That's a bold statement. I would be surprised to find anything other than a distinct minority of Tory voters among my readers. We're academic elitist snobs here.
It's not even clear to me that the majority of British Voters voted Tory. You have so many leftist parties to choose from, and the campaign for tactical voting clearly went nowhere.
It was a smart-assed remark on my part for which I apologize. The real point being that there was an electoral system in place and participants elected Boris Johnson according to the rules of the system. And a majority didn't vote for the winner.
In the US, many have complained that the current president didn't get a majority of the vote. Others have pointed out that if the system had been designed so that the candidate with the most votes won, the campaigns would have been structured to get the most votes rather than the most electoral college votes.
Yes, it does hurt. And as I've lived outside the UK for more than 15 years, I'm disenfranchised too. I also was not allowed to vote in the Brexit referendum, along with a good many other Brits who live in the EU. As a result, I am going to apply for local citizenship in the new year.
No, the majority of voters didn't vote for the Tory b'stards - they only got 43.6% of the votes, but we have a stupid electoral system. You have something equally undemocratic in your electoral college for President, so I understand.
One shouldn't blame the voters I know, and it pains me to say this, but gullible working-class turkeys who vote for Christmas will get what they deserve, really.... Choose one: Socialist utopia, with free broadband thrown in, admittedly a little under-costed, versus carte blanche for a right-wing sociopath... Hmmm, difficult choice. Must be a trick question.
Andrew, One possible explanation for Mike's turkeys voting the way they did might be found by searching over on You Tube for "The Life of Brian: what have the Romans ever done for us?" Regards, David (sometime Welsh Nationalist)
I feel like it's a little early to be pushing for explanations! Let the lefties grieve a bit. Right now everyone is going through a "OH GOD THEY'RE ALL IDIOTS OR INSANE OR NAZIS" stage.
None of which, I suspect, is true. I suppose that almost every Tory voter had what seemed a pretty good reason.
One fellow I vaguely know, a Scot who lives in Spain, simply could not bear to vote Labour, even though he knows Brexit will be catastrophe for him, and even though he knows full well how awful the Tory front bench is. He's old. He's never voted Labour and I dare say his Dad never voted Labour. Voting Labour is simply something he could not manage to do.
I think you misunderstand David's point (or I do...): The question of the restless mob is "The Labour Party, what have they ever done for us?" Answer: the NHS, fair working conditions, etc.
We don't talk about Iraq, of course. Or PPI. Or public-service targets. Or...
No, I simply wanted to suggest that the British people did not want the 'Death by Committee' approach that is the British Labour Party, but rather some more decisive and direct action from government to resolve the Brexit and other crises. Socialist utopia would not be found under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn - a decent bloke, but not one you'd follow out of the trenches. Sad, but true. The modern voter doesn't have the attention span for Socialist dogma or any other theories; they're just trying to pay the mortgage, keep food on the table. Yes, I know my information is only secondhand (I live in the Peoples' Republic in the USA), but I trust the judgement of and information from family and friends, who live in the NE of England, traditional Labour territory.
Ah, OK, I did misunderstand. In which case, wrong movie, I think... I'm trying to think of one which encapsulates "strong leader who cuts through the policy crap and the boring stranglehold of due process and just makes the trains run on time"... I'd suggest "Triumph des Willens" instead, but that would be provocative. "The Godfather", maybe?
For a minority of your UK readers.
ReplyDeleteThat's a bold statement. I would be surprised to find anything other than a distinct minority of Tory voters among my readers. We're academic elitist snobs here.
DeleteIt's not even clear to me that the majority of British Voters voted Tory. You have so many leftist parties to choose from, and the campaign for tactical voting clearly went nowhere.
It was a smart-assed remark on my part for which I apologize. The real point being that there was an electoral system in place and participants elected Boris Johnson according to the rules of the system. And a majority didn't vote for the winner.
DeleteIn the US, many have complained that the current president didn't get a majority of the vote. Others have pointed out that if the system had been designed so that the candidate with the most votes won, the campaigns would have been structured to get the most votes rather than the most electoral college votes.
Everyone complains about electoral systems when their guy loses, and falls mysterious silent when their guy wins, it's true ;)
DeleteApology accepted, of course!
Yes, it does hurt. And as I've lived outside the UK for more than 15 years, I'm disenfranchised too. I also was not allowed to vote in the Brexit referendum, along with a good many other Brits who live in the EU. As a result, I am going to apply for local citizenship in the new year.
ReplyDeleteNo, the majority of voters didn't vote for the Tory b'stards - they only got 43.6% of the votes, but we have a stupid electoral system. You have something equally undemocratic in your electoral college for President, so I understand.
ReplyDeleteIt's not so much "Ow" as Ooooooooooowwww!!!!"
ReplyDeleteOne shouldn't blame the voters I know, and it pains me to say this, but gullible working-class turkeys who vote for Christmas will get what they deserve, really.... Choose one: Socialist utopia, with free broadband thrown in, admittedly a little under-costed, versus carte blanche for a right-wing sociopath... Hmmm, difficult choice. Must be a trick question.
Mike
... with a little help from our rabid right-wing media and the daft proposal to hold a second referendum ...
DeleteAndrew,
ReplyDeleteOne possible explanation for Mike's turkeys voting the way they did might be found by searching over on You Tube for "The Life of Brian: what have the Romans ever done for us?"
Regards,
David
(sometime Welsh Nationalist)
I feel like it's a little early to be pushing for explanations! Let the lefties grieve a bit. Right now everyone is going through a "OH GOD THEY'RE ALL IDIOTS OR INSANE OR NAZIS" stage.
DeleteNone of which, I suspect, is true. I suppose that almost every Tory voter had what seemed a pretty good reason.
One fellow I vaguely know, a Scot who lives in Spain, simply could not bear to vote Labour, even though he knows Brexit will be catastrophe for him, and even though he knows full well how awful the Tory front bench is. He's old. He's never voted Labour and I dare say his Dad never voted Labour. Voting Labour is simply something he could not manage to do.
I think you misunderstand David's point (or I do...): The question of the restless mob is "The Labour Party, what have they ever done for us?" Answer: the NHS, fair working conditions, etc.
DeleteWe don't talk about Iraq, of course. Or PPI. Or public-service targets. Or...
Mike
No, I simply wanted to suggest that the British people did not want the 'Death by Committee' approach that is the British Labour Party, but rather some more decisive and direct action from government to resolve the Brexit and other crises.
DeleteSocialist utopia would not be found under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn - a decent bloke, but not one you'd follow out of the trenches.
Sad, but true.
The modern voter doesn't have the attention span for Socialist dogma or any other theories; they're just trying to pay the mortgage, keep food on the table.
Yes, I know my information is only secondhand (I live in the Peoples' Republic in the USA), but I trust the judgement of and information from family and friends, who live in the NE of England, traditional Labour territory.
Ah, OK, I did misunderstand. In which case, wrong movie, I think... I'm trying to think of one which encapsulates "strong leader who cuts through the policy crap and the boring stranglehold of due process and just makes the trains run on time"... I'd suggest "Triumph des Willens" instead, but that would be provocative. "The Godfather", maybe?
DeleteMike