The election has dealt a major blow to the political class, though it hasn’t been a catharsis; we still hate them.
– Raedwald
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Samizdata quote of the dayMay 8th, 2010 |
 14 comments to Samizdata quote of the day |
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Until blood from the sacrificial Balls runs over the altar…
Give it time. Arf.
N B L –
The Political Class will adapt before the electorate, in adequate force, itself adapts through recognition of what their relationship to the government mechanisms and intrusions has become.
The passengers have to decide on where they want to go, and by what courses with their variant conditions en route, before they will select a competent skipper and proper crews for the deck and engine room.
Most of those who should make up that concerned (rather than just dissatisfied) electorate are just along for the ride.
Some in the U S are now looking out at the sea and signs of weather ahead, but not enough. What of the U K?
I don’t know that it’s any kind of “blow” to the political class. It’s been a blow to some politicians, but they are only minor functionaries of the political class in a progressivised regime. The greater class drives on regardless, and indeed this appears to be an opportunity for them; they’re using it right now to foist an electoral reform on us which will in no way make our system more democratic, but will considerably progressivise it.
The narrative has been set- PR, yes or no?- with any more proper reforms, such as separatting the executive from the parliament, excluded from discussion. By fully institutionalising the parties in a PR system, they can gurantee that no Thatcher can ever arise again, let alone a genuine reformer. Without separation of powers, they can ensure that there Britain can never have a revolutionary non-proggie president. Instead, future leaders will now be guaranteed to be the compromise between proggie institutional groups.
So, it’s actually a great opportunity for the political class, not any kind of blow, even if it ruined a few politicians’ party plans.
As an American, I still have a hard time figuring out what each of these parties stand for. I have read enough to know that “Liberal” and “Conservative” do not always mean the same thing on either side of the Atlantic.
Can someone tell me which, if any, of these parties is in favor of a smaller government?
“Can someone tell me which, if any, of these parties is in favor of a smaller government?”
Chet, you know the answer to that already. Even the sainted Margaret Thatcher was in practice a proponent of stronger centralized government.
“it’s actually a great opportunity for the political class, not any kind of blow”
While you are undoubtedly correct about the immediate situation, Ian B, the medium term remains the same — financial meltdown.
Dangerous Dave agrees with Clegg that Britain has an urgent need to reduce its carbon footprint. But when foreign lenders decide that they have enough gilts in their portfolios, thank you, will Lil’ Davie be prepared to cut out school meals (and maybe even hopsital meals) so that he can continue to subsidize those windmills?
There are still lots of reasons to be upbeat about the limited future of big government.
Just like in the USA, neither of them. And just like in the USA, small governmentists for some unfathomable reason like to pretend that the conservative party is, even though it never makes the government any smaller when in power.
I can’t see any blow having been dealt to the political class.
The UK is pretty uncomplicated, it votes Labour when it thinks it can afford it and Conservative when the bailiffs are banging on the door.
Thursday’s inconclusive result simply indicates that the bailiffs have been seen in the street but a lot of people still aren’t convinced they’re coming here.
Mark Steyn’s view.
“The election has dealt a major blow to the political class…”
That is contemptible rubbish that can only have been written by a conscientiously ignorant person. I’ll say that again: conscientiously ignorant.
All this whistling about the British election is just so pathetically cheap. You know what could really deal a major blow to the political class?
Your life.
The problem with the inconclusiveness of Thursday’s election is that the issue of PR always comes to the forefront because it is an issue for the 3rd party – NEVER THE ELECTORATE AS A WHOLE.
I doubt if even Cameron (who is a limp d*ck if ever there was one), will sign up to any kind of PR. He’s not that stupid as he realises that it would put the Tories out of majority government forever. What is likely is that he will offer everything but.
The Liberal Democrats may refuse, but if so what then? There is no way that they will trust Gordon Browns offer on PR as that would be to cast their lot in which the thoroughly rejected Labour party.
The Tories may not have won on Thursday, but Gordon Brown and Labour certainly lost. Equally, Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats also lost and he should bare this in mind when discussions over a potential coalition are concerned.
Fortunately, I believe that the inability of the Liberal Democrats to form a coalition with the Conservatives is the best that can happen from a Libertarian viewpoint as a Tory minority government will need to seek support from others on each issue before introducing new laws.
The likes of “The Great Repeal Act of 2010” would be supported by many in the Tory and Liberal Democrat ranks and so should pass with relative ease – coalition or no coalition.
Where it gets more difficult is things like deficit reduction and defeating the worst excesses of the European Union. This dodgy deal that Merkel is putting together is likely to cost Britain dearly with no easy way to avoid paying both the bill and the extremely large tip.
All-in-all, we live in interesting times and it may well be that out of the current financial and political crisis, the end of Britain’s involvement in the European project may finally come. It may just become a club that is too expensive for us to remain a member of.
For some reason the second hand classical CD shop I occasionally visit is a potent source of political rumour. Don’t know why. Maybe they just read more newspapers than the rest of us.
Anyway the rumour this Saturday was: another general election on October 15th.
John Galt – how about *this* scenario …
As and when and IF Cameron becomes Prime Minister, perhaps he will exercise a wry sense of humour, and propose (with the LibDems) that, as a proof-of-concept, the Scottish seats for the Westminster Parliament should be chosen by PR … so, if one uses the most recent elections percentages, the seat balance would go from 41/11/6/1 to 24/13/12/10 (Lab/LD/SNP/Tory) – giving 316 Tory to Labour 241 to LibDem 59 … SNP seats would double from 6 to 12 …
So it would be good for Tory and LibDem – but is that sufficient to get it passed in Westminster Parliament ? (grin)
For Americans:
Mr David Cameron has the same opinions (or all matters I can think of) as the late Senator Edward Kennedy. At least his spoken and written opinions are the same (whether Mr Cameron actually believes in this P.C. stuff, or indeed in anything, I do not know).
Does this help you understand?
By the way – the other two major poltical parties (and the Scot and Welsh Nationalists) are to the LEFT of Mr Cameron.
Is not Britain a fun place?
Ian B. is correct – P.R. would just cement the political class even more (which is why they are pushing for it – including many Labour and Conservative party politicians).
As for “expenses” (over which there was a great nashing of teeth over the last year) the new system will mean that politicians (and administrators) get MORE taxpayers money (not less) spent upon them.
But the British voters do not know that.
No Fox News here. And no real talk radio either.