Category Archives: Liberal

From the left: How Liberal Minds Closed on Immigration

The Atlantics Peter Beinart says liberals views on immigration were far more hardline just a decade ago. He points out that liberals publicly questioned immigration in ways that would shock many progressives today. A big reason for the change, according to Beinart, was political: Between 2008 and 2016, Democrats became more and more confident that the countrys growing Latino population gave the party an electoral edge. He also stresses the necessity of encouraging cohesion between immigrants and native-born citizens. Promoting assimilation need not mean expecting immigrants to abandon their culture. But it does mean breaking down the barriers that segregate them from the native-born. And it means celebrating Americas diversity less, and its unity more.

Paleocon: Raising a Generation of Authoritarians

According to The American Conservatives Pratik Chougule, Americas increasingly suffocating helicopter-parenting is teaching future generations the wrong lessons about American values. Whether or not an authoritarian scenario unfolds in the United States could depend on childrearing trends. Indeed, social scientists have long argued that the origins of authoritarian societies can be discerned in childhood pathologies, he writes. He points to last years election: Those who believe that is more important for children to be respectful rather than independent; obedient over self-reliant; well-behaved more than considerate; and well-mannered versus curious, were more than two and a half times as likely to support [Donald] Trump than those with the opposite preferences.

From the campaign trail: Lessons From Georgias Special

Talking Points Memo editor Josh Marshall admits that, for Democrats, Jon Ossoffs special-election loss in Georgia to Karen Handel is a big disappointment. But its not cause for a total rethinking of his partys electoral strategy. After all, it is one of a string of special elections in which Democrats have dramatically over-performed in Republican districts. And even though Dems didnt win any of those, if you apply the trend to the full House of Representatives, not just GOP safe seats, it suggests Democrats are quite likely to take the House next year. His takeaway: Even though Republicans have lost substantial ground and are operating in a tough environment theyve nevertheless been able to mobilize money and partisan affiliation to hold on in tight races. That cant be ignored. Its also very significant.

From the right: Putin Proves We Cant Abandon Syria

Russias threats in response to the downing of a Syrian aircraft shows why America cant leave, Paul Mirengoff writes at Power Line: Putin intends to help Assad and Iran dominate post-ISIS Syria. Mirengoff faults President Barack Obama for not standing up to previous Russian intimidation tactics. President Trump should not let Vladimir Putin tell him where the US can and cannot fly. He should not let Putin, on behalf of his friends in Iran, shut the US out of the end-game against ISIS and the post-ISIS jockeying for control. Even if Trump decides against a full-on ground invasion, he certainly should be willing to protect through air power the ground forces friendly to our interests.

Culture critic: Deafening Silence on Warmbiers Torture

Otto Warmbier, the American college student imprisoned and tortured by North Korea who died this week after being returned to his parents in a coma, was active in his campus Jewish community. Yet Jewish groups, the Anti-Defamation League chief among them, were all but silent on Warmbiers ordeal. Asks Tablets Liel Liebovitz: Why? Liebovitz points out that Warmbier had aroused not sympathy but angry attacks from the social-justice left: When the young college student was arrested last year, the regressive lefts flagships, from Salon to the blessedly defunct Nightly Show, gleefully mocked Warmbier, arguing that white privilege was the real reason for his predicament. Such bigotry is toxic to all Americans, but its particularly hazardous to Jews, whose suffering is too often explained away these days as an acceptable byproduct of excessive power and influence. All of which makes Jewish groups silence on Warmbiers murder shameful. Compiled by Brendan Clarey & Seth Mandel

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How liberal minds closed on immigration, raising kids as ... - New York Post

Sunnis, Shiites, Alevis, members of the LGTBQ community - all are welcome at the Friday prayer service at the Ibn Rushd-Goethe Mosque in Berlin. The organization, which holds its services inside the St. Johannis Church in the area of Moabit, has sparked criticism since a DW report on its founder, women's rights activist Seyran Ates, who established the institution despite fierce resistance.

Reports about the liberal mosque found their way into several newspapers in the Muslim world. The pro-government Turkish newspaper Sabah called it "absurd" that services took place inside a church. Another newspaper, Yeniakit, labeled Ates a Kurdish supporter of the controversial cleric Fethullah Gulen. And Daily Pakistan criticized the fact that women took part in prayer services unveiled.

'No conception of religion'

Men and uncovered women praying together, and presided over by a female imam on top of it? For some in the Muslim world, that's simply going too far. "They're creating a new religion, that's not Islamic," commented one DW user. "These people are not following the religion of our prophet. They have no conception of the religion. What idiocy," commented another.

DW Arabic's report garnered more than 1.7 million clicks by Monday afternoon.

"Our article drew quite an impassioned response," said Tarek Anegay, who works in DW Arabic's social media department.

Many users were outraged by what they saw as a contradiction of Islamic doctrine.

DW Arabic expected such reactions. "When it comes to anything that concerns the traditional, conservative code of Islam, people tend to act very sensitively and suspiciously," said Anegay.

A Western conspiracy

A key debate raging within the Muslim community concerns the lack of equality between men and women, along with the appropriateness of women not covering their heads during prayer. The concept of a female imam remains a special taboo, Anegay said. Many Muslims look at such attempts to liberalize their religion and see a conspiracy concocted by the West against Islam.

"The high number of Muslims frightens Europe, and for that reason the Europeans are attempting to market a new form of Islam that conforms to life in Europe," wrote Manhal al-Ahmad on DW's Arabic Facebook page. "I believe that they won't achieve their goal. In the end they will give up and eventually come to understand that this fight against this religion was wrong."

The impression still exists in Muslim countries that the West wants to impose its lifestyle on the Muslim world, according to Rainer Sollich, head of DW Arabic's online department. "Those who oppose all reformist ideas within Islam are also taking advantage of this agenda," he said. "It's a very populist agenda. It works, because many people in the Muslim world are jumping on it and many genuinely feel that way."

Emotional discussion

The tone of the commentary is at its core very emotional and aggressive, said social media editor Anegay. Editors often have to intervene, even having to remove verbal abuse, threats and defamation. "We counted more than 15,000 comments, but we had to delete a lot of them," Anegay said.

Seyran Ates is the woman behind the Ibn Rushd-Goethe Mosque

In Rainer Sollich's view, many in the Muslim world in general don't take into consideration reforms or any critical examination of their faith. But there is a growing realization of the changes that are needed. "Today may seem strange to us, but perhaps it won't be so unusual in a few years," one user commented. "A Christian woman in the West is allowed to be a pastor. Why do people not have the right to be what they want to be?" another said.

Egypt's highest Islamic authority responds

On Monday, Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah, the Egyptian government body that weighs in on religious or legal matters that divide Muslim believers, responded to the controversy, as reported by Egyptian news outlet Al-Shabab. "In prayer, gender segregation cannot be lifted," the office declared. The proximity between men and women in the mosque is not allowed, as it clearly violates Sharia, or Islamic law, according to the office.

"Such controversies are part of our reporting," said Anegay. "We understand that many Arab users aren't going to like them. But everyone has the right to interpret their faith the way they see fit, as long as they take into account the rights and dignity of other people. The people saw the report and felt attacked, but they didn't take the time to question themselves." Anegay thinks back to a famous line from an Islamic philosopher: The road to faith goes through questions.

Originally posted here:

Liberal mosque in Berlin draws criticism - Deutsche Welle

VICTORIA - British Columbia's politicians will return to the legislature in Victoria today, marking the beginning of the end for the minority Liberal government.

Premier Christy Clark's Liberals have recently announced a number of campaign-style promises that will be included in today's throne speech, including hikes for welfare rates, reforms to campaign financing and new money for childcare.

Clark said yesterday that the party heard from voters during this spring's campaign that social issues and political fundraising reforms are major concerns and the government is now prepared to act on them.

But New Democrat house leader Mike Farnworth says the Liberal's promises are acts of desperation from a party that simply wants to stay in power.

The election on May 9 gave B.C. its first minority government in 65 years, with the Liberals winning 43 seats, the NDP 41 and the Greens three.

Following the vote, the NDP and Greens signed an agreement to vote against the Liberals in an upcoming confidence vote, ending 16 years of Liberal rule and clearing the path for a minority New Democrat government.

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BC throne speech marks beginning of the end for provincial Liberal government - CTV News

Popular mythology suggests Vince Cable regretted ruling himself out in 2007 on the grounds of age. Photograph: Sean Smith for the Guardian

So Vince Cable has finally done what he kicked himself for years about not doing before, when he first had the chance. He is standing for the Lib Dem leadership.

Popular mythology suggests he enjoyed himself as interim leader after Menzies Campbells resignation in 2007, and regretted ruling himself out on the grounds of age.

He had managed to wound Gordon Browns premiership with a number of well-hewn quips at the dispatch box, thought up in the bath, and believed he could do it.

That was a decade ago, as the banking crisis struck. Ironically, he is now 74, and six years older than Campbell was when he stepped down because commentators were afraid he was too old.

Cable wont have a clear run. Jo Swinson, a former business minister, is believed to have been asked to run as leader by most of the 12-strong parliamentary party. But she ruled herself out on the grounds that she has a young family.

Ed Davey, the former energy secretary, might reasonably be expected to stand. So might Norman Lamb, a highly successful health minister and advocate of mental health services.

Cable has some advantages. He is immediately recognisable, and is one of the handful of politicians recognised primarily by their first name (Ken, Boris). He had a good track record on the financial crash, which he is credited with having foreseen.

Even his faux pas being secretly recorded slagging off the Murdoch press when he was supposed to be in a position of quasi-judicial impartiality seemed to rebound in his favour. He looked not just human, but also concerned.

He is thoughtful and practical and was successful as business secretary, turbo-charging a new generation of apprenticeships and the new Catapult centres, which were designed to enable the UK to innovate, and which provided the bones of a new industrial strategy.

His disadvantage is his deep reserve. He has some charisma, but none of Nick Cleggs bonhomie, which means his success depends on the public projecting their hopes on to him rather than their fears.

The real divisions within the Lib Dems are not well understood by outsiders. The old Orange Book v the Social Liberals debate was more like an insiders-v-outsiders spat in the coalition years.

The Orange Book itself was a call for a balance between different kinds of freedom a much-needed reconsideration of a sort of faux Fabianism, but in practice offering little new. But then neither were the Social Liberals.

The real division, which is only partly a result of the 1988 merger between the Liberal party and the SDP is the divide between Liberals and Social Democrats.

In those days, it was the Liberals who carried the radical torch, the so-called beards and sandals. Last week, the Liberal humorist Jonathan Calder described the men in sandals coming for Tim Farron, like the mythical men in grey suits in the Conservative party.

The truth is that beards and sandals have long since disappeared from Lib Dem conferences and it is sometimes hard to discern a Liberal radicalism that isnt just the usual watered-down Fabianism.

Cable fits awkwardly into this division. He has gone from being the great advocate of conventional trade in the partys policy debate to being an angry campaigner against free market excess.

The great divisions in the party leadership during the coalition years, during which he was urged to challenge Clegg for the leadership, grew out of a disagreement about the correct attitude to banks during the crisis.

As business secretary, Cable was locked in mortal combat with the Treasury, which wanted to minimise the discomfort for conventional banking. There were those, mainly on the SDP wing of the party, where Cable comes from, who felt that the coalition was being too soft on the semi-criminal elements of UK banking.

He was right in that argument, as it turns out. We may have a safer banking system in the UK thanks to the coalition, but we still have a largely dysfunctional one.

In that respect alone, he might deserve the party crown. But whoever wins it has to rise to this intellectual challenge, laid down for the party by the rise of Jeremy Corbyn: what is Liberalism for if it isnt a pale reflection of failed Fabianism?

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Can Vince Cable help the Liberal Democrats find themselves? - The Guardian

A Black Lives Matter protest in Charlotte, N.C., following the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Last October, teachers in the Seattle Public Schools district planned a Black Lives Matter in the Seattle Public Schools event that consisted of wearing T-shirts with the slogan printed on them, despite the fact that a similar effort at Seattles John Muir Elementary in September was met with criticism, hate mail and threats of violence.

The teachers expected backlash, and they got it, in the form of white parents from the citys wealthier neighborhoods writing to their school principals and saying that they were displeased that such an event would take place, saying that a Black Lives Matter day was too militant, too political and too confusing for their young children, according to KUOW.

Because the parents would not speak directly with the news station about their displeasure, KUOW made a public records request and published their emails with all identifying information redacted.

The letters range in tone from Not all white people to What about Martin Luther Kings dream, but in the examples cited, KUOW notes that the parents complaining are from one of the whitest, most affluent and staunchly liberal neighborhoods dotted with rainbow yard signs that say All Are Welcome.

From KUOW:

Wrote a parent at Laurelhurst Elementary: Can you please address why skin color is so important? I remember a guy that had a dream. Do you remember that too? I doubt it. Please show me the content of your character if you do.

From Eckstein Middle School in Wedgwood: What about red and black or yellow and white and black? How does supporting Black Lives Matter help that gap?

And from Bryant Elementary in Ravenna: Im writing to share what my 9-year-old daughter told me about what she learned in class regarding the Black Lives Matter discussion. She said she felt bad about being white. And that police lie and do bad things.

Stephan Blanford, a Seattle school board member who is black, and whose doctoral research focused on race and public education, told KUOW: This is what Ive come to call Seattles passive progressiveness. We vote the right way on issues. We believe the right way. But the second you challenge their privilege, you see the response.

This is a common refrain whenever the topic of Black Lives Matter comes up. Its as if no matter how many times we explain that Black Lives Matter doesnt mean other lives dont, people still overlook that and want to argue about why black lives shouldnt matter more than any others. It is the not all whites reaction that leads into All Lives Matter and ends with black people being called racist simply for pointing out that black lives should, in fact, matter.

The white parents in Seattle are a microcosm of supposedly liberal white people all over America who want to be good allies but cant seem to move past semantics in that allyship. They get hung up on words, and not the greater actions that the words are speaking against.

Before you go over to KUOW to read the rest of the emails, pay attention to what happens in the comments of this post. Even as I type this right here and forewarn you, people will immediately jump and call me racist just for posting this.

Read more at KUOW.

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White Liberal Tears and Racism From Parents in Response to ... - The Root

Updated June 21, 2017 17:39:18

Tony Abbott's former senior adviser, Andrew Hirst, is shaping as the frontrunner in the race to become the next boss of the Liberal Party.

Several sources have confirmed that Mr Hirst, who served as Mr Abbott's director of communications and deputy chief of staff, is likely to be confirmed as the party's federal director on Friday.

Acting director Andrew Bragg was considered to be Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's preferred candidate.

But in what has been described as a "peace deal", Mr Turnbull has secured support for former NSW premier Nick Greiner to replace Richard Alston as the party's president.

With a federal election due in just under two years, it is understood the party favours Mr Hirst over Mr Bragg, given his lengthy campaign experience and institutional knowledge.

He has worked as an adviser to every Liberal leader since John Howard and served as communications director to the former director Tony Nutt, who some blame for the party's disastrous 2016 election campaign.

Others point the finger squarely at Mr Turnbull who, at best, was seen as a reluctant campaigner.

But Mr Hirst will take the helm at a difficult time for the party Labor controls most of the states and territories and, at a federal level, the Turnbull Government is battling stubbornly low opinion polls.

Then there is the money.

While the treasurer, Andrew Burnes, is understood to have turned the party's financial fortunes around, fundraising remains a major challenge.

One source likened the Coalition's campaign coffers to a "surf lifesaving club" and Labor's to a "professional AFL team".

Labor's major advantage is the union movement and left-wing groups like GetUp who can summon their army of supporters to attend rallies and campaign on key battleground issues including health and education.

Some of the Liberal party's grassroots supporters remain deeply sceptical about Mr Turnbull's political values.

Mr Hirst's challenge will be to placate them, ensuring the party's war machine is well-primed and well-staffed for the next federal election.

He will also need to recast the Liberal Party's campaign strategy as it confronts an increasingly volatile electorate.

Topics: liberals, federal-government, government-and-politics, australia

First posted June 21, 2017 16:39:25

Continued here:

Tony Abbott's former advisor, Andrew Hirst, tipped to be named Liberal Party director - ABC Online

Our new analysis of How Britain Voted shows that age and generation were crucial factors in the outcome of the 2017 election, in a way we have never previously measured.

On party support, we saw the biggest age gap between Labour and Conservatives since we started compiling comprehensive statistics on how people voted in the 1970s. As the chart shows, there is now almost a perfect mirror between the generations: young people were over twice as likely to vote Labour as Conservative, and older people were almost the exact opposite.

And much more than this, the turnout gap between the age groups is smaller than we or others have measured in decades: registered young people were around 20 percentage points more likely to vote than in 2015, at 64 per cent while turnout among older people softened, to around 74 per cent, down around 5 percentage points.

The democratic deficit between young and old has been massively reduced, and political parties should take note. As the Intergenerational Commission at the Resolution Foundation have outlined over previous months, and again today looking at wealth, the difference in opportunity and outcomes between generations are some of the most important challenges facing the country.

This sort of voting shift raises a number of questions what caused it, will it last and what will the consequences be for political parties? And there are a number of credible explanations, some of which point to how long-lasting it will be.

First the campaigns and leadership of the main parties will have played a part, and may be fleeting as circumstances and strategies change. Jeremy Corbyn mobilised the young in a way not seen in recent general elections, and the Conservative manifesto alienated their core older support, at least partly through uncertainty around their pensions and inheritance.

But Brexit may also have played an important role as much as a political event as an issue. Our turnout estimates for the different age groups in the General Election in 2017 are remarkably similar to the turnout patterns for the EU Referendum. The levels of voting by age in 2017 were much closer to that supposedly one-off event than they were to recent general elections. This is a key explanation for why most polls ahead of the election were too low on Labour we expected people to turn out in a similar age profile to other elections, but they actually voted like it was the referendum.

This is something pollsters should have maybe picked up on more: we know from countless academic studies that voting is habitual once you start, you are much more likely to continue. And while the young didnt quite turn out enough to be decisive in the referendum, the very fact it happened may well have changed the course of voting behaviour for many in that generation.

So does this mean an easy march to power for Labour in the future, given they have an energised youth massively more likely to support them? Not necessarily. Our work on generational difference shows two things.

First, the old adage that people get more Conservative as they age is broadly true. As the chart below shows, Generation X (now mainly in their 40s) have become much more Conservative than the 18-34 age group they started out in.

But our analysis also shows that young people have no over-riding party affiliation in the way previous generations did. Only 20 per cent of Millennials feel they are closer to one particular political party, compared with around 60 per cent of the oldest generation.

This doesnt mean that younger groups are politically apathetic as their turnout levels now attest. But it does mean that political parties are going to have to work hard to keep them. Its a more fluid attitude to politics a challenge for parties, but also healthy, stopping parties taking bloc votes for granted.

The short-term impact of the 2017 general election may be more uncertainty and mess but the long-term effects of having three major political events in the last couple of years may be a better balance of political power across the generations, which can only be a good thing.

Bobby Duffy is managing director of Ipsos MORI's Social Research Institute.

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Vince Cable as Liberal Democrat leader would complete the revenge of the old - New Statesman

A police officer lays some flowers passed over by a member of the public, close to Finsbury Park Mosque in north London, after one man died and eight people were taken to hospital and a person arrested after a rental van struck pedestrian

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The Borough Market bell is seen in Borough Market in central London following its re-opening after the June 3 terror attack

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Two women embrace in Borough Market, which officially re-opens today following the recent attack, in central London

REUTERS/Hannah McKay

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan attends the re-opening of Borough market in central London following the June 3 terror attack

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People walk through Borough Market in central London following its re-opening after the June 3 terror attack

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News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch, with one of his daughters, visit Borough Market, which officially re-opened today following the recent attack

REUTERS

A woman reacts in front of a wall of messages in Borough Market, which officially re-opened today following the recent attack, in central London

REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Vivenne Westwood walks the runway at the Vivenne Westwood show during the London Fashion Week Men's June 2017 collections

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Millwall fan and London Bridge hero Roy Larner on 'Good Morning Britain'

Rex

Richard Arnold, Roy Larner, Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on 'Good Morning Britain'

Rex

England players celebrate after defeating Venezuela 1-0 to win the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea 2017 at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, South Korea

AP

England players celebrate with the trophy after the final match of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2017 between Venezuela and England at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, South Korea

EPA

Great Britain's Alistair Brownlee celebrates winning the Elite Men Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Leeds

Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Two men drink beer outside the Southwark Tavern which reopened for business today next to an entrance to Borough Market which remains closed in London

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Singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran receives a bottle of mezcal from a reporter during a press conference in Mexico City

AP Photo/Marco Ugarte

This photo issued by Freuds shows the car that was involved in a crash where Richard Hammond escaped serious injury, in Switzerland

Freuds via AP

The Cateran Yomp, Scotland's foremost outdoor fundraiser that puts soldiers and civilians side by side on a 24-hour trek across the historic 'Cateran Trail' in Perthshire. With a target to walk over 37,000 miles collectively, more than 1150 hikers signed up for the 2017 Cateran Yomp challenge, raising an estimated 2.9 million in seven years in support of ABF The Soldier's Charity

David Cheskin/PA Wire

The Cateran Yomp, Scotland's foremost outdoor fundraiser that puts soldiers and civilians side by side on a 24-hour trek across the historic 'Cateran Trail' in Perthshire. With a target to walk over 37,000 miles collectively, more than 1150 hikers signed up for the 2017 Cateran Yomp challenge, raising an estimated 2.9 million in seven years in support of ABF The Soldier's Charity

David Cheskin/PA Wire

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain kisses an Ayrton Senna helmet that was presented to Hamilton after he won the pole position to tie the late Senna at second for most career poles, at the Canadian Grand Prix

Tyler Remiorz/The Canadian Press via AP

A poster hangs from a railing outside Downing street in London

REUTERS/Hannah McKay

Protesters gather outside Downing street in London

REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

A general view of police presence inside Hampden Park before the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Group F match at Hampden Park, Glasgow

Martin Rickett/PA Wire

The Duke of Cambridge, Colonel of the Irish Guards, parading down the mall in Central London during the Colonel's Review, the final rehearsal of the Trooping the Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade

Ben Stevens/PA Wire

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge attends the Colonel's Review at the Queen Victoria Memorial in London

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An Irish Guard collapses before being taken away on a stretcher, during the Colonel's Review, the final rehearsal of the Trooping the Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade, on the mall in Central London

Ben Stevens/PA Wire

An Irish Guard collapses before being taken away on a stretcher, during the Colonel's Review, the final rehearsal of the Trooping the Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade, on the mall in Central London

Ben Stevens/PA Wire

Police officers remove the cordon tape by Borough Market following the June 3rd attacks in London

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Items next to the van used in the London Bridge attack

Metropolitan Police/PA Wire

Interior of the van used in the London Bridge attacks

Metropolitan Police/PA Wire

Messages of solidarity written on post-it notes stuck to a wall are seen at the southern end of London Bridge in London on June 8, 2017 following the June 3 terror attack that targeted members of the public on London Bridge and Borough Market

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Ozzy Gandaa with Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway on 'This Morning' TV show. Ozzy Gandaa, a pub doorman saved countless lives when he hurled bar stools, bottles and glasses at the London Bridge terrorists as they went on a rampage through Borough Market

Rex

Ozzy Gandaa with Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway on 'This Morning' TV show. Ozzy Gandaa, a pub doorman saved countless lives when he hurled bar stools, bottles and glasses at the London Bridge terrorists as they went on a rampage through Borough Market

Rex

People look at many messages of solidarity and love written on post-it notes and stuck to the side of a wall at the southern end of London Bridge, following the June 3 terror attack that targeted members of the public on London Bridge and Borough Market

Getty Images

An exit poll predicting that the Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn will win 266 seats in the British general election is projected onto BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, in London, after the polls closed

Getty Images

Britain's Prince Harry speaks to Nazhath Faheema, a Muslim Youth Ambassador of Peace, as they eat an evening meal to break fast, or the iftar, for Ramadan - the Muslim fasting month, during a visit to a children's home in Singapore

REUTERS/Joseph Nair/Pool

The Brandenburg Gate is illuminated with the colours of the British flag to show solidarity with the victims of the recent attack in London, in Berlin, Germany

REUTERS/Christian Mang

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Jo Swinson appointed deputy leader of Liberal Democrats - The Independent

A fake news story said White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said liberal women hate her because she's too smart and beautiful. (AP photo)

The false assertion that White House adviser Kellyanne Conway told an anonymous reporter that liberal women hate her for being smart and beautiful showed up on a website that made it especially confusing to identify it as fake news.

A undated post on LondonWebNews.com said Conway told a media member at a Washington luncheon that left-leaning females dislike Conway because of her "striking beauty and intellect." The post was published June 1, 2017, and updated June 13.

Facebook users flagged the post as part of the social media sites efforts to fight fake news, and this one does appear to be contrived.

The post didnt name the reporter, media outlet or event, and only featured the partial quote allegedly from Conway. The article did say pundits attacked Conway for the comment. We couldnt find any instance of a reliable media report that corroborated the story, or any pundit who reacted to it.

The post also said Conway drew criticism on social media, but good luck finding anything on this specific (fake) comment that doesnt track back to LondonWebNews.com.

The site does not appear to be filled entirely with fictional stories, like some fake news websites. It looked to include posts taken from many places, including reliable news sources. One post, for example, was about the June 14, 2017, Grenfell Tower fire in London. This kind of mix would make it very difficult for a reader to be able to discern this particular item is fabricated.

The sites disclaimer said only that the site made "no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability" of anything it posted. "Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk," it warned.

We tried to contact LondonNewsWeb.com via the email address provided on the sitebut didnt receive a response. There was no byline listed with the story.

We did reach a White House spokesman, who didnt want to give an official comment about the post.

But theres no proof Conway made this comment, either way. It looks as if the website (or its original source) made the story up entirely.

We rate this statement Pants On Fire!

Share the Facts

2017-06-20 15:36:11 UTC

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1

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Pants on Fire

Says Kellyanne Conway said liberal women hate her because of her "striking beauty and intellect."

LondonWebNews.com

website

in an Internet post

Thursday, June 1, 2017

2017-06-01

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Kellyanne Conway did not say liberal women hate her for being ... - PolitiFact

Six times the B.C. NDP proposed legislation that would have led to the ban of union and corporate political donations in British Columbia.

And six times the B.C. Liberal government stood in the way.

But thisThursdaythe B.C. Liberals willunveila new look.

The 2017 speech from the throne will be very different from throne speeches of the past,since the party was firstelected in 2001. Many of the ideas the party fought against while in power will now be included as Liberal policy.

Banning union and corporate donations - check.

Increasing social assistance rates - check.

Transit funding without a Metro Vancouver referendum - check.

And here is the political kicker.

NDP MLAs willhave to vote against all of those changes they've championed for yearsif they want to form government. That is because the upcoming throne speech will be pegged to a confidence vote expected to end the 16 year Liberalpolitical dynasty.

"What you are seeing is exactly what you would expect from a government in the situation that we are in where we won the electionin having the most seats and the most votes but not having a majority," said Social Development Minister MichelleStilwell.

"I think we are always looking at creating the bestBritish Columbia that we can."

B.C. Premier Christy Clark arrives June 12, 2017 at the swearing-in ceremony for her new cabinet. (Richard Zussman/CBC News)

It's not just legislative votes the Liberal partyhasitseye on. It's the next provincial election.

With the B.C. legislature in an unprecedented time of uncertainty, predicting when that next election will be is impossible.

But the Liberals know that what they did leading up theMay 9election didn't work and this new course is an attempt to lure back voters in Metro Vancouver.

As bits and pieces of the speech from the throne are leaked to the media, thepicture emerging is of a Liberal party willing to substantially change.

B.C. NDP Leader John Horgan promised to make education a defining issue in the 2017 provincial election. (Denis Dossman/CBC)

This could mean a more direct approach onovercrowded Surrey classrooms, a focus on increasing child care spaces in Metro Vancouver and closing loopholes for evicting renters and for foreign investors parkingmoney in Vancouver real estate. All issues that weren't part of the last Liberal election campaign, but were featured in the platforms of both theGreens and NDP.

"For sure, it's about getting votes, but it's about connecting with people," said B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Sam Sullivan. "We have really recognized how we didn't do well in the urban area. We did really well in the Interior, the North, the suburbs, etc, but we were unable to connect with urban voters."

Many of those urban voters weredisappointed when February's provincial budget was the ninth in a row to provide no increase to social assistance rates.

This, despite recognition the province hasbecome one of the country's most expensive places in which to live and the government's claim it was using the province's wealth to help those who needed it most.

It's only now, with the confidence vote looming, that the Liberals will increase those rates by $100 a month at a cost of about $53 million a year.

The same goes for increasing disability rates. The government hadbattled for years with advocateswho were angry rates were left unchanged from 2008 to 2015.

Now, the Liberals are promising to do just that if they stay in power or win the next election.

"We all know that there is a lot of cynicism and skepticismof people in politics. Ithink this will add to that cynicism," said disability advocate JaneDyson. "Ithink that a lot ofpeople's confidence in politicians will be further eroded from what we are seeing now."

There are some core principles the Liberals are unwilling to budge on.

Don't expect the throne speech to include a change of direction on the Site C dam or Kinder Morgan. The Liberals will also likely stick by thebalanced budget pledge and theMasseyBridge project.

But beyond that, almost anything goes. And that will set up an election where the major parties appear to stand for many of the same things.

Leaving voters to wonder if they believe any of them.

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BC Liberals adjusting principles for a shot at power - CBC.ca