Not much seems to be happening on the probation front and even if it was, I can't draw myself away from what's happening over in the US. The initial relief that good, decent people had triumphed over the obscenity represented by Trump has already evaporated for me.
As Trump continues to try and steal the election, I had intended to expand on the theme of democracy being under threat or the danger of civil unrest or war even, but after much soul-searching and hours glued to CNN, I've come to a much simpler but equally worrying conclusion. The Republican Party is just full of a lot of nasty people. This seems to embrace my thoughts:-
ARE REPUBLICANS NASTY PEOPLE?Characterizing entire groups of people is the basis of prejudice. Sweeping generalizations are the foundation of racism, sexism, antisemitism, and every form of discriminatory ideology. Offensive stereotypes appear often in crudely written op-eds, where selected evidence about individuals is applied to whole categories of people. I have worked hard to avoid the easy tendency to overgeneralize. But this question persists in my mind: are today’s Republicans nasty?
Certainly there are nasty Republicans, as there are nasty people of every political persuasion. Perhaps it is too easy to make a long list of nasty Republicans. I think it’s enough to refer to the collective televised behavior of Republican Senators and Representatives during the impeachment hearings, where argument and nastiness were blended into a toxic brew designed to distract attention from what Trump had actually done.I think it’s also reasonable to argue that common Republican political maneuvers are nasty. Voter suppression, gerrymandering, and taking away powers from newly elected Democratic governors are dirty political tools that have become the hallmark of 21st-century Republicanism. The official policies of the Republicans in Washington are beastly: caging immigrant children and the treatment of Puerto Ricans after Hurricane Maria.
What about your neighbor who votes Republican, but seems like a nice guy? Is he responsible for the nastiness of other Republicans? I believe that supporting a politician, approving publicly of a politician, means accepting responsibility for that politician’s actions.
The approval of 90% of Republican voters for Trump is the basis for his complete lack of restraint of his nastiest impulses. In the month of May, he topped himself. He retweeted a video in which a Republican New Mexico county commissioner said that “the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat”. He repeatedly accused the MSNBC host Joe Scarborough of murdering a staffer, provoking that woman’s widowed husband to plead with Twitter’s CEO to take down Trump’s tweets.
That’s about as nasty as it gets. It may be too great a leap of generalization to say that Republicans are nasty people. But in their full-throated support for Trump, no matter how nasty he gets, America’s Republicans promote nastiness.
Isn’t that nasty?
Steve Hochstadt is a writer and an emeritus professor of history at Illinois College.
From New York Times:-
ReplyDeleteSenator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the top Republican in Congress, on Monday threw his support behind President Trump’s refusal to concede the election, declining to recognize President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory as he argued Mr. Trump was “100 percent within his rights” to challenge the outcome.
In his first public remarks since Mr. Biden was declared the winner, Mr. McConnell, the majority leader, celebrated the success of Republicans who won election to the House and Senate, hailing their victories as decisive. But in the next breath, Mr. McConnell treated the outcome of the presidential election — based on the same ballots that elected those Republicans — as merely “preliminary,” and hammered Democrats for calling on Mr. Trump to accept the results.
“President Trump is 100 percent within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options,” the Kentucky Republican said, delivering his first comments since Mr. Biden was declared the winner. “Let’s not have any lectures about how the president should immediately, cheerfully accept preliminary election results from the same characters who just spent four years refusing to accept the validity of the last election.”
Mr. McConnell did not contradict Mr. Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen from him, instead endorsing the president’s vow to pursue a bevy of lawsuits in key swing states aimed at handing him a victory. He said that “this process will reach its resolution” and that the nation’s legal and political system “will resolve any recounts or litigation.”
Following him on the floor, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, said flatly that “Joe Biden won this election fair and square.” He called Mr. Trump’s claims “extremely dangerous, extremely poisonous to our democracy” and warned Republican leaders not to give it oxygen.
“Republican leaders must unequivocally condemn the president’s rhetoric and work to ensure the peaceful transfer of power,” Mr. Schumer said.
Yet none have done so, and only a handful of Republican senators have acknowledged Mr. Biden’s victory.
Senator Susan M. Collins, Republican of Maine, broke ranks and congratulated Mr. Biden on his “apparent victory” and stressed the need to begin a presidential transition. She was only the fourth senator in her party to recognize his election since he declared victory on Saturday.
“He loves this country, and I wish him every success,” Ms. Collins said in a statement. “Presidential transitions are important, and the president-elect and the vice president-elect should be given every opportunity to ensure that they are ready to govern on January 20.”
It's right wing politics that gives a home to nastiness, it's just given a different name in different places. Republicanism, Conservativism, Neoliberalism all have a pretty unsavoury and nasty politic.
DeleteThe USA is attracting the eyes of the world at the moment, but we shouldn't forget our own recent history when pointing the finger at others.
The Brexit referendum brought us all the same nastiness and unpleasantness that we are witnessing in the States today. Our judges were branded 'the enemy of the State' by the press. Our politicians pushed the rethoric that those who voted remain were constantly involved in a 'conspiracy' to 'steal' Brexit, and many that voted leave accused remain voters of trying to 'steal democracy' any time they pointed to a political mistruth.
We have our own Priti Patels, Esther McVeys, Chris Graylings, Nigel Farages and Katy Hopkins and many more that are all as nasty as they come.
I find it a strange contradiction that when those that favour the politics of individualism don't get what they want, they usually start shouting about democracy!
'Getafix
Actually the nastiness brought about by the Brexit referendum was on the part of remain who refused to accept the result and started peddling conspiracies about Russian interference and fraudulent campaign spending.
DeleteSo the parallel that exists between Brexit and the US election is that Trump/Republicans are following the Remain playbook, ie a refusal to accept the result and making unfounded allegations of fraud/illegal voting or conducting, rather than accepting the democratic will of the people.
Erm, I think you'll find the lies, the fraud, the illegal campaign spending & the undue influence from outside actors were *not* consipracy theories - they were all proven.
DeletePlease do not try to revise the facts to suit a Brexit narrative.
Actually the nastiness of Brexit was brought about by right wing polititions and press, that spouted lies and mistruths and propaganda, diliberately designed to create divisions that they could exploit for their own interests.
DeleteIt was the lies and the falsehoods that remainers objected to, not the referendum result itself.
Using lies and false information to procure the outcome of a vote has nothing whatsoever to do with democracy.
'Getafix
Getafix, if you think that Leave was only the political campaign to use lies and falsehoods then I think you're being naive.
DeleteUltimately the divisions were created by remain not accepting the result, a country can't possibly unite when one side is behaving in such a way, be it remain or Trump. Fortunately Remain finally seem to have given up and gone away. Trump now needs to do the same.
You're entitled to your own opinion, but I think that's a very skewed view of the reality.
DeleteI doubt if we'll agree on much, so probably best to leave it there, I'll stay a nieve remainder that disagrees with your version of reality.
'Getafix
It was always absurd to initiate a referendum on such a fundamental constitutional position on the basis of a simple majority. Isn't it time we had a written constitution?
DeleteHaving said that, the US is hardly proving a shining example of this at the current time, proving that it only seems to work on the basis you don't elect a complete arse to the highest position in the land.
It's probably in poor taste but possibly worth reflecting that Germany had a written constitution at the time Adolf Hitler was elected to office.
I haven't researched it recently, but I seem to recall that early on many eminent psychiatrists came to a collective view as to Trump's probable diagnosis of a personality disorder, but clearly it never proved a bar to him gaining and remaining in office.
A written consultation can be a dangerous thing.
Delete1791 saw the 2nd Amendment of the US constitution ratified, the right to keep and bear arms. Probably great at that particular historical time with Jessie James on the loose, and gold miners protecting their mines from claim jumpers. Today? Well any US burgler is likely to come across a firearm when rummaging through someone else's belongings, leading to huge amounts of illegal firearms being distributed amongst US criminals.
But a written consultation also allows for clever wordsmiths to manipulate and interpret the contents of that constitution for their own personal benefit. You can bend the constitution to suit political ideology.
I was once in favour of rights set in stone by way of a constitution, but I'm not so sure anymore.
'Getafix
The Malignant One is clearly very unwell; why doesn't someone have him assessed & detained? Is the US govt really so hamstrung as to be unable to remove someone from office who has a dangerous health condition?
ReplyDeleteExhibits A, B & C from recent Tumour Twitter:
* As I have long said, @Pfizer and the others would only announce a Vaccine after the Election, because they didn’t have the courage to do it before. Likewise, the @US_FDA should have announced it earlier, not for political purposes, but for saving lives!
* If Joe Biden were President, you wouldn’t have the Vaccine for another four years, nor would the @US_FDA have ever approved it so quickly. The bureaucracy would have destroyed millions of lives!
* The @US_FDA and the Democrats didn’t want to have me get a Vaccine WIN, prior to the election, so instead it came out five days later – As I’ve said all along!
_____
Conduct disorder (CD) is a mental disorder diagnosed in childhood or adolescence that presents itself through a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate norms are violated. These behaviors are often referred to as "antisocial behaviors." It is often seen as the precursor to antisocial personality disorder.
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD or APD) is a personality disorder characterized by a long-term pattern of disregard for, or violation of, the rights of others. A low moral sense or conscience is often apparent, as well as a history of crime, legal problems, or impulsive and aggressive behavior.
Antisocial personality disorder is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Dissocial personality disorder (DPD), a similar or equivalent concept, is defined in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), which includes antisocial personality disorder in the diagnosis. Both manuals provide similar criteria for diagnosing the disorder. Both manuals have also stated that their diagnoses have been referred to, or include what is referred to, as psychopathy or sociopathy.
The WHO's International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, tenth edition (ICD-10), has a diagnosis called dissocial personality disorder (F60.2):
It is characterized by at least 3 of the following:
* Callous unconcern for the feelings of others;
* Gross and persistent attitude of irresponsibility and disregard for social norms, rules, and obligations;
* Incapacity to maintain enduring relationships, though having no difficulty in establishing them;
* Very low tolerance to frustration and a low threshold for discharge of aggression, including violence;
* Incapacity to experience guilt or to profit from experience, particularly punishment;
* Marked readiness to blame others or to offer plausible rationalizations for the behavior that has brought the person into conflict with society.
The GOP & those riding the wave need to look at what they are doing, i.e. exploiting mental disorder for personal & political gain.
THAT is what I find particularly nasty, alongside all of the collateral damage to others, be they individuals or groups.
FranK.
From BBC website:-
DeleteUS attorney general William Barr has allowed prosecutors to probe alleged irregularities in the presidential election, prompting a senior justice department official to quit.
The official, Richard Pilger, would have overseen such investigations. Any such cases would normally be the remit of individual states, but Mr Barr said this was not a hard and fast rule.
Donald Trump refuses to accept Joe Biden's projected victory, and has made unsubstantiated fraud claims. The president's campaign is seeking an emergency injunction in Pennsylvania to prevent Mr Biden's victory being certified in the state.
The president-elect's projected win there on Saturday took him over the threshold of 270 electoral college votes needed to secure victory nationwide.
Mr Trump's spokeswoman vowed the legal battle to contest Mr Biden's victory was only just beginning. "This election is not over," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told a news conference. "Far from it."
As anyone who watches CNN will probably have gathered, the GOP's behaviour has a far more pragmatic undercurrent, i.e. cause a massive rumpus, but essentially hope to uncover something that gives GOP control of the Senate. Republican control of the Senate is under threat, after the Democrats flipped two seats, in Colorado and Arizona, bringing the Republicans and Democrats to 48 seats each - with 51 needed for a majority. The names Loeffler & Perdue are at the fore of Trump's tweeting:
DeleteTelegraph says: "Georgia will prove to be crucial with two Senate race runoffs on January 5: one, between Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler (26 per cent) and Democrat Raphael Warnock (32.9 per cent), and the other between Republican Senator David Perdue (49.8 per cent) and Democrat Jon Ossoff (47.8 per cent).
To secure a majority, the Democrats need three seats – one of which they can now take as Mr Biden has won the presidency, as the vice president, Kamala Harris, has the power to cast the tie-breaking vote.
The party that controls the Senate will have power over the next president’s legislative agenda, cabinet officials and judicial appointments."
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/joseph-mccann-prison-recall-probation-government-b1719776.html%3famp
ReplyDeleteProbation staff felt “pressure” from the government to send fewer criminals back to prison for committing new crimes or breaking their licence conditions, a watchdog has found.
DeleteHM Inspectorate of Probation said a sharp drop in the rate of recall to prison across England and Wales from 2016 onwards was linked to policy changes, and that a reversal was only sparked by a high-profile murder case.
Senior National Probation Service (NPS) leaders said that when an “alternatives to recall” strategy was implemented four years ago, there was “pressure from the Ministry of Justice to reduce the number of recalls in their divisions”.
Someone should take the hit for this.
And so the middle of the month looms and still no news on this year's NPS cost of living rise which, for those of you with long memories, was due in APRIL. Currently seven months late this rise is much needed if for nothing else to pay for the extra heat and light expended as a result of being forced to work from home. I wonder if any one of us missed an all important deadline by that long what our managers would say but when it's our employers and trade unions then it goes by with little or no mention. Colleagues at the top of the scale have had nothing since April 2019. Others only their rightful incremental progression a mere 18 months after the last rise in their wage. In the meantime prices have risen alongside the levels of stress associated with the job. Both employers and the unions say they care about staff wellbeing. Words are cheap however, in the absence of action. If they are going to agree a deal and get it ratified in time for Xmas then I suggest that they get a bloody shake on just like I have to do if an OASys is late.
ReplyDeleteJune - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-saliva-test-for-coronavirus-piloted-in-southampton
ReplyDeleteNew coronavirus saliva test to be trialled in Southampton
Weekly tests can be completed by transferring saliva into a sample pot
Over 14,000 GP staff, other essential key workers and university staff and their households will participate in the first phase of the trial
Participants will be able to complete coronavirus tests at home by putting their saliva into a sample pot to be tested for current infections of the virus.
GP staff, other essential key workers, university employees and members of their households will be among the first groups to participate in the pilot, with test kits delivered either to their home or place of work for them to complete every week.
August: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/roll-out-of-2-new-rapid-coronavirus-tests-ahead-of-winter
"Roll-out of 2 new rapid coronavirus tests ahead of winter
Millions of new rapid coronavirus tests will be rolled out across NHS hospitals, care homes and labs from next week"
Sept - https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/coronavirus/reliable-gp-saliva-testing-pilot-may-be-rolled-out-as-government-ramps-up-tests/
No-one seems to have had sight of the results of this pilot scheme in Southampton:
The study by the University of Southampton involved delivering tests to the homes or places of work of GP staff, other essential key workers, university employees and members of their households, who completed tests by putting their saliva in a pot.
The research was completed on 31 July, with more than 16,850 individual tests for Covid-19 carried out over four weeks.
The researchers told Pulse that it demonstrated the potential of saliva testing as a ‘reliable’ and ‘convenient large-scale approach’, adding that it returned results ‘within hours’ of the test taking place."
3 September - "Phase 2 of the no-swab saliva test pilot in Southampton will also start this week. The second phase of the pilot will trial the weekly testing model in educational settings, with participation from staff and students at the University of Southampton and 4 Southampton schools. Over 2,100 pupils and staff across 4 schools will be invited to have a test as part of the pilot, which is led by a partnership of the University of Southampton, Southampton City Council and the NHS.
A new, community-wide trial in Salford will launch imminently to assess the benefits of repeat population testing. Existing, promising trials in Southampton and Hampshire, using a saliva test and a rapid 20-minute test, will also be expanded using the new funding."
19 Oct: "last week (i.e. beginning October) the Guardian reported how an earlier phase of the OptiGene testing – which was supposed to involve all 250,000 residents of Salford, Greater Manchester, being tested regularly – was quietly scaled back after it struggled to even test 250 Salfordians a day."
The lies & empty promises are endless wherever you look
https://bylinetimes.com/2020/11/09/119-million-covid-19-testing-contract-four-month-old-gene-analysis-firm/
DeleteThese magical mushroom companies are everywhere, emptying the public purse:
DeletePPE MEDPRO LTD
12 May 2020 Incorporation
Statement of capital on 2020-05-12 GBP 100
Notice status Awarded
Contract location United Kingdom
Awarded value £122,000,000
Awarded supplier PPE Medpro Limited
Publication date 7 September 2020
Isle of Man based
"PPE Medpro is a specialist manufacturer of Personal Protection Equipment. We aim to ensure that our products are manufactured to the highest specification and quality with full accreditation.
DeleteWe offer an integrated approach that covers product design and engineering, factory auditing, logistical support and most importantly product quality management. PPE Medpro is the go to company for quality and safety conscious buyers wanting to react to rapid market demand. Our PPE product range is specifically developed to address the urgent need for high quality, low cost accessible personal protection products."
Incorporated with £100 capital on 12 May 2020
Contract start date: 26 June 2020
Procedure type Other: Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the Official Journal of the European Union in the cases listed in Annex D1
Contract ran 26 June to 31 Aug 2020, but wasn'tpublished until 7 September.
Products ordered were two forms of sterile surgical gowns to be manufactured in two factories in China - one in Jingsu and another in Kunshan - for delivery through July into August.
Volume & pricing data is redacted but some sums are possible:
18m of type A gown + 7m of type B gown
= 25m gowns manufactured in China & delivered to UK for £122m = £4.88 each
But how much did PPE MedPro pay for them?
You surely don't go to the trouble of incorporating a new company, researching manufacturing in China & logistics of freight and ploughing through HMG paperwork for a few quid?
PPE at what price? It seems the morality issue of modern slavery has been thrown out of the window when it comes to fighting for your political life.
FranK.
I suppose if you pocketed just 50p from each gown you'd be banking £12.5m, so maybe "a few quid" is a slight understatement? That's why I don't live on IoM I suppose...
Deleteuk only-fools-and-horses govt covid-19 data 10 nov 2020:
new cases: 20,412
deaths (per 28 day rule): 532
covid patients in hospital on Sun 8 Nov = 13,617
covid patients on ventilator on Mon 9 Nov = 1,268
testing capacity & numbers are not up to date, presumably because Dildo Harding has been shouting at MPs today.
FranK.
Remember the US postal worker's sworn affirdavit about voter fraud?
ReplyDelete"A postal worker whose allegations of ballot tampering have been the basis of Republicans’ calls for investigations has reportedly recanted his story.
Trump's longshot election lawsuits: where do things stand?
Read more
Democrats on the House oversight committee have said that Richard Hopkins, the worker who claimed in a signed affidavit that a supervisor at the US Postal Service (USPS) in Erie, Pennsylvania, instructed staff to tamper with ballots by backdating ones that arrived late, recanted this allegations yesterday in an interview with investigators for the USPS Inspector General.
Investigators told the committee that Hopkins “did not explain why he signed a false affidavit”, the committee wrote in a statement."