignore the people to get get a trade deal, and risk peeing off the people, or listening to the people and risking a US trade deal."
Not having a US trade deal sounds good to me, given that a Trump-inspired, May-negotiated trade deal will be basically "Pay over the odds for any dangerous crap that the US wants to sell you stupid Limeys, and in return we'll buy all our stuff in the good old US of A. Yay! USA, Number 1!, "
.... when the president of china with its horrendous human rights record visited the UK? Where were they when Mugabe visited (peter tatchell being the exception)? Where were they when isrealis were banned from 16 countries? Where were they when Obama banned Iraqis for 6 months back in 2011?
I'm no fan of Trump (who was democratically elected unlike all of the rulers of the countries he's slapped a ban on), but these squawking hypocrites disgust me.
Oh, and recently Russia reduced the sentencing on domestic abuse (amongst a load of other human rights violations). Why don't we have Shameless Chakrabati and her ilk permanantly stationed outside the Russian embassy if they truly care so much about rights and it isn't simply anti US rhetoric?
"Most likely those "virtue signallers" complained about that too, don't you think? So, for that reason, they can't disgust you."
Really? So where were the million signature petitions and marches to downing street then? I must have missed them.
I don't know. But there is perhaps some fatigue setting in. Do you know how long Mugabe has been in power?
Many, many constantly object to any relations with Mugabe, the Saud family, and other dictators.
I really don't see what this has to do with Trump -who is basically torturing innocent travellers based on their birthplace and/or religion. This based on events 15 years ago, and a few random lunatic attacks.
He should immediately ban all driving, given the mass slaughter on the roads.
And schools. School massacre deaths probably easily surpasses terror deaths in the USA.
And we are supposed to be close to the USA? Well, that relationship doesn't look very promising.
"I really don't see what this has to do with Trump -who is basically torturing innocent travellers based on their birthplace and/or religion."
Silly boy.
The list of 7 states was drawn up by Obama. Fewer than 200 travellers were interviewed, then sent on tier way. The vetting lasts 120 days.
This is not torture or waterboarding (although Trump may be working on that).
Mental torture.
You may be able to empathise if only you can imagine that you were to be treated in this way yourself?
Can you do that?
When the state starts treating residents like criminals willy-nilly, then we are not far from the 1930's Germany.
Trump -who is basically torturing innocent travellers based on their birthplace and/or religion. This based on events 15 years ago
"Torturing" - no, people have just grown accustomed to the privilege of travelling freely to the US.
Most of the alleged terrorists on 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia which is NOT on the list! Neither did the US invade Saudi Arabia after the 9/11 attacks. Strange that.
quote
I really don't see what this has to do with Trump -who is basically torturing innocent travellers based on their birthplace and/or religion.
/quote
TORTURING - you must be out of your mind - their entry to the USA is DELAYED by up to 60 days while the US Immigration system is reviewed. That is torture - my god you must be the most pathetic snowflake out there if you think that is torture (a dictionary (book full of the meanings of words) may come in handy; there are plenty on line too)
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/torture
"Great physical or mental suffering:
‘the torture I've gone through because of loving you so’"
You don't think arbitrary unexpected detention can be mental torture? Your civil rights being crushed?
Reality check for you.. Perhaps you too suffer from an empathy deficit.. Seems to be a common trait amongst Trump apologists.
Firstly, there have been protests all over the world at China's (and other's) human rights records.
But, over all of that, we (UK) are supposed to have a "special relationship" with the USA. We are not so close with China et al. To have such a close partner behaving in such an abhorrent manner tarnishes our own reputation, especially when our own leaders do practically nothing to decry him. In their lack of action, there is a tacit approval. We should be making our feelings and opinions known in the strongest terms possible.
Put another way, it is horrible if a stranger goes out and beats someone up for no valid reason. But if one of your friends does so, it's worse. If that happens and all you say is "I disagree with what he did", you will be tarred with the same brush.
"But, over all of that, we (UK) are supposed to have a "special relationship" with the USA. We are not so close with China et al. "
Our trade in goods with China far exceeds that with the USA. Also we're happy to let them buy up our companies (hello JLR) when it suits us.
"To have such a close partner behaving in such an abhorrent manner tarnishes our own reputation"
Rubbish. Despite what some might believe are relationship with the USA is no closer than they have with a lot of other european countries. The whole special relationship is a load of BS. If there is one its almost entirely one way.
"We should be making our feelings and opinions known in the strongest terms possible."
Sure, do a song and dance if it makes you feel better about yourself. In the meantime Trump is enacting the policiies he set out in his manifesto and was duly elected on and if you honestly think protests by a load of bien pensants and student agitators will make one shred of difference to a man like him then you're in for a nasty surprise. In fact given his "you hit me and I'll hit you back twice as hard" personality type it may well have the exact opposite effect to that intended. Plus he knows who his core support is , and it aint them so he doesn't give a feck.
"Sure, do a song and dance if it makes you feel better about yourself. In the meantime Trump is enacting the policiies he set out in his manifesto and was duly elected on and if you honestly think protests by a load of bien pensants and student agitators will make one shred of difference to a man like him then you're in for a nasty surprise. In fact given his "you hit me and I'll hit you back twice as hard" personality type it may well have the exact opposite effect to that intended. Plus he knows who his core support is , and it aint them so he doesn't give a feck."
God! I'm lost for words...
So you basically defend him and his actions because you are a coward?
Let's be real for a moment. Trump could have implemented what he promised in an intelligent way (well, in theory, if he wasn't so dumb), without causing chaos and suffering. He would only have had to ask for advice from someone experienced in governing. Of course he wouldn't do that. He knows best.
So you recommend being quiet because demonstrating won't help anyway?
"So you basically defend him and his actions because you are a coward?"
So your response to a point you don't agree with is to call the person who made it a coward? Well thats certainly a new turn on the old ad hominem attack.
"So you recommend being quiet because demonstrating won't help anyway?"
Yes. It'll achieve the square root of fuck all especially here in the UK. All it does is to make the people doing it feel like they're Doing Something and so assuage their consciences.
"So you recommend being quiet because demonstrating won't help anyway?"
Yes. It'll achieve the square root of fuck all especially here in the UK. All it does is to make the people doing it feel like they're Doing Something and so assuage their consciences.
I and several other like-minded voters demonstrated against the Poll Tax back in the late 1980s, and it was subsequently repealed. I'd go out on a limb and say that if we hadn't demonstrated, we'd still be stuck with it today.
Yes, yes, you can argue the merits of whether the Poll Tax was a good idea done bad, or whatever, but my point is that occasionally, just occasionally, demonstrating does work.
@boltar
<QUOTE>
"So you recommend being quiet because demonstrating won't help anyway?"
Yes. It'll achieve the square root of fuck all especially here in the UK. All it does is to make the people doing it feel like they're Doing Something and so assuage their consciences.
</QUOTE>
So what exactly do you think you're achieving by making all this noise? Why don't you keep quiet too because you're never going to change our minds in any meaningful way?
We all like to express our feelings when they are strong enough to disturb our sense of rightness or wrongness, or whatever the heck its doing. That's what you're doing, that's what they're doing. Try shutting your gob for a while and see how it makes you feel.
"Despite what some might believe are relationship with the USA is no closer than they have with a lot of other european countries. The whole special relationship is a load of BS. If there is one its almost entirely one way."
None of the EU countries are acting in such a despicable manner. If they did, I would expect a strong reaction from our representatives.
As for the relationship being BS, I agree. But that's how it's presented on the world stage and it's how it's represented by our respective governments. We are talking about impressions and reputations: If 2 people present to the world that they are best mates, one of them does something horrible, and the other doesn't call them out for it, that person gives the impression of approval. It doesn't matter how many cross words are said behind closed doors, or whether those 2 are not really very close after all, the impression counts.
"Trump is enacting the policiies he set out in his manifesto"
If one of the policies was to exterminate the Jews, and he had been elected on that pledge, would you still expect our leaders to stay silent?
Just because lots of people vote for something which is (in my opinion, and those of a very large number of other people) wrong doesn't make it right.
"If one of the policies was to exterminate the Jews, and he had been elected on that pledge, would you still expect our leaders to stay silent?"
Calling Mr Godwin.... Mr Godwin please come to reception...
"Just because lots of people vote for something which is (in my opinion, and those of a very large number of other people) wrong doesn't make it right."
Nor does you believing it to be wrong make it wrong. We could play this game of ping pong logic all day.
@boltar
"If one of the policies was to exterminate the Jews, and he had been elected on that pledge, would you still expect our leaders to stay silent?"Calling Mr Godwin.... Mr Godwin please come to reception...
You still didn't answer the question.
"Just because lots of people vote for something which is (in my opinion, and those of a very large number of other people) wrong doesn't make it right."Nor does you believing it to be wrong make it wrong. We could play this game of ping pong logic all day.
No, but I have the right to protest against something I believe to be wrong. Especially when I can see so many parallels in history, none of which ended well.
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>The top export destinations of the United Kingdom are the United States ($51B)
Gross - net is more complex - for instance 1/7 of that figure is gold which we import (and almost half of it is imported from the US). Similar with financial services - so 'profit' from that headline trade through commissions earned on financial gaming is very much smaller than say car sales or engineering - all of which will be heavily taxed now and far less lucrative.
Which is why I hope Germany, France and the Netherlands will not want to screw our trade deals too badly as they have nearly 200Bn in exports to lose.
Note "I hope"... every time I think a world leader will do the obviously sane thing they seem to do the exact opposite. Maybe my idea of obviously sane is wrong?
Regarding Symon's quoted figures - if the source's figures are correct, then the combined figures for the USA and China are $95.4B for the US and less than $90B for China*
For comparison, Germany (#2 in Export, #1 in Import) is $146.5 - that's over 1.5 times the figure for the US.
Remind me which of our trading partners it's a bad idea to alienate, again?
* Can't currently load the source link, but given that China's not in the top 5 for export, and the lowest in the top 5 is 27B, then china's total is less than 62.7B + 27B
"Our trade in goods with China far exceeds that with the USA. Also we're happy to let them buy up our companies (hello JLR) when it suits us."
I thought Jaguar and Land Rover were acquired (and invested in) by Tata, an Indian company (in 2008).
"The whole special relationship is a load of BS. If there is one its almost entirely one way."
That I tend to agree with.
There's a difference. Mugabe was never invited for a state visit, he visited but thats at the government's request. not the Queen's. To the bets of my Memory, he has never met the queen, except for that one very awkward time on the side of a conference when Mugabe deliberately good up close and personal.
As for the Chinese, well at least you can always count on Phillip to make a gaffe and insult them.
@boltar - "Where were all these virtue signallers... when the president of china with its horrendous human rights record visited the UK?"
On the News, outside Buckingham Palace, protesting. Don't you remember?
And behind screens so that they couldn't be seen by the visiting party.
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@boltar "I'm no fan of Trump..."
This comment is rapidly achieving the same status as other similar comments "I'm not a racist, but...", "I'm not a homophobe, but...". Maybe you aren't a fan of Trump but, you're operating on the side of those who are so, technically, you are, by default.
And using the phrase "Virtue Signallers" is just a weak, no effort involved, way of dismissing a whole group of people whom you dislike for no readily apparent reason. I'm not convinced there were no protests at the time but surely better late than never? Or is it just that this time they are attacking Trump? Except you're no fan of Trump, so surely not.
@abc "Didn't Trump distance himself from the "alt right" (after the election, of course)?"
He distanced himself from the Alt.Right so much so that he kept on Steve Bannon, the very man who claims to have invented the term Alt.Right as a means to sanitize the white supremacists, and promoted him to the National Security Council.
"He distanced himself from the Alt.Right so much so that he kept on Steve Bannon, the very man who claims to have invented the term Alt.Right as a means to sanitize the white supremacists, and promoted him to the National Security Council."
That's disconcerting.
A neo-nazi in office.
I can see a pattern here..
We keep being told by May that we're doing the Brexits because it's the will of the people (despite being roughly half-and-half). Yet the people show their will by having over a million people express their opinion on something, and May's already dismissing them.
Is there some kind of guide as to when the peoples' will is to be respected? Is it some kind of lunar cycle thing?
"Yet the people show their will by having over a million people express their opinion on something, and May's already dismissing them."
When 30 million sign the petition (not including all the thousands of dups + bots) get back to us.
"Is there some kind of guide as to when the peoples' will is to be respected?"
What people? A bunch of left wing agitators and emoting luvvies?
@boltar - "When 30 million sign the petition (not including all the thousands of dups + bots) get back to us."
30 milllion!
Only 17 million people voted to leave the EU but that doesn't stop (Interim Prime Minister) Teresa May repeatedly insisting that they spoke for all the people.
So, again, what IS the threshold before "the people have spoken"?
"A bunch of left wing agitators and emoting luvvies?"
Boltar, just because people disagree with you does not necessarily mean they're left-wing, etc.
FWIW I'm right of centre, have built up my own business, and believe in capitalism (with the rough edges taken off) and free trade. So please stop referring to me and innumerable other as 'left-wing agitators'.
And I believe in treating people fairly (i.e. respecting their human rights) - which incidentally is also advocated by the Christian faith which the previous and current UK prime minister and the new US president claim to adhere to (though I'm not quite shure where water boarding and refusing to help the suffering fit into that).
If Brexit is anything to go by, if you don't vote/sign then you're not relevant. After all, count all the ones that didn't vote in the referendum (either because they couldn't be bothered, or were ineligible to vote) and only 27% of the actual population of Britain voted to leave the EU - yet that's what we're doing.
Same goes here. You want to show Trump he's welcome? Set up your own Pro-Trump-State-Visit petition and see how many votes you get. Until you do that, counting the people that didn't sign it is meaningless.
What about the 64+M who haven't signed the petition don't our votes count? - No, because they didn't vote! <doh!>
And anyway, petitions are usually valued on the basis that given sufficient participation they begin to more and more accurately reflect the views of the 'silent majority', i.e. if people felt equally strongly in the opposite direction they also would, presumably, wish to make their angst known; if they haven't then the weight of evidence (the petition) lies with those who have.
Is there some kind of guide as to when the peoples' will is to be respected? Is it some kind of lunar cycle thing?
In theory - it is a matter of majority. In practice it is Polish Medieval Democracy - who shouts loudest wins. The sole difference is that in those days it took strong people and a resemblance of majority to outsout the seim when choosing the next king. The modern British version involves having control of the right newspapers.
In any case - it is the wrong protest. The right protest is to start a crowdfunding campaign to build a mosque across the road from his golf resorts and paint it in white, red and green stripes.
...hacks at The Register are guessing is the most popular to have ever graced the site...
No, the most popular petition to date was the post-Brexit one http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-government-rejects-eu-referendum-petition-latest-a7128306.html.
<sigh>I know I'm just a grumpy old git but I remember the days when hacks did some research instead of just guessing.
The ban is counterproductive - but how about we lift it when those 'tolerant' states do the following :
1) let people drink alcohol
2) let people renounce Islam without fear of reprisals
3) let people choose religion and open churches
4) choose sexuality and not fear being killed
IF those Islamic states are really 'tolerant' then they shouldn't have a problem with the above list should they !!!!
Oh and I'd add Saudi Arabia to the list and a few others too.
"1) let people drink alcohol"
We must then also legalise other drugs, right here at home! Which I'm all for, BTW. No crime, no criminals. Otherwise we are just hypocrites.
"Oh and I'd add Saudi Arabia to the list and a few others too."
Oh no! They have oil, and we are VERY chummy with the Saud family!
What are a few chopped-off heads and limbs in the great scheme of things?
.............unacceptable does not include those muslim countries where his companies do business. Interesting form of selectivity that. If they are lining his pocket then they are not dangerous.
but how about we lift it when those 'tolerant' states do the following :1) let people drink alcohol
2) let people renounce Islam without fear of reprisals
3) let people choose religion and open churches
4) choose sexuality and not fear being killed
OK, when America:
1) let's people smoke Marijuana and use other drugs,
2) let's people renounce Christianity without fear of reprisals EVERYWHERE (including the Bible Belt),
3) stops labelling every Muslim a terrorist,
4) stops trying to ban gay marriage, abortion and several other things which disagree with their extremist "Christian" ideal.
"4) stops trying to ban gay marriage, abortion and several other things which disagree with their extremist "Christian" ideal."
Seriously fuck me. You are complaining about gay rights in America *and* them restricting entry of Muslims? LBGTQIXYZ demonstrations against islamophobia are about the dumbest fucking thing I have seen in my life.
More than 50% of British Muslims don't think gay marriage should be illegal they think gay should be illegal. Still at least they haven't started throwing gays off tower blocks here yet.
Seriously fuck me. You are complaining about gay rights in America *and* them restricting entry of Muslims? LBGTQIXYZ demonstrations against islamophobia are about the dumbest fucking thing I have seen in my life.
Firstly, I was responding to another post. It was calling for all Muslim countries to change, while ignoring the vast swathes of America where being openly gay will get you "cast out" of the community and potentially attacked. A great many fundamental religious types think being gay is a sin, and sins should be illegal.
In addition, the LGBT etc community are used to being discriminated against. Maybe they are sticking up for another group who are being discriminated against, knowing that no human being should suffer such treatment...
quote
It was calling for all Muslim countries to change, while ignoring the vast swathes of America where being openly gay will get you "cast out" of the community and potentially attacked. A great many fundamental religious types think being gay is a sin, and sins should be illegal.
/quote
Seriously ? you are comparing a community breach of the federal law/state law with the ACTUAL Sharia Law in those states ? It is not an offence of any sort to throw a gay off a building; stone a woman to death; kill all converts from Islam - it is the LAW that these things be done.
In one instance a community chooses to not observe the law of the land and express its dislike of behaviour it disagrees with by non lethal (yes yes there is the odd nutcase - but it is still against the law) methods
In the other instance the community is obeying the law by killing people - and those who object frequently die as well. No nutcases required.
The Koran is very clear on the following
Law comes from the Koran
Government comes from the Koran (and democracy is not an acceptable form of government)
The punishment for apostasy
The punishment for homosexuality (not just the practice of homosexual sex either)
The punishment for women guilty of adultery (which can include being raped being seen as an act of adultery)
I suspect you need to revisit the relative differences in these cultures; they are non-trivial.
I'm sure HMQ can be diplomatically ill so who should represent her? Philip, I'm sure could be relied on to say something rude, but about whom. Charles could give him a good ear bending on environmental matters. On the face of it he ought to be suitably embarrassed if it were William & Kate but I don't think embarrassment's in his repertoire. I think Anne would put him in his place quite nicely.
IIRC she and Willy went to France to visit a chum on some vast estate. Some topless sunbathing ensued, but unfortunately they didn't check that a small snippet of land half a mile away that could have a view of the sunloungers which had public access (it may even have been the side of a road) did not contain a pap with a rather large lens.
Which is sad really as it only needed the first 100,000 to get debated in Parliament so the later 900,000+ are just wasting their time....... as are the first 100,000 because Parliament is sovereign hence can and will completely ignore siding with the petitioners.
Now if I was a totally Machiavellian president I might just instruct my security bods to hack the website and extract the details of the people who voted to obstruct my visit. They would go on the "special" vetting list for people visiting the US ...... you know the one that is conducted in a windowless room by the US immigration hall with a torch and a pair of thick rubber gloves lying innocently on the table. :-))
Which is sad really as it only needed the first 100,000 to get debated in Parliament so the later 900,000+ are just wasting their time.......
Additional signatures show what the strength of feeling is on the issue. That strength of feeling will be taken into account by those debating the issue (if it is debated) so they are not completely wasted signings.
While it may have already been decided that Trump is coming, May will be acutely aware that there are a lot of unhappy people out there; one million plus is harder to dismiss or shrug-off than 100K.
"That number taking to the streets is an even more impressive display of opposition. Tony Blair and Parliament didn't take any notice of them either."
Not immediately, no. I suspect that he regretted that once all the chickens had come home to roost. Sure, he never said "I was wrong and should have listened to all the scruffy oiks on the streets." but he has lived the rest of his life under the shadow of that decision, he was politely rottweilered in the ensuing inquiry and his historical legacy is almost certainly "mixed".
@Missing Semicolon - "World politics is a game for adults, not entitled teenagers of any age."
The child playing at being US President is contradictory evidence.
You honestly think the UK people shouldn't be able to express their displeasure that someone they believe to be undeserving shouldn't get a State visit?
@ Missing Semicolon
"TMay needs to look at the people agitating about this and say "grow up"."
You make a very good point, I just wish someone kicked Cameron, Boris and the rest of them with that statement when they started insulting the presidential candidate probably assuming he could never win. And they seem to be making the same mistake stating they wouldnt work with the FN if they won in France. Of course they will, they will have to if the FN somehow won.
I do expect a lot of people getting upset as the real world starts to encroach on the entitled dream world.
> TMay needs to look at the people agitating about this and say "grow up".
Looks like the Government saw this and agreed, but they're reaction seems to have been "stop it! you're going to ruin everything!", and then stamp off in a huff.
If a million people saying Trump shouldn't be invited for tea & cakes with the Queen is going to "ruin everything" then that really doesn't say much for the special relationship. Just how desperate was Theresa during her meeting with Trump?!
"World politics is a game for adults, not entitled teenagers of any age."
Quite right. Unfortunately many politicians appear to be having just like those entitled teenagers - thinking that there are easy solutions to complex problems, and that they can ignore other people's reasoned opinions. Sadly that seems to apply in particular to the US President and to a lesser extent to the British PM and those around her.
...special, you know...like wife beating.
My stomach churns when I hear that phrase used, especially by US diplomats in public, as you know they burst out laughing behind the scenes at that remark.
Nothing special relationship wise between the UK and USA whatsoever.
And yes whilst Trump is a detestable curmudgeon, in terms of hands the Queen has had to shake over the years his tiny paws are pretty clean blood wise....at the moment.
I love that word "relationship." Covers all manner of sins, doesn't it? I fear that this has become a bad relationship; a relationship based on the President taking exactly what he wants and casually ignoring all those things that really matter to, erm... Britain. We may be a small country, but we're a great one, too. The country of Shakespeare, Churchill, the Beatles, Sean Connery, Harry Potter. David Beckham's right foot. David Beckham's left foot, come to that. And a friend who bullies us is no longer a friend. And since bullies only respond to strength, from now onward I will be prepared to be much stronger. And the President should be prepared for that.
Have you actually read his 'Trade Strategy'?
His strategy is at all costs to -
1. Increase US production. Okay that happens if you get sales elsewhere and is worthwhile.
2. (this is the kicker) Reduce the US Trade Deficit. Essentially the US pushes everyone to buy from them but doesnt want to buy anything back.
The UK has a decent trade surplus with the USA currently. Do you think that will continue with any new deal agreed with 'The Great Negotiator'?
Again you Brexit types just go with the rhetoric and don't read the small print.
Do diplomacy and adult politics stuff, this is not school.
If he doesn't come he won't hear our views or see any protests (for or against). The main stream media will have a field day running endless stories with zero factual content except "the line" pushed by Soros and crony corporations.
A million plus people can congratulate themselves on being part of "the great sulk" when all we did was turn our back on a democratically elected leader.
"A million plus people can congratulate themselves on being part of "the great sulk" when all we did was turn our back on a democratically elected leader."
What? This makes no sense.
We all know, by now, that Trump's ears are merely decorations on the sides of his head. He doesn't actually hear anything. He talks a lot. Pure dictatorship material.
Isolate him. Belittle him. Make the Americans feel stupid for electing him, since he is persona non grata now in Europe. I don't give a sh*t about trade deals if it means licking Trump in the process.
Just a comment about "enacting polices"...
There is a constitution, and there are laws.
If trump is going to ignore those in favour of his executive orders being presumably implemented without opposition, then you have in effect a DICTATORSHIP.
Telling the media to shut up, is what dictators do. Being paranoid and touchy is what dictators typically are.
He shows most signs of a paranoid, narcissistic and psychopathic dictator.
Obama used them. So did Bill Clinton. FDR issued over 3500 of them.
For those getting in a froth about Trump it should be noted that the US President who has deported most people from the United States in its entire history is Barack Obama who evicted over 2.5 million people from the country between 2009-2015, with the figure probably exceeding 3 million by the end of his term of office
"For those getting in a froth about Trump it should be noted that the US President who has deported most people from the United States in its entire history is Barack Obama who evicted over 2.5 million people from the country between 2009-2015, with the figure probably exceeding 3 million by the end of his term of office"
Funny how facts like this are reeled out both to support Trump ("He's not so bad - look what Obama did!") and to vindicate Obama ("Trump says Obama was soft when look at how many he deported!")
It does not alter the fact that US Presidents have been deporting people and making executive decisions on immigration long before Trump ever took office. The same applies to the erection of a barrier to prevent illegal immigration over the Mexican border. This was started in 2006 and already covered 600 miles by the time Obama left office. Trumps policy on immigration may well be poorly implemented and targeted but it is not as complete break with the past as some seem to be claiming.
"Trumps policy on immigration may well be poorly implemented and targeted but it is not as complete break with the past as some seem to be claiming." True, but Mexico paying for the Huuge wall is where the man child reveals himself, and he has already made a fool of himself.
Politics is full of narcissists and crooks or have you not noticed
Nixon, Clinton, G W Bush all shared that trait.
Some of them went onto kill a lot of people around the world
Nixon was dining with the Queen in 1970 shortly after US forces violated international law by bombing neutral Cambodia over a number of months. GW Bush had a State visit shortly after the legally extremely dubious invasion of Iraq in 2003 to which our own sainted Tony Blair was party
Trump has some way to go before he catches up with what some of his predecessors have done
"Trump has some way to go before he catches up with what some of his predecessors have done"
Shouldn't be a problem, as he has got off to a flying start already!
He already talked tough before the election, so I'm sure he can easily escalate a few wars.
>He shows most signs of a paranoid, narcissistic and psychopathic dictator.
Donald Trump is dangerously mentally ill and temperamentally incapable of being president - so says a psychotherapist (admittedly with a book to sell)
Thanks for the link. I bought the book and read it because I had a nagging feeling that mocking Trump and shaming his supporters might be ineffective or even counterproductive.
A fascinating read - I learned a lot and have plenty to mull over about how to interact with people with certain personality types.
"wonder if Trump was elected because he is honest about his intentions"
The most pleasing thing for me about his election was the clear indication it gave that people are seeing through the fundamentally dishonest politically correct fuckwittery that has engulfed politics for years.
Watching question time just cracks me up. Seeing the likes of Diane Abbott, a political nobody from a frankly joke party trying to play politically correct wacist and misogyny cards against the man who has just become the most powerful politician in the world. Yes we know he is incredibly politically incorrect and we elected him anyway. We see through the dishonesty of your politically correct games. Get a fucking clue, understand how stupid you are looking continuing to play them.
I agree that politicians have, in general, screwed the pooch for years. People no longer believe what they say, and they are architects of their own demise.
The problem is that what has happened, on both sides of the Atlantic, is that everything has become polarised. There is no centre ground. "I'm right, you're wrong" dominates, and the populations are split about 50/50.
The problem with this is that there is no compromise, no give, no trying to heal the rift. The winners are shouting "we won, suck it losers!", and are ecstatic, as they get everything they ever wanted. The losing side, however, feel they have no voice. They get called anti-democratic when they even suggest that this is not what they want, when they raise any fears, when they try to protest.
So, yes, fine, kick out the political classes. But don't replace them with extremism. It will, and is already, just cause further problems down the road. Why can't we all try to find a compromise, somewhere in between the 2 extremes, where noone gets everything they want but everyone gets something they want.
BTW, just a quick point: There is nothing wrong with political correctness as a concept. It's basically "don't be a dick to people". There are problems with the extremes it has been taken to. However, there is now an anti-political-correctness movement which is just as extreme. Racism is creeping back in (not "wacism" as you put it, but actual racism), as are misogyny and bigotry. The people doing so just cry that people are trying to make them be politically correct, that they are being called "wacist". Actually, they are being absolute c*nts, but the anti-PC crowd get behind them and defend them. So be careful what you wish for...
@ Dr. Mouse
I agree very much with that comment, however I do expect the extremists already got in (extreme left) and the extreme reaction (extreme right) leaves those in the middle with a very difficult position. Do we support extremism continued or do we support the opposite to try to move closer to a middle ground while waiting for something much less extreme?
"There is nothing wrong with political correctness as a concept. It's basically "don't be a dick to people"
You really don't have a clue what political correctness is or why is it is called political.
It's basically "take offence on behalf of someone else to dishonestly portray yourself as more noble, just, and worthy of votes than anyone who takes less offence over the same issue."
The worthy of votes bit being why it is called political and widely practised by politicians. The only question is if players are truly dishonest or just too thick to understand what they are doing.
"Watching question time just cracks me up. Seeing the likes of Diane Abbott, a political nobody from a frankly joke party trying to play politically correct wacist and misogyny cards against the man who has just become the most powerful politician in the world. Yes we know he is incredibly politically incorrect and we elected him anyway. We see through the dishonesty of your politically correct games. Get a fucking clue, understand how stupid you are looking continuing to play them."
It's not actually a game; caring about minorities' rights, human rights, freedoms, etc (actual, real people).
Sad to hear you thought so.
Let's hope the politically incorrect ones do come for you one day. Should teach you a lesson.
"He shows signs of being a tin that actually contains what it said on the outside before it got elected.
Something very rare and wonderful in politics."
Rare, yes. Maybe not wonderful. Once they get elected most politicians realise they have to start acting rationally and responsibly. It's just that that seems to have gone out of fashion in the last year or so.
There's a huge backlash on two democratically decided things yet when the governments do decidedly undemocratic things no one cares.
Maybe it's a cunning plan to subvert the masses into thinking democracy doesn't work and that decisions can't be left to the people thereby ushering in a new totalitarian regime. Where did I put my tin foil hat?
Oh Deity, Trump and Philip in the same room?! There's a scary thought!
Would a brick under each chair improve your thoughts?
--> We don't have a suitable "bashing their brains out" icon so I guess "joke alert" will have to do... Another couple of rows of icons (including some of the old greats eg tombstone) would be great El Reg!
Here is the justification for the new controls
"In order to protect Americans, the United States must ensure that those admitted to this country do not bear hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles. The United States cannot, and should not, admit those who do not support the Constitution, or those who would place violent ideologies over American law. In addition, the United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred (including “honor” killings, other forms of violence against women, or the persecution of those who practice religions different from their own) or those who would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation."
Has our society so completely lost its mind that people are actually wanting to ban someone from visiting this country whose government has expressed such sentiments,
...is exactly what this order does. Which makes him a hypocrite as well as a dictator. Not to mention the fact that several countries not covered by this ban (Saudi Arabia anyone) fit that description perfectly but Trump trades with them so they're his mates.
The wording of the order is an after-the-fact justification for a policy based on bigotry and nothing more. The fact that so many people take him at his word is the reason we have to fight him.
"Has our society so completely lost its mind that people are actually wanting to ban someone from visiting this country whose government has expressed such sentiments,"
The sentiments are not the problem here, it's the incompetent, botched, racist and heavy-handed implementation of this which is the problem. You have people with USA residency and legitimate papers suddenly being detained with no warning. You have University professors with British citizenship suddenly being kicked off planes and banned from the country. You have families who have lived together in the USA for years suddenly torn apart when a traveling member is banned from returning to his home and his family. You also have officials at airports who don't seem to know what they should be doing here, plus numerous judges confirming that this ruling is unconstitutional.
I don't necessarily have a problem with improving the vetting process to ensure that people who enter the USA have good intentions, but such measures need to be carefully implemented and properly thought through.
This though is ill-conceived, hugely damaging to America's worldwide reputation and has left hundreds if not thousands of innocent people marooned, detained etc. It's also completely excessive. This goes beyond using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, this is more like using a steam roller to crack open a poppy seed.
And we're supposed to invite this racist, incompetent buffoon to Britain on an official state visit in the midst of all the chaos and suffering he's currently causing? What kind of message would that send?
"In addition, the United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred (including “honor” killings, other forms of violence against women, or the persecution of those who practice religions different from their own) or those who would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation."
So the first foreign country that Trump visits will be stuck with him, as he falls foul of his own executive order on multiple counts. I wonder if the grandees of the Republican Party have decided to give him enough rope...
When I signed the petition early yesterday it was gratifying to see the count racking up. If you keep the initial page open it automatically updates the count about every ten seconds.
However it was still racking up at about 20 per second in the middle of the UK night - and is still doing so at about the same rate.
Looking at the UK distribution map it seems to have a very even base layer of geographic locations.
Regretfully my suspicion is that there is a bot at work - and that may allow the petition to be declared null and void. It would be interesting to know how well a sample of signatures ties up with the electoral registers.
Regretfully my suspicion is that there is a bot at work
It was going up so fast lunchtime Sunday that I wondered the same, decided to log the total and rates.
About 90K per hour lunchtime, 45K as evening approached, a continual fall towards midnight, 3.5K this morning, climbing back to 75K Monday lunchtime, and then a drop to 50K, and it was still falling last time I checked.
That pattern seems to be pretty human to me. Also the spread of supporters looks to be as one would expect. I think the flood really was because it was a hot topic, everyone who knew of it emailed their like-minded mates saying 'sign this'. There was a sense of solidarity with Americans protesting what Trump had done as well as upset at May for not having criticised that.
The petition has a link that shows the data .json in clear text - basically arrays for signatories' country and UK MP constituency. Signatories themselves are not identified.
The first section itemises the count of signatures by country origin. There are a surprising number of countries - although the non-UK counts are generally very small.
How the country is deduced is not clear.
eg
{"name":"United Kingdom","code":"GB","signature_count":1311379},
{"name":"United States","code":"US","signature_count":6916},
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/171928.json
The signatures are not just from the UK - they are from British people living abroad.
I had the same suspicion seeing 10-20 people every 10 seconds signing at 3 in the morning made me question whether it was real. Eventually I managed to find a way to access the raw data - because while the petition site allows you to sign from any country - it doesn't display that information anywhere. So I knocked up a quick page to display the counts per country when the country has 500 signers and above (and of course one country below 500, because I should have put "break;" before printing out the table row instead of after)
There are 1,596,002 signatures as of Tue, 31 Jan 2017 02:19:15 +0000
Top countries:
Country Signature Count
United Kingdom 1,546,878
United States 8,776
France 6,250
Australia 4,706
Canada 3,458
Spain 2,988
Germany 2,769
Ireland 1,736
New Zealand 1,731
Netherlands 1,542
Switzerland 1,310
Belgium 851
United Arab Emirates 849
Italy 833
Sweden 805
Hong Kong 695
South Africa 550
Singapore 498
I would like him to be detained and subject to "Extreme Vetting". He is more dangerous than any Muslim I have ever met, more dangerous than 99.999% of those from the countries on his list. He also obviously has ideological views which seriously conflict with our British values.
By his own definitions, he qualifies for such.
As an American, I have to live with his posturing, and now his ill-considered "ready, fire, aim" policy rollouts every day. However, I'm pretty sure that its in Britain's interest to try to get along with the guy--leader of Britain's biggest ally and helping counterbalance the EU's Brexit rejectionism and all that.
So unless he really does try to feel up some combination of Theresa/Elizabeth/Kate, then let's stop with the "I'm British and upset that the Americans didn't elect the President I wanted them to!" posturing.
I'm pretty sure that its in Britain's interest to try to get along with the guy
I'm sure it is... but not at any price if we really are looking after Britain's best interests.
Brexit may be curtailing our options, May might be desperate for a deal, but we need to retain at least some dignity and integrity and not jump into the gutter. Britain should be better than that.
"I'm British and upset that the Americans didn't elect"
Don't worry. Most Britons are not upset. Anti-brexit remoaners, SJWs, and nerds thinking feminism promotion will get them laid are over represented here. (most feminists are butt ugly and/or dykes - just a heads up guys).
Check the BBC website where the 3 highest rated comments on the same issue read
"People’s reactions to events (Brexit, Trump etc) shows a very worrying trend in the world; that when you don’t get your own way, it’s now not to accept the outcome, but instead to shout and scream, stamp your feet, burst into tears and hurl abuse and block anyone/thing that does not agree with you.
Society needs to tackle this type of hysterical over-reaction." (1509 up 581 down).
"We've hosted state visits for Saudi, China & Russia over the past few years, where was the petition to stop them?" (1424 up 184 down).
AKA: "60+Million don't sign Stop Trump Petition"
...as they've not fallen for media hype and haven't jumped on the bandwagon. (1154 up 376 down).
" that when you don’t get your own way, it’s now not to accept the outcome, but instead to shout and scream, stamp your feet, burst into tears and hurl abuse and block anyone/thing that does not agree with you."
@inmypjs
Hmmmmmm that sounds awfully familiar.... I'm sure I've seen someone doing that countless times over the last few years - usually around 2am, hmmmmm I wonder who that was......
Oh that's right! That would in fact be the current President of the United States.
So - I take it from this what you are actually saying - unhappy people are not allowed to show that they an unhappy in any way - but - if they are in a position of power, applying to be in a position of power - or just generally quite well known - then it is perfectly fine for them to have a Twitter meltdown. OK - your double standards have been noted. Thanks for playing.
"So - I take it from this what you are actually saying -"
No it isn't what I am saying it is what someone said on the BBC web site which was agreed with 3:1 by those who bothered to vote on it.
I suggest a more accurate indication of what Britons think than you get reading here.
@Marketing Hack - terribly sorry to burst your bubble, but most of us UKians generally couldn't give a monkeys about whom you elect to lead you over on tehleft side of the pond, so long as they're not too objectionable. It's just that the current incumbent of the presidential jopb over there is easily the most objectionable so-and-so there's been during my liftime.
He's also, by the laws of our land, commited hate speech, as well as there being public evidence of his doings that if it wouldn;t get him on a sedx offenders register would at least be likely to have the local constabulary keeping a very close eye on him, were he to emigrate to the UK.
So if you'd like to keep your presidentially elected multi-dimensional bigot over your side of the pond, that'd be just grand with us, ta very. But please don't expect us not to laugh at him for being the fuckwitted piece of excrement masquerading as a human being that he is. IMNSHO, of course.
You had so many candidates to choose from America, and yet you chose THAT one. For shame.
I would never have voted Tories if I knew that Theresa May (the ugly & arrogant cow) would become the face of "Democratic" Britain.
And then sucking Trumps balls to get a deal, to save her ass from Europhiles.
Remember, she was an avid Remainer under Cameron till June last year.
Turncoats. Anything to be in power and now clutching at straws.
"I would never have voted Tories if I knew that Theresa May (the ugly & arrogant cow) would become the face of "Democratic" Britain."
Hear, hear! Had I been able to vote in the UK in the last parliamentary elections I might well have voted Conservative - because their manifesto emphasised the importance of the single market and the chancellor of the exchequer aimed to reduce or eliminate the deficit, and because I considered Cameron a reasonable leader.
In that case I would have been extremely **** off that not much later the Conservatives are led (without even the party members having a say in it) by an autocrat who seems to have forgotten that the PM is supposed to be a primus inter pares, who is hell-bent on screwing up international trade and proposes putting workers on company boards (an idea she seems to have stolen from Labour or even the Socialist Workers' Party). Oh, and a chancellor who wants to increase the deficit.
Nurse! Time for my pills. Or a cuppa. And time to join the Lib Dems.
"Remember, she was an avid Remainer under Cameron till June last year."
Avid? As far as I could see she was the least amount of of Remainer she could be consistent with her retaining her job after the expected result. The EU was nothing more to her than a stone in her kitten heels as a Home Sec.
To be fair, Theresa May pretty much has to bow to the Brexit gods--whether or not she really believes in the "people have spoken and it is my duty to make it happen" angle.
Her other option is going remainer and splitting the Conservatives. Take a look at the current Labour party situation if you want to see what that looks like.
"Anything to be in power and now clutching at straws."
Very true and very normal and in any country. In politics it's always domestic politics first and always about the next election. She will now act and speak to Brits the way she believes will win her the next election in 2020. It would perhaps be easier for her if the election came earlier. So what does she actually believe in, does she believe in all that "open for business" and "free trade world power". Do you. As it is today she has to speak nice to the Brexiters while not forgetting the rest of the country either as It's all about the next election, and she has to watch out for the backstabbers too.
Suppose some kid started to piss on your shoos or pulled his trousers and farted towards you, would your first reaction be to hit him over the head, perhaps, but as an adult you would probably pull your feet away and start looking for his parents for help, as the adult you are. Many of us, I would guess, have had some bastard kid behind us kicking our seat in the back in an airplane. Murder comes to mind but again we are looking for help from parents or what ever there is as an alternative.
The day Trump started the name calling, Bush this, Rubio that, they should have understood that now they have to go with the "kindergarten rules" and should have started to laugh and name calling him all together, and that would have been easy and so entertaining. But they did not because they were adults.
As adults we also know that kids lie at times, - did you wash your hands, did you read your homework, did you smoke and so forth. At times they lie, and we let it be. What kids would never understand is if we days later brought up that question again, They sort of live for the day and they assume lies from yesterday are forgotten. The problem Trump has with the press is that they keep, bastards, referring to what he happened to say days ago. Trumps mental development stopped around the age of thirteen, women are objects to show up and shitting in a golden potty makes him feel important.
Poor May, I cannot blame her, open for business (never knew the UK was not), burning bridges getting global and all of that. But still the "stunning victory*" and the invitation to the meet the Queen, quit frankly, a bit like toys for a dog.
Dear Americans, that guy ended up in the wrong house.
The petition at 1.4 million and counting.
* I would not have gone for the "surprising victory" either but what about election.
Time to recycle that joke again:-
Donald Trump met The Queen, and he turns round and says: "As I'm the President, I'm thinking of changing how the country is referred to, and I'm thinking that it should be a Kingdom."
The Queen replies "I'm sorry Mr. Trump, but to be a Kingdom, you have to have a King in charge - and you're not a King."
Donald Trump thought a while and then said: "How about a Principality then?"
To which the Queen replied "Again, to be a Principality you have to be a Prince - and you're not a Prince, Mr. Trump".
Trump thought long and hard and came up with "How about an Empire then?"
The Queen, getting a little annoyed by now, replies "Sorry again, Mr. Trump, but to be an Empire you must have an Emperor in charge - and you are not an Emperor."
Before Trump could utter another word, the Queen said: "I think you're doing quite nicely as a Country."
Donald Trump may very well be amoung the most 10 deplorables who possibly meet the Queen, as he is probably one of the few widely reviled world leaders, especially one from a "developed nation that is the most poweful military country and a G20 nation, who has claimed to retain the loyalty of his voters/supporters even if he senselessly murdered someone on Fifth Avenure in NY City, has "never" retracted or aplogized for heinous public denigration and actions taken against Latinos and American blacks, and is determined to return torture to USA practice.
Britons, and populace of very many countries at least have intelligence and fortitude to publicly rebuke this man most indentify as an idiot and threat to world peace, and whom a significant proportion of US citizenry worship Trump just for being as out of touch with reality and "truth" as they are..
He likes older women?
HRH should be proud of him then, and looking forward to hosting him, given that her old man ( The racist dim witted Greek) is a write off.
After all, it is HER invitation that Mrs May conveyed to Trump so graciously and he accepted promptly. He will definitely hold her hand too. She needn't worry on that front.
Wonder if we can get a ban on drumpf from entering the country. Keep him from reentering the country when he visits the Queen.
And let us be stuck with him? No thanks - he's your problem, you sort it out. You elected this nutcase.
George W Bush must be laughing his head off - all of a sudden, he will look good in the history books by comparison..
May invited him, just need her to invite the rest of the idiots that voted for the orange, tiny handed, cheeto puff. If they all proactively left, and never came back, then I think we'd all agree, they will have managed to "make america great again."
Come on, we did a solid for you guys by actually taking on FIFA, Turn about's fair play and all that.
I wonder if the idiots who hated France for not supporting the Iraq War and for a brief time tried changing "french fries" to "freedom fries" on menus in the US would want to change "english muffin" to "freedom muffin" in the (rather unlikely, I'm sure) event that Parliament goes along with this petition and disinvites Trump?
Trump really nailed his colours to the mast today. By firing the acting legal heads because they disagreed with him over legality - he is signalling his disregard for the checks and balances that are enshrined in the separation of powers. He is becoming a de facto dictator wishing to rule by decree
So the effing moron is now firing people in the supposed "checks and balances" system!
First to go is acting attorney general Sally Yates.
I think most Trump voters in the U.S.A now realise that they probably should have voted for the lesser evil.
The Alt Right rednecks will obviously be delighted when their dictator gets tough.
Is it still a capital offense to lay hands on the HRH The Queen?
If so, then though she's about 9 decades to old for him, given his tendencies to grope any chick he meets, the more famous the better.
Oh the possibilities.. State dinner at 7, public execution at 11..