Rayvin

It's lower than the last 3 by a couple of percentage points but probably about average when you look at the last 5. Either way though it's a good point. Given that populists will reach out to those who are disaffected, it makes me wonder how much worse this situation actually is than we're currently considering it to be. Unless of course people were so sure that Hillary would win that they stayed home...

Just a further thought on this - that's some awesome power wielded by Assange. Just saying mind, but for a guy holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, his influence is significant. The temptation is to find that worrying of course, but at the end of the day it's little different to the power someone like Murdoch has, although Assange is unchecked of course. Aside from being limited to existence in about 5 rooms anyway.

It sounds as though they withheld information concerning where their leak on Hillary came from (Russia) and information on Donald Trump's campaign (because it wouldn't penetrate through the already vocal criticism the MSM was offering anyway).

I could see that being true for sure.

The specific scenario wherein it is giving rise to right wing populism that is ascending to power is new in my lifetime. Why are we even arguing about this

Hard to argue with Assange on that one, the media were firing everything they had at Trump. This is undeniably true. The only reason Wikileaks could possibly have withheld that information would be because they actually did want to influence the election. I can't see another alternative myself.

That would be a true statement if our democracy was entirely unblemished by vested interests, market driven agendas, and a total misreading of the people our leaders are supposed to represent. Which is what I was complaining about in my earlier post, where I noted it was delivering us answers I didn't like, primarily because of these blemishes.

I mean, if that doesn't scream 'the left is failing', I don't know what does.

Well now you're just taking it to extremes. We can only use the word 'fail' in apocalyptic scenarios?

Fair enough Chez, I can see that argument. Russian meddling is particularly distasteful and in fairness, there is evidence to suggest that these leaks made the difference. With that said, I don't think it explains away the whole issue. I expected Trump to lose, but I thought we'd be facing something worse in 4 years time given how things are heading - Clinton winning was not going to make this problem go away.

Ah, you're confusing the past with the present. Unless you think we're on the cusp of doing really well out of what is happening now? I said it was failing us.

RT are a state run propaganda machine, the Russians did have something to do with it, and Clinton is also a liar. Just for clarity.

Oh ffs ewerk, I can only give an entirely subjective answer to that so what's the point? It's delivering us right wing populism, the gateway drug to fascism, because it is dominated by a group of totally out of touch fuckwits who have made the system so impenetrable, in order to ensure their power, that they're intransigent to the concerns of people at large. How about that?

What does Louise Mensch have against Russia...?

Let's be honest, democracy is failing us all anyway.

Isn't it actually done through some manner of statistical analysis anyway? Or is that just on FM?

Palin is about right. It's gonna be an interesting few years!

Surely he can't reverse legislation on gay marriage... they just put that through to much fanfare?

What are the big issues people are worried about with respect of the Supreme Court then? Is it mainly abortion legislation?

Agreed. That's going to end in tears, unquestionably.

Well yeah, no one is arguing that

Yeah, it's hard not to like that bit about Trump actually. Hard to see where the Republicans can go if they start blocking him on things though...? How will that look to their voter base?

True - and while the Republicans hold Congress, they also want the trade deals... Would be a bold move though.

Chez's view that he's actually going to do them a favour in a lot of senses is also possible. Doesn't quite scan with the trade deal element though, so maybe your angle is right on that front.

Absolutely. I really hope that we get an evolution on the left from this, it's sorely needed. Hopefully it'll have widespread media support as well, given that they're now faced with the alternative.