Relearning the Basics of Democracy By MIKOspace

Poignant Lessons from US General Elections 2016

Democracy is a slippery political concept. Many definitions abound, but none particularly helpful in furthering understanding. Many advocates of democracy attempt to define democracy in real life; dressing it up with civil liberties, popular elections, free press, free speech, right to bear arms … etc.  In post-2016 general elections, it seems natural that Americans have difficulty grasping the nature of its model of democracy.       Democracy empowers Governments to promote the welfare and well-being of its people, and not the development of its own political concepts.  Functional democratic processes can facilitate positive and progressive national development. Otherwise, democracy would face irrelevance, or change and even oblivion.

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Myth of The Popular Vote in US Democracy

During the US General Elections, the States holds concurrent democratic elections on the 8 November every 4 years to choose their preferred Presidential Candidates by assigning “Electors” to represent the State in accordance with its population size at the Electoral College who convenes on the following 19 December to “elect” the winning Presidential candidate officially.

In 2016, the Electoral College, represented by all the 50 States, elected Donald Trump by a margin of 306-242 to be the 45^th US President for 2017-2020. President-Elect Donald trump is also the most popular Republican President to ever receive 62.4 million votes.

The overall popular vote does not matter in the election of the US President. The overall popular vote is immaterial and irrelevant in the US, unlike countries like Mexico, Austria, Australia, Germany, France, East Timor and several others.

The US electoral landscape consists of 50 States and 3,112 Counties (or Constituencies). On 8 November 2016, Donald Trump won 2,622 Counties (84%) to Hillary’s 490, and won 30 States (60%) compared to her 20, garnering an average of 56% votes in those 30 States to 53.5% by Hillary in her 20 States.

The State of California voted massively for Hillary by over 4.3 million votes is effectively responsible for all of Hillary’s 2.8 million popular votes over Trump.  Without the moderation by the Electoral College, that one State alone, California, would have over-whelmed the entire national vote and disenfranchised all other non-Californian American voters. When Californian votes are excluded, Trump’s 58,474,401 popular votes exceed Hillary’s by 1.4 million.

Clearly, in the context of American politics in 2016, the Electoral College provides the US Presidential Elections with a more democratic outcome in determining the more “popular” President, where using the national popular vote would have failed to properly articulate the democratic aspirations of 128 million US electorate for a President Donald Trump....

Michael HENG

Singapore bought Australian land for military training

I read this in the statestimesreview. ‘Singapore is paying S$2.34 billion to Australia to rent over 200,000 hectares – the size of 4 Singapore land mass – in Townsville North Queensland for 25 years to test long-range missiles. The lucrative deal signed in October is however blocked by local farmers who refuse to sell their land.’

I must say this is any time a better decision than buying 12 F35s for about the same amount of money, 200,000 hectares or 4 times the size of Singapore or about 1 cent per sq ft.  How would anyone think of spending $2.34 billion for 12 toys that could go kaput anytime and could be stored in a hangar half the size of a football field?

Singapore should negotiate for longer tenure, maybe 99 years, then we can have a small population of soldier boys and their families living in Australia to relieve the lost of land that would be built to house more foreigners.  But our crazy policy of wasting land to sell to more foreigners, we have depleted whatever land for military use, to house our soldiers and military hardware.  We have no room for our boys to defend our country.  By the time they get back home with their hardware the island would have fallen, taken over. How can a country have its soldiers all overseas leaving a token force on home ground? Though the solution of acquiring land in Australia may not be ideal, as least it is a way out until the sickos understand what they are doing to our little island and why building and building more flats to be filled with more foreign bodies is a khong cum thing to do.

This temporary solution buys us 25 years of time and not to be held hostage or at ransom should countries hosting our facilities decided to up the rentals/usage of their land annually. And hope also there is no threats of war during this period. But 25 years is a flash in the pan and the problem arises again, just like our water agreements with Malaysia. When the landlord decides to up the fees or to kick our soldier boys out, then what, just like when we hit 6.9m or 10m, then what?

The solution must be more permanent and sustainable. Reclaiming land to bring in more bodies is like filling water in a pail full of holes and will lead to very serious problems in the long run, with more heads, more consumption but producing nothing, limited land, resources, water, energy, how could this be allowed to go on and on? It is a foolish formula, a game that fools will play and think they could get a way with it. But the fools need not have to answer for it as they would be long dead when the roof starts falling down.

Know the limitations of our land and resources and work within these limits is the only way to go.

US plot to oust Duterte - Regime change in the Philippines

John Kerry told the Philippines that the Americans respect their sovereignty and the democratic choice of the people of Philippines in selecting their leaders. Now the Philippines have exposed a plot to overthrow their President Duterte by the US and quoting a former American Ambassador Philip Goldberg to be behind it with documents as proof. The Americans are denying this allegation.

Who do you think is telling the truth, the Americans or the Filipinos? Do the Americans have any reason to want to throw out Duterte? Do the Americans have records of doing such darn things? Who is infamous for regime change?

This is what the Filipinos are saying and I quote from an Agencies’ article appearing in the Today paper on 29 Dec 16, ‘In the alleged plan, Mr Goldberg had noted that deposing Mr Duterte would be a challenge for the opposition. He encouraged support for the opposition through aids and grants, and to sow discontent among Duterte’s supporters….called for stoking public dissatisfaction with Mr Duterte over unfulfilled election promises, isolating the Philippines from the rest of the Association of South east Asian Nations (Asean) by extending military assistance to member countries except the Philippines, and/or through economic “blackmail” that aims to limit trade by some Asean member countries with the Philippines.’

With so much detail, are the Filipinos fabricating false information? You be the judge.  The info also revealed that the Americans are in control of Asean and could turn Asean against the Philippines, or at least some Asean states against the Philippines. So there you go, the friendliest and all goodness Evil Empire is doing what it knows best, regime change, interfering in the domestic affairs of small countries. Hope the terminating of Duterte is not in their cards.

Duterte, be very careful with the white angels around you. Little brown brothers are easily manipulated to serve the interests of the Evil Empire. With such good friend, the Philippines and Asean member states do not need enemies anymore.

Terrex Incident – What a lonely feeling

When Aquino was provoking China with his kangaroo court rulings on the SCS island claims, Singapore was quite vocal about Asean unity, that Asean should stand together as a grouping and take a common stand. Singapore’s policy is for a united Asean to face external threats and issues. Singapore’s support for Aquino’s claim on Chinese islands need no further elaboration. Several Asean countries too were behind the Aquino govt, including Vietnam and Malaysia, both claimant countries. Japan and the USA and the western countries too were parroting that the kangaroo court rulings were legal and binding. These supports gave the Aquino govt a false sense of victory, that the western world was behind the Filipino claims. There was strength in numbers. At least Aquino did not feel alone.

Singapore is now having a little problem with China, a good friend according to Vivian Balakrishnan who said he could sleep well over the Terrex Incident.  More than a month has passed and the armoured personnel carriers are still in Hong Kong with no further news. The Hong Kong/China side was silent and no one knows how long this matter would drag.

What is surprising is that no country, or at least that was what I have read in the media, has come out in support of the Singapore govt, to give encouragement and moral support to Singapore, a show or unity and solidarity. No Asean state has spoken out on the issue in favour of Singapore or to put pressure on China. Where is the Asean unity and solidarity? Anyone thinking he is the leader of Asean and mustering the Asean states to go against China? Should not one or two Asean countries be calling for Asean countries to unite behind Singapore? There was or were leaders herding the Asean states against China in the SCS claims and the kangaroo court rulings. Where have they gone to? Maybe the Terrex Incident is a different issue that does not need Asean unity or Asean to front out for Singapore, to speak for Singapore, to put pressure on China.

What about the USA and Japan, staunch allies and friends of Singapore? Did they say anything and give some moral encouragement? Are the Americans and Japanese going to sail their navies into Hong Kong as a show of force? Did any of these big powers make presentation to China to help out Singapore?

Somehow I got this lonely feeling that Singapore is in this all alone. Where are Singapore’s friends? Where are the western media that thought it was their responsibility to lambast China on the SCS island dispute and daily blasted at China on the side of the Aquino govt? The western media have been exceptionally quiet about the Terrex Incident. It is all Singapore’s problem. Or all of them think Singapore can handle this alone. Maybe they believe Singapore govt can punch above its weight and Hong Kong/China would soon return the armoured personnel carriers without undue delay, without the need for them to blow their trumpets?

Is Singapore being left on the lurch, alone, to deal with the problem? Have they abandoned Singapore? What a lonely feeling. A friend in need is a friend indeed. This is a time when Singapore needs all its friends to stand up or to speak up, and the voices of the western media to blow up the issue.

Are you lonesome tonight? Oh, what a lonely feeling.

President elect Trump & Peter Navarro have sinister motives in accusing China of unfair trade.

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President elect Trump and Peter Narvarro have sinister motives in accusing China of Unfair Trade.

First let's examine America as a country of its history. Before 4th July, 1775, there was not even a country called US to speak of. The whole of North America belongs to several native American tribes numbering several millions of them. Then in 1600s with the arrival of the aggressive French and British invaders native America soon lost its peace and tranquility. France and England fought for total control of the North American continent. England emerged victorious and became the only supreme European power to rule the land. The native Americans fought bravely against the British invaders hoping to evict them from the continent. Soon they found out fighting the Europeans with bow and arrows and wooden spears were no match against ther enemies' guns and cannons. The natives were mercilessly slaughtered and as time rolled by it became an almost complete genocide.

With being the only supreme and sole conqueror of the continent England was free to encourage millions of British and later other white Europeans to emigrate to North America.. The conquest of North America by England through force of arms and military might had rendered British and European rule illegitimate.

By the 1700s there were over one hundred million British and other white European settlers in the land. In 1770s many British settlers were dissatisfied with strong arm rule from London. They agitated for self rule and independence. Thus in the war of independence they prevailed and on 4th July, 1775 the revolutionaries declared independence of a new country US which then comprised the thirteen states of about six hundred thousand square miles fronting the Atlantic Ocean.

The large remaining areas from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and north of Mexican California were still under direct British rule. However the British did give the various native tribes some sort of self-government in the central plains and west of the continent up to the coast of the Pacific Ocean

The native self governing states were not to last long when the US of the breakaway thirteen states decided to march west and conquer all of them. Though the natives fought hard and bravely against the invading US army it was inconsequential. The white Americans of US were even more wanton and brutal than the British in the killings and slaughter of the natives. It was a case of the worst and most brutal genocide of natives that ever occurred.By the turn of 1890s not more than ten or twenty thousand native Americans were left out of the original native population of about eighty-five millions.

Thus the present US is an illegitimate country built on brutal genocide of the entire natives of the American continent and subsequently the brutal use of enslavements of negro slaves from Africa to provide the toil and free labour for its development. Its railways and other infrastructures were built on exploited Chinese labours in the 1800s to 1880s.

Now let's examine American present perspective in its norms of behaviour and conduct in international affairs especially vis-a-vis China. There is no doubt US is an illegitimate country built on terrorism and its conduct has never shown it as otherwise. It is very bellicose and gingoistic throughout its barbaric history. US is even more evil than you think. US organizes and trains different groups of Islamic terrorist organizations like the Taliban, Alqaeda, Isis and many others and release them to create choas, instability and civil strives in countries US decides to overthrow a regime or governments which it considers unfriendly and not toeing US dictates. In short USA was, is and will continue to be the world's biggest and most evil terrorist country.

At present in the economics, politics and military America , more than any other country has built up colossusly to awe and threaten the whole world. And yet to the Anglo-Saxon Americans everything is never enough unless its ultimate objective of world hegemony is achieved.

The tremendous wealth of USA does not benefit the vast majority of Americans but only the one percent of the elites ruling class encompassing the bankers, stock brokers, business tycoons, hierachy of top politicians, and top military personnels in the Pentagon and CIA as well as perhaps about ten percent of the middle class. The whole country is actually controlled by a handful of top notch crooks, rogues and scoundrels in the powerful demonic organisation of the Anglo-Saxon Jewish Zionist cabal under the centralise Rothschilds Illuminati and Free Masons absolute total control.

President Donald Trump is a member of this group. He is blaming China for all the ills of America, He and Navarro claim that half of USA deficit is caused by China's unfair trade with America. He and Navarro accuse China of manipulating the Chinese Yuan and subsidising exports.

China's trade with other countries and USA is based on the rules and regulations of the World Trade Organisation in which both USA and China are members. China's international trade has so far benefitted all other countries including USA. No one has ever complained against China of unfair trade except USA. The fact is that America's businessmen and industrialists take advantage of China's vast pools of cheap labour, so they shifted their productions to China to enhance their high profits.

As an example a pair of Nike shoes make in China may comprise labour cost of say $2, materials $3 and overheads like transport and production cost $3, making a total cost of $8 for a pair of Shoes. The American company sells the shoes in China for around $25 and in USA and other countries for around $45. Obviously the company makes such huge unthink of profits, will it want to move out of China. In the meantime US government gains by taxing on the shoes

The colossal profit of goods make in China by American businessmen goes back to the company and USA and benefits American consumers. If at all the pair of shoes were to be made in USA the cost price per pair would be in the region of about $80 to $100 per pair. Then American consumers may have to pay $150 to $200 per pair. Thus America, from the company to the people and the state benefit all round from manuafacturing their products in China. Therefore this shows what Donald Trump and Navarro is talking is absolutely utter rubbish and mischievous. When they are unable to compete with China in fair trade they utter frivolities in such hues and cries.

However the tremendous profits make by American companies do not so much as benefitting the people, the employees because it is creamed off by the greedy and rapacious directors and CEOs of the listed companies who never hesitate to pay themselves sinful salaries and perks worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.

Therefore it is really wrong and mischievous for Trump and Navarro and the American politicians to blame China for all its economic ills. They are just trying to pull the wool over the American peoples' eyes for all the greed and extreme corruption of their ruling elites , the crooks, rogues and scoundrels in the Apex of society. Just imagine how Trump himself managed to avoid paying tax of hundreds of millions of dollars for many years though his company is valued at several billion dollars worth.

Trump and Navarro are great liars and conmen to accuse China of manipulating its currency and foreign exchange. The value of the Chinese Yuan depends on market forces independent of Chinese control . On the other hand US rigged the value of the American dollar to swindle the whole world . Whether it is pushing the dollar up or down it intends to profit both ways depending on the appropriate situation beneficial to US.

America has a total debt of about twenty-one trillion dollars comprising both internal and external debt. Its currency is a fiduciary issue with no tangible intrinsic backing by gold or resources. How then can US now push the dollar to such high value except to con and cheat other countries of their foreign exchange and to do damage to their economies. Third world countries who succumbed to America's currency rigging and foreign exchange manipulation and who are induced to borrow and owe America huge debts are subjected to US control and blackmail. As an example US will demand the installation of military bases in third world countries which can't pay off their debts to US.

Trump and Navarro may think they can play dirty with China. They may be shocked their evil schemings may rebounce back on USA .

Southernglory1

Wednesday,28th December,2016