Wall Street Journal (July 11)
“The bitterness of Brexit pervades all aspects of British life and politics. It has divided friends and families, produced a Conservative cabinet with more leaks than an old sieve, split the diplomats of the U.S. and the U.K., and exposed a rift between Britain’s elected politicians and its unelected civil servants.”
Tags: Bitterness, Brexit, Cabinet, Conservative, Diplomats, Divides, Elected, Families, Friends, Life, Politicians, Politics, Rift, Split, U.S., UK, Unelected
The New Yorker (January 28)
“In an era of social media and fake news, journalists who have survived the print plunge have new foes to face…. The more desperately the press chases readers, the more it resembles our politics.”
Tags: Desperate, Era, Fake news, Foe, Journalists, Politics, Print plunge, Readers, Social media
Reuters (December 18)
“British business has issued a stark warning to MPs that they risk plunging an ill-prepared economy into chaos unless they stop playing politics at Westminster…. As ministers agreed to a dramatic escalation of preparations for a no-deal Brexit, including putting 3,500 armed forces personnel on standby, the leaders of the UK’s five leading employers’ groups said the country was nowhere near ready.”
Bloomberg (November 2)
China’s belt and road master plan “to project Chinese power, influence and trade across much of the world could well undermine all three.” The trillion-dollar global infrastructure scheme has gotten out of control. “A scaled-down, better-managed Belt and Road—guided more by economics and less by politics—should, as intended, promote growth and trade across the region and beyond. That would serve everybody’s interests.”
Tags: Belt and road, China, Economics, Growth, Influence, Infrastructure, Politics, Power, Trade
Chicago Tribune (September 27)
“Separating politics from process in Washington is harder than scraping gum from the sidewalk in summer. But for the benefit of Ford, Kavanaugh and the confirmation process…. there should be more investigative work done….. A quick vote up or down would leave unanswered the fundamental question of a Supreme Court nominee’s character and fitness.”
Tags: Character, Confirmation, Fitness, Ford, Investigative work, Kavanaugh, Nominee, Politics, Process, Supreme Court, Vote
The Economist (March 31)
“Just six words suffice to sum up President Donald Trump’s approach to trade …make threats, strike deals, declare victory.” But this will not create a victory. “Even if conflict is averted and China gives ground… the result will be a bad one for the world, and for America. That is partly because of Mr Trump’s character. If he thinks he has won one fight, he is likelier to start another. It is also because his policy is founded on wretched economics and dangerous politics.”
Tags: China, Conflict, Dangerous, Deals, Economics, Politics, Threats, Trade, Trump, Victory, Wretched
The Economist (February 24)
“It is futile to speculate how much Russia’s efforts succeeded in altering the outcomes of votes and poisoning politics. The answer is unknowable. But the conspiracies are wrong in themselves and their extent raises worries about the vulnerabilities of Western democracies. If the West is going to protect itself against Russia and other attackers, it needs to treat Mr Mueller’s indictments as a rallying cry.”
Tags: Attackers, Conspiracies, Democracies, Futile, Mueller, Politics, Russia, Speculate, Votes, Vulnerabilities
Financial Times (January 24)
Undercover reporting by the Financial Times revealed “groping and sexual harassment” at a secretive black-tie event that “has been a mainstay of London’s social calendar for 33 years.” Thursday’s event, attended by 360 men “from British business, politics and finance” with entertainment provided by 130 female hostesses, however, will be the last. The expose unleashed a deluge of criticism and The Presidents Club is disbanding.
Tags: Black-tie, Business, Entertainment, Finance, Groping, London, Politics, Presidents Club, Reporting, Secretive, Sexual harassment, Social calendar, Undercover
The Guardian (August 24)
“Something big is slowly stirring in the undergrowth of British politics. Fact by fact, announcement by announcement, the case for Britain to remain in the European Union’s single market and customs union is growing stronger and more irresistible by the day. Such an outcome is most definitely not this government’s policy. But, this autumn, something will have to give.”
Tags: Customs union, EU, Government, Irresistible, Outcome, Policy, Politics, Single market, UK
Korea Times (May 9)
“Moon Jae-in of the largest Democratic Party of Korea couldn’t take office as president in more trying times ― the country is besieged by big challenges from within and without.” To succeed, he “should ditch partisan politics” and “adopt partnership governance.”
Tags: Besieged, Challenges, Korea, Moon, Partnership, Politics, President, Trying times
