It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
^ Back to Top
The MI6 Community is unofficial and in no way associated or linked with EON Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures, Activision or Ian Fleming Publications. Any views expressed on this website are of the individual members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Community owners. Any video or images displayed in topics on MI6 Community are embedded by users from third party sites and as such MI6 Community and its owners take no responsibility for this material.
James Bond News • James Bond Articles • James Bond Magazine
Comments
I'd imagine that if the election was held today the conservatives would fail to win a majority, and they would be forced to form a coalition with UKIP. That would place the UK further from the European model and much closer to the Trump revolution. Then there are elections in France and elsewhere to consider.
So you acknowledge at long last that Trump is indeed a monster?
I know that the UK leadership still have a lot of work to do to understand the implications of Brexit and how they properly reposition themselves, and I thought that was what was causing the delay.
Having said that, I'm sure they are looking for guidance from Washington. President Elect Trump was distinctly Brexit during the campaign, and his bromance with Farage is interesting, and perhaps disconcerting for May. I look forward to the President Elect and May's first meeting. I just don't see these two really gelling. Like oil and water. She's a savvy operator though, and will probably figure out a way to work with him. The special relationship needs some tending to.
There is an element of that in his outward personality which he shows to the world. Part showman, part unpredictable, part nice, indeed part scary. Who is the real Donald Trump? We will only know with time and as his policies take shape.
He has already backpedalled on a few radical elements of his campaign, including not intending to prosecute Clinton (although I don't think that's ultimately his decision), on torture and on climate change. I expect to see more instances like this.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-transition-20161122-story.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_presidential_election,_2016
I believe Hofer is promising a Brexit style in/out vote on the countries membership of the EU should he be elected. It will be interesting to see if that brings him more support.
In Italy, also on the 4th of December, a referendum is being held which will most likely have very serious implications for Italy and the EU.
http://time.com/4547342/italy-referendum-renzi-campaign-brexit-trump-populist/
I am not familiar with the Italian situation either, but will read up on it some more. I don't believe that it is so much an immigration discussion there, as it is an economic one. Perhaps the confines of the EU are creating stresses there as well.
I know some are apt to blame Trump for this, but I believe Trump has just caught a wave which is in full crest. It's an international mood and a movement among the population in Western countries during a period of relative economic decline & uncertainty.
I have come across some of this as a consultant in the corporate world. From time to time, companies get too large and disassociated from their respective customers and employees. The central leadership structures they create can lead to 'silos' and 'echo chambers' which distance leadership from the key components of success. At that crucial point, I've seen many companies institute a more decentralized leadership structure. giving more power to the local affiliates, who are more in touch with their respective employees and customers.
I believe that something similar is taking place in politics. There is a need to focus more on local needs.
Poor @trippyaces is having trouble coping.
Libbies like their word policing. Makes them feel all special and superior. Groan.
As for illegals, I think the sensible response is to issue deportation notices to all, and then process accordingly.
Those that have managed to establish productive lives --process their paperwork, and make them "legals". Also process to legal status, those who qualify simply on compassionate grounds.
Deport the bad apples, ie the criminals rapists and other sundry baddies, that President-elect, gasp, actually dared to reference during election.
And of course, beef up border security so going forward the sovereign nation known as US of A isn't flooded with illegals.
The northern border is beefed up good. We can't sneak across. There is effectively a security wall that stops us. We have to pull out our Winnie The Pooh cards in order to cross.
I don't know what that means (Winnie the Pooh) but a wag that I used to work with, used to amuse himself no-end, using that term when having to show ID to get into places. Har har har
@mendes. Tread lightly. You do realize you are trying to reason with this
"Not all Trump supporters are racists, but all racists are Trump supporters."
Double groan, triple sigh. We learn today that there are no racist liberals in the world.
Spend some "quality" time on twitter. When the pious left get unhinged, hide the women and children, nothing is sacred. Racist insults are just tip of the venom iceberg. Shudder.
All of this resentment was bubbling beneath the surface years before Trump made an appearance in the political arena. As mentioned in the UK the seeds were sown soon after Blair was elected (1997).
The ruling elites of Europe (and indeed the EU) have only managed to keep a lid on things thus far by liberal (no pun intended) use of political correctness and blanket accusations of racism.
As far as I can see the German liberals have handed the 'populists' (should that be realists?) a golden ticket to the Bundestag when Merkel announced she would stand for another term.
I'm not entirely sure and stand to be corrected but - if it goes wrong for the establishment in Italy - the implications could include the collapse of the EU currency?
No. It simply means that some of us understand the power and politics of language and also know a thing or two about history.
Yes! Of course, power to the States! Good choice this woman.
I hope President-elect continues to populate Washington with those who stand-up for States Rights.
America is not one size fits all.
That s a socialist website.
If I'm not mistaken, Renzi's referendum is designed to give less power to the Italian Senate, one house in Italy's parliamentary governmental system. He is proposing to reduce the number of senators and additionally make them appointed rather than elected. Such a change is intended to free up gridlock and give his government more power, thereby allowing it to pass much needed reforms to help the Italian economy. There are also proposed measures to give his central government more power over the regional governments. A 'Yes' vote is a vote for these constitutional reforms. Critics however fear that these reforms could strip the system of important democratic checks and balances, and lead to future abuse by a radical party or leader. They feel that this is a real concern in a country that produced Mussolini and Berlusconi.
If he loses though (meaning 'No' wins as far as the referendum goes) then Renzi has said that he would resign. This will result in governmental chaos and violent financial market reactions on account of the economy not being able to get its boost, and could also lead to a run on the Euro. All 3 opposition Italian parties favour a Euro exit and that could happen down the road if one of them wins power in the 2018 general elections.
Notice that the man is wearing a fancy Rolex here (Explorer I believe). I'm a watch nut, so noticed it.
So true.
Wonder if he actually uses it as a time-piece, or checks the digital display on his smart-phone, like everyone else.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-poised-to-put-pressure-on-nafta-1479746005
On a related note, President Elect Trump tweeted yesterday that he is working with Carrier to try and keep its Indiana plant (which was announced to be closed earlier this year, resulting in the loss of 1400 jobs) in the US rather than packing off to Mexico. Carrier responded that such discussions are in fact underway.
President Elect Trump:
"working hard, even on Thanksgiving, trying to get Carrier A.C. Company to stay in the U.S. (Indiana). MAKING PROGRESS - Will know soon!"
Carrier Corp. response:
"Carrier has had discussions with the incoming administration and we look forward to working together," "Nothing to announce at this time."
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-carrier-idUSKBN13J1MR
This article on illegal immigration is quite distressing but not unexpected. I hope border security is beefed up to prevent entry except by lawful means.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-immigration-centralamerica-idUSKBN13J2A7
There is apparently some contention regarding the Secretary of State pick. As reported earlier, Mitt Romney is under serious consideration, but some Trump loyalists are against the idea due to disparaging comments he made during the campaign, including calling Mr. Trump a 'fraud'. There are reports that Rudy Giuliani (one of Trump's closest advisors and fans) is very interested in the position, and he has in fact been shamelessly self promoting on networks recently.
Romney's earlier disparaging comments during the contentious campaign:
“He’s playing the members of the American public for suckers. He gets a free ride to the White House, and all we get is a lousy hat,”
President Elect Trump's typical 'colourful' earlier retort:
“The last election should’ve been won, except Romney choked like a dog. He choked. He went, ‘I can’t breathe!’”
Here are the two men during happier times when Romney sought and received Trump's endorsement during his 2012 campaign:
My personal thoughts: I'm not against Romney. I think what he did during the campaign shouldn't disqualify him, but perhaps he needs to come out with a clear statement as to why he will now take a job in the Administration (if it's offered to him) after those earlier comments. I am personally not in favour of Giuliani because, as I said in a previous post, The Secretary of State, as the nation's top diplomat, should be someone with a more temperate personality (imho).
http://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-allies-raise-doubts-about-mitt-romney-leading-state-department-1480011962
There are reports that Saudi Arabia is intent on increasing the price of oil through a supply cut. As many know, the price of oil has collapsed over the past two years, and that has positively impacted gas/petrol prices which is good for consumers, but also negatively impacted oil producers, including neighbouring countries like Canada. It has also played havoc with exchange rates.
The Trump win is likely to cause a boost to equity/share/stock prices in 2017, a higher US $, higher long term interest rates (The yield curve has steepened recently), and higher oil prices. The last three items (which are market driven) are negative for US export and consumption growth, and therefore will have to be offset quickly by government incentives, including tax cuts and/or domestic government spending. Trump could also approve the Keystone Pipeline project, which was nixed by Obama, and that could cause a moderation in oil price.
No matter how we slice and dice it, there is going to be a long overdue rebalancing of the US & global economies on account of President Elect Trump. Investors will have to tread lightly.
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/24/oil-prices-trump-win-pushes-opec-to-cut-output-bofas-blanch.html
Her proposals included the following:
1. to put worker reps on company Boards. I believe Germany already does this and has done for decades.
2. to force companies to publish a 'pay ratio' which would show the difference between non-executive and executive pay
3. to force companies to make shareholders cast a vote on executive pay - and make such a vote legally binding
These above proposals by May ostensibly show that she is committed to helping the 'working class' (or at least, that is her intention).
Her proposals & ideas have recently been criticized by the Bank of England's chief Economist, Andy Haldane, who put forth some counter proposals.
While I haven't looked into this in detail, excessive executive remuneration is something which I am quite passionate about, as outlined in a previous post. Do I think it's out of control in some industries? Definitely! What are the solutions to this rampant excess? I'm not sure, but I'm happy to see that the discussion about it is actually taking place in Britain, which has excessive income disparities between rich and poor, like the US.
Will such a discussion ever happen in the US? I certainly hope so, but I highly doubt it.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/nov/25/theresa-may-executive-pay-big-innovation-centre
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/business-leaders-urge-theresa-may-abandon-corporate-reforms-1593353
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-38100757
I'm including below some information I came across in The Economist on the Trump Organization's business asset mix. Interestingly, most of his reported assets are within the US, and still concentrated in New York, which may surprise some. Approx US $4.3bn ain't too shabby either.
I hate the design of the Rolex Explorer. Looks cheap.
Do you really like it ?
@001, I'm a Submariner man myself, but I don't mind the Explorer. It's a very balanced dial. I just need a date on my watches which is why I went for the Sub. I made a point of noting that Renzi was wearing one because it's not all that cheap, and as a 'public servant' in a country in fiscal trouble perhaps he shouldn't be flashing it about. Same goes for the cars that all of the leaders use to show up at the meetings in Brussels. If you watch it on tv, you'll see that they always pull up in the top of the line Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7 series or Audi A8. Why do they need to be top of the line? Surely a humble C-Class without all the trimmings will do fine. There's normally only one of them sitting in the back anyway. It's not the right message to send - bad optics. It reminds me of when the car CEO's were asking for bailouts while flying to Washington in private jets.
PS: The Explorer also has a Bond connection. Ian Fleming wore one (model 1016 I believe).
NYT's Maggie Haberman is being called out here for taking pot shots at Keith Ellison's run for DNC chair. I think he's a good pick. He represents diversity and proved to be quite prescient during the campaign, unlike the reporter who seeks to malign him.
https://theintercept.com/2016/11/23/reporter-who-laughed-at-keith-ellisons-trump-prediction-gives-platform-to-his-anonymous-critics/
Here is her moment of shame from July of last year:
Watches do make for a nice look, even if I am I not sure that I would notice if the thing had stopped anymore.
@bondjames. There is something unsettling about public servants flashing wealth.
President-elect would be wise to not overstate his wealth via clothes and accessories etc while holding public office.
As private citizen, fine, go nuts, but those on the public tab need show restraint IMO, even if they have lots of their own $$$$.
===
communist bastard dictator of Cuba, enemy of Bond and the free world ( MP Diaries does nice job detailing 007 battles in communist Cuba), has finally done the world the courtesy of expiring.
RIH Fidel.
Idiot PM of Canada is being roasted for his inane platitudes re the tyrant.
#trudeaueulogies is trending.
I like this one.
"I offer my condolences to the family of Genghis Khan, a controversial figure but also created a bond between East and West"
:))
Yes, I saw that young Trudeau seems to have put his foot in it.
“It is with deep sorrow that I learned today of the death of Cuba’s longest serving President. Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century. A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr. Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation. "
http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2016/11/26/statement-prime-minister-canada-death-former-cuban-president-fidel-castro
At least the President Elect has used the right words (even 'the best words' as he likes to say?)
President Elect Trump:
“Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades,” an official Trump statement said. “Fidel Castro’s legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.”
So it looks like the Greens are raising money for a recount. Wisconsin is a go, and they are also attempting to do it in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Dr. Jill Stein and her running mate Ajamu Baraka (a man who, impossibly, manages to make Tim Kaine look interesting) have raised roughly $5m and are planning to raise as much as $7m.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/kimberly_atkins/2016/11/atkins_time_for_jill_stein_hillary_clinton_to_call_it_quits
Hypocritically, the Clinton campaign seems to have signed on for this fiasco as well. It looks like some have forgotten what they were preaching just a few weeks ago. I give you exhibit A:
Regarding Stein and Baraka, surely they've had their 15 (or is that 5?) minutes of fame? I would have thought there were better things for them to do with their time. Aren't there a few trees to save somewhere?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-mosque-letters-genocide_us_5839ffcbe4b000af95ee61bd?section=us_politics
I'm nowhere near certain of that, @bondjames. And these people obviously think that "the new sheriff" is on THEIR side of this little effort. Again: what do YOU intend to do about it? (Examples of my own efforts against violence on behalf of Left Wing efforts are available on request. Have I ever told you about the time I shouted down a half-dozen people with a bullhorn?)
I wasn't aware of that particular effort on your part, but I congratulate your contribution to causes that you believe in. That is to be commended.
I'm not right wing or left wing. I think you may have a misconception about me. I was an Obama supporter and a Clinton (the right one: Bill) supporter as well. I had no time for Gore, but I slightly preferred Kerry to Bush (but didn't like his flip flopping).
I'm also not 100% Trump, despite starting this thread. As I said in my preamble, dissenters to his leadership are welcome here. I started this thread to ensure that there would be a place for us to come and voice our comments (both positive and negative) over the next four years on matters of interest regarding the Trump presidency and its impacts overseas. Once the earlier thread was unceremoniously and arbitrarily closed, I didn't have confidence that such a thing wouldn't happen again with the other one. Given that Trump won, I don't expect too much initial interest, unless something controversial comes up during his leadership. Trump supporters have little to gripe about at present, unlike the other fellas, and misery loves company.
You raise an interesting question however. I'm not a 'marching' or 'bullhorn' type. I perhaps can contribute online, by attempting to subdue any violence inducing and misguided commentary that I encounter with reason.
Nowadays...everything that doesn't meet one's ideals, standards or political views, and that at the same time is thoroughly scrutinized by 'traditional media' (read: highly qualified journalists), is brandmarked 'a conspiracy theory'......
So by definition any discussion about this subject is rather useless. Wouldn't you say @Thunderfinger? I would waste my time discussiing your remark.
I don't. It appears to be a coordinated distraction. The same goes for this sudden 'Fake news' (interestingly, the State Dept. has fingered Russia's RT on this too) story that's doing the rounds. It sort of reminds me of the drumbeat prior to the Iraq War, so I'm watching it skeptically & cautiously. It may be true, but the jury is still out and I'm waiting for evidence.
Highly qualified: Echoing unsubstantiated allegations by the big propaganda machinery.
There you go :-). Discussion is impossible.