The liberal politics of Kim Kardashian and other news and views

Democrats prefer Mitch McConnell’s politics to Kim Kardashian West’s. That’s ridiculous. - Think Progress
The maligning of the businesswoman and reality star politically is unfair and depressing.
In between filming one of the most entertaining reality shows on television today and running a highly successful cosmetics and fragrances business, Kim Kardashian West has emerged as a staunch defender of progressive causes, and she proudly endorsed Hillary Clinton ahead of the 2016 general election.
But a recent Morning Consult poll measuring the potency of political endorsements found that, among independents, the most damaging endorsement a politician can receive is that of Kardashian West. Among Democrats, Kardashian West’s endorsement is the eighth most damaging, right after Steve Bannon and right ahead of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.


Smoke rises from a black hole - The Australian
... the rise of a dedicated, lucrative black market that anecdotally at least has dragged transnational crime syndicates into the fray. ... Obviously, tobacco theft and smuggling has always been a problem but as the excise hikes have kicked in, in what might be called prohibition by stealth, a relatively small law enforcement problem has become a lot bigger and uglier in Australia.
After Cambridge Analytica, politicians must act to save the web - Financial Times
A wondrous informational resource is turning into a cyber cesspit
Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun, Chairman Mao taught us. Nowadays it is just as likely to derive from the click of a mouse. The latest revelations in the Observer and the New York Times about the role of Cambridge Analytica in hacking the 2016 US presidential election shine an unforgiving light on the potential abuse of computational propaganda and mass manipulation.
Lawsuits Force Alleged Trump Affairs, Sexual Misconduct Claims Back Into Public Eye - NPR
Previously dismissed by President Trump and his allies after alleging sexual affairs or unwanted sexual advances by the real estate tycoon, a number of women are asking the courts to help them break their silence.
Reuters reporters in court 100 days after their arrest in Myanmar -  Reuters
Two Reuters reporters appeared in a Myanmar court for the 11th time on Wednesday, which marked 100 days since they were arrested in December and accused of possessing secret government papers.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Is Scott Morrison getting ahead of Malcolm Turnbull in the GST debate?

Image
Michelle Grattan , University of Canberra Scott Morrison has become a true believer in the cause of raising the GST, determined to drive a major switch in the tax mix. The big question is whether Malcolm Turnbull will end up in the same place as his treasurer. Turnbull is keeping his options open. “Changes to the GST are certainly part of the tax debate and certainly being actively considered by the government,” he said on Friday. If Turnbull agrees with Morrison, all will be well and good between them. On the other hand if Turnbull eventually opts for caution and doesn’t walk down the GST road, or in the shorter term feels Morrison is getting ahead of the game, that would be awkward for the gung-ho minister, who would the need to manage his retreat. Morrison wants a high profile and he seeks the limelight. But that carries risks. There is always that salutary tale from Labor days. Paul Keating was passionate about introducing a broad-based consumption tax. Bob Hawke let
Read more

Prime Minister Scott Morrison under pressure as the question about knowledge of a rape gets embarrassing

Image
Any    day   of   the   week Five words by Scott Morrison that fired up social media commentators today. #NotMyPM pic.twitter.com/YiGTGzLNU5 — M🕯️cr💧ft ...... 🍥 🐒🚶......🧠 (@KaurnaCopia) March 18, 2021 They saw an angry and embarrassed Prime Minister. A politician under considerable pressure. Looking for a way out and not being able to see it. Hansard tells the story of how it came about: Members of Parliament: Staff  Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): My question is to the Prime Minister. Thirty days ago, the Prime Minister told this House that he asked his former chief of staff, one of the few people he's ever shown empathy for, to verify what his office knew about the reported sexual assault of Brittany Higgins only metres from where he works. Mr Gaetjens reported his findings on the Prime Minister's sports rorts within two weeks. Why is this report, about the Prime Minister's staff, taking so long, and will the Prime Minister release this
Read more

Remembering that Labor only lost last time because of Bill Shorten

A quote for the day from The Australian  ' Former Queensland Liberal Party vice-president and online pollster Graham Young, who runs Brisbane-based conservative think tank the Australian Institute for Progress, says Morrison was always going to struggle to be returned, nixing any suggestion the government had a lock on the election when it was riding higher in Newspoll. “ The only reason they won last time was that Bill Shorten was overconfident, unpopular and they got over the line in a few seats in Queensland,” Young says. “Anyone who thinks it’s a lay-down misere because Albanese is hopeless or whatever is not thinking clearly.”'
Read more