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Can't stop watching the clusterfuck that is Boris and sky news.

13567

Comments

  • @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    OK, but he was still elected according to the rules, which I'm guessing have been the same rules for a very long time?

    Indeed

    Though he has since tried his utmost to avoid the scrutiny necessary for good governance, hence the ongoing clusterfuck.

    I have nothing personally at stake in British politics, but I find the whole system very strange. ;)

    I think similarly with regard to your US Electoral College.

    Most Americans would agree … if they even know that it exists (a surprising number of people don’t know about the electoral college) … and those that defend it generally don’t believe in majority rule.

    It is one of many (unfortunate) artifacts of a complex system designed to be agreeable to states that relied on slavery for their wealth.

  • @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    It’s hardly esoteric. The candidate that gets the most votes in each seat gets elected.

  • @BiancaNeve said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    It’s hardly esoteric. The candidate that gets the most votes in each seat gets elected.

    In Europe, the only two countries that still use it for their main houses of government are us in the U.K. and that bastion of freedom Belarus… our other house is completely undemocratic in that it’s composed of hereditary peers and appointees chosen at will by those already in powerful positions in society…

  • edited July 2022

    @espiegel123 said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    OK, but he was still elected according to the rules, which I'm guessing have been the same rules for a very long time?

    Indeed

    Though he has since tried his utmost to avoid the scrutiny necessary for good governance, hence the ongoing clusterfuck.

    I have nothing personally at stake in British politics, but I find the whole system very strange. ;)

    I think similarly with regard to your US Electoral College.

    Most Americans would agree … if they even know that it exists (a surprising number of people don’t know about the electoral college) … and those that defend it generally don’t believe in majority rule.

    It is one of many (unfortunate) artifacts of a complex system designed to be agreeable to states that relied on slavery for their wealth.

    Federal laws in the US are built on our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The rights of the individual are preeminent in the US, not the will of the masses, so when individual rights are an issue, they can be appealed up to the Supreme Court. In contrast, a direct democracy results in majority rules. Minority opinion and dissent from the majority opinion is largely irrelevant because the majority holds all the power.

    Federal elections in the US are decided by the people in the individual States. And the Electoral College represents the sum of votes from the voters in the States. The so-called "popular vote" is reported in US elections, but it has never been a deciding factor, despite constant misrepresentation of its value by the media.

    The system we have today stands because the Federal government exists as an agreement between the States, not an agreement between individuals. The US is a democratic republic (also has been called a "representative republic"), not a democracy.

    And by the way, slavery still exists in other countries, not the US. And which country leads in this area? Why, it's also the biggest democracy in the world: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-still-have-slavery

    No wonder people keep illegally crossing into the US to escape their dire conditions from all over the world. If the US was such a terrible place, people would be fleeing elsewhere.

  • I found the music more compelling, than the rubbish he was talking, hopefully they’ll make this a permanent overdub for Tory drone’s. :D

  • Yakety Sax blaster is my hero

  • Leading the race to be the most 2022 thing ever, we have actor Hugh Grant to thank for Yakety Sax over Johnson's resignation speech.

  • @NeuM said:

    @espiegel123 said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    OK, but he was still elected according to the rules, which I'm guessing have been the same rules for a very long time?

    Indeed

    Though he has since tried his utmost to avoid the scrutiny necessary for good governance, hence the ongoing clusterfuck.

    I have nothing personally at stake in British politics, but I find the whole system very strange. ;)

    I think similarly with regard to your US Electoral College.

    Most Americans would agree … if they even know that it exists (a surprising number of people don’t know about the electoral college) … and those that defend it generally don’t believe in majority rule.

    It is one of many (unfortunate) artifacts of a complex system designed to be agreeable to states that relied on slavery for their wealth.

    Federal laws in the US are built on our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The rights of the individual are preeminent in the US, not the will of the masses, so when individual rights are an issue, they can be appealed up to the Supreme Court. In contrast, a direct democracy results in majority rules. Minority opinion and dissent from the majority opinion is largely irrelevant because the majority holds all the power.

    Federal elections in the US are decided by the people in the individual States. And the Electoral College represents the sum of votes from the voters in the States. The so-called "popular vote" is reported in US elections, but it has never been a deciding factor, despite constant misrepresentation of its value by the media.

    The system we have today stands because the Federal government exists as an agreement between the States, not an agreement between individuals. The US is a democratic republic, not a democracy.

    And by the way, slavery still exists in other countries, not the US. And which country leads in this area? Why, it's also the biggest democracy in the world: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-still-have-slavery

    No wonder people keep illegally crossing into the US to escape their dire conditions from all over the world. If the US was such a terrible place, people would be fleeing elsewhere.

    Sounds nearly as arcane as our system, which is a structure that maintains the power structure of those in power and also for those in power behind the ‘scenes’. In effect the class structure.

  • @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @espiegel123 said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    OK, but he was still elected according to the rules, which I'm guessing have been the same rules for a very long time?

    Indeed

    Though he has since tried his utmost to avoid the scrutiny necessary for good governance, hence the ongoing clusterfuck.

    I have nothing personally at stake in British politics, but I find the whole system very strange. ;)

    I think similarly with regard to your US Electoral College.

    Most Americans would agree … if they even know that it exists (a surprising number of people don’t know about the electoral college) … and those that defend it generally don’t believe in majority rule.

    It is one of many (unfortunate) artifacts of a complex system designed to be agreeable to states that relied on slavery for their wealth.

    Federal laws in the US are built on our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The rights of the individual are preeminent in the US, not the will of the masses, so when individual rights are an issue, they can be appealed up to the Supreme Court. In contrast, a direct democracy results in majority rules. Minority opinion and dissent from the majority opinion is largely irrelevant because the majority holds all the power.

    Federal elections in the US are decided by the people in the individual States. And the Electoral College represents the sum of votes from the voters in the States. The so-called "popular vote" is reported in US elections, but it has never been a deciding factor, despite constant misrepresentation of its value by the media.

    The system we have today stands because the Federal government exists as an agreement between the States, not an agreement between individuals. The US is a democratic republic, not a democracy.

    And by the way, slavery still exists in other countries, not the US. And which country leads in this area? Why, it's also the biggest democracy in the world: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-still-have-slavery

    No wonder people keep illegally crossing into the US to escape their dire conditions from all over the world. If the US was such a terrible place, people would be fleeing elsewhere.

    Sounds nearly as arcane as our system, which is a structure that maintains the power structure of those in power and also for those in power behind the ‘scenes’. In effect the class structure.

    That's an interesting comment considering the colonists rebelled against the British and formed their government as a rebuke of the monarchy.

  • edited July 2022

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    You are missing my point. I have nothing against a conservative political opinion. Actually I think that in a true democracy all political opinions must be represented - even extreme ones as long as they stand on the ground of the constitution. Voters must have true choices. But to make a good choice, the people need to be well informed. I think it is a threat to democracy if a politician is spreading fake news, „alternative facts“, launching destructive lies and narratives that lead people into an alternate reality. There had been times when politicians stepped down when they were caught lying but these times are over.

    The other point is populism. We are living in a complex world. People are overwhelmed by this complexity and are easy victims for populists that promise simple solutions but there virtually are no simple solutions. The populists use that to catch voters although they know that their solutions are not going to work out. That is unfair to competitors who stand for serious politics. The politicians I named are all rather right wing but there are also left wing populists and they are not better in any way but none of them made it into government.

  • @NeuM said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @espiegel123 said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    OK, but he was still elected according to the rules, which I'm guessing have been the same rules for a very long time?

    Indeed

    Though he has since tried his utmost to avoid the scrutiny necessary for good governance, hence the ongoing clusterfuck.

    I have nothing personally at stake in British politics, but I find the whole system very strange. ;)

    I think similarly with regard to your US Electoral College.

    Most Americans would agree … if they even know that it exists (a surprising number of people don’t know about the electoral college) … and those that defend it generally don’t believe in majority rule.

    It is one of many (unfortunate) artifacts of a complex system designed to be agreeable to states that relied on slavery for their wealth.

    Federal laws in the US are built on our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The rights of the individual are preeminent in the US, not the will of the masses, so when individual rights are an issue, they can be appealed up to the Supreme Court. In contrast, a direct democracy results in majority rules. Minority opinion and dissent from the majority opinion is largely irrelevant because the majority holds all the power.

    Federal elections in the US are decided by the people in the individual States. And the Electoral College represents the sum of votes from the voters in the States. The so-called "popular vote" is reported in US elections, but it has never been a deciding factor, despite constant misrepresentation of its value by the media.

    The system we have today stands because the Federal government exists as an agreement between the States, not an agreement between individuals. The US is a democratic republic, not a democracy.

    And by the way, slavery still exists in other countries, not the US. And which country leads in this area? Why, it's also the biggest democracy in the world: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-still-have-slavery

    No wonder people keep illegally crossing into the US to escape their dire conditions from all over the world. If the US was such a terrible place, people would be fleeing elsewhere.

    Sounds nearly as arcane as our system, which is a structure that maintains the power structure of those in power and also for those in power behind the ‘scenes’. In effect the class structure.

    That's an interesting comment considering the colonists rebelled against the British and formed their government as a rebuke of the monarchy.

    Isn’t throwing off the yoke of oppressors the stated aim of every revolutionary movement? I’m not sure it ever works out the way they may have hoped for…

  • @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @espiegel123 said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    OK, but he was still elected according to the rules, which I'm guessing have been the same rules for a very long time?

    Indeed

    Though he has since tried his utmost to avoid the scrutiny necessary for good governance, hence the ongoing clusterfuck.

    I have nothing personally at stake in British politics, but I find the whole system very strange. ;)

    I think similarly with regard to your US Electoral College.

    Most Americans would agree … if they even know that it exists (a surprising number of people don’t know about the electoral college) … and those that defend it generally don’t believe in majority rule.

    It is one of many (unfortunate) artifacts of a complex system designed to be agreeable to states that relied on slavery for their wealth.

    Federal laws in the US are built on our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The rights of the individual are preeminent in the US, not the will of the masses, so when individual rights are an issue, they can be appealed up to the Supreme Court. In contrast, a direct democracy results in majority rules. Minority opinion and dissent from the majority opinion is largely irrelevant because the majority holds all the power.

    Federal elections in the US are decided by the people in the individual States. And the Electoral College represents the sum of votes from the voters in the States. The so-called "popular vote" is reported in US elections, but it has never been a deciding factor, despite constant misrepresentation of its value by the media.

    The system we have today stands because the Federal government exists as an agreement between the States, not an agreement between individuals. The US is a democratic republic, not a democracy.

    And by the way, slavery still exists in other countries, not the US. And which country leads in this area? Why, it's also the biggest democracy in the world: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-still-have-slavery

    No wonder people keep illegally crossing into the US to escape their dire conditions from all over the world. If the US was such a terrible place, people would be fleeing elsewhere.

    Sounds nearly as arcane as our system, which is a structure that maintains the power structure of those in power and also for those in power behind the ‘scenes’. In effect the class structure.

    That's an interesting comment considering the colonists rebelled against the British and formed their government as a rebuke of the monarchy.

    Isn’t throwing off the yoke of oppressors the stated aim of every revolutionary movement? I’m not sure it ever works out the way they may have hoped for…

    Considering Americans surpassed the wealth and influence of their former oppressors, I'm not sure how that applies.

  • @krassmann said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    You are missing my point. I have nothing against a conservative political opinion. Actually I think that in a true democracy all political opinions must be represented - even extreme ones as long as they stand on the ground of the constitution. Voters must have true choices. But to make a good choice, the people need to be well informed. I think it is a threat to democracy if a politician is spreading fake news, „alternative facts“, launching destructive lies and narratives that lead people into an alternate reality. There had been times when politicians stepped down when they were caught lying but these times are over.

    The other point is populism. We are living in a complex world. People are overwhelmed by this complexity and are easy victims for populists that promise simple solutions but there virtually are no simple solutions. The populists use that to catch voters although they know that their solutions are not going to work out. That is unfair to competitors who stand for serious politics. The politicians I named are all rather right wing but there are also left wing populists and they are not better in any way but none of them made it into government.

    I don't think I'm the first to point this out, but all politicians lie. Whether the lie is a benign one or a harmful one makes no difference. If a leader cannot communicate a simple, clear story their population can support, they have no business leading.

  • @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @espiegel123 said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    OK, but he was still elected according to the rules, which I'm guessing have been the same rules for a very long time?

    Indeed

    Though he has since tried his utmost to avoid the scrutiny necessary for good governance, hence the ongoing clusterfuck.

    I have nothing personally at stake in British politics, but I find the whole system very strange. ;)

    I think similarly with regard to your US Electoral College.

    Most Americans would agree … if they even know that it exists (a surprising number of people don’t know about the electoral college) … and those that defend it generally don’t believe in majority rule.

    It is one of many (unfortunate) artifacts of a complex system designed to be agreeable to states that relied on slavery for their wealth.

    Federal laws in the US are built on our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The rights of the individual are preeminent in the US, not the will of the masses, so when individual rights are an issue, they can be appealed up to the Supreme Court. In contrast, a direct democracy results in majority rules. Minority opinion and dissent from the majority opinion is largely irrelevant because the majority holds all the power.

    Federal elections in the US are decided by the people in the individual States. And the Electoral College represents the sum of votes from the voters in the States. The so-called "popular vote" is reported in US elections, but it has never been a deciding factor, despite constant misrepresentation of its value by the media.

    The system we have today stands because the Federal government exists as an agreement between the States, not an agreement between individuals. The US is a democratic republic, not a democracy.

    And by the way, slavery still exists in other countries, not the US. And which country leads in this area? Why, it's also the biggest democracy in the world: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-still-have-slavery

    No wonder people keep illegally crossing into the US to escape their dire conditions from all over the world. If the US was such a terrible place, people would be fleeing elsewhere.

    Sounds nearly as arcane as our system, which is a structure that maintains the power structure of those in power and also for those in power behind the ‘scenes’. In effect the class structure.

    That's an interesting comment considering the colonists rebelled against the British and formed their government as a rebuke of the monarchy.

    Isn’t throwing off the yoke of oppressors the stated aim of every revolutionary movement? I’m not sure it ever works out the way they may have hoped for…

    Considering Americans surpassed the wealth and influence of their former oppressors, I'm not sure how that applies.

    Well, now the people there have little choice but to bounce between two parties that between them maintain a powerful elite, while tempting the masses into compliance with the promise that one day, with hard work and a ‘little’ luck, they, or their offspring may one day join those elites… it’s pretty thin gruel for most and that’s reflected in the despair that exists in much of the country. Just because life is better in some ways there than in neighbouring countries doesn’t mean it’s anywhere near perfect, we can always strive to be better. I for sure would never move to the USA, too many guns and crazy people for my taste, ymmv though and no offence meant to anyone, there’s much to love about the place, its geography, and from my experience its people most of all 😁

  • edited July 2022

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @espiegel123 said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    OK, but he was still elected according to the rules, which I'm guessing have been the same rules for a very long time?

    Indeed

    Though he has since tried his utmost to avoid the scrutiny necessary for good governance, hence the ongoing clusterfuck.

    I have nothing personally at stake in British politics, but I find the whole system very strange. ;)

    I think similarly with regard to your US Electoral College.

    Most Americans would agree … if they even know that it exists (a surprising number of people don’t know about the electoral college) … and those that defend it generally don’t believe in majority rule.

    It is one of many (unfortunate) artifacts of a complex system designed to be agreeable to states that relied on slavery for their wealth.

    Federal laws in the US are built on our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The rights of the individual are preeminent in the US, not the will of the masses, so when individual rights are an issue, they can be appealed up to the Supreme Court. In contrast, a direct democracy results in majority rules. Minority opinion and dissent from the majority opinion is largely irrelevant because the majority holds all the power.

    Federal elections in the US are decided by the people in the individual States. And the Electoral College represents the sum of votes from the voters in the States. The so-called "popular vote" is reported in US elections, but it has never been a deciding factor, despite constant misrepresentation of its value by the media.

    The system we have today stands because the Federal government exists as an agreement between the States, not an agreement between individuals. The US is a democratic republic, not a democracy.

    And by the way, slavery still exists in other countries, not the US. And which country leads in this area? Why, it's also the biggest democracy in the world: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-still-have-slavery

    No wonder people keep illegally crossing into the US to escape their dire conditions from all over the world. If the US was such a terrible place, people would be fleeing elsewhere.

    Sounds nearly as arcane as our system, which is a structure that maintains the power structure of those in power and also for those in power behind the ‘scenes’. In effect the class structure.

    That's an interesting comment considering the colonists rebelled against the British and formed their government as a rebuke of the monarchy.

    Isn’t throwing off the yoke of oppressors the stated aim of every revolutionary movement? I’m not sure it ever works out the way they may have hoped for…

    Considering Americans surpassed the wealth and influence of their former oppressors, I'm not sure how that applies.

    Well, now the people there have little choice but to bounce between two parties that between them maintain a powerful elite, while tempting the masses into compliance with the promise that one day, with hard work and a ‘little’ luck, they, or their offspring may one day join those elites… it’s pretty thin gruel for most and that’s reflected in the despair that exists in much of the country. Just because life is better in some ways there than in neighbouring countries doesn’t mean it’s anywhere near perfect, we can always strive to be better. I for sure would never move to the USA, too many guns and crazy people for my taste, ymmv though and no offence meant to anyone, there’s much to love about the place, its geography, and from my experience its people most of all 😁

    I'm no fan of the "two party system" either. Both major parties have colluded in every State to exclude the smaller political parties every chance they get.

    And the image of the US which is communicated to other countries is also shaded to appeal to local tastes and biases. I find that to be a consistent behavior across the world. Unless the media appeals to the local population they won't get viewers/consumers.

  • @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @espiegel123 said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    OK, but he was still elected according to the rules, which I'm guessing have been the same rules for a very long time?

    Indeed

    Though he has since tried his utmost to avoid the scrutiny necessary for good governance, hence the ongoing clusterfuck.

    I have nothing personally at stake in British politics, but I find the whole system very strange. ;)

    I think similarly with regard to your US Electoral College.

    Most Americans would agree … if they even know that it exists (a surprising number of people don’t know about the electoral college) … and those that defend it generally don’t believe in majority rule.

    It is one of many (unfortunate) artifacts of a complex system designed to be agreeable to states that relied on slavery for their wealth.

    Federal laws in the US are built on our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The rights of the individual are preeminent in the US, not the will of the masses, so when individual rights are an issue, they can be appealed up to the Supreme Court. In contrast, a direct democracy results in majority rules. Minority opinion and dissent from the majority opinion is largely irrelevant because the majority holds all the power.

    Federal elections in the US are decided by the people in the individual States. And the Electoral College represents the sum of votes from the voters in the States. The so-called "popular vote" is reported in US elections, but it has never been a deciding factor, despite constant misrepresentation of its value by the media.

    The system we have today stands because the Federal government exists as an agreement between the States, not an agreement between individuals. The US is a democratic republic, not a democracy.

    And by the way, slavery still exists in other countries, not the US. And which country leads in this area? Why, it's also the biggest democracy in the world: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-still-have-slavery

    No wonder people keep illegally crossing into the US to escape their dire conditions from all over the world. If the US was such a terrible place, people would be fleeing elsewhere.

    Sounds nearly as arcane as our system, which is a structure that maintains the power structure of those in power and also for those in power behind the ‘scenes’. In effect the class structure.

    That's an interesting comment considering the colonists rebelled against the British and formed their government as a rebuke of the monarchy.

    Isn’t throwing off the yoke of oppressors the stated aim of every revolutionary movement? I’m not sure it ever works out the way they may have hoped for…

    Considering Americans surpassed the wealth and influence of their former oppressors, I'm not sure how that applies.

    Well, now the people there have little choice but to bounce between two parties that between them maintain a powerful elite, while tempting the masses into compliance with the promise that one day, with hard work and a ‘little’ luck, they, or their offspring may one day join those elites… it’s pretty thin gruel for most and that’s reflected in the despair that exists in much of the country. Just because life is better in some ways there than in neighbouring countries doesn’t mean it’s anywhere near perfect, we can always strive to be better. I for sure would never move to the USA, too many guns and crazy people for my taste, ymmv though and no offence meant to anyone, there’s much to love about the place, its geography, and from my experience its people most of all 😁

    I'm no fan of the "two party system" either. Both major parties have colluded in every State to exclude the smaller political parties every chance they get.

    Exactly, that’s why I’ve long favoured a system such as PR which allows those smaller parties and constituencies a voice and some chance of power. Not only does it act as a release valve, it enables change to be progressive and constant which is essential to renewing democracy. It’s still not perfect, but it’s closer…

  • @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @espiegel123 said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    OK, but he was still elected according to the rules, which I'm guessing have been the same rules for a very long time?

    Indeed

    Though he has since tried his utmost to avoid the scrutiny necessary for good governance, hence the ongoing clusterfuck.

    I have nothing personally at stake in British politics, but I find the whole system very strange. ;)

    I think similarly with regard to your US Electoral College.

    Most Americans would agree … if they even know that it exists (a surprising number of people don’t know about the electoral college) … and those that defend it generally don’t believe in majority rule.

    It is one of many (unfortunate) artifacts of a complex system designed to be agreeable to states that relied on slavery for their wealth.

    Federal laws in the US are built on our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The rights of the individual are preeminent in the US, not the will of the masses, so when individual rights are an issue, they can be appealed up to the Supreme Court. In contrast, a direct democracy results in majority rules. Minority opinion and dissent from the majority opinion is largely irrelevant because the majority holds all the power.

    Federal elections in the US are decided by the people in the individual States. And the Electoral College represents the sum of votes from the voters in the States. The so-called "popular vote" is reported in US elections, but it has never been a deciding factor, despite constant misrepresentation of its value by the media.

    The system we have today stands because the Federal government exists as an agreement between the States, not an agreement between individuals. The US is a democratic republic, not a democracy.

    And by the way, slavery still exists in other countries, not the US. And which country leads in this area? Why, it's also the biggest democracy in the world: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-still-have-slavery

    No wonder people keep illegally crossing into the US to escape their dire conditions from all over the world. If the US was such a terrible place, people would be fleeing elsewhere.

    Sounds nearly as arcane as our system, which is a structure that maintains the power structure of those in power and also for those in power behind the ‘scenes’. In effect the class structure.

    That's an interesting comment considering the colonists rebelled against the British and formed their government as a rebuke of the monarchy.

    Isn’t throwing off the yoke of oppressors the stated aim of every revolutionary movement? I’m not sure it ever works out the way they may have hoped for…

    Considering Americans surpassed the wealth and influence of their former oppressors, I'm not sure how that applies.

    Well, now the people there have little choice but to bounce between two parties that between them maintain a powerful elite, while tempting the masses into compliance with the promise that one day, with hard work and a ‘little’ luck, they, or their offspring may one day join those elites… it’s pretty thin gruel for most and that’s reflected in the despair that exists in much of the country. Just because life is better in some ways there than in neighbouring countries doesn’t mean it’s anywhere near perfect, we can always strive to be better. I for sure would never move to the USA, too many guns and crazy people for my taste, ymmv though and no offence meant to anyone, there’s much to love about the place, its geography, and from my experience its people most of all 😁

    I'm no fan of the "two party system" either. Both major parties have colluded in every State to exclude the smaller political parties every chance they get.

    Exactly, that’s why I’ve long favoured a system such as PR which allows those smaller parties and constituencies a voice and some chance of power. Not only does it act as a release valve, it enables change to be progressive and constant which is essential to renewing democracy. It’s still not perfect, but it’s closer…

    I'll agree with your main point, insofar that people who feel they're not being heard, are deliberately ignored or are punished for their views tend to not react well to that kind of treatment.

  • @knewspeak said:

    @supadom said:

    @knewspeak said:
    They’ve created a government, a government of the deluded, by the deluded, for the ……, I think they’ve forgotten people have had enough of this sh#te.

    I’m afraid people will keep eating this shite. The turd has been rolled in glitter many times over but did not significantly change its content.

    The stuff that is needed would be considered too radical by most voters….and so it continues.

    I think they’re scared it could ‘upset the apple cart’ but with the current socio-economic mess, that’s what we have anyway and it’s making more people poorer day by day.

    Talking petty economics, when the bottom 25-30% starts living on the edge of poverty it’s when people will start paying attention. Folks often say to tax the rich but I don’t think there’s enough rich to cover what’s needed. I think the unthinkable move to properly tax corporations that do business in the uk will be required in order to restore the social system. Although I can’t see which of the biggest party would put that on their manifesto. Labour are so far right that it is begging for some populist party to emerge.
    Post Brexit/Pandemic/Ukraine time seems like the most fertile ground for that kind of stuff.

    Currently I’m being told by my daughter’s school that she’ll be getting a free recorder, to keep, for her music lessons. It follows with information about the upcoming fundraiser to pay for the instruments, aka parents paying for it. It’s fucking ridiculous. Something’s gotta change.

  • @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @espiegel123 said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @Krupa said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    Actually, because of the esoteric first past the post system here, more people voted for left leaning parties than his in the last election, yet his party garnered the most seats… it’s not a presidential setup as we’re backwards and still have an unelected head of state.

    OK, but he was still elected according to the rules, which I'm guessing have been the same rules for a very long time?

    Indeed

    Though he has since tried his utmost to avoid the scrutiny necessary for good governance, hence the ongoing clusterfuck.

    I have nothing personally at stake in British politics, but I find the whole system very strange. ;)

    I think similarly with regard to your US Electoral College.

    Most Americans would agree … if they even know that it exists (a surprising number of people don’t know about the electoral college) … and those that defend it generally don’t believe in majority rule.

    It is one of many (unfortunate) artifacts of a complex system designed to be agreeable to states that relied on slavery for their wealth.

    Federal laws in the US are built on our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The rights of the individual are preeminent in the US, not the will of the masses, so when individual rights are an issue, they can be appealed up to the Supreme Court. In contrast, a direct democracy results in majority rules. Minority opinion and dissent from the majority opinion is largely irrelevant because the majority holds all the power.

    Federal elections in the US are decided by the people in the individual States. And the Electoral College represents the sum of votes from the voters in the States. The so-called "popular vote" is reported in US elections, but it has never been a deciding factor, despite constant misrepresentation of its value by the media.

    The system we have today stands because the Federal government exists as an agreement between the States, not an agreement between individuals. The US is a democratic republic, not a democracy.

    And by the way, slavery still exists in other countries, not the US. And which country leads in this area? Why, it's also the biggest democracy in the world: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-still-have-slavery

    No wonder people keep illegally crossing into the US to escape their dire conditions from all over the world. If the US was such a terrible place, people would be fleeing elsewhere.

    Sounds nearly as arcane as our system, which is a structure that maintains the power structure of those in power and also for those in power behind the ‘scenes’. In effect the class structure.

    That's an interesting comment considering the colonists rebelled against the British and formed their government as a rebuke of the monarchy.

    Isn’t throwing off the yoke of oppressors the stated aim of every revolutionary movement? I’m not sure it ever works out the way they may have hoped for…

    Considering Americans surpassed the wealth and influence of their former oppressors, I'm not sure how that applies.

    Well, now the people there have little choice but to bounce between two parties that between them maintain a powerful elite, while tempting the masses into compliance with the promise that one day, with hard work and a ‘little’ luck, they, or their offspring may one day join those elites… it’s pretty thin gruel for most and that’s reflected in the despair that exists in much of the country. Just because life is better in some ways there than in neighbouring countries doesn’t mean it’s anywhere near perfect, we can always strive to be better. I for sure would never move to the USA, too many guns and crazy people for my taste, ymmv though and no offence meant to anyone, there’s much to love about the place, its geography, and from my experience its people most of all 😁

    I'm no fan of the "two party system" either. Both major parties have colluded in every State to exclude the smaller political parties every chance they get.

    Exactly, that’s why I’ve long favoured a system such as PR which allows those smaller parties and constituencies a voice and some chance of power. Not only does it act as a release valve, it enables change to be progressive and constant which is essential to renewing democracy. It’s still not perfect, but it’s closer…

    I'll agree with your main point, insofar that people who feel they're not being heard, are deliberately ignored or are punished for their views tend to not react well to that kind of treatment.

    It’s gratifying to find common ground with you on something besides apps 😁

  • When my head is exploding from watching the political trainwreckage of our planet, I watch Russell Brand's YouTube channel. Highly recommended; a daily dose of a perfect mixture of humor (sorry about the American spelling), insight and wisdom all focused on the insanity of it all.

  • @Clam said:
    When my head is exploding from watching the political trainwreckage of our planet, I watch Russell Brand's YouTube channel. Highly recommended; a daily dose of a perfect mixture of humor (sorry about the American spelling), insight and wisdom all focused on the insanity of it all.

    Never apologize for using Americanized spellings... they're usually more efficient. ;)

  • @supadom said:

    @knewspeak said:

    @supadom said:

    @knewspeak said:
    They’ve created a government, a government of the deluded, by the deluded, for the ……, I think they’ve forgotten people have had enough of this sh#te.

    I’m afraid people will keep eating this shite. The turd has been rolled in glitter many times over but did not significantly change its content.

    The stuff that is needed would be considered too radical by most voters….and so it continues.

    I think they’re scared it could ‘upset the apple cart’ but with the current socio-economic mess, that’s what we have anyway and it’s making more people poorer day by day.

    Talking petty economics, when the bottom 25-30% starts living on the edge of poverty it’s when people will start paying attention. Folks often say to tax the rich but I don’t think there’s enough rich to cover what’s needed. I think the unthinkable move to properly tax corporations that do business in the uk will be required in order to restore the social system. Although I can’t see which of the biggest party would put that on their manifesto. Labour are so far right that it is begging for some populist party to emerge.
    Post Brexit/Pandemic/Ukraine time seems like the most fertile ground for that kind of stuff.

    Currently I’m being told by my daughter’s school that she’ll be getting a free recorder, to keep, for her music lessons. It follows with information about the upcoming fundraiser to pay for the instruments, aka parents paying for it. It’s fucking ridiculous. Something’s gotta change.

    Yes even in education via ‘pressured’ donations, of doing the best for your children and peer ridicule is bringing privatisation to the education system. Building a compassionate, caring system is looked upon by so called ‘moderate’ political figures as being too radical, it’s really quite ridiculous, because most detractors, often espouse the very same values of Jesus Christ, love and compassion to one another.

  • Can’t wait to see the next ERG puppet trying to convince the walking dead that all is well...

  • @richardyot said:

    Yes the Auria contest was a clusterf*ck of corruption, in the end they had to change the rules to disqualify all the cheaters :)

    I'm enjoying watching Boris' downfall though, it's been months in the making. He should have gone back in November after suggesting that anti-corruption rules should be changed to save his crony Owen Paterson (who had been caught in a lobbying scandal). Since then it's just been scandal after scandal, and he somehow managed to hang on until now. At least the conservative party turned on him in the end, unlike the US where partisan politics takes precedence over blatant corruption.

    And thanks for buying my book! I really hope you find it useful.

    Yes, I deletd my Facebook account right after that time. I was a beneficiary of them throwing out the “fan voting” results as I wound up getting one of the prize packages. And the guy that one was really nice, he and I corresponded for a period of time. I think I remember that your video had animation in it, is that correct?

    And you’re welcome on the book, I’m going to continue reading on the bus in about an hour when I head into the city.

  • @0tolerance4silence said:
    Can’t wait to see the next ERG puppet trying to convince the walking dead that all is well...

    Indeed Johnson was just a puppet, they knew he could get them into power, they just thought they could control him, him, the ‘king of the world’ :#

  • edited July 2022

    @Clam said:
    When my head is exploding from watching the political trainwreckage of our planet, I watch Russell Brand's YouTube channel. Highly recommended; a daily dose of a perfect mixture of humor (sorry about the American spelling), insight and wisdom all focused on the insanity of it all.

    I’ve never seen it, so I’ll try that out as well.

    As a general statement, I am saddened that there are so few “public servants” in office. Even though I probably lean towards more liberal opinions on a lot of things, I don’t discount that others have different views. But the lying, the outright dismissal and demonization of others with different views, bullying, the use of religion as a political tool, and the manipulation of rules and people, and probably many other similar things is distressing. And I’m sure money and power (to deflect from the aforementioned tactics) are the heart of all of it.

    But, I’m still going to try to do the things I believe are part of being a good person in my own life rather than getting caught up in all of the nonsense that is being put out there.

  • @mrufino1 said:

    @richardyot said:

    Yes the Auria contest was a clusterf*ck of corruption, in the end they had to change the rules to disqualify all the cheaters :)

    I'm enjoying watching Boris' downfall though, it's been months in the making. He should have gone back in November after suggesting that anti-corruption rules should be changed to save his crony Owen Paterson (who had been caught in a lobbying scandal). Since then it's just been scandal after scandal, and he somehow managed to hang on until now. At least the conservative party turned on him in the end, unlike the US where partisan politics takes precedence over blatant corruption.

    And thanks for buying my book! I really hope you find it useful.

    Yes, I deletd my Facebook account right after that time. I was a beneficiary of them throwing out the “fan voting” results as I wound up getting one of the prize packages. And the guy that one was really nice, he and I corresponded for a period of time. I think I remember that your video had animation in it, is that correct?

    And you’re welcome on the book, I’m going to continue reading on the bus in about an hour when I head into the city.

    No animation in mine, it was a pretty basic video. But the guy who won (Bob Amser) made a terrific video, he deserved it.

  • edited July 2022

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    You are missing my point. I have nothing against a conservative political opinion. Actually I think that in a true democracy all political opinions must be represented - even extreme ones as long as they stand on the ground of the constitution. Voters must have true choices. But to make a good choice, the people need to be well informed. I think it is a threat to democracy if a politician is spreading fake news, „alternative facts“, launching destructive lies and narratives that lead people into an alternate reality. There had been times when politicians stepped down when they were caught lying but these times are over.

    The other point is populism. We are living in a complex world. People are overwhelmed by this complexity and are easy victims for populists that promise simple solutions but there virtually are no simple solutions. The populists use that to catch voters although they know that their solutions are not going to work out. That is unfair to competitors who stand for serious politics. The politicians I named are all rather right wing but there are also left wing populists and they are not better in any way but none of them made it into government.

    I don't think I'm the first to point this out, but all politicians lie. Whether the lie is a benign one or a harmful one makes no difference. If a leader cannot communicate a simple, clear story their population can support, they have no business leading.

    I disagree. There is a difference if a politician lied about that he didn’t cheat on his wife or that he didn’t take the 300k donation. And the other story is that sometimes a good leader has to make unpopular decisions for a good reason that needs a lot of expertise to understand. I think Churchill‘s position to oppose the appeasement wasn‘t popular at the time but nonetheless he was right.

  • @krassmann said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:

    @NeuM said:

    @krassmann said:
    I’m an EU citizen and therefore an outsider. Anyway I can understand and share your excitement about his downfall. But I think the whole episode is a very sad thing. How could it happen that a man of such character was able to stay at the helm of a nation with such a great democratic tradition? It makes me realize how thin is the ice we are standing on. How endangered democracy is. Internet bubbles, fake news, lying politicians without decency. This is not only happening in the UK. Trump, Berlosconi, Le Pen, Victor Orbán, Kaczyński - the rise of the populists. This makes me shiver.

    Boris Johnson was lawfully elected by voters, was he not? And when voters choose to elect a candidate, versus having a person installed, that’s a country’s democratic system at work. “Democracy” isn’t getting what YOU want, it’s what the majority of voters want.

    You are missing my point. I have nothing against a conservative political opinion. Actually I think that in a true democracy all political opinions must be represented - even extreme ones as long as they stand on the ground of the constitution. Voters must have true choices. But to make a good choice, the people need to be well informed. I think it is a threat to democracy if a politician is spreading fake news, „alternative facts“, launching destructive lies and narratives that lead people into an alternate reality. There had been times when politicians stepped down when they were caught lying but these times are over.

    The other point is populism. We are living in a complex world. People are overwhelmed by this complexity and are easy victims for populists that promise simple solutions but there virtually are no simple solutions. The populists use that to catch voters although they know that their solutions are not going to work out. That is unfair to competitors who stand for serious politics. The politicians I named are all rather right wing but there are also left wing populists and they are not better in any way but none of them made it into government.

    I don't think I'm the first to point this out, but all politicians lie. Whether the lie is a benign one or a harmful one makes no difference. If a leader cannot communicate a simple, clear story their population can support, they have no business leading.

    I disagree. There is a difference if a politician lied about that he didn’t cheat on his wife or that he didn’t take the 300k donation. And the other story is that sometimes a good leader has to make unpopular decisions for a good reason that needs a lot of expertise to understand. I think Churchill‘s position to oppose the appeasement wasn‘t popular at the time but nonetheless he was right.

    Looks like you misunderstood. The point was "all politicians lie", not the severity of the lie.

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