Scott Elaurant @selaurant.bsky.social

@matthewdmarsden Just because somebody said something equally stupid 82 years ago, doesn't mean declining science education standards isn't a thing.

So if it was this hot 82 years ago, and this is the first time it has been matched, global warming isn’t a thing.

@Scaramucci The other problem is wages. Defense manufacturing is treated as a low paid government job. Defense is now high tech and needs skilled people. You can't grow a sub program that needs high level welding skills when welders get double $ in oil & gas.

@Scaramucci Its the narrow focus on local jobs too. US shipbuilding is in a mess. Japanese and Korean shipyards build ships faster and cheaper. They are highly automated: fewer jobs but more, better ships.

The world’s largest military budget has produced an industrial base that cannot sustain a serious war. How is that possible? Because the system is not designed to produce military capability. It is designed to produce contracts. The five largest defense contractors employ roughly a thousand lobbyists in Washington. They distribute their suppliers across forty-five states deliberately, so no senator can ever vote to cancel a program without firing his own constituents. And here we are. The current leadership will keep fiddling on this as they see our apathy as permission.

@Scaramucci So in other words, lack of defense infrastructure investment is becoming costly.

Four month ago, Alex Pretti was murdered by Donald Trump’s ICE. RETWEET to honor Pretti’s life of service ❤️

These young Israelis BELOW are showing great moral courage All those in the UK in positions of influence in politics, media, business, academia, culture or whatever field who stay SILENT while the UK supports & enables a GENOCIDE should be PROFOUNDLY ASHAMED

Another reason not to vote One Nation. Pauline Hanson is a Zionist. #auspol

@QuentinDempster @DavidPocock @TurnbullMalcolm With the changes to Federal political campaign fund rules I think they will be forced to become a party.

Dear ‘teals’, independent MHRs and senators @DavidPocock. Ignore @TurnbullMalcolm. Don’t even think of forming a new political party. Remember what happened to the ‘keep-the-bastards-honest’ Democrats? Your power is your independence.

Here is migration into Australia as % of total population this century. After two below average years we had two above average years and in 2025 were back to the pre-Covid norm. At its peak in 2023, permanent migration was ~2% of total population. Now it’s back at ~1%.

@noclador @DEngle58 The focus has been on local jobs, not building ships. If UK was serious about building ships it would automate its shipyards like Japan and South Korea. There would be fewer jobs but more output.

@DEngle58 12 destroyers, each of which dwarves the European / Japanese frigates in capabilities, armement and endurance.

Laid down in 2017... delivery at best in 2027... In the same timespan other shipyards have laid down, delivered and (!) commissioned: 🇯🇵 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries: 12 frigates 🇮🇹 Fincantieri: 10 frigates 🇫🇷 Naval Group: 8 frigates

Good advice.

@lesstenny A drover's dog could win that contest 😂

Who do you think is the best PM in recent years? #auspol #poll

@Ghidorah64 @ChathamHouse Whilst Trump is on office, IMO there is no brake on China.

@ChathamHouse I kind of get his point but it's undermined by his comment that China wants to maintain the rules based order when it supports Russia's war against Ukraine, threatens Taiwan and constantly tries to intimidate the Philippines. The only brake on China is the US.

"The great revisionist power that China was said to be is now the major power that is seeking to uphold the rules-based order." Former Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull on the role reversal between China and the United States. Watch the event➡️ bit.ly/4wt27zP

@ChathamHouse I am not a China fan. China is a communist dictatorship. Nevertheless it is true that, as China's trade grows, China has more interest in open trade than USA does. China will be coercive in controlling world trade, but USA has been coercive too. Ask South America.

@JohnBlaxland1 @ChathamHouse @benjaminbland Turnbull's comment about the UK being better off partnering with France than USA in SSN construction are also interesting. The UK has their own problem efficiently building reliable SSNs. They lost their skill base in the 1990s.

Turnbull's never forgiven Scott Morrison for taking his job and sinking his subs plan. Without a viable alternative, his invective has to be seen with this foremost in mind. A maritime trading nation with 10% of the world's surface needs submarines. Few countries have the same long transits: a transit from Perth to any other port takes a dozen or so snorts, exposing diesel-electric subs to targeting. Almost saturation PLA LEO satellites, 30+ years of pattern analysis, plus AI & drones make that highly likely in a stoush. Staying underwater & a speedy (30+knots) exit from a point of exposure is now critical. Nuclear propulsion overcomes the problems of exposure & speedy movement. Absent a short term alternative solution, Sub.Rotation Force West mitigates the risk generated by the lack of a robust domestic submarine deterrent effect. The delay in getting a locally owned variant is of our own doing.

"I worry [Australia] won't get any submarines, it's a submarine deal with no submarines." Former Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull discusses AUKUS with @benjaminbland and what the agreement means for 🇦🇺's defence. Watch our event➡️ bit.ly/4wt27zP

@JohnBlaxland1 @ChathamHouse @benjaminbland Nobody interested in defence is arguing about the need to get SSNs for the RAN. The concern is AUKUS is not a viable way to do that. Most AUKUS fans know nothing about engineering, let along nuclear sub design or construction. AUKUS appeals to big picture guys, not details guys.

@koality_bear @JohnBlaxland1 @GrayConnolly @ChathamHouse @benjaminbland Yes they did. We knocked them back when Australian politicians were still afraid to say "nuclear". indailysa.com.au/news/archive/2…

@JohnBlaxland1 @GrayConnolly @ChathamHouse @benjaminbland the french offered him nuclear subs iirc

Zionist will say this is untrue. But with Israel doing everything to suppress news from Gaza and Lebanon, including shooting journalists, how do we know? #politics #GazaGenocide‌