For Donald Trump : Don't Condemn the World to Forced Climate Change

On the 28th March 2017, Donald Trump has announced that he is to sign an executive order, overturning the previous Obama administration's plans to tackle global warming. His main reason is that combating climate change harms the economy with it's miasma of rules.

Trump is seeking to repeal the Clean Power Plan which limited the use of coal fired power stations because of the amount of carbon dioxide they released into the atmosphere. The Environmental Protection Agency estimated that this would reduce carbon dioxide pollution from the energy sector by 32% below 2005 levels by 2030. Environmental campaigners and democrats were highly supportive of the bill.

However, critics accused the Obama administration of a "war on coal" and warned that electricity prices will rise by so much that people will not even be able to surf the internet. Thomas J Donohue, the current president of the US Chamber of Commerce, said the EPA plan was a "power grab" that will "drive up electricity costs for businesses, consumers and families, impose tens of billions in annual compliance costs, and reduce our nation’s global competitiveness" 

Trumps head of the EPA Scott Pruitt, a former Oklahoma attorney general who questioned accepted climate science said "The president is keeping his promise to the American people,". Pruitt also denounced the Paris climate accord as a “bad deal” and said Obama-era standards on auto emissions were "counter-helpful to the environment".

Ah Donald Trump and the Republican Party,  here we go again..........

London's deaths are a tragedy, but there is far worse happening in the World

On the 22nd March 2017, Khalid Masood drove a vehicle at high speeds across Westminster Bridge, knocking down several people and killing some of them in the process. The vehicle proceeded to hit the railings outside Westminster and the driver exited, brandishing a knife and stabbing police officer Keith Palmer. Masood was shot dead by armed police seconds later, but 5 people including Keith Palmer died of their injuries. Islamic State took credit for the attack and outpourings of support have been sent to London.

It was an attack by a crazy jihadist who had a history of violence but I can't help have this feeling that there has been an over-exaggeration of the gravity of this attack. People have been on the news, bellowing in defiance of the terrorist actions. For an example, just watch Andrew Neil's denouncement of Islamic State from Newsnight a few days ago. However to me, this seems a case best explained by Josef Stalin :

"One death is a tragedy, a million is just a statistic"

There is only one Lord of Turkey.....and he does not share Power

Just a few years ago, Turkey was a country revered to be a safe haven for citizens and tourists, in a region torn apart by war and terrorism. Its modern values were imposed by Ataturk, a revered former leader, who championed democracy and secularism. However, times appear to have changed. In just a few weeks, there is to be a referendum held in Turkey to decide whether the country should have an executive presidency that would replace the existing parliamentary system of government and abolish the office of the Prime Minister. Albeit a democratic referendum, the people should be extremely cautious about who they are giving power to:

His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Yep, that is his official title. He is a divisive figure across Turkey and the world. Born in 1954, he was an amateur footballer in his youth, progressing to accountancy, mayoralty, Prime Minister and then Dicta..... I mean President.

Well I think we should take a look at this man and see if he really is "excellent".

Referendum 

In Defence of the Wounded : An Opposition to the Alexander Blackman decision

Alexander Blackman was a British soldier who served in Afghanistan on several tours, most notably in 2011. He was known as Marine A and was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of an unarmed and injured combatant in Afghanistan. His case has endured a multitude of commentary and several court cases. Originally, he was found guilty of murder but this has now been reduced to manslaughter after an appeal, funded by his wife and several interested parties. I myself, have several reservations about this verdict and its implications on international treaties currently in effect. I believe the Court of Appeal has made a mistake and has partly legitimised the execution of those who could become prisoners.

Making Money from the Sick

Mr Barack Obama

This week in the glorious, amazing nation of the United States of America, one of Barack Obama's biggest policies is set to be replaced, just two months after his departure from office. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) , also known as "Obamacare" is to be repealed by Republican lawmakers. In it's place, a new act is to be introduced. Let's have a look!

Brexit and Democracy

I have been thinking to myself a lot recently, (scary I know) about the governance and political construction of the United Kingdom. I'm going to analyse the results of the EU referendum and consider whether it was a true democratic decision to leave.

The Populist notion of "Islamification"

Mr Geert Wilders

I've been reading in the news about the Dutch politician Geert Wilders and how he has been taking the lead in political polls with the general election drawing near. Mr Wilders has built a reputation with some amazingly subtle comments. Here is a selection :

- "Islam is not a religion, it's an ideology, the ideology of a retarded culture. I have a problem with Islamic tradition, culture, ideology. Not with Muslim people."

- "The Koran is a fascist book which incites violence. That is why this book, just like Mein Kampf, must be banned."

- "It is not acceptable for people to completely cover themselves on the street. It threatens public order and security. Plus it is a terrifying sight. Get rid of that woman-humiliating Islamic symbol."

- "The Moroccan scum in Holland … once again not all are scum … but there is a lot of Moroccan scum in Holland who make the streets unsafe, mostly young people ... and that should change"

Sounds like a nice guy right? As you can see a major policy of his campaign is to push back islamification and immigration in the Netherlands. This populist notion has leaped to the forefront of global politics, particularly in right wing political parties