FOR THOSE ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN POLITICS

This was just announced now, and when added to some of the other smaller island-nation issues on the agenda in PIF, as well as Japan’s typhoon and the floods and fires everywhere... well, you can see economically things aren’t looking rosy at all...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-04/donald-trump-causing-headaches-for-the-reserve-bank/10201082

joanne said:
is anyone of importance from your administration actually attending this event this year? There's some very disturbing things happening around the region (I'm not saying we're blameless) and usually the Forum would be a good opportunity to negotiate solutions. 
We had all been given the impression that the US wasn't interested in attending, until maybe a week ago, when things started to change in regards to Korea(s) again 
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/02/pacific-islands-forum-what-is-it-and-why-have-some-media-been-banned 
Honestly, it would be nice to have some predictability for a change.

 I read somewhere that we're sending VP Pence.

ridski said:

joanne said:
is anyone of importance from your administration actually attending this event this year? There's some very disturbing things happening around the region (I'm not saying we're blameless) and usually the Forum would be a good opportunity to negotiate solutions. 
We had all been given the impression that the US wasn't interested in attending, until maybe a week ago, when things started to change in regards to Korea(s) again 
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/02/pacific-islands-forum-what-is-it-and-why-have-some-media-been-banned 
Honestly, it would be nice to have some predictability for a change.

 I read somewhere that we're sending VP Pence.

 I hope he likes it there. He should really consider staying.

I heard Pence was going, but in end October/November - way after it's over... Meantime, some big impact stuff has already happened, with NZ journos being warned about who they can and can't interview, and some questions about their PM's travel (opponents trying to focus on her gender rather than government) and something about stealing the issues spotlight (I think). 

I suspect the murk is designed to cloud what we learn re security, economics, info-sharing and new Agreements on climate etc.

TOTAL CHANGE OF SUBJECT, Lost! I just have to share the exciting news! You'll eventually catch everything else on your international round-ups: our federal government just lost its one-seat majority (therefore, its ability to hold government) in a by-election!!!

The loss was by a massive swing of at least 20% . An Independent won. The seat was formerly held by the previous Prime Minister, and has been a conservative seat since Federation in 1901. First time a woman will represent the voters, from what I understand. 

You can read more about the campaign, and the results, on our ABC: look up Anthony Green. 

Woo-hoo!!

Today is Election day and the only discussion on Soapbox-Politics is about far-fetched scenarios for 2024.

I really do not know what to make of it. 

I'm most curious whether or not the rhetoric of lies and fear still works - or are people seeing through it?

It feels like this style of politicking is starting to wane, I guess we'll see in the results.  And did this trend motivate the democratic more then if there wasn't such a divisive tone.

Provocative title but the article is rather interesting.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/11/05/2020-election-democrats-trump-222217

I know I’m not meant to intrude Australian politics into the discussions, however I thought some people in this this thread might be interested in this weekend’s Victorian State election result - because the way it evolved shows such a contrast to behaviours in the US. (I’ve had some fun discussions offlist with other US friends and family)

Remember, our Liberal party here are the conservatives; Labor are left-wing and also the State government. Federal govt is a minority coalition of conservatives.  Two weeks ago there was a shocking incident in the State capital, classed as domestic terrorism but more probably just violent crime, in which a man set his car alight and killed two men including a beloved businessman. The business was given a State funeral. The federal govt intruded on the electoral campaign, insisting it be on race, law & order. State govt refused to play along.

Victoria is the home of Murdoch media, literally. Murdoch hates the State govt with a passion. Victoria is also the home of recently-merged Nine-Fairfax (Packer/Stokes empire and Fairfax more-objective journalism). Both also support consertive politics, and would rather not have the ABC media around.

Early votes were allowed to be collated and counted yesterday evening, due to a change in law, instead of waiting until Monday. Polling places close at 6pm. Usually we get an idea of who will win by midnight. Yesterday, we knew waaaay earlier. 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-24/victoria-election-john-pesutto-told-he-lost-his-seat-live-on-tv/10552112?WT.ac=localnews_melbourne

read the above for the clip of John Pesutto learning he’s lost his seat. This is about 90 mins into the tallying, and I think demonstrates a massive contrast with your style of coverage. (Pesutto is the State’s Shadow Attorney General)

And then there’s the breathtaking case of Brighton, and Declan Martin. 19, so really only voted once (eligible to vote at 18) and doesn’t have a driver’s licence, only declared as a Labor candidate because no-one else would put their hand up. Brighton is a very safe Liberal seat, since the 1800s. Except for yesterday. (Declan’s campaign cost him under $1760 because that’s all he had)

This is the ABC live blog. Liberals conceded at 8:30pm, and Labor accepting the win at 9:30pm

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-24/as-it-happened-victorian-election-2018-results/10521290?WT.ac=localnews_melbourne

Joanne,

Thank you. I am always interested in your comments on Australian Politics. After finishing watching the 4th season of Rake on Net-Flix I needed to read a couple of Wikipedia articles on the Australian election system to understand what I had just watched.

We have only one experiment in ranked voting (what you call "preferences) in the small State of Maine where the Democratic candidate won after the second choice votes were counted.

LOST said:
Joanne,
Thank you. I am always interested in your comments on Australian Politics. After finishing watching the 4th season of Rake on Net-Flix I needed to read a couple of Wikipedia articles on the Australian election system to understand what I had just watched.
We have only one experiment in ranked voting (what you call "preferences) in the small State of Maine where the Democratic candidate won after the second choice votes were counted.

 I hope ranked voting spreads.  I think it makes a lot of sense -- why should a candidate who the majority voted against win the election? I think ranked-choice is especially suited for times of strong polarization (like the current moment). Winning on the basis of a mere plurality is really problematic.

if you've got 5 candidates standing, you should be able to list them in your preferred order. Same if you've got 12. Let's not have surprise 'winners'

Mississippi has a runoff for the Senate election tomorrow. There were three candidates in the General Election and since none of them received more than 50% the top two compete in a runoff. I do not know if any other State has that method.

I found the answer.

http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/primary-runoffs.aspx

Everything You Need to Know About the Mississippi Senate Runoff

"Ranked choice voting" is apparently in use in a number of U.S. cities.  It seems like an excellent idea, both as a means to reach a more representative result and as a way of avoiding the (mostly municipal?) expense of run-off elections.

https://www.fairvote.org/rcv_in_us_elections

LOST said:
Joanne,
Thank you. I am always interested in your comments on Australian Politics. After finishing watching the 4th season of Rake on Net-Flix I needed to read a couple of Wikipedia articles on the Australian election system to understand what I had just watched.
We have only one experiment in ranked voting (what you call "preferences) in the small State of Maine where the Democratic candidate won after the second choice votes were counted.

Ranked voting will help to break up our two party monopoly. I'm surprised Maine allows it. One thing our two parties agree on is to keep their monopoly of the two parties.

Thirteen Parities are represented in the Australian Parliament.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Australia#Federal_Parties_with_Parliamentary_Representation

But please note:

Two political groups dominate the Australian political spectrum, forming a de-facto two-party system. One is the Australian Labor Party (ALP), a centre-left party which is formally linked to the Australian labour movement. Formed in 1893, it has been a major party federally since 1901, and has been one of the two major parties since the 1910 federal election. The ALP is in government in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.

The other group is a conservative grouping of parties that are in coalition at the federal level, as well as in New South Wales, but compete in Western Australiaand South Australia. The main party in this group is the centre-right Liberal Party. The Liberal Party is the modern form of a conservative grouping that has existed since the fusion of the Protectionist Party and Free Trade Party into the Commonwealth Liberal Party in 1909. Although this group has changed its nomenclature, there has been a general continuity of MPs and structure between different forms of the party. Its modern form was founded by Robert Menzies in 1944. The party's philosophy is generally liberal conservatism.

Every elected prime minister of Australia since 1910 has been a member of either the Labor Party, the Liberal Party, or one of the Liberal Party's previous incarnations (the Commonwealth Liberal Party, the Nationalist Party of Australia, or the United Australia Party).

You explain it so well 

LOST said:
Mississippi has a runoff for the Senate election tomorrow. There were three candidates in the General Election and since none of them received more than 50% the top two compete in a runoff. I do not know if any other State has that method.


I found the answer.
http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/primary-runoffs.aspx

 I can't wait.

So John Pesutto, the guy in that video who was losing his seat, is now behind by just 47 votes. 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-29/victorian-election-liberal-leadership-john-pesutto-hawthorn/10564932 

For those actually interested in Politics.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/29/busto-house-democrats-campaign-arm-1027901

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheri_Bustos