Archive for the ‘American current affairs’ Category


What happens now in the United States of America?

January 7th, 2021 by Roger Darlington

Commentators are calling for Donald Trump to be removed from the US presidency by invocation of the 25th amendment of the US Constitution which requires the Vice-President and half the cabinet to declare the president unfit to perform the duties of his office. Realistically, this isn’t going to happen. The Vice-President and officers appointed by […]

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“A Promised Land” by Barack Obama (1)

January 4th, 2021 by Roger Darlington

Long before Barack Obama became President of the United States, I read his two books: “Dreams From My Father” [my review here] and “The Audacity Of Hope” [my review here]. Then, the summer before last, I read Michelle Obama’s work “Becoming” [my review here]. I’m a huge fan of the Obamas and looked forward immensely […]

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Joe Biden is creating the most diverse leadership team in American history

December 19th, 2020 by Roger Darlington

Joe Biden’s first cabinet as US president is being described as potentially the most diverse ever.  Having already chosen a black woman to be his Vice-President, of the 15 cabinet positions, he has announced 10 appointments and only three of them are white straight men. In 2021, America could soon see its first Native American […]

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When he becomes President, expect a flurry of Executive Orders from Joe Biden

November 12th, 2020 by Roger Darlington

This time of year four years ago, I was on a flight to Washington DC. The Americans had just had their four-yearly presidential election and, to the amazement of the world, Donald Trump had beaten Hillary Clinton in the Electoral College although not in the popular vote. By chance, I was seated next to an […]

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How does the United States elect its President?

November 3rd, 2020 by Roger Darlington

Today, those Americans who have not already voted by post or in early balloting – as an astonishing nearly 100 million have done – can go to their polling station and vote for the next President of the USA. In fact, the President is not elected directly by the voters but by an Electoral College […]

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Who are Americans voting for this week?

November 2nd, 2020 by Roger Darlington

Tuesday 3 November 2020 is a big day in the United States with a massive amount of balloting going on. Everyone knows that Americans will be electing the next President and Vice-President for a four-year term. The choice is between Donald Trump and Mike Pence for the Republicans and Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for […]

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What the United States Supreme Court now looks like

October 27th, 2020 by Roger Darlington

A mere one week before the US presidential election when it looks as if the Republicans will lose both the White House and the Senate, Amy Coney Barrett – nominated by Donald Trump and approved by the Republican-controlled Senate – has been appointed to the country’s Supreme Court. In the history of the United States, […]

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How can the Democrats make the American political system a bit fairer?

October 10th, 2020 by Roger Darlington

Everybody knows that the 2016 presidential election was won by Republican candidate Donald Trump even though the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton won almost three million more votes. The explanation is that the President is not elected directly but chosen by an Electoral College which is biased in favour of the smaller rural states which generally […]

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How much crazier can the American presidential election become?

October 2nd, 2020 by Roger Darlington

So Donald J Trump has contracted Covid-19. This is hardly surprising given the lack of precautions that he has routinely followed. But what happens now? His symptoms could be mild or even none. But .. If Trump becomes severely ill, he may temporarily transfer power to the vice-president under the 25th Amendment of the US […]

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Could the revelations of Donald Trump’s tax affairs finally finish this Teflon president?

September 29th, 2020 by Roger Darlington

Four and a half months ago, I did a posting entitled: Al Capone was finally brought down because of his tax affairs. Could the same thing happen to Donald Trump? Make no mistake: the expose of Trump’s tax affairs by the “New York Times” is huge. It is a brilliant piece of investigative journalism and […]

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