Rayvin

That's actually a really good video by Cenk... A first in my on-off watching of the YT.

I'm also not certain how he'll pay for it, although maybe it's all interlinked with scaling down NATO. I'd imagine that'd free up some funds. I don't think in anyone's head, Trump is a man of the working people mind. He's just not a career politician. It should say everything about how far our political establishment has fallen that a billionaire is considered to be more representative of the people than a politician.

On that, I agree. But what makes you think Trump himself will help the cause? beyond what he just accomplished.

Sigh...

Yeah I dunno if I agree with Parky here. I think the symbol of Trump assuming the Presidency is important and potentially necessary to shake the career politicians and establishment into action for the betterment of people's lives, but I don't think Trump himself is going to offer us a great deal here. He could, I concede - but it's unlikely. The message was more important than the man.

:lol:

Tbf I'm not sure I can name any Leeds players...

Trump will have lived a life of relative ease compared to someone self-made. It will be a shock. It also raises questions about how much he really cares about this. I daresay he'd have preferred Clinton to win if not for his ego. He'll be 75ish by the time he's next up. No way will he stand again IMO.

Salty and nigh on incomprehensible

Ah maybe you did. Sorry if so - either way, I broadly agree with it.

I actually reckon Gloom's theory might be part of it - Assange desperate to get a power shift so he can finally get the fuck out of that embassy. I genuinely wouldn't be surprised or particularly critical of him for that, he must be fucking sick of it.

FWIW, I'm on the side of Wikileaks knowing exactly what they're doing and Assange fancying himself as a power broker, but I'm open as ever.

Ok but could you refute it with something?

Depressing and predictable.

Fair points. It's Branson though so he could be in it for PR as much as profits. Hopefully the scenario will be the former option.

As someone in the know, do you think privatisation would help?

Tbf to HF, that's a strong response. Especially if Wikileaks don't actually know their sources...

I don't want to bitch on about Neoliberalism again but ffs. They'll go in to much fanfare and start making it more efficient, which is good, but will then look to maximise profit further by cutting costs, which will lead to less focus on patient care, the cutting of corners, and very likely eventual and overt prioritisation of profits over the wellbeing of the individuals they should be looking after.

It'll be a wig, surely? Barack looks fucking delighted in that photo it has to be said.

He does look the type.

Hard to prove this one way or the other though, and all this muddies the water. What we can say for certain is that the Russians wanted Trump to win. Either way, it doesn't change the fact that we now have two data points to suggest the centreground consensus is falling apart. If France goes the same way it'll be 3 and I think we can assume that it's not all random coincidence and a sudden upswing in racism.

What do you reckon, more for his ego or for his wallet?

Maybe that's why they didn't correct him actually. Fair enough.

Yep, it's a fair point. The 'rebel' side is always likely to be more motivated to get its voter base out as well. For Brexit, I think you could credibly argue that those who didn't vote simply didn't know what the fuck their opinions on the whole thing were. For the US elections, where Trump had like a 15% chance of winning, I think it could have had more of an impact.

I hate when people get that wrong. The Americans tend to do it presumably thinking it's some kind of spin from loony toons. I once wrote to the Guardian to educate one of their US based MBM commentators on it We can let Rafa off but ffs someone tell should tell him...