Political Open Thread

by wj

I know the previous post says it's an open thread. But I didn't want to hijack the poetry discussion. So here's a new one.

Two things. First, his stupid tariffs notwithstanding, Trump appears to be helping Canada's economy on one front: building their high tech industry. He is making it ever harder for high tech talent to move to the US. Whereas Canada has taken the opposite approach
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2018/10/08/h-1b-as-immigration-furor-roils-silicon-valley-canada-smoothes-way-for-techies/
And there are signs that it's working.

So not only is his enthusiasm for dirty power leaving the rest of the world to dominate in clean power technology. He's helping others contest US dominance of the computer industry as well. Brilliant.

Second, we have a reminder that the Mueller probe isn't just about Russian interference. It appears that the Trump campaign was trying to get Israeli firms to do the same kind of fake social media accounts, etc.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/08/us/politics/rick-gates-psy-group-trump.html

Comments

[wj]

Meanwhile, back at US politics, we have this: North Dakota soybean farmers, caught in the trade war, watch the season run out on their crop

Money quote

The soybean plight has become a flash point in elections in the heavily Republican state, including the battle between Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and GOP challenger Rep. Kevin Cramer. But the situation also has tested Peterson’s — and other farmers’ — support for President Trump, who carried the deep-red state by 36 percentage points.

“He’s the president of the United States and he deserves our support,” Peterson said on a recent morning at his farm. “But I can’t help wondering about the methods he’s using with regards to trade.”

A glimmer of hope, perhaps, for Senator Heitkamp's reelection effort.

[cleek]

What are they gonna do, vote for a Democrat? Lol.

[Nigel]

Well she has been elected there before...

[wj]

What Nigel said.

[sapient]

Well she has been elected there before...

Yes, but that was before this happened.