x
Page 1 / 2   >   >>
kq4ym 7/11/2016 | 9:21:31 AM
Re: Backwaters As "it seems likely that jobs and investment will drain away from the UK economy," one wonders how such a possible fiasco could have happened. But, then again, folks are wondering the same about our own political circuses going on until November or maybe later in the U.S. But, who knows what the future may see no matter which way voters express their hopes.
inkstainedwretch 6/29/2016 | 6:38:24 PM
Re: Backwaters I've no standing to interpret Brexit voters, but here's the thing about Trump voters: for decades, they've been voting for conservative politicians who have been absolutely clear about their intent to follow trickle-down and free-trade economic policies. These voters were told explicitly over and over again through the last 35 years that trickle-down and free-trade would result in a massive redistribution of wealth upwards and the likelihood that the country would lose manufacturing jobs.

And now these very same people are angry that there has been a massive restribution of wealth upwards and that they've lost their jobs?

It might be because they lack any sense of responsibility, and it's so much easier to blame a scapegoat. It might be because they lack the acuity to understand what they've done. I can tell you for a fact that part of it is because they have a knee-jerk contempt for people who don't agree with them. These are people who are likely to be helped by exactly what you propose -- higher minimum wage and earned income tax credit -- but because those are things "liberals" are proposing, Trump voters will oppose those measures with a nearly religious fervor. Really, these people should be Sanders voters, but they'd never vote for a Jewish socialist. ("Social Democrat" doesn't mean anything to them, so don't even bother.)

Our only hope is that there are more Americans afraid of making a feckless, bumbling buffoon President than there are Americans throwing tantrums.

--Brian Santo

 
TV Monitor 6/29/2016 | 4:21:41 PM
Re: Backwaters inksteinedwretch

Brexit voters are like Trump voters, in that they are expressing their frustration against system through votes. English working class fill they are left out either way, and the best thing they could do for themselves is to drive out immigrants competing for low-wage jobs. They have nothing to lose, so why not just torch everything and dance around the fire drunk all night. Trump voters are the same, they feel they are left out and are blaming their misery on immigrants and free trade agreements.

What the US politicians must learn from the Brexit disaster is that they must not allow income inequality to grow any further, and take steps to boost income of working class, via higher minimmum wage and earned income tax credit.
inkstainedwretch 6/29/2016 | 3:02:08 PM
Backwaters I cannot see how choosing to relinquish political and economic clout will help anyone in England in any substantive way.

If Scotland and perhaps Ireland find a path to stay in the EU, I wonder if it's possible that they might end up gaining some of that influence, especially if they become England's conduit into the EU.

England is in little danger of becoming a failed state, and in the long run will do okay, but if that's the bright side, we might need to refine the definition of "bright."

-- Brian Santo
[email protected] 6/29/2016 | 1:09:28 PM
Re: Research Yeah, great point.... it just gets uglier by the minute.
mendyk 6/29/2016 | 12:58:50 PM
Re: Research It will be interesting to see exactly how these types of relationships change. Despite all the current panic and angry reaction, it's hard to imagine a total separation. There's also a decent chance that Brexit ends up more a symbolic move than anything else. Call me an optimist. Go ahead. I dare you.
Duh! 6/29/2016 | 11:42:00 AM
Research One more downside for Telecom: UK participation in EU Research projects will have to be unwound.  A lot of them have merit, and UK industry and academia plays a key role in many.  While some of them have non-EU private sector participants, it's hard to imagine that UK researchers will have the same amount of impact. To say nothing of loss of funding.  What a shame.
mendyk 6/29/2016 | 10:20:18 AM
Re: The possible upside If we want AI to be truly useful, we will focus all energies on creating AI-based government. We'll end up there eventually, anyway. As far as knowing what governmental and quasi-governmental agencies do, the depth of ignorance is immeasurable.
brooks7 6/29/2016 | 10:14:50 AM
The possible upside  

Here in the US, over 98% of officials are re-elected.  When I get a ballot in November, I will be asked to vote for over a dozen officials and a handful of propositions.  Most of the local officials never even make it on to my radar screen.  So, I vote against all the incunbents.  Since I have never even heard of them, they have done nothing that makes my life better.  I think that is the standard we should hold our government and government officials at all times.

That is the way I look at the EU.  If people had no idea what it did or why it existed, then that is a commentary on the EU.  It had no real impact on people's lives in any way that it can articulate to people.

Want a terrible example of how to tell people of your impact (and this is a terrible way)?  The TV show COPS was started by the Sherriff of Broward County Florida - Nick Navarro.  If you go back to the first couple of seasons, you will find it is Broward County Sherriff Deputies on every episode.  The reason that Nick Navarro bought into the show?  Publicity for the work that his department did.  At least I knew his name and has some idea on what he did.  

I am hopeful that we get out of this election cycle the notion that being a politician is not a guaranteed job for life.  That the officials are there to make our life better and they probably need to tell us what they do.  Until lots of them get voted out, that will not happen.

seven

 
mendyk 6/29/2016 | 9:15:55 AM
Re: A personal perspective from a Brit For those who wondered what the world was like in the 1930s, we're now getting a little taste of it. Let's hope it doesn't develop into a full-blown appetite.
Page 1 / 2   >   >>
HOME
Sign In
SEARCH
CLOSE
MORE
CLOSE