American + @BritbyDescent (English mother) but I reject unfair path to British citizenship. Interests: birds, gardening, science, politics. Also @BookishMagpie
The Conservative Party made yet another mistake in choosing their new leader, following years of consistently making mistakes (particularly around the choosing of leaders).
Hi friends!
I wanted to give a quick update on The Onion’s purchase of InfoWars, which we can’t wait to relaunch as the dumbest site on the internet.
Long and short of it: We won the bid and — you're not going to believe it — the previous InfoWars folks aren't taking it well.
I just moved into my new office! Yes it’s a bare wall windowless transition space in the basement that looks like the set of the show Severance, but that won’t stop me from being proud of what it took to get here to the Senate and excited for the opportunity.
Russia did exactly this to HRC in 2016, aiming to suppress her vote, and probably did. Musk no doubt did suppress Harris voting as well with these demotivation techniques. This should be illegal.
As with Musk doing foreign policy and everything else, this is the privatization of public power, which is always followed by the privatization of public money into the same hands. We saw this in Russia and it's how to replace a democracy with oligarchy.
Timothy Snyder "Imagine that you are a foreign leader who wishes to destroy the United States. How could you do so? The easiest way would be to get Americans to do the work themselves, to somehow induce Americans to undo their own health, law, administration, defense, and intelligence. From this perspective, Trump's proposed appointments -- Kennedy, Jr.; Gaetz; Musk; Ramaswamy; Hegseth; Gabbard -- are perfect instruments. They combine narcissism, incompetence, corruption, sexual incontinence, personal vulnerability, dangerous convictions, and foreign influence as no group before them has done. These proposed appointments look like a decapitation strike: destroying the American government from the top, leaving the body politic to rot, and the rest of us to suffer.
I do not defend the status quo. I have no doubt whatsoever that the Department of Defense and the Food and Drug Administration require reform. But such a reform, of these or other agencies, would have to be guided by people with knowledge and experience, who cared about their country, and who had a vision of improvement. That is simply not what is happening here. We are confronted instead with a group of people who, were they to hold the positions they have been assigned, could bring an end to the United States of America."
“For the sake of Britain, Europe and humanity, it’s time for us to get back with the European team”
Me for @BylineTimes on what Trump’s election means for US-UK-EU relations.
https://t.co/I0pHNXUI6x https://t.co/I0pHNXUI6x
Today’s growth stats show it is slowing. So which politician now has the courage to say the bleedin obvious ?
#Brexit has been bad for trade, bad for growth, bad for our economy and all would be significantly boosted if we at the very least joined the #EU custom union.
It’s November 2024 and I am listening for the first time ever to BBCs ‚Today‘ talking about the damage Brexit has done to Britain. I mean, it has just been 8 years..
“Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.”
Hannah Arendt
The Origins of Totalitarianism
Trump turning his cabinet into a freak show this time was predictable. He can’t run again, so in his mind he has nothing to gain from his administration being good or bad for the American people, including his voters. Settle scores, loot, do favors, put on a show for his image.
Against unimaginably stiff competition, this is the worst appointment of the lot. People will die if the dangerous nonsense espoused by this crank anti-vaxxer becomes public policy.
Donald Trump picks Robert Kennedy Jr to run US health department via @FT
https://t.co/Ax83zOjyvj
Dear antivaxx world,
Appointing RFK Jr isn't "karma" for science advocates. It is karma for YOU!
Though we're not celebrating.
This is bad for biomedicine. This is bad for public health. This is bad for the children of the world. This is bad for humanity.