What a week it has been for the three conservative male leaders of the English speaking the Western World.
In America the House of Representatives predictably passed the Impeachment motion against POTUS.
I don’t see how they could not. The evidence was startlingly clear. Trump tried to get the Ukraine Government to investigate Joe Biden and dig up material that Trump could use for his own political purposes. And Trump then tried to frustrate the investigation and refused to hand over material that had been subpoenaed.
God, or at least his twitter account could see it.
Christianity Today, a prominent envaligical magazine founded by Billy Graham, could also see it and broke conservative ranks and called for his removal from office.
From the New York Times:
“The president of the United States attempted to use his political power to coerce a foreign leader to harass and discredit one of the president’s political opponents,” Mark Galli, the editor in chief of Christianity Today, wrote in the editorial. “That is not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral.”
Trump’s response was rather muted … nah just kidding. He went ballistic on his twitter account.
But calling the paper “far left”? This would be as crazy as, for instance, Simon Bridges calling Nigel Latta a lefty. From the Herald this week:
[Latta’s] a guy who trades as an independent boffin who’s kind of nice and straight down the middle – the reality is he is clearly deep on the left; he doesn’t like National” he told reporters.
Why does the authoritarian right categorise anyone who opposes their behaviour as far or deep left?
In the UK Boris Johnson has responded to increasingly loud concerns for the Government do so something about the toxic effect on politics of unregulated social media ads by proposing instead a solution to an a completely different and imaginary problem, voter fraud.
This is a phony problem, with only eight instances of voter fraud being reported in the UK last year. The proposed solution is totally out of kilter with the size of the problem. And the depressing effect on poor people will be disproportionate. No doubt that is the intent.
From the Independent:
Boris Johnson is poised to push through requirements for photo ID at polling stations – plans that critics warn are designed to suppress the ability of young people and disadvantaged groups to vote.
The prime minister faced immediate calls to ditch the “dangerous” proposal. The Electoral Reform Society warned: “Make no mistake – these plans will leave tens of thousands of legitimate voters voiceless.”
Campaigners accused the prime minister of taking action on an “imaginary” problem while ignoring more serious threats to British democracy, such as anonymous political ads, dodgy donations and fake news.
Meanwhile, the 15-year limit on expats voting in general elections is to be lifted, allowing UK citizens living abroad to continue casting their ballots for the rest of their lives.
Traditionally this has been seen as a way of boosting the Conservative vote, though Mr Johnson risks a backlash from the million-plus UK citizens in the EU who overwhelmingly supported Remain in the 2016 referendum but were denied a vote.
Parliament also supported his Brexit Withdraw Bill. Take that Gen X from the Baby Boomers.
And in Australia, Scomo is missing in action, New South Wales is on fire, Sydney’s downtown has hazardous levels of smoke and the police are terrorising 13 year olds who are protesting against the Government’s inaction. Where the bloody hell is he?
The young woman, Izzy Raj-Seppings spoke for a nation when she said this:
Many people have asked me what motivated me to drag my dad on a one-hour bus trip to Kirribilli House on one of the hottest days of summer. My answer? Our politicians’ denial, and the inaction of our government and our prime minister. Their denial has gone on for far too long. I’m tired, tired of the lies and misdirection. I’m tired of watching my future, my friends’ and family’s futures, all of our futures, burn before our very eyes.
How dare Scott Morrison race off to Hawaii during Australia’s time of crisis? What we need is a prime minister who acknowledges that this isn’t another normal fire season, that the cause of this is climate change! Lives and homes have been taken while Morrison lies on a tropical beach with his head in the sand.
And at this time of crisis what is the Government concentrating on? Changing the law so that religious bigotry will not only be tolerated but protected.
The Guardian has collected these examples of what the Government is trying to protect:
Arn’t you glad you live in New Zealand?
And who is the stand out leader this year amongst all leaders in the Western world?
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