From the States, Ian. Every day feels worse than the last. You wake up, reach for your phone, praying for THAT headline, and no, he's not gone. And you find yourself wishing that your ancestors had never left Wiltshire. And you realize that your country has been defiled by this regime and the US is now living in Britain's 14th century.
I’m was wondering about your point earlier. What happens when Tr*mp dies (unless the Supreme Court rule his corpse to be president for life (or death))? Does the MAGA movement fall apart into competing petty kingdoms, as with Alexander’s generals. Or, does someone manage to co-opt and continue it? If so, whom? It’s unlikely to be either of the idiot sons, Musk can’t stand / run (or he would) unless they change the constitution (or just ignore it). Vance seems unlikely, although he is hugely well backed. Someone else…?
I would say it would be Vance. Right now here in the States, the Dems remind me of the Labour Party during the Thatcher regime. Clueless, message-less, not well regarded, generally speaking. I give donations to the ACLU and Democracy Forward now, not to any candidate even though they send begging texts daily.
Could Vance demand the same unthinking loyalty from the MAGA lot? I’d suggest it dilutes and dilutes. The danger is whether he fronts 2025 and they just stop bothering with (legitimate anyway) elections. Sounds hysterical to suggest such, but here we are…
There’s still a cohort of them, but smaller and less vociferous. I’d expect them to reduce further over time, to a hard core. I think that the media is almost a bigger issue as regard.
But I agree that there are significant parallels in the two movements and more so for those who initiated and supported both movements from the sideline.
I've said it before, but it's still true, you're one of the few voices keeping me sane and I thank you. You're spot on that there's a wad of cash out there waiting to be spent. People in work have got money, the restaurants near us have been very busy considering the awful weather, as soon as it warms up people will realise, as you say, that we've survived, we're not at war (yet) and they'll spend their money, which let's be honest is the only way our ridiculously unbalanced economy ever recovers (thanks Maggie). Around us a new offshore wind farm is going to get the go ahead despite massive opposition, a sign that perhaps there is a will to actually start building things again. We ve basically not had a Government, or a functioning press since 2016 and 'the lobby' still can't get used to the fact that a Government with a massive majority isn't going to just crumble and let Frogface take over just because Sky the Mail and Telegraph call Starmer and Reeves names. Turning around 14 years of willful neglect will take longer than 6 months, in this age of instant responses people want instant sugar rush gratification, we've got to hold our nerve. (Especially Labour MPs)
Thanks Ian! Liberals need this optimism! It’s essential for our well being! We can be optimistic with a side order of realism, especially when the sun is shining! Great article as usual!
Instead of writing Trump when moaning to friends, I now write FOC (Fat Orange @unt) after that meme which did the rounds after Starmer’s visit. I also beg my friends to adopt this name. Childish, yes….. But it makes me feel better. I also boycotted an American wine in Aldi I fancied and went French instead. A teeny tiny act of defiance, though I feel bad for the wine growers ….Thank you Ian for making the horror easier to understand….
I think the Democrats have much to learn and are also responsible for Trump. It could happen here if Labour continues to take from those at the bottom instead of lifting them up.
No, Republicans are responsible for this. It has been decades in planning by the Federalist Society and their chums but there were many opportunities when more moderate Republicans could have stopped their progress. Not only did they fail to do so they profited from Trump’s rise and they promoted it.
Even when they saw they had spawned a monster they did nothing. They could see how they could use him to get power and they went for it.
And we should never forget that Republicans bottled the chance at the second impeachment hearing in 2021 to stop Trump being allowed to run for President ever again.
American politics relies on money in massive amounts. It is not a healthy democracy as we can now see revealed by Trump. Both Democrats and Republicans have led us to where we are now, a seemingly lawless country where money, fear and Trump can overturn every norm in less than three months.
“Trump has improved the prospects for those who stand for reason and freedom”. Well said , and may we fervently hope so ! And how embarrassing and humiliating to see Australia so high up the list on your graph . Just a few countries below Israel ! Hell’s teeth ! America’s useful , all-too-easily won over puppet.
Polly is the epitome of centrist cultist ideology. She'll make herself ill one day, because somehow she expects this government to somehow morph into the left-ish (but not left cos we hate them) principled democracy support she wants to love.
It is sad to see but they aren't going to deliver. They never promised to. It was pretty obvious from the manifesto that austerity was baked into all their policies and its obvious that the zombie fungus of neoliberalism is hardwired into their brains.
The American people decided that the system wasn't working for them. It isn't working for us either, we are in desperate need of a change. I personally hope that that comes from the left.
I look forward to your "the sun has hit the back of my garden" posts with the anticipation some Americans reserve for the groundhog in February. I may be more pessimistic than you at this moment (jesus, what have the times come to 😂), but that "it's just as likely as the dooming" thought, well, I'll keep bouncing it and hope it lands. 🤗
I really, really hope Labour’s plan is to pull some EU- and wealth tax-shaped rabbits out of hats once they’ve got all this appalling fuckery out of the way, so we can skip gleefully to the polls at the next election…
I dunno if cheerful is the word I'd use but it is good to see Trump alienating himself sadly at the expense of the American public and Europe uniting Hate is eating itself one bite at a time. The sunshine is very welcome
From the States, Ian. Every day feels worse than the last. You wake up, reach for your phone, praying for THAT headline, and no, he's not gone. And you find yourself wishing that your ancestors had never left Wiltshire. And you realize that your country has been defiled by this regime and the US is now living in Britain's 14th century.
We stand with you, Dina. I hope the UK, Canada and Europe can help support the resistance so that the US can survive too
I’m was wondering about your point earlier. What happens when Tr*mp dies (unless the Supreme Court rule his corpse to be president for life (or death))? Does the MAGA movement fall apart into competing petty kingdoms, as with Alexander’s generals. Or, does someone manage to co-opt and continue it? If so, whom? It’s unlikely to be either of the idiot sons, Musk can’t stand / run (or he would) unless they change the constitution (or just ignore it). Vance seems unlikely, although he is hugely well backed. Someone else…?
I would say it would be Vance. Right now here in the States, the Dems remind me of the Labour Party during the Thatcher regime. Clueless, message-less, not well regarded, generally speaking. I give donations to the ACLU and Democracy Forward now, not to any candidate even though they send begging texts daily.
Could Vance demand the same unthinking loyalty from the MAGA lot? I’d suggest it dilutes and dilutes. The danger is whether he fronts 2025 and they just stop bothering with (legitimate anyway) elections. Sounds hysterical to suggest such, but here we are…
The MAGA movement. What happens? Tell me what has happened to your Brexit supporters and therein MAY lie the answer.
There’s still a cohort of them, but smaller and less vociferous. I’d expect them to reduce further over time, to a hard core. I think that the media is almost a bigger issue as regard.
But I agree that there are significant parallels in the two movements and more so for those who initiated and supported both movements from the sideline.
☀️ By dint of Dunt I don’t feel daunted. Thank you 🙏
I've said it before, but it's still true, you're one of the few voices keeping me sane and I thank you. You're spot on that there's a wad of cash out there waiting to be spent. People in work have got money, the restaurants near us have been very busy considering the awful weather, as soon as it warms up people will realise, as you say, that we've survived, we're not at war (yet) and they'll spend their money, which let's be honest is the only way our ridiculously unbalanced economy ever recovers (thanks Maggie). Around us a new offshore wind farm is going to get the go ahead despite massive opposition, a sign that perhaps there is a will to actually start building things again. We ve basically not had a Government, or a functioning press since 2016 and 'the lobby' still can't get used to the fact that a Government with a massive majority isn't going to just crumble and let Frogface take over just because Sky the Mail and Telegraph call Starmer and Reeves names. Turning around 14 years of willful neglect will take longer than 6 months, in this age of instant responses people want instant sugar rush gratification, we've got to hold our nerve. (Especially Labour MPs)
Thanks Ian! Liberals need this optimism! It’s essential for our well being! We can be optimistic with a side order of realism, especially when the sun is shining! Great article as usual!
“We might survive” is the best rallying cry I’ve heard for a while…
At first I was afraid, I was petrified....
...Think I'd crumble?
You think I'd lay down and die?
We might survive
I’m gonna be singing that in my head all day now….
This was exactly what I was thinking 😆
Absolutely love the fact that in a piece headed "Here are some reasons to be cheerful", the first sentence is:
"On the face of it, we are obviously completely fucked."
Instead of writing Trump when moaning to friends, I now write FOC (Fat Orange @unt) after that meme which did the rounds after Starmer’s visit. I also beg my friends to adopt this name. Childish, yes….. But it makes me feel better. I also boycotted an American wine in Aldi I fancied and went French instead. A teeny tiny act of defiance, though I feel bad for the wine growers ….Thank you Ian for making the horror easier to understand….
I think the Democrats have much to learn and are also responsible for Trump. It could happen here if Labour continues to take from those at the bottom instead of lifting them up.
No, Republicans are responsible for this. It has been decades in planning by the Federalist Society and their chums but there were many opportunities when more moderate Republicans could have stopped their progress. Not only did they fail to do so they profited from Trump’s rise and they promoted it.
Even when they saw they had spawned a monster they did nothing. They could see how they could use him to get power and they went for it.
And we should never forget that Republicans bottled the chance at the second impeachment hearing in 2021 to stop Trump being allowed to run for President ever again.
American politics relies on money in massive amounts. It is not a healthy democracy as we can now see revealed by Trump. Both Democrats and Republicans have led us to where we are now, a seemingly lawless country where money, fear and Trump can overturn every norm in less than three months.
“Trump has improved the prospects for those who stand for reason and freedom”. Well said , and may we fervently hope so ! And how embarrassing and humiliating to see Australia so high up the list on your graph . Just a few countries below Israel ! Hell’s teeth ! America’s useful , all-too-easily won over puppet.
Polly is the epitome of centrist cultist ideology. She'll make herself ill one day, because somehow she expects this government to somehow morph into the left-ish (but not left cos we hate them) principled democracy support she wants to love.
It is sad to see but they aren't going to deliver. They never promised to. It was pretty obvious from the manifesto that austerity was baked into all their policies and its obvious that the zombie fungus of neoliberalism is hardwired into their brains.
The American people decided that the system wasn't working for them. It isn't working for us either, we are in desperate need of a change. I personally hope that that comes from the left.
I look forward to your "the sun has hit the back of my garden" posts with the anticipation some Americans reserve for the groundhog in February. I may be more pessimistic than you at this moment (jesus, what have the times come to 😂), but that "it's just as likely as the dooming" thought, well, I'll keep bouncing it and hope it lands. 🤗
I really, really hope Labour’s plan is to pull some EU- and wealth tax-shaped rabbits out of hats once they’ve got all this appalling fuckery out of the way, so we can skip gleefully to the polls at the next election…
Superb Ian. Cheers me up no end, not least because I am seeing the green shoots of evidence for all these things...
Australia! Look at the figures for disliking Trump! What happened to you good people?
I dunno if cheerful is the word I'd use but it is good to see Trump alienating himself sadly at the expense of the American public and Europe uniting Hate is eating itself one bite at a time. The sunshine is very welcome
Inject this in my veins. I'll sleep well tonight