The Democrat debates will see 10 prospective presidential candidates argue why they should receive the nomination to take on Donald Trump. Bette Browne looks at the runners.US president Donald Trump has a path to re-election and it runs through the Democratic party unless former vice president Joe Biden can tighten his grip on his party’s nomination — that’s the view of some voters in middle America, backed by a number of polls.Taking the political pulse of America’s heartland usually involves going to Iowa state, but recently some Iowa friends came toIreland and their take on the 2020 election painted a bleak picture for Democrats seeking to win back the White House. They said Americans start paying attention to the election only after the September 2 Labour Day holiday there and if they tune in to next Thursday’s Democratic party debate only to find candidates still bickering among themselves, it could be disastrous for the party.“I think Biden is … [Read more...] about US politics: Split it down the middle
Us politics
Rivlin says Israel must be left out of US political fight
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin spoke to a top US Democrat in a bid to ensure enduring bipartisan support for Israel in Washington is not undermined, his office said Wednesday. A statement from Rivlin's office said he spoke to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, stating his concerns, after US President Donald Trump said American Jews who vote Democratic are either ignorant or disloyal. "We must keep the State of Israel above political disputes and make every effort to ensure that support for Israel does not become a political issue," the statement quoted him as saying. Asked who initiated the call, Rivlin's office told AFP, "this call was scheduled according to... mutual wishes." Trump has been lashing out anew against Democrats over congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, both of whom support a boycott of the Jewish state over its treatment of the Palestinians. "Where has the Democratic party gone?" Trump said to reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday. "I … [Read more...] about Rivlin says Israel must be left out of US political fight
US Political System Prevents Trump From Implementing Many Things
At the same time, Putin expressed confidence that Trump was making decisions on his own. The United States has been toughening sanctions against Russia and introducing new ones, which followed accusations of Russia's alleged cyberattacks and meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has repeatedly said that he would like the US-Russia relations to be normalised and expressed intention to develop cooperation in various spheres of mutual interests. The bilateral relations are in particular exacerbated by numerous anti-Russian initiatives and legislative acts by the US Congress, where the leverage of the US president is limited. … [Read more...] about US Political System Prevents Trump From Implementing Many Things
Ukraine’s new president caught in US political crossfire
Ukraine's incoming president has been caught up in a drama that could influence the course of the US 2020 presidential election, risking tensions with a crucial ally at a time of crisis with Russia. Volodymyr Zelensky, a political novice, came to power promising to clean up the ex-Soviet country and has yet to be inaugurated. But already he faces what analysts call a "dangerous trap" set in the US. US President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani was due in Kiev this week to ensure authorities do not abandon legal investigations which he said could be "very, very useful" for his boss. Ukraine is conducting several probes involving US citizens that could impact on candidates in the next US election. Giuliani however cancelled his visit in a sign of tensions between Washington and Kiev. One of the investigations is aimed at the Ukrainian company Burisma, owned by a pro-Russian oligarch that employed former US vice president Joe Biden's son Hunter for several years. The probe … [Read more...] about Ukraine’s new president caught in US political crossfire
Bosnian Serb Entity Hires New US Lobbying Firm
Republika Srpska Government building, Photo EPA/Mikko Pihavaara The government of Bosnia’s mainly Serbian entity, Republika Srpska, has signed a contract with Texas-based law firm McGinnis Lochridge to represent the RS and “provide general advice and representation regarding international legal and policy matters as requested by the Government from time to time”. The law firm anticipates that those matters will include, among others, “RS and BiH rights and obligations vis-a-vis the Office of the High Representative, the Peace Implementation Council, the UN Security Council, the OSCE, the EU, the Council of Europe, and others”. The RS will pay the firm a monthly retainer of $80,000 until the end of December. In total, the RS will pay the pay $640,000. The contract was signed on April 25 by the RS Economic Relations and Regional Cooperation Minister Zlatan Klokic and came into effect on 1 May. The investigative journalist Casey Michael from US news website … [Read more...] about Bosnian Serb Entity Hires New US Lobbying Firm