evanslf responded to a discussion called who do you think will get in in the next election? in politics.
1 month ago
Can't see Brown coming back now, unless there is another major crisis which allows him to play superhero. Brown is going down, he is too far behind to catch up. That said, if Labour get off their backsides and kick him out, then things could change - Cameron's support is soft and a hung parliament would be a distinct possibility.

evanslf responded to a discussion called Ed Show Question: Does Lieberman Want Obama to Fail? in politics.
4 weeks ago
I don't know whether Lieberman wants Obama to succeed or not - what we can say is that he wanted Obama to fail to get elected but he didn't have much joy there. If I were Obama, I would simply not give Lieberman too much time of day. OK, he is the 60th vote so could be useful in some instances in the future, even if that is not the case on healthcare. The main thing to realise is that Lieberman...

evanslf responded to a discussion called Save the planet, go veggie, Oh Lordy in politics.
4 weeks ago
men and women were made omnivores - that's just the way it is. If we were carnivores, no doubt our bodies would suffer from gout and other unpleasantries, and if we were herbivores, then our health would suffer in other ways. I don't see how becoming vegetarian will help to save the planet, but worshipping less at the altar of mamon would certainly help!

evanslf responded to a discussion called Where Is The Anti-War MyLotters? in politics.
4 weeks ago
Well I think with the passing of the Bush presidency, much of the anger against the wars has gone, at least for now - particularly as those opposed to the wars are prepared to give Obama some time to sort out things. Him declaring that he will pull out of Iraq by end 2011 has no doubt taken the political sting out of things, but in my view that is a very extended withdrawal timetable that could...

evanslf responded to a discussion called Talk-radio icon Rush Limbaugh says the Republican Party has a death wish in politics.
4 weeks ago
The Republicans are going to have to decide whether they wish be a 'true convervative' party or whether to tack to the centre-right. It has been said that 40% of the US electorate are conservative and I believe this to be roughly correct. However, you need under a 2 party system 50% plus 1 to win (though this of course doesn't apply to this special election). It should be remembered that George...

evanslf responded to a discussion called How to understand the essentials of politics? in politics.
3 weeks ago
I believe that you cannot begin to understand politics until you grasp the concept of political parties. Not all people who get involved in politics are crooks - many when they start off do have ideals and a conscience. That said, once ambition gets into play, and the higher up you go, then those ideals get lost within the maze of 'realpolitik'. But political parties lead, in my view, to ...

evanslf responded to a discussion called How do rate Barack Obama's performance? in politics.
3 weeks ago
Foreign policy wise, I would give him a 3 (harsh) or 4 (generous). He has certainly changed the tone, but we have yet to see concrete results (ie a new Start treaty with Russia, climate change deal, Israel-Palestine conflict) Domestically, I would only give him a 2 so far, though I think expectations of a quick economic turnaround are overblown - economies are like super tankers, they take t...

evanslf commented in a discussion called Thank you very much Al Gore....or how America was taken down! in politics.
1 month ago
The EU cannot realisitically be described as a left wing regime - unless you hold very right wing beliefs. Barosso, the newly reappointed president of the Commission is centre-right and so is the majority in the European parliament. Indeed, the left is in retreat in most member states, though not all like Greece for instance. However, the EU is not very democratic - ie only 1 country, Irelan...

evanslf commented in a discussion called Steve Doocy Defends Fox News Against Distortion With...Distortion! in politics.
4 weeks ago
Well put, couldn't have said it better. The only good thing about Fox, which I look at from time to time, is its sheer entertainment value - a bit like the Sun newspaper in the UK. You glance at it, have a laugh, but whatever you do you don't take it seriously!

evanslf commented in a discussion called On a scale of 1 to 10 - is the Public Option BAAAD or GOOOOD? in politics.
4 weeks ago
100% agree with you. Everyone can point out to deficiencies and inefficiencies in any system, but the most cherished aspect of the National Health Service in the UK is that UK citizens don't have to worry about the financial cost of falling ill - if you get ill, you get treated, you don't have to worry about the cost or contend with dodgy insurance companies trying to worm their way out of thei...