ROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND IT GOES
A Phil Ackman Article
In Britain the wildly unpopular Sir Keir Starmer — liked by just 22% in a YouGov poll — swept to power a few days ago — while Mr-Just-a whisker-less-Popular — Rishi Sunak — disgorged from the Prime Ministership at 10 Downing Street — and into a life of backbench billionaire obscurity.
On the political sidewalk altogether— Liz Truss — who ran Britain for just seven fun-filled weeks — House of Commons Leader, Penny Mordaunt who apologised to the nation after her Election night loss — Sir Jacob Reese-Mogg — dubbed Tory Minister for the 19th Century — along with the now firmly former Ministers for Defence, Education, Justice, Transport, Science, Wales, Veterans, Illegal Immigration and that most pivotal portfolio — Culture. And let’s not forget their 240 skewered colleagues also consigned to the Westminster scrapheap.
Sixty five percent of Brits have meanwhile decided the abandonment of the European Union a truly oopsy daisy decision. Who would have thought severing all ties with the world’s largest trading bloc might be a mistake? Even more concerning, only 10% of Brits now own up to being BREXITEERS — less than one fifth of those who actually voted to keep them foreigners out — paddle our own canoe — and stop them Euros taking our jobs.
Since Goldman Sachs reckons the British economy has shed a quarter of a billion Australian dollars in value — and that former BREXIT “Get it done” Prime Minister, Boris Johnson is almost now equally infamous for partying his way through COVID — it’s no wonder the Brits swarmed to a new Leader disliked by only 60% of electors.
Moreover, the freshly-minted Labour Prime Minister’s policies make for great sound bytes — partly because it will take most of his first term for them to byte back — and a 2nd term to draw blood.
Deliver two million more medical appointments a year by paying staff to work at night and weekends? The fashionable new work/life balance on a bonfire? Fat chance. Cut energy bills by setting up a new publicly owned energy company? That’ll do it. Secure the borders and end luxury accommodation for asylum seekers? Up there with Donald Trump’s unhinged claim hordes of illegal immigrants living it up in Manhattan’s nose-bleedingly expensive hotels — while veterans sleep rough in the crime-ridden streets below. Top of the pile — Starmer’s solemn promise to cut red tape — accompanied, no doubt, by the high altitude honking of flocks of winged pigs.
In the US, terrified Democrats are trying to shoehorn a semi-senile President Biden out of the White House and replace him with either the featherweight Vice President, Kamala Harris — or an Easter Show-bag of barely-heard-of-‘em Governors — none of whom would likely defeat Donald Trump — a political Tyrannosaurus Rex in a golf buggy — stampeding towards 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Propelled by Far Right Christian evangelists who believe the 10 Commandments should be imposed on every citizen, — Muslim, Atheist, Buddhist and Christian alike. Turbocharged by the foam-flecked anger of a large and growing cohort of the disenfranchised — who have given up on party politics to vote for a corpulent Messiah and his private jet odyssey to a Stars and Stripes promised land of milk and money.
A Messiah — or an infallible King — thanks to the US Supreme Court who have now decided Presidents are above the law when it comes to decisions they make in office.
Minority Justice, Sonia Sotomayor lamented: When he uses his official powers — he — presumably she means Trump — will be insulated from criminal prosecution. Order the Navy Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune! Organises a military coup to hold onto power? Immune! Take a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune! Immune! Immune!
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If Biden only noticed, he could use this new legal principle to despatch the Make-America-Great-Again ultra-heavyweight to a 17th Century style beheading in the faraway Tower of London. The President — alas — has just taken his meds — and is sleeping it off — while clinging to his pillow — and muttering he’s staying right where he is. Or — as he reassured an American ABC interviewer — having a full mental health exam every day — which pundits might say would be up there with teaching the cat to play chess.
Trump meanwhile has accused Biden of being a Manchurian Candidate — a paid Chinese secret agent — and a proposition so ridiculous even Sleepy Joe should have been able to swat it away.
Trump’s own masterplan includes a near certain global trade war — triggered by America more than tripling import tariffs — and offset by zero income tax for most Americans — as he has reportedly loudly whispered to Republican Congressmen. His math — regrettably slightly out. Reducing income tax to zero requires boosting tariffs more than 30 times higher than they are now — a plan whose success as likely as pigs with the wingspan of a B-52 bomber.
Meanwhile, France heading to an ungovernable hung Parliament — with no clear winner in the recent elections — and little likelihood of a workable coalition — between warring Parties on the Far Right, the Far Left and the Centre.
And so we get to Australia and the broad church ALP — disembowelling itself trying to curry support from all the Jews — and all the Muslims — while simultaneously urging a peaceful two State solution — and the right for Israel to retaliate to terrorism — by bombing much of the other State into rubble.
Trapped — or galloping into the middle of this no man’s land — ex ALP — now Independent Senator, Fatima Payman — and the looming birth of a Muslim political party that might scalp Education Minister, Jason Clare; Workplace Relations MinisterTony Burke, Climate Change and Energy Minister, Chris Bowen, Industry Minister, Ed Husic — and former ACTU President, Ged Kearney.
Simply not cricket to tolerate MPs who might occasionally have their own views. Witness openly gay Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, presumably gun-pointed into toeing the ALP party line opposing same sex marriage in 2008 and 2010 — and then married her near two decade, same sex partner in Adelaide in March this year. They have two daughters. Prime Minister Albanese among the honoured guests.
#Roundandroundandrounditgoes. Where it stops — nobody knows.
I’m #philackman and this #philackmanarticle first to air on #cairnsfm891