A BIRTHDAY GIFT

Duncan MacAskill gave me a ball of clay for my birthday. It was made up of a number of coloured clays all struck together and shaped into a ball just over 2 inches in diameter. He took a knife and cut through the middle of the ball revealing a lovely abstract image. One could then put the two halves back together and create another twin circular image. It was art by chance. It was a kaleidoscope of clays. I played with it a lot. I even cut out a particular image that I felt was worth keeping. There was a quality about it that resonated. I now have it as my screen saver.

Unfortunately, the more I played with the ball, the more the colours blended and I am left with a bluish grey clay ball. I have found other ways to play with it. 

 

You will note the change in colour when photographed on a white background.

 

It is the same ball of clay. So far as the screen saver image is concerned, I have since turned the disc to view it from different horizontal positions and I find that the one I first saw (the one in the photo) is favourite. You can print the image and turn it to see which view you might prefer. Had I cut through the clay and separated the two halves of the ball with a different twist, I might never have seen this particular image. You may of course think the image rubbish, but it does impart the feeling that everything has its own horizon.  It is what gives us direction. Indeed, the earth viewed from space is best seen displayed from north to south, just as we see it on a map or globe. It is the way we are conditioned to view the world, as in space there is no north or south; yet, those cardinal directions are either the invention of the human mind or somehow implanted in our brains from birth. Migrating creatures, birds, bees, pigeons, and others seem to have some built in sense of direction; but, from where do we get our sense of orientation? Does the Universe have a north or south pole?

 

I can understand the arbitrary nature of language. As primitive beings interreacted and uttered sounds and made gestures to communicate, various objects around them were named. Certain sounds were attached to certain objects and as language developed sounds were attached to feelings as well. Different areas had different sounds and hence different languages emerged; different grammars and linguistic structure as well. Of course, we are all capable of learning each other’s language, although some find it easier that others. It seems sad, that at the very moment when we need desperately to understand each other’s languages things have gone awry. We need to recalibrate and find our common sense of direction.

 

It is startling what one can gather from a small ball of coloured clay given to one on one's birthday.

MORE OF THE SAME

 

“S/He’s made a mistake and has apologised and we believe in second chances”.  This appears to be the continuing refrain to excuse any problems arising from the actions of Conservative members of Parliament. I’m not sure how this started but I believe it began with either Boris Johnson, or, perhaps, Priti Patel over her breach of the ministerial code. In Boris’s case it was an outright misrepresentation to Parliament. Nevertheless it is hardly mitigation. It would not matter if the mistakes were in respect of some minor misdeed, but when a mistake made by a senior member of the Government, over quite serious matters, such as lying to the House of Commons, breaching security, bullying in the workplace, conflicts of interest and inappropriate behaviour, it is altogether a different matter. A simple I’m sorry doesn’t cut it. The ministerial code of conduct is there for a reason. It is not like being late for a meeting, bumping into someone in a lift, or cutting in front of a queue.   The rule of law is the bedrock of our society and should not be flouted by people in highly responsible positions of trust with a simple ‘sorry, let’s move on”. Indeed, in our courts, people in a position of trust who abuse their position are dealt with more harshly. It is a written into our common law. This video is worth a view:

   

As to the mistake of crashing the economy, we have not had exactly the same excuse, but certainly no apology. Instead we have had “I am right, but we moved to far too quickly”. A phrase that has been taken up by all the defenders and supporters of what was clearly lunacy. It also allowed for an ‘I told you so” moment, and “Mistakes were made and I will fix it”. Do not be fooled.  Mr Sunak is no different.

There is at present The Public Order Bill for 2022 which is an atrocious concoction to imprison people protesting. It extends the powers of stop and search without suspicion and can impose electronic monitoring, in other words tagging protesters. Our Home Office is desperate to pass this legislation and should be stopped. The current economic situation is shielding the public from scrutinising this repellent repressive legislation.

There is a moment in the film The Great Escape where Senior British Officer Group Captain Ramsey (played by James Donald) is speaking with Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett ‘Big X’ (played by Richard Attenborough). I have adapted their exchange of words: 

Ramsey

No matter how unsatisfactory, this government may be, the conservative members

 have left us in the hands of Rishi Sunak, not Boris Johnson or Liz Truss. 

Bartlett

You talk about the conservative members of parliament and Rishi Sunak,

 then Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. To me they’re all the same. 

We’re fighting the bloody lot. There is only one way to put it. 

They are the common enemies of everyone who believes in freedom. 

If they didn’t approve of this government why won’t they call for a general election.  

So yes, the right wing agenda of this government will be pushed through at every opportunity. They will create legislation that will turn any opposition into a criminal activity.  What is really sad is that the British public, the people one sees on newscasts being interviewed in various constituencies, to find out opinion on the current situation, want to bring Boris back. Some are upset, some want a general election, but many just acquiesce as they did with Ms Truss “Give them a chance”.  They have had 12 years of chances. Four chances in fact Cameron, May Johnson and Truss and now number 5, Mr Sunak. How many chances do they need. The same faces are back with the same excuses and incompetence

 

Here is a video concerning one of Boris Johnson’s Secretaries of State for Health, Steve Barclay,  who was shuffled out but has now been reappointed to the role, by Mr Sunak:

DEMOCRACY, TRUST AND INTEGRITY

We have had a number of breaks in the leadership of the conservative party because of acknowledged failures of leadership. Since the last election in 2019 the prospects of the United Kingdom have tumbled. With each new leader, there is the pretence that a new and fresh government is in place which is making a new start for the country. How can a continuation of the same government, the same personalities, be called a fresh start. It cannot be classified as a new beginning, particularly when it starts out by suggesting that it is a rectification of previous mistakes. If that is the case it is clearly not a fresh start or new beginning but a smoothing over of incompetence at the heart of the organisation.

 

To suggest that the conservative party as a whole has a mandate from 2019, is to ignore the changing mood of the country. One only has to look at the polls, which in the worst case, indicate that the mandate has been withdrawn in emphatic fashion. The last two bi-elections before Mr Johnson’s departure, was a positive indication that the so called mandate claimed by Mr Johnson, was well and truly withdrawn. Since the debacle of the Truss administration, the mandate has effectively crumbled to dust. The party has had 12 years to get it together. We’ve had various mandates for the party over that period and none of them is any more valid than the previous ones. It is over. To claim otherwise is a misrepresentation of the facts. It is therefore a con and a lie to try to convince themselves and the public that their time in office is acceptable to the British public. It is not.

 

To suggest that Mr Sunak is Mr Fixit is a distortion of the truth. He was instrumental in supporting the continuous decline from the moment Boris Johnson got Brexit done. Brexit has done for the country and the stubborn, pig headed, delusionary thinking that somehow the United Kingdom can make isolationism and nationalism function effectively in the modern world, is the continuing fantasy of the current leaders of the conservative party.

 

Ms Truss’s final words are a classic perversion of reality. They are a clinically serious denial of what she has wrought in the last 54 days of her leadership.  Is it any wonder there was only a sad, slow and subdued clapping as she stepped away from the podium.  It wasn’t much better with Mr Sunak’s address on arrival. A lot of snapping of cameras can be heard, and a few grumblings. If his words were in anyway of note, it would have been a sound of loud clapping and bravos as he entered No 10. Nothing of the kind occurred. He was less than impressive and on his way to continue the slow disintegration of the welfare of the country.

 

I was wrong previously, to suggest that the problem of endemic racism would prevent him from ever becoming prime minister. He has done so, although not through a general election. He dares not risk calling one to sustain his accession to the post because he is sufficiently astute to realise that the conservative party would lose a colossal number of parliamentary seats. He is under the impression that he will be able to reverse public opinion sufficiently to enable the conservative party to win the next general election and claim a new mandate. That election will have to happen no later than January 2025. Unless circumstance force such an election to occur, or Mr Sunak feels he’s done enough to safeguard his seat, the next general election will not happen until the last possible moment. That is the way of things in democratic Britain.  The will of the people is ignored. The clamour for an election is insufficiently loud to force the current leader to listen and allow the public to have their say in how they wish the country to be administered. The rule of the few is their creed.

 

So we continue to be in limbo. What effect the next budget will have on the situation is awaited with tremulous anticipation. Will the NHS receive the attention it deserves? Will salaries and benefits for NHS staff be sufficient to stop the exodus of workers and attract others to apply? Will educational establishments likewise receive the assistance required to improve conditions for pupils, teachers and ancillary staff? Will the alleged triple lock for pensions be maintained, or will there be any increase at all? Will pensioners now be required to pay a national insurance contribution? Will the basic rate of tax be increased? Will the requirements of those on benefit be sustained and improved to alleviate the effects of poverty? These are a number of serious issues that will need clarification in order to deal with the anticipated eye watering decisions being made by the current chancellor Mr Hunt, should he actually remain in the post.

 

Growth is still needed to increase the state coffers. The current isolationism imposed by the United Kingdom has to be tackled in order to attract investment in the UK as well as allowing for a smoother and freer flow of trade with other nations.  Putting up barriers of any kind is an inane policy associated with supposed taking back control. International trade depends on international thinking and cooperation. To be a part of a market, you have to be in the market. Operating from the outside has much less footfall.  One only has to look at a Sunday market in a high street or church grounds or square. Stalls are set up under the organisation of a group of stall holders. To set up a stall one gets a licence and pays a fee. Not a lot, just enough to cover administrating expenses.  Across the street or around the corner, an independent puts up a stall. Occasionally people attracted to the market will spot it and go over to have a look, but the attraction is much less than that of the larger market. There is less of a footfall. In is not too difficult to visualise. One sees it all round the country. Why is that so hard to understand?

 

I suppose the independent stall holder can make a big hullabaloo, play loud music and make loud noises to attract attention, but more often than not that sort of display puts people off. Besides, the market place is usually larger and more colourful than the side show. So again, what is so hard to understand.

 

The United Kingdom pretends to display itself as something so totally unique that it will attract sufficient attention to override its being a sideshow. Well, the display is not working. Every country has unique qualities.

 

As I sit watching the BBC News Channel, a reporter stands in front of No 10 Downing Street, waiting and watching who is walking towards the door to be given a job in cabinet. The sad thing is that the same faces are cropping up. Dominic Rabb, James Cleverly, Jeremy Hunt, and Oliver Dowden. There was also mention of bringing back Suella Braverman to the Home Office. How is any of this a new Government? The same people will be around the table doing the same sort of things. There is no fresh thinking at all. Here are 357 members of the conservative party in Parliament. Are there no other people with any degree of capability or integrity? Clearly not. This is more than ever an indication that a general election is a matter of necessity. Journalists keep going on about an election disrupting stability, and stability is what the market expects. Repetition of stupidity is not stability, it is just stupid. It is the kind of stupidity  that keeps the same hopeless crew in the cabinet. An election is the very thing that is needed to bring about stability. To elect a government that the people choose for themselves. If they once again elect a conservative majority, then so be it. The country will get the government it deserves.  Given the current state of the constituencies around the country, and a first past the post system, they may well succeed. If there is a change, then at least we will have new faces in cabinet, and perhaps a fresh approach.

 

What we have is yet another ‘no change’ administration. Yet another empty worded speech by a Mr Fixit with no real intention of fixing anything. This is an accountant, once again trying to balance books as opposed to trying to be a prime minister in order to improve the lives of the citizens of the country.  A prime minister trying to dig her/himself out of a hole by digging deeper is going in the wrong direction. A prime minister just covering the hole with a flimsy blanket is more than likely to step on the blanket and fall right back in. Either way s/he is deluding her/himself.

 

As to the current Prime Minister Mr Sunak, may the Bhagavati Tridevi assist him in finding a way to calling for a general election for the good of the country. 

If he is serious about democracy, trust and integrity, that is what he would do. His gods will know that.
 

ROLL ON MACBETH

I heard on the Today Programme an interview with Karl McCartney the current MP for Lincoln. He stated that he wants Boris Johnson back, primarily on the basis that he owed his majority in the 2019 general election to Boris. Great loyalty, no reason other than self-interest.

 

Here is part of his Wikipedia entry:

 

Expenses: McCartney claimed a total £1,159,047.08 in Parliamentary staffing and business costs (often referred to as "expenses") between 2010 and 2017 (the majority of which are Parliamentary staff costs and also include travel, accommodation and office expenses) alongside his annual salary of £74,962. His staffing and business costs rose each year he was MP, until 2017 when he accumulated over £90,000 in staffing and business costs in just six months before he was voted out at the 2017 general election (this included winding up costs such as staff severance. He employed his wife as an "office manager" and paid her between £40,000 and £45,000 in 2015–16.

For comparison, in 2018/19, the then Labour MP for Lincoln, Karen Lee, claimed staffing and business costs of £196,340.59. In 2020/21, McCartney's staffing and business costs were £147,538.47.

From January to June 2020, McCartney claimed £21,600 in expenses for Anagallis Communications, a firm run by a donor who helped fund his first election campaign.

Electoral Commission and police investigation: In March 2017, the Electoral Commission fined the Conservative party £70,000 (the Labour party and Liberal Democrats were both fined £20,000) following the United Kingdom general election, 2015 party spending investigation.

During the 2015 general election coaches of activists were transported to marginal constituencies including Lincoln to campaign alongside or in close proximity to local campaigners. The inclusion in the Conservative party national return of what in the commission's view should have been reported as candidate spending meant that there was a realistic prospect that this enabled its candidates to gain a financial advantage over opponents. In consequence, more than 20 sitting Conservative MPs, including Karl McCartney, were investigated by Lincolnshire Police over whether he breached election spending rules. Lincolnshire Police subsequently passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service for a decision on whether McCartney and his Election agent should be prosecuted for electoral fraud in relation to the 2015 general election.

In May 2017, the CPS announced that no further action would be taken in respect of the allegations, including those against McCartney. In advance of the 2017 general election, McCartney issued a letter to all other candidates for the Lincoln seat, warning of legal action against false, misleading or defamatory statements in the wake of investigations into the party's spending.

Judicial Conduct Investigation Office (JCIO): In January 2021 the JCIO issued a formal warning to McCartney for referring to his role as a Magistrate in election material, despite having been reprimanded for this previously. This reprimand was "for allowing his judicial status to be referred to on a political leaflet in a way that gave the appearance of seeking to gain advantage, which is contrary to guidance that is intended to protect judicial independence and impartiality." In reaching their decision, the JCIO noted that McCartney had previously received a disciplinary sanction for similar behaviour and was unwilling to acknowledge the inappropriateness of his actions.

In response, McCartney publicly stated that the complaint was 'politically motivated', that he had not been previously reprimanded and that he complied with relevant guidance.

Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Investigation: In July 2021, it was announced that the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards was investigating McCartney for failing to declare an interest in a company run by his brother. Business Insider said their investigation "revealed that he had made false declarations for more than a decade about his links to a family firm." The Standards Commissioner instructed that the entry to be amended known as a rectification procedure.

Inappropriate comments: On 28 February 2013, McCartney apologised to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) for the content of notes he had sent to staff. The notes were described by IPSA Chief Executive, Andrew McDonald as 'abusive', 'offensive' and 'condescending'. McCartney's apology stated, "I apologise unreservedly to IPSA for my comments which were inappropriate, and which I regret having made. I accept that such comments have given cause for offence. You will not see me making similar remarks in the future in respect of IPSA, which has a difficult and important job to do." The following month he said that IPSA's incompetence had forced MPs from all parties to borrow money and that he had had to ask his parents for financial assistance. McCartney also said that he had been told by a "senior IPSA official" that the organisation intended to "damage MPs as much as possible," a claim that IPSA said was "wild ..simply untrue."

 

Under the Expenses entry he appears to have claimed over £1 million, yet he claims under Inappropriate comments that he had to ask for financial assistance from his parents, because of the IPSA’s incompetence.

 

On what level does Mr McCartney exist?  That he was elected at all by the citizens of Lincoln is baffling.  The above comments reveal a lack of character that surely must have been apparent to his electorate. Who, in their right mind, would want this man as their representative in government? He is the same type of clown as his hero Boris Johnson.

 

I have also now heard Ben Wallace MP taking about reinstating Mr Johnson. What is wrong with this man? Why is he even a minister? Seven years in the army reaching the rank of Captain. Is that sufficient to make him a Defence Minister? Penny Mordant had 9 years in the navy, to the rank of acting Honorary Captain, so I guess that is all that's needed. Who are these people? How can they have anything to do with running a country? 

 

How can the conservative party even think of allowing Mr Johnson to participate in the coming choice of party leader, other than casting his vote as a conservative MP for another candidate. He probably shouldn’t be allowed to do that. Who would want his endorsement?

 

If Boris Johnson is chosen,  Parliament should be surrounded by the entire population and not let out till a general election is announced, and Boris removed.

 

How the British electorate sits still for these charlatans and their shenanigans is a mystery.  Clown followed by clown followed by clown. What are we left with?

 

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

FROM LIMBO TO RESIGNATION

There is a feeling that the whole world is in limbo. There is hovering uncertainty in our lives. That is not to deny the more positive and specific views being expressed by numbers of people who adhere tenaciously to particular propositions.

 

Tribalism is still the bedrock of the nation state.  The organisation, culture and beliefs of a country are embedded in its people from the time they are born. Loyalty to country is constantly being professed by citizens who put themselves forward as public servants and political leaders. In doing so, they usually refer to their country as the greatest country in the world. It is rare for a prospective leader not to profess her/his honour and privilege at being chosen to lead “this great country”.

 

In order to be chosen, they declare their allegiance to a particular method of governance which they believe will attract the greatest number in support, and which they believe will be the most efficient way to provide the population with a way of life that allows them to flourish. In doing so, the inequalities generated within the nation itself must be addressed and solutions found to redress those inequities and create a balance, i.e. to provide stability and social order.

 

The most prevalent approaches to governing seem to be from the political left or right. The right or conservative approach is to promote the existing tribalism by withdrawing into notions of sovereignty and separatism, with little or no interference in the interaction between its citizens. One is allowed to sink or swim with some minor assistance to those who might be drowning, relying on the charity of the better off to relieve the unfortunate. A trickle-down effect. The left, or socialist, leans more towards an altruistic approach, a more encompassing welfare state. This involves a larger and more regulating system. Measures are put in place for the State to alleviate the ills of the hapless. Either position can of course go to extremes.

 

The current conservative position can, in a way, be described as Charles Dickens does in a short bit of dialogue from his “Christmas Carol”:

Greater and external inequalities, numbers and technology however, are a collective fly in the ointment.  The tumultuous eruptions of violence, material scarcity and catastrophic climatic variations around the globe, have created a continually shifting population of refugees filtering in to seemingly wealthier and healthier countries. This is not without consequences. The difficulty of maintaining societal order and stability in the face of an ever diverse multicultural population is considerable. In addition the problems arising from the proliferation of technological progress are confusing.   

 

These global problems emphasize more than ever the need for a more collective and integrated method of problem solving.  Relations between nations can no longer be at arm’s length. Full cooperation is what is required. The odd climate conference, with nations pledging to abide by various protocols is insufficient. Economies are now so interdependent that to attempt to impose a laissez fair capitalistic system across the globe is untenable.

 

My train of thought has been disrupted, as I write this, the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has resigned and a new leader will be imposed on us by the end of next week. I have made my feelings about Ms Truss known in previous blogs. What is outrageous under this unwritten British constitution is that the current number of conservative MP’s are to be the ones to choose the leader. It can hardly be called an election, it’s more like choosing up sides (teams) as to who gets to play minister.  

 

For the conservative party to claim they believe in democracy and carry on with this charade of governing “for the good of the country” is a disgrace. The voice of the country is clearly crying out for a general election. The garbage being spouted by conservative members to save their own skin is only making it worse for them in the long run. The vain hope that some new leader will somehow magic a new view of the government is offensive. They are on the whole displaying a degree of self-interest that is obscene. That they are blind to the reality of their situation is classic avoidance.

 

That this country permits this ridiculous constitutional anomaly is just as disgraceful. There must be a better mechanism to deal with the removal of representatives who no longer command the support of the governed. There must also be a change from the first past the post electoral system. All political parties should be on board with this proposition in the true interests of the country. Proportional representation, particularly in the light of the current makeup of the population and the differing needs and opinions of the various members of society.

 

In the meantime we are meant to wait for a Prime Minister to be named on Friday the 28^th October 2022, and for her/his economic program to be laid out before parliament on Monday the 31^st October, an economic program the new Prime Minister will presumably have to accept without any input, unless there is a meeting of minds at the weekend between the two dates. Am I wrong to think this a bit amateur given the likely eye watering austerity that is to follow.  

 

I live in the hope that a general election will take place very soon and that the new leader is a true democrat who understands the need for the entire country to be behind the leader and not just his party. Liz Truss claimed to be a true democrat at the dispatch box, all the while proclaiming she would carry on governing. The hypocrisy was palpable. She has at last done something positive towards democracy. She should have gone the whole hog and declared a general election. That would have been the most positive and memorable of her actions  as leader of the conservative party. She could have fnished with the line, "Good afternoon gentleman" and ladies.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Thurscday 13th October 2022:

Do the math. It appears to me that for some months, since the Conservative Party chose to hold a leadership election, Ms Truss has been on a single trajectory following a single note - cutting taxes equals promoting economic growth. She repeats this mantra at every opportunity and utters the phrase as if it is a given. For her, it is as solid a theorem as any mathematical equation like X x X = X2. She refutes every contrary argument, or question as to her certainty, with the same statements and repetition as if by repeating the formula it will come to life before our eyes. It is as if “She had won victory over herself. She loved Big Brother”. 

“Growth, growth, growth” and “Wrong, wrong, wrong” are calls for applause. She does not hear her own voice and remains transfixed by the refrain. She is deaf to the rumbling beneath “Do the math, show us your work”. 

She believes that her plan will generate increases in the overall income of large corporations and small businesses, to such an extent, that the tax revenues derived will allow for dramatic rises in salaries and investment in the NHS, in Education, in transport and infrastructure, and every facet of public and private enterprise. Steady growth will bring inflation down to acceptable levels within the next two year. There will be no waiting lists for treatment, ambulances will wiz round so fast you’ll hardly see them. So many homes will be built at affordable prices that homelessness will be at an end. Schools and universities will turn out graduates brimming with new ideas and entrepreneurship. Anti-social behaviour and protest will become redundant and a carbon neutral environment will save the planet. How good is that? 

 

I gaze at her Tinkerbelle face. It has taken only two months to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the blank stare, cruel, needless misunderstanding. O stubborn self-willed exile from the loving breast. Two claret scented tears trickle down the side of my nose. But it is all right, everything is all right, the struggle is finished. I have won victory over myself. I love Tinkerbelle. 

Have you noticed that she doesn’t so much walk as hop. As to her Chancellor, he sort of slopes. His slow approach to the podium and the Party Conference in Birmingham was almost Groucho like, as Rufus T Firefly in Duck Soup. Kwasi Kwarteng’s plan, as endorsed by her, would fit in well with the politics of Freedonia. 

As to a considered view from Gillian Tett, editor at large of the Financial Times in the United States, herewith is her view of the situation from New York. (go to web site: https://www.channel4.com/news/uk-has-become-like-italy-in-terms-of-financial-risk-and-political-instability-says-ft-editor-at-large)

 

Friday 14th October 2022:

We now have today'as press conference:

Deliver – Growth - Economic Stability – Decisive action - words Ms Truss feels she can repeat ad nauseum to enable her to continue as Prime Minister –

Herewith a bit of analysis from Andrew Marr before the press conference:

 

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WHEN WILL WE MAKE AN END ?

I have been on this planet for 80 years now, and the world in which my parents grew up, and the social and political arguments being contended with, have apparently not changed. For over two centuries the realisation that modern wars are calamitous in the extreme, seems as elusive as ever. Many words are spoken and the appalling devastation is meticulously documented, recorded on film, studied and researched in universities and in all manner of media throughout the world.  Still it goes on. Outrage and disgust are continually expressed and still it goes on.

 

That outrage and disgust is usually supported by the public, but the real sadness of today’s current calamity is the way the conflict has been used as a political shield and distraction by politicians to disguise their failures on their own home front. When asked about domestic issues, there is constant reference to Mr Putin’s war as the cause of all the ills that are at present disrupting societies. This persistent referral and evasion only emphasise the inability and powerlessness to stop the carnage and make Mr Putin, and by extension the Russian people, see sense. It equally points out the incapability and ineffectiveness of being able to deal with the pressing domestic issues at home.

 

Indeed the frustrations with Mr Putin and the additional stresses caused by the war in the Ukraine are not inconsiderable, but the methods of dealing with the collateral damage and the continuing domestic agenda of countries not directly and physically involved should be collaborative and not part of failing political agendas. Clearly the world is too interconnected to be dealt with from a narrow minded insular point of view. Surely in the last 5000 years we must realise that nationalism and xenophobia no longer have a place in human administration and politics, and yet they keep rearing up.

 

The contradictory approach to world affairs with government leaders spouting heroic and supporting slogans for the Ukrainian government, whilst in their own countries urging national sovereignty and taking control appears to me to be schizophrenic in the face of Mr Putin’s rhetoric. Is he not claiming Russian sovereignty over what he considers to be Russian land? Is he not trying to hold together what was once a Greater Russia since Peter the Great?

 

Is the United Kingdom not hell bent on keeping the Kingdom United? Is the Government in Whitehall not refusing to allow another Scottish referendum for independence? Is it not trying to keep Northern Ireland on side? Is it not also claiming to support Ukraine whatever the cost? Is it not saying we are with you and your right to be a sovereign nation in your own right and able to join the European Union and the NATO alliance (which is what they want)? Are not European and NATO nations not meeting together to try and find some sort of solution, and improve the security of their ‘alliance’? Does the Ukraine not want to be an independent State as part of a global Union?

 

How and why does a country’s leadership on the one hand display a common sense approach to union and the rule of law, and then insist on separation and willingness to breach its contract? The current British government is even more steeped in absurdity and contradiction that the last government. That was leadership by a clown, today it is leadership by Tinkerbelle. She is not in Neverland nor in Harry Potter land, she is in the real world. To waffle on about Mr Macron’s attitude to Britain as “The Jury is still out” and “He’s now my friend” smacks of school kids in the playground. Is that where she thinks she is?

 

It is not by insisting on our differences that agreements are made, but by promoting our common interests. Mr Putin seeks to demonise the western democracies with claims of Nazism and subversive aggression towards the Russian State. Ms Truss seeks to demonise her detractors as left wing anti-growth subversives, whether they be foreign or domestic. sponsored by the BBC. More school yard name calling. This is what happens with leadership gone to the head. Any criticism is a siege.

 

This was evident with Donald Trump from the outset. His go -to reply to what he considered difficult questions was insult and derision. His natural inclination is towards verbal abuse in every situation. One only need look at the evidence available on YouTube. He behaves in every way as if he’s still appearing on the apprentice. He is forever on TV. Putin likewise is not averse to a good pantomime as is evidenced by his show of annexation of territories in the Ukraine. Likewise his various meetings with his cabinet sitting some distance away from him as televised for the networks. His threats are of course all too real and dangerous. This is the scenario of the madman with his finger on the button.

 

How did it come to this? Why do the Russian people accept dictatorships so easily and for so long? Why do 95% of the British public, after so much struggle to now and again elect a caring administration, allow 5% of the population to continually come back and tear it down? How did a people brought together under an excellent Declaration of Independence  and Constitution ever elect a Donal Trump? Why have the events of the last 5,000 years not led to a more civilised and unified world? Are the philosophies and numerous lessons learned not available?

 

Here is a list of people who have, since the 6^th Century BC, offered opinion on how we conduct our lives, or rather some insight as to what we do and possibly why. This is not a definitive list, but it’s enough to be going on with:

 

Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Heraclitus, Parmenides. Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, St. Augustine, St. Thomas, Descartes, Diderot, Fichte, Hegel, Hume, Hobbes, Kant, Kierkegaard, Leibniz, Locke, Machiavelli, Marx, Montaigne, Montesquieu, More, Nietzsche, Pascal, Rousseau, Sade, Smith, Spinoza, Stuart Mill, Tocqueville, Voltaire, Adorno, Horkheimer, Arendt, Bachelard, Baudrillard, Bourdieu, Camus, De Beauvoir, Derrida, Dewey, Durkheim, Foucault, Freud, Habermas, Hayek, Heidegger, Husserl, Nozick, Karl Popper, Rawls, Ricoeur, Sartre, Sloterdijk, Walzer, Hélène Cixous, Judith Butler, Luce Irigaray, Elizabeth Anderson, Michele Moody-Adams, Martha Nussbaum, Donna Haraway, Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, Sara Heinämaa, Kate Kirkpatrick, Carolyn Merchant, Kathryn Sophia Belle, Amie Thomasson, and there are many others. 

 

This is clearly not a comprehensive list, but on the whole these people have explored a variety of facets of human beings, how they might think and how they function. Truth and opinion are very big items with them all. Some of their personal attitudes may be suspect, and some may be quite rigid whereas others are more fluid and open to variation and change of thought. For some religion plays a big role whereas others are firm atheists. None of them is without opinion and would never be in the ‘Don’t know’ box on a poll, but on reflection I don’t really know. I believe none of them would sanction violence. 

 

One of the early philosophers mentioned above, St. Augustine, pondered the problem of a Just War in the early 5^th Century around 426AD. 1,551 years later, in 1977, Michael Walzer, another of the above, revisited the concept in his work Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations published by Basic Books.

 

I have not read Mr Walzer’s work, but I assume he looks at the problem in a similar fashion to St Augustine as ‘The right to go to war’ and ‘the right conduct in war’.  On both of these criteria Mr Putin is a dismal failure.  As hard as he might like to claim, there is no justification for his invasion of Ukraine. On the evidence we see nearly every night on our television screens, there is nothing about the prosecution of his war that could possibly be classified as good conduct, not even efficient conduct, but crimes against humanity, yes.

 

So after 2500 years of the outpouring of writings from the above list of names, essentially coming to similar conclusions about violence, it is more than just prevalent in our global society. From Thailand to Texas, Christchurch to Calgary, London to Birmingham etc.. it does not go away. 

 

On the day that I was born, German submarine U-435 attacked Allied convoy OP14 west of Jan Mayen Island and sank four ships. US Merchant Ship Bellingham, was sunk but no one died, Survivors were picked up by HM Ship Rathlin; HM Ship Ocean Voice was sunk but no dead. 5 Naval staff officers. 25 Soviet passengers. Survivors picked up by both HMS Seagull (J85), and landed at Scapa Flow, and Zamalek, and landed at Glasgow; RFA Grey Ranger Oiler. Sunk by U-435 W of Jan Mayen Island. 6 dead. Survivors picked up by Rathlin; and US Merchant Ship Silver Sword sunk 1 dead. Survivors picked up by Rathlin and Zamalek and landed at Glasgow. I was being born just over 3000 miles away. 

Jan Mayen Island

U-435 was herself sunk by depth charges on 9 July 1943 west of Figueira, Portugal, by a RAF Wellington bomber of 179 Squadron operating out of Gibraltar. She’d sunk thirteen ships between March 1942 and 17 March 1943.

 

There were many more military actions on that day. I believe 1939-1945 was a just war. As to just conduct, it led to the Nuremberg Trials. The conduct of the Nazi regime was the most horrific event of the 20^th Century. I came into this world in a very low key area of the Bronx, New York City, a few days over 80 years ago. No one had a smart phone. If things had gone another way, I would not be alive to have one now. How does one make it stop?

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE 8TH NOVEMBER 2022

Given the current political turmoil in the United Kingdom, I have somewhat lost touch with the goings on in the United States and elsewhere. Looking at some of the opinion polls in the United States, on line, which are overall polls putting Republican against Democrat, it would appear to be a close run thing with the Republican vote slightly edging the Democrats.

 

In relation to the US Senate, so far as I can determine from these polls, 5 Republican senators Richard Burr, North Carolina; Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania; Rob Portman, Ohio; Richard Shelby, Alabama; and Roy Blunt, Missouri, are all retiring or at least not seeking re-election. Patrick Leahy, Democrat from Vermont is also not seeking re-election.

 

The candidates in Pennsylvania are John Fetterman (D) and Mehmet Oz (R). The polls indicate the state is leaning towards the Democratic candidate, which is not surprising, given the rather repulsive adverts. In a campaign ad, Oz likened himself to former Presidents Ronald Reagan (R) and Donald Trump (R). He said, "You know who else learned in Hollywood? The two greatest presidents in modern history. Like me, they were conservative outsiders who fought the establishment." It is suggested that this seat is a toss-up, but with democratic leanings

 

In North Carolina we have Cheri Beasley (D) and Ted Budd (R).  Budd's campaign website said, "As the owner of ProShots gun store and range, Ted is tired of politicians treating law-abiding gun owners like criminals. He will never waver in defense of the Second Amendment and our hunting heritage."  Beasley's campaign website said, "Cheri supports expanding the Affordable Care Act with a public option, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, and protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions." Budd’s Biography reads: Budd received a B.S. from Appalachian State University, an M.A. from the Dallas Theological Seminary, and an M.B.A. from Wake Forest University. He owned a shooting range and gun store in Rural Hall, North Carolina. Beasley’s reads: Beasley received a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University, a J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law, and a Master of Laws from Duke University. Her professional experience includes serving as a North Carolina supreme court, court of appeals, and district court justice and a partner at McGuireWoods LLP.

 

According to the polls the State is leaning towards the Republican Party.  The contrast between the two could not be more marked. On paper alone, how the voters can even consider voting for Ted Budd is a very sad reflection on the citizens of North Carolina.

 

In Ohio we have Tim Ryan (D) and J.D. Vance (R). This will most likely be a result for Vance.

Although he has never held political office, he has a best-selling biography Hillbilly Elegy published in 2016 and made into a film by Ron Howard released in 2020, staring Glenn Close and Amy Adams. It is streaming on Netflix.  Vance was once a vocal Never Trumper who has, since becoming the Republican candidate, been converted to being a MAGA Trump Supporter. He has been attacked by opponents as a flip flopper and opportunist. In the circumstances not an unjust comment, but he’s got Hollywood filmic credentials behind him, a sort of rags to riches story, overcoming adversity and difficult parenting.

 

One critic of the film commented “Hillbilly Elegy hinges on Mamaw's (Vance’s Grandmother played by Close) hope that she'll leave her family better off than she found them, and it's clear that Vance's story has fulfilled that wish almost as soon as this movie starts. But the process of watching him cut his losses and recommit to his own success is rendered in a way that it isn't just dramatically unsatisfying in the extreme, but also on the verge of sociopathic”

The Ohio seat was previously Republican so nothing will change there.

 

Alabama and Missouri are solid republican seats, as Vermont is a solid Democratic seat.

 

Again according to polls, Arizona (D incumbent - leaning D), Colorado (D incumbent leaning D), Florida (R incumbent leaning R), Georgia (D incumbent - toss up), New Hampshire (D incumbent - leaning D), Nevada (D incumbent - toss up), Utah (R incumbent - likely R) and Wisconsin (R incumbent - leaning R) are the possible problem areas.

 

So far as I can make out only Nevada and Georgia are a serious problem for the Democratic party maintaining its slim control of the Senate. Therefore a heavy concentration and effort in supporting Raphael Warnock in Georgia, Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada and John Fetterman in Pennsylvania would help the Democratic Party a great deal.

 

Pennsylvania’s Republican incumbent Pat Toomey is standing down and there is one poll that favours the Democratic Party to win. I do not know what collective funds the party has, but a serious bit of funding for those candidates would not come amiss.

 

There are five weeks left in which to bring it all together.  I would hope that as a matter of urgency, despite the happenings in the Ukraine and hurricanes in Florida and the Carolinas, sufficient attention is being paid to the political situation.

 

As to the House of Representatives  I couldn’t begin to fathom exactly what is going on, but herewith a map to ponder on:

 

As to the current membership of the House herewith are the numbers:

 

It should be noted that the numbers of congressional districts depend on the population of each state. It is clear that the majority in the house is comprised mainly of representatives from the two coastal area of the United States, New England and Mid-Atlantic states in the east and the Pacific states in the west. Of the 56 members in the Pacific States, 42 are Democrats in California and of the 15 Republicans, 11 are in California including the dreaded Kevin McCarthy from California’s 23 district. The Democratic majority comes from 16 of the 50 States. 

 

I have no idea of the state of the parties involved in the election of members for the House of Representatives; however, I have looked at one election contest in the State of Washington District 3. The current representative is Jaime Herrera Beutler. She is a Republican and was one of the very few who voted to impeach Donald Trump on the second impeachment against him. As a result she has lost out in a primary and the new Republican candidate is Mr Joe Kent. He is up against Democratic Party nominee Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez.

 

Kent is a Trump supporter and election denier. According to his potted biography he was born in Sweet Home, Oregon. He served in the United States Army from 1998 to 2018. Kent received his bachelor's degree from Norwich University in 2017. His professional experience includes being a project manager for a technology company and working for the CIA. Kent has been affiliated with the Global War on Terror Foundation, Concerned Veterans for America, and Boy Scouts of America.

 

Herewith his answers to questions:

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Fighting the governing class and their corporate counterparts who do not serve the working men and women of this country.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My late wife, Shannon Mary Kent, killed 16 January 2019. She was killed fighting ISIS in Syria. She always put her country and family first and she never quit in the face of adversity.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

America First, and support and defend the Constitution of the United States

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Integrity, leadership, service, empathy

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Always represent the will of the people who elected you.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Always stepping forward for our nation and our community when needed.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Mogadishu, 1993 - known to many as "Black Hawk Down". I was 13 at the time and saw that there were brave men and women fighting for our country as the rest of us enjoyed peace at home. I knew at that moment I wanted to join the military, and specifically Ranger Regiment.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a dishwasher, lifeguard, camp counselor and merit badge instructor at Camp Cooper, Boy Scout Camp in Oregon. Each summer I worked at Camp Cooper from age 14 through 17.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite book of all time is About Face by David Hackworth. David Hackworth joined the Army as a private and served in combat in both Korea and Vietnam and worked his way up from Private to Colonel. Despite achieving higher rank he always stayed true his troops and our nation. He always placed the mission first. When he left service, he used his experience to speak out against wasteful wars of intervention.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Losing the love of my life, Shannon Kent, and becoming a single parent and giving up my dream job to be there for my two young sons.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The House of Representatives is the most direct voice that each individual has to the Federal Government's ability to make and pass laws.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

No. Candidates need to be well versed in the duties and responsibilities of lawmakers and have enough life experience to know what matters to the people in their district. Politicians must always have the integrity and courage of their conviction to adhere to their oath to the Constitution and the people they represent.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

We have to break away from the failed economic policies and national security strategies that have only benefited the ruling class and China. We must fully audit the 2020 Presidential Election to restore the American people's faith in our democratic system. We have to return critical industries and manufacturing back to America, restore energy independence, and end our wasteful post 9/11 wars. We must also treat the Chinese Communist Party as a threat to our nation's security and leverage the full scope of US economic, diplomatic, and cultural power to isolate the Chinese Communist Party and their barbaric and predatory practices at home and abroad.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Appropriations, Armed Forces, Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, Natural Resources, Oversight and Reform, Veterans Affairs, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Ideally, a term length would be four years so that they have more time to get things done and don't have to worry about campaigning and fundraising. However, the House and Senate should be subject to strict 8 year term limits, just like the President. We must end the career political class by recruiting qualified American Citizens to serve our great nation.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Former Representative Ron Paul (TX) and current Representative Matt Gaetz (FL).

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

The 3rd district is primarily rural and the average voter is deeply concerned about the far left influence coming from Olympia and Portland. That far left influence is all encompassing, starting with radical curriculum in public schools, draconian COVID lock-downs, and deeply affects the way that we harvest our national resources, the lifeblood of our economy. These policies are being made by lawmakers that are completely out of touch with the working men and women of this district and our country.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

I strongly believe the US government takes entirely too much money from hardworking Americans and must be a better steward of the taxpayer's dollar. This will be my guiding principle when voting or working on legislation asking the American people to give the Federal Government more of their money.

 

Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez was born in Texas. She earned a bachelor's degree from Reed College in 2012. Her career experience includes being a business owner.

 

Her answers to similar questions:  

Who are you? Tell us about yourself?  I am Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Democrat, fifth-generation Washingtonian, small business owner, and mother. I’m running to represent Washington’s Third congressional district to bring the voices of Middle America back to DC. I will work for Washington by supporting small businesses and worker’s rights, lowering the costs of healthcare, childcare and prescription drugs, addressing climate change by investing in clean energy, getting Big Money out of politics, investing in and expanding apprenticeship and skills training programs, protecting women’s access to health and rights, and tackling the rising costs of food, gas, and housing. I own an auto-repair shop with my husband Dean, but like many small business owners, cannot afford healthcare for the two of us. We pay $500 a month for our infant son, but simply can’t afford an additional $1,200 to cover ourselves. Like so many families today, we struggle to find quality affordable childcare – so our son goes to the auto shop with us every day. I am a member of the working class Washingtonians that have been left behind in this economy and ignored by the political extremes in our nation’s capital – and that’s exactly why I’m running for Congress.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?  1-The middle class is an endangered species and small business owners like me have been fighting to create and grow family-wage jobs. Fixing the supply chain, restoring manufacturing, and lowering prices are critical to the long term economic, environmental, and geopolitical security of our country. One example: right now, China controls virtually all the inputs into solar panels and produces them with slave labor, while American manufacturers are struggling to compete. To pursue energy independence and renewables we have to bring manufacturing back to America. 2- We absolutely need to get big money out of politics, I refuse to take corporate PAC money.  3-I am the only pro-choice woman on the ballot, I will fight to protect the right to choose what happens to my own body.

 

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?  Economy, plastic pollution, affordable childcare, fixing the supply chain, safe communities

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?  Humility, discernment, and transparency are some of the most important principles for an elected official to uphold. Southwest Washington needs someone who is able to set aside their own personal interests to do what is in the best long-term interest of this community. Someone who will get laws passed that benefit our region and prepare us for long-term success. We must look to the future. As climate change intensifies and water aquifers dry up, the Pacific Northwest will increasingly become a climate sanctuary. We must act now to preserve the interests of current residents and future generations. I love my current job- I want to serve in congress to help my community but I have no need to compromise my values to gain or maintain power.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?  When I was eight or nine years old I started taking care of horses at the local stables before and after school. Because I was charging just .25 cents to feed and turn a horse out to pasture, soon I was swamped with more work than I could take on, rising earlier and earlier to keep up. I wish I could say I was smart enough to raise my prices and find a sustainable work load, but instead I spent my mornings scheming ways to make the tasks more efficient. I kept my little business going till I reached highschool and understood the financial reality that staying in the horse world would entail - in short, $2.50 a day of income wasn’t going to cut it. This early adventure in entrepreneurship probably stunted my bank account, but it was an invaluable lesson in the value of work and the critical necessity of fair compensation for work. We’re seeing folks drop out of the job market because, in the absence of labor unions, work has become degrading and poorly compensated. People have fewer options to find work that is rewarding and fairly compensated and it’s critical that we pass legislation like the PROAct to put family-wage jobs back on the table.

What is your favorite book? Why?  The last book I read was How The World Really Works by Vaclav Smil.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?  Straight out of college I started working with my husband in what became our business. Balancing the tight budget of our customers with the long-term safety and reliability of their cars is a difficult job. We have to clearly understand their priorities, effectively communicate available options, and earn their trust through consistently delivering value. If only our elected officials felt this same sense of obligation. On top of this, we have to navigate a confusing bureaucracy of OSHA, the EPA, the SBA and local and state laws. Meanwhile, decades of disinvestment in public education make it even harder to find employees with the skills they need to be successful in this demanding industry. As a woman working in the automotive industry, I’ve had to develop a quick wit, a strong bull detector, and frequently, sharp elbows. I expect all of this to be invaluable in congress.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?  We can’t keep sending the same career politicians to DC and expect and expect a better outcome. Too many of our elected officials are coming from a monied political class; doctors, lawyers, bankers. People who know how to make deals and make believe, not make things better. As someone who has worked in the trades fixing things, I understand the perspective of the folks trying to make our economy run. More important than previous elected office is a demonstrated commitment to serving your community.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?  Money in politics. Love of money is the root of all evil and we cannot address our biggest threats like climate change or a disappearing middle class without having political leaders who are honest dealers that put the interest of their constituents above high-dollar donors.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?  Compromise is unquestionably necessary. There are moral issues that are non-negotiable, for instance, a woman’s right to choose. There are also issues like tax reform, education, and money in politics that are so broken that we can’t afford not to compromise. Congress is in a state of political gridlock and we cannot let perfect be the enemy of good any longer.

It would appear both of them lay claim to working class to middle class aspirations. They both want to bring the manufacturing of goods back to the United States from China, which appears to be the villain of the piece. They both seek to serve the working people in their community. They are against ‘big money’. They are against professional politicians and would deal with the length of terms of office. They are sceptical of the professional monied classes. Both believe in free enterprise. Both want some form of tax reform. Both want to make things better.

It is difficult to ascertain just what they know or feel about the constitution, but Pérez believes in ecology and climate change and would react accordingly. She is pro choice.  She does not lay blame on anyone and believes in compromise in order to get things done. She sees congress in deadlock and does not attribute the cause of the impass to any particular party.

Kent on the other hand challenges the outcome of the 2020 election. He clearly sees any opposition as being from the left wing or far left. It is an all encompassing complaint. He believes strongly in the military and would like to emulate Matt Gaetz. That alone should put him out of the running. Matt Gaetz is a Florida Lawyer (although In October 2021, the Florida bar suspended Gaetz from practicing law due to unpaid fees.) His father and grandfather were both politicians.  His father was a member of the Florida State Senate and his grandfather was a mayor of Rugby, North Dakota. So much for Mr Kent’s ending the career political class and integrity. 

The contradictions in Mr Kent should leap out at the average voter. In a non-partisan primary election on the 2^nd of August 2022 Ms Pérez was 8.2% ahead of Mr. Kent. One would hope that on the 8^th November 2022, in the absence of all the other candidates in that August Primary she would gain the seat; however, Ms Beutler had 22.3% of the vote and if the republicans who voted for her, and other republicans, shift their vote to the republican Mr Kent. then I am afraid she will lose by some 70,000 votes. The republican vote on the 2^nd August was in fact split between 5 republican candidates. Two of the 5 republicans who ran in the primary on 2^nd August were Heidi St John and Vicki Kraft, both of whom are far right on the political scale and Trump supporters, with Kraft being an active 2020 election denier. The 5^th, Mr Leslie French, with 0.5 % of the vote is a member of the Gun Owners of America and National Rifle Association, which kind of says it all. He claims “More than anything else I love this Country, I love our Constitution, and I love God.” There is therefore no hope at all for Ms Pérez, which is a shame.

What is also sad, is that 5 Republicans put themselves forward in the primary, but only 2 democrats. The other democrat was a Mr Davy Ray, although probably a bit too laid back. He was an Obama supporter back in the day, although he did better than Leslie French with 1.7% of the vote. Clearly more Democrates need to come forward

I don’t know if the Washington District 3 election is similar in make up to the rest of the country, or whether the antagonism towards Ms Beutler for voting to impeach Mr Trump brought out the deniers and far right candidates in numbers. It is difficult to say, but I believe every American citizen able to vote in the numerous elections taking place on Tuesday the 8^th November 2022 should be looking very carefully at the prospective candidates and propositions on the ballots before them. The results on that day could affect the entire world just as gravely as the new British Prime Minister Liz Truss’s economics have screwed up the United Kingdom since last Friday 30^th September 2022.