Wow. Like holy shit, wow. Well, to all my friends in the U.K., my deep condolences. This Brexit business is fairly horrible and fairly terrifying. So here is Emma Thompson being delightful to remind us all that our British friends really are lovely, despite the dark times that lie ahead. Also, let this be a lesson for us Yanks. If we don't want to crash our economy and succumb to xenophobia, how about we vote for the candidate actually running against Trump, eh? Yeah, I'm with her. Happy weekend, all.
You know you cast the wrong vote when ISIS cheered for you.
ReplyDeleteSo, to recap
Happy about Brexit:
ISIS
Iran
Trump
Putin
UKIP
Good job, UK!
ISIS, Iran, Trump, Putin, and UKIP are all equally clueless as to what Brexit really means. It's not a disaster and will be very good for Britain in the long run. There are those who voted Leave not because they're xenophobic or racist or fascist. They voted Leave because they know just how much it costs Britain to remain an EU member. That membership has made the poor Britons poorer (just as EU membership has made every poor European poorer). That membership has cost enough that British institutions like the NHS have suffered, because British taxes no longer pay only for British things. Britain's currency is the pound, but British taxes have been paying for the mint and print of Euro coins and notes. And that's just one example. EU membership is expensive in other insidious ways, like foreign trade: companies engaging in foreign trade under the European Monetary Union are locked into agreements that limit those companies' growth. Thanks to Brexit, certain companies will be able to trade from both Canary Wharf in London and from Paris, France or Geneva, Switzerland. Two is always better than one. The companies I'm referring to literally cannot wait for the Article 50 button to be pushed, because it means more money.
ReplyDeleteRight now it looks like the xenophobes and racists have won. If the libdems and others don't work to fix *that*, then the bastards have indeed won, and Brexit will forever be overshadowed by racism and xenophobia. If the libdems and other moderates only work to return Britain to the EU, that'll be stupid, because as said, EU membership is not a good thing for Britain.
--NM
Thanks. England is entirely fucked...so I'm getting my Irish passport (thanks, Irish grandma!)
ReplyDeleteAnd I'll move to Edinburgh on the off chance that they go for independence this time. Just in case.
This is a good time for America to show that they are far less stupid than us by voting for the candidate who is not a burning tyre fire.
Yours,
A Pissed Off Bremainer
I voted remain, but I'm not unduly worried about Brexit. The EU was not without fault. Imagine if you were in a pan-american union that kept expanding to troubled nations and you had no say whatsoever who had entry into your country. And it was a free trade block that helped other countries like France sell its agricultural products, Germany sell its cars etc, but repeatedly tries to screw over your country's competitive advantage in banking and other service industries. I can't imagine the US giving up so much of its sovereignty, it won't even join the International Criminal Court. It really did stick in my craw when Obama threatened us not to leave. But he's made it quite clear what he thinks of the UK throughout his presidency. Thank God there's only a few months left.
ReplyDeleteIt's also disgusting that after two generations of the UK being a net contributor, literally pouring cash into poorer neighbours, and allowing millions of residents of other countries access to our job market, our social security system etc etc, that our soon to be ex EU partners are threatening and bullying us.
As I said, I voted in as I think it is better to be in a bloc when it comes to negotiating with bullies like China. But Brexit doesn't have to be bad, if we do it right, and if the EU doesn't reform, it could be the best decision we ever make. I reckon it won't make much of a difference in the end.
@Unworried Bremainer--
ReplyDeleteRight, exactly. And the Americans benefit from a Britain that that's under the EU's heel: stuck there Britain is less competitive. Independent Britain is going to make the Americans remember a few things, like the full power of the pound when it's free of trade restrictions.
I really don't think there's going to be too much upheaval. The FTSE trading floor people I know are all smiles, every last one of them, and for very good reason.
And my cousin the sheep farmer is equally happy: she and her husband can't wait for the day when they won't have to keep a close eye on Spain's wool and lamb prices. Their neighbors are pig farmers and don't much like checking Denmark's pork prices either. The farmers in that entire district voted Leave, and I think most British farmers voted Leave. To assume that all of those people are racist, xenophobic bigots is grossly unfair. They're not. They've just watched their debt climb and have seen their neighbours' farms go to ruin, and all because of EU membership.
--NM
Question: NHS, for instance, getting worse wouldn't have nothing to do with your money used to save those banks, like Northern Rock, which had made really bad decisions to earn more money?
ReplyDelete5.14AM Anon - not sure what you're trying to say there. NHS budget has risen in nominal and real terms since Nothern Rock was nationalised.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: NHS, for instance, getting worse wouldn't have nothing to do with your money used to save those banks, like Northern Rock, which had made really bad decisions to earn more money?
ReplyDeletePlease don't talk about what you don't understand. The EU is known as the Employers Union as well as the European Union, they are unelected elite-officials who lean towards the right, meaning they are all about protecting the banks and corporations with no care for the lives of the poor, just look at how they have crippled Greece with severe austerity measures. Think Margaret Thatcher on a big scale. They aren't even very good at it, the only area with less economic growth than the EU is Antarctica! British taxes pay £350,000,000 a week for this privilege.
ReplyDeleteThis wasn't a race war, it's class war, it's a revolt of the people against the establishment, both the EU and at home. Yes, some racists and bigots are among the Leave voters, but British voters are of many races and cultures and many people across the board voted to leave, one of the most liberal political parties in the UK, TUSC(Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, they make the democrats look like fascists) also voted and campaigned to leave.
The EU isn't democratic, you'd think a democrat like yourself would understand that.
To resume Brexit to xenophobia is such a stupid shortcut and worse, such a disdain for those who voted Leave. Europe is slowly killing Greece, leading the country and its people to total bankrupcy and poverty. People are scared and people are angry, and their vote is the only way thay have to express the injustice they feel.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, EU isn't democratic
Indeed, it'sa class war
AND, capitalism and liberalism are 2 suicidal economic ideologies.
Flo (from France)