Cogito Ergo Non Serviam
Tories Scrap Abolition of Top Tax Rate -- Liz Truss has been Prime Minister of the UK for about a month. At her first party conference as PM in Birmingham, she and Chancellor Kwesi Kwartang managed to perform their first U-turn on policy in government. A few days ago, they had announced, trather hamfistedly, the abolition of the top marginal tax rate of 45%. Today, they have abandoned the idea. The markets had dropped because the government had not paid for the change with other taxes or with spending cuts. Consequently, the national debt would has risen, and the markets hate that. By abandoning the policy, the Tories have taken some pressure off the pound and stock market. They have also proved that the problem was not Boris Johnson but rather is the overall ineptitude of the Conservative Party. Ms. Truss and Dr. Kwartang may be out of office before the next election, two years away. [3 October]
Hurricane Response Will Make or Break DeSantis -- Hurricane Ian hit central Florida yesterday, coming ashore near Fort Myers. The winds were just shy of Category 5, and the rain dropped as much as 18 inches of water. The recovery efforts have begun as the storm has moved out to sea and will visit the Carolinas in a day or so. The response of the various governments, especially the state government, will set a political tone that could affect careers. Simply put, the effectiveness of the response will make or break Governor Ron DeSantis. If he botches this, his presidential hopes are largely doomed for 2024. If he gets it right, he could well win the GOP nomination as a guy who gets things done. [30 September]
Russia Sabotages Nord Stream Pipelines -- The Nord Stream pipelines bring natural gas from Russia to the EU. Yesterday, the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines began leaking. In all, there are four leaks in three different pipelines (Nord Stream 1 consists of two distinct pipelines despite its name). The odds on this happening spontaneously verge on zero. Swedish military installations recorded two distinct underwater explosions in their waters. Clearly, there was sabotage. Russia is pointing fingers at NATO, but it is Russia that committed this act of environmental terrorism. The Kremlin has a motive, revenge. [29 September]
Russian Referenda Set Up End Game Putin Wants -- The four Russian-occupied provinces of Ukraine taken this year held referenda on joining the Russian Federation. The results were implausibly in favor of being ruled from Moscow. No legitimate referendum has a result for or against of 90% or higher. No legitimate referendum has armed men going door to door to force people to vote. No legitimate referendum is held in a war zone. However, legitimacy does not matter to Mr. Putin. What matters is that he is setting up a political situation that would allow him to declare victory. Sadly for him, much depends on the acquiescence of Kyiv, Berlin and Washington. [28 September]
Italy Elects Fascist Wannabes -- The Italian people went to the polls yesterday and elected a right-wing coalition of parties led by the Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d\' Italia). This is not a good development for Italy nor for Europe. The Brothers of Italy has its roots in the Italian Social Movement, founded by members of the National Fascist Party and the Republican Fascist Party, banned after World War II. The leader of the party, Giogia Meloni, was quite the fascist firebrand in her youth, and despite her claims to have moderated her views over the years, one is confident that her reflexes remain anti-democratic and illiberal. With a majority in both chambers of the Italian legislature, she might be able to run Italy much as Mr. Orban runs Hungary. That presumes she is as clever as he, and there is no reason to doubt it. [26 September]
© Copyright 2022 by The Kensington Rview, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux
20 Years Online
Volume XX, Number 167
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