Prime Minister David Cameron has stated that he will step down after the historic vote yesterday for the UK voted to leave the European Union. It is a blow for President Barack Obama who put everything on the line to push the British to stay in the EU, including seriously overplaying his hand (and role) in issuing dire warnings to the British people as did other world leaders. The warnings backfired and only reaffirmed the feeling that there is now a world order that will not tolerate traditional democratic controls over national policies and practices.
Boris Johnson is likely to be the next prime minister and heralded the ability of of Britain to now pass its own laws, set its own taxes and control its own borders.
I could see both sides of this argument. I have long been uncomfortable with the shifting of governance powers to international organizations like the EU which are not subject to the same democratic pressures as a national government. The proponents scored huge points by pointing out that few people could even name the top officials in the EU.
I thought that President Obama was overbearing in his intervention in the debate, warnings that seemed to only harden the resolve of the independence movement. I can see the economic benefits of being part of the EU, though it would seem clear that close trade would necessarily have to continue. The Brits wanted control over their own laws and I am highly sympathetic to that desire. EU countries are subject to edicts that seem to come from no where on everything from cheese preparation to taxes. People felt that they no longer had a direct say on who was writing their laws and who was really leading their country. Neither Cameron nor Obama seemed to get the movement. They also continued to miss (as do the Democrats in this country) the strong sentiments over immigration.
What do you think?
Hey Steve,
Did you see Jill Stein on Redacted Tonight?
Autumn, I just watched Jill Stein’s segment on Redacted Tonight for two days ago. She really laid into Clinton’s pseudo-feminism, and she otherwise made some very valid points.
Oh, how I hope Clinton is tripped up in that private server investigation!
Thanks for letting me know.
Steve,
Thanks for your kind words! I would be happy to see Stein/Sanders, Sanders/Stein, Stein/Gabbard – not sure about Feinstein. I am a big fan of Dr. Wolff as well as David Harvey – economics aside from IPE is not my strength. Part of it is the language they use to describe things – so reductive and anti-human – ie the unemployed referred to “lagging indicators” But that’s just me – I think words should be used very carefully.
Love this cartoon which explains the Crisis of Capitalism
Autumn: Excellent video. Thanks for sharing it. I’ll pass it on!
@swarthmoremom
RE: “The EU already has two member states – Poland and Hungary – that have moved towards authoritarian nationalism and away from liberal democracy. The success of the English nationalist revolution (and that is what Brexit is) will further energise those forces throughout the union.” I don’t think Trumpism is going to prevaiil in the US.”
I agree that Brexit is in part fueled by nationalism, however, it was also supported by Progressives who are tired of neo liberalism policy. Folks are fed up – the tipping point has been reached. As far as Poland and Hungary – those are both former East bloc countries (USSR satellite states) and many are very comfortable living under authoritarian regimes.
And finally re Trump – I think he has a very good chance of winning the GE UNLESS the DNC comes to its senses and chooses Sanders as the nominee. Already they are dismissing a $15 dollar minimum on the platform AND more importantly to me pushing to have the TPP vote put off for a another year. HRC of course says she’s against the TPP, but very few people believes her.
Sanders is hoping for a committee chair and Feingold is a Hillary supporter. It really does look like Feingold is coming back which is very good news. We have a strange election in which a woman neo liberal with very high unfavorables is opposed by a nationalistic xenophobic man with even higher unfavorables.The change Trump offers is not where most Americans want to go. Her campaign is organized and his is a mess. For that reason I think she will will win easily unless she is indicted or the republicans decide to dump him. Maybe Ivanka will tell him to quit in September when things look hopeless. Stein and Johnson will fare much better than the norm for independent candidates. There will be remorse over BREXIT and that will help Clinton. Scotland is desperately trying to join the EU on its own. Just my opinion……..
swarthmoremom: I’ll be really surprised if the Republican Party won’t dump Trump at the convention, especially with many of their staunch 1% saying they may vote for Billary. Not that I’m a fan of Mitt Romney, but he’d fare much better for the Republicans. Perhaps this is obvious, but I surmise the problem might be an independent Trump run which would take a large segment of the otherwise Republican vote along with him.
Many who voted for BREXIT thought the immigrants would be kicked out of GB. Now it looks like the immigrants will be staying in a weakened economy. Not the first time the voters were duped.
Well! SWM, our favorite faux progressive, Hillary propagandist got the memo. Brexit is “RAAAACIST!!” Spread the word. You can smell the flop sweat from Clintonista’s . Good to see you back, SWM. i hope they’re paying you.
http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-brexit-fantasy-is-about-to-come-crashing-down-1.2698974 “Racism and chauvinism
The questions that flow from it are not just about whether the Netherlands or France or Denmark might follow where England has led. It is about whether the blowback from failed austerity, the hubris of the euro project and the relentless rise of inequality will provide a fair wind for racism and chauvinism.
The EU already has two member states – Poland and Hungary – that have moved towards authoritarian nationalism and away from liberal democracy. The success of the English nationalist revolution (and that is what Brexit is) will further energise those forces throughout the union.” I don’t think Trumpism is going to prevaiil in the US.
Of possible interest:
Just read an article re Brexit on The Intercept “British Exit from EU not Inevitable Despite Referendum”. Robert Mackey sounds like an establishment tool, however, I found the comments very interesting…
https://theintercept.com/2016/06/24/british-exit-eu-still-not-inevitable-despite-referendum/?comments=1#comments
Autumn, that’s for the Intercept link. Here’s a particularly poignant comment that I wholly agree with:
David Mills
June 25 2016, 7:56 a.m.
“In voting to leave the EU, it is vital to stress that there is no need for haste,” Johnson said. Exactly the same attitude as before Brexit, one foot in and one out.
It’s a happy day for Europe. A sad day for all young people in the UK. An insult from Farage to Mrs. Cox and more right wing extremism to come. After 40 years of obstruction the UK left the EU. The EU now has the chance to reform what’s definitely necessary. Difficult yes, but without the UK much more possible.
Every Leave Voter forgot what the EU [is not] (war, high tuition fees for all EU students, borders, US income inequality, shit healthcare systems et cetera). You fight to keep this all and solve problems together instead in splendid isolation behind an illusionary Trump style wall. It’s sad that the primary driver for the Brexit is immigration since the UK itself bombs away in the Middle East which is the MAJOR CAUSE for that same immigration. A Brexit won’t solve this, but the (extreme) right always make great use of immigration and bombs to gain political power as history teaches.
The economy of the UK is highly dependent on the financial industry, now cut off by Brexit and so Frankfurt will take over from London. Scotland will have a referendum soon for independence and this time it will work. This day will be marked in history as a mistake for the UK and a win for Europe. Therefore a smaller UK will come back one day, on new terms.?
Steve, thanks for the reference to Crumb.
He’s been off my radar for a while since I saw the eponymous documentary on him a few years back.
Cheers to clear minds! Keep on Truckin. . .
Roscoe: I watched it a while back. I was surprised that such an introvert came out to be a bit of a kink after attaining some rank, but I don’t recall much else that didn’t entertain me in it. He’s certainly an eccentric.
It’s the comics that count though. He was certainly tuned in, and I salute him for it.
Here’s to clear minds! Best regards.
Roscoe – when you were watching the documentary on Crumb, did you feel nervous about his relationship with his daughter?
Paul, thanks for educating me that part of Ireland is in the EU and other is not. I need to do some reading and learn more about the UK.
Jill, thanks for your response – it’s very weird isn’t it? Some of the issues that both the far left and far right are concerned about – although they have very different ideologies are similar like opposition to the TTP and being pro voter’s rights for state self determination. Demonizing “others” is a proven tactic — it works to unite people behind a common “enemy” and given that I grew up in Germany and am all too aware of one of the most outcomes of this ugly rhetoric I find it very frightening. Working class people, and increasingly even educated “professionals” have watched as corporations gut their countries in the name of Profit and it can go either way — witness the super close election in Austria! So, we have to focus on supporting candidates who are not hateful and extreme and are inclusive IMO like Sanders, Stein – don’t know anything about Johnson – need to check him out.
One thing though about Trump is that even Jill Stein considers him less dangerous than HRC. Her record in terms of international relations is horrific. I think it’s also worthy to note that during the primary Democrats Abroad overwhelmingly voted for Bernie Sanders – 69%! These citizen ex-pats who live in other countries are not happy with Obama’s foreign policy and see HRC as continuing the same.
Even Jill Stein, the presumptive presidential Green Party candidate thinks that Clinton is more dangerous than Trump. According to Stein:
“Trump says very scary things—deporting immigrants, massive militarism and ignoring the climate. Hillary, unfortunately, has a track record for doing all of those things,” Stein says. “Hillary has supported the deportations of immigrants, opposed the refugees—women and children coming from Honduras, whose refugee crisis she was very much responsible for by giving a thumbs-up to this corporate coup in Honduras that has created the violence from which those refugees are fleeing.” Stein goes on to say, “We see these draconian things that Donald Trump is talking about, we actually see Hillary Clinton doing.”
http://www.democracynow.org/2016/6/9/green_partys_jill_stein_what_we
For what it’s worth, In my dreams I would see either Sanders/Gabbard 2016 or Sanders/Stein 2016
Autumn, your post was a delight to see. Other than I’m a Stein/Sanders, Stein/Feingold, or Stein/Teachout dreamer, we’re on the same side of this I think.
For me, Brexit is a matter of pitting the EU against the UK and the US, which neither side can afford. And I try to avoid thinking that neither side is going to back down. We all know what that would mean.
A federal system governing economic taking into account social conditions is far better for the protection of all. We regularly see the cycles in capitalism which prove it doesn’t work except for those at the top controlling the governments. I think the UK got selfish, as capitalists often do. We need a new economic model.
Complementing Matthias Rath’s analysis of the EU is this one by David Stockman:
Bravo Brexit!
June 24, 2016
“At long last, the tyranny of the global financial elite has been slammed good and hard. You can count on them to attempt another central bank based shock and awe campaign to halt and reverse the current sell-off, but it won’t be credible, sustainable or maybe even possible.
“The central banks and their compatriots at the EC, IMF, White House/Treasury, OECD, G-7 and the rest of the Bubble Finance apparatus have well and truly over-played their hand. They have created a tissue of financial lies; an affront to the very laws of markets, sound money and capitalist prosperity.
So there will be payback, clawback and traumatic deflation of the bubbles. Plenty of it, as far as the eye can see.
“On the immediate matter of Brexit, the British people have rejected the arrogant rule of the EU superstate and the tyranny of its un-elected courts, commissions and bureaucratic overlords.
“As Donald Trump was quick to point out, they have taken back their country. He urges that Americans do the same, and he might just persuade them.
“But whether Trumpism captures the White House or not, it is virtually certain that Brexit is a contagious political disease. In response to today’s history-shaking event, determined campaigns for Frexit, Spexit, NExit, Grexit, Italxit, Hungexit and more centrifugal political emissions will next follow.
“Smaller government—–at least in geography—–is being given another chance. And that’s a very good thing because more localized democracy everywhere and always is inimical to the rule of centralized financial elites.” {Emphasis added]
http://davidstockmanscontracorner.com/bravo-brexit/
Ken Rogers quotes David Stockman: “They have created a tissue of financial lies; an affront to the very laws of markets, sound money and capitalist prosperity.”
Capitalist prosperity? According to Richard Wolff, PhD, now at the New School, in 1980 the average CEO made 42 times as much as his labor force; and in 2015 he or she made 335 times that of the average labor force. Stockman’s operating under the misguided notion that capitalism works. In fact, it divides people, not only financially but socially. It’s inherently counterproductive and we see this regularly in the US. It’s the same everywhere. So, I say to you, ‘whose prosperity?’
As for Brexit, the US and the UK will now go at it alone, and that means a continuing war economy. Got a 15-year old? Get him an exemption or he’ll be fighting beside the other poor b’stards.
Paul thanks for your insight. I know way more about the continent than the UK. Just googled and read about Ukip. If the Scots choose to align themselves with the EU, I agree – why not?
Autumn – Northern Ireland has another problem with Ireland (which is in the EU). They will now have to have borders, customs, etc. However, this may be the perfect time to give Northern Ireland back to Ireland. 😉
Autumn,
Right wing groups are trying to harness this energy for their own purposes. The campaigns of Clinton and Trump would be going no where if they weren’t trying to whip people up against each other. While calling voters racist, Clinton will continue along the extreme right wing path of her racist predecessor, bombing and killing black and brown people around the world and further impoverishing people of every color here in the US.
Trump is busy turning one group of poor people against another, helping the oligarchy institute its far right policies on immigration. (Obama is already the deporter in chief, ordering torture in detention centers and break down the door night raids.) Instead of people working together to help each other out, (realizing that most people are at risk from this unjust and unlawfully acting govt.) they will be at each others throats, misdiagnosing what is actually going wrong in the US.
So I do agree, extreme right wing groups called the Democratic and Republican party are using this for their own purpose. The way to stop that is to understand that the oligarchy is responsible for ruining the economy though sleazy deals between politicians and corporations. Clinton and Trump are both about as totalitarian as it gets and I hope people will understand this and seek a different path–one of social, environmental and economic justice.
Paul,
Not at all – I am totally in favor of self-determination – for example Biden’s speech this week about foreign policy and bullying was so absurd given that 600,000 Okinawans turned out a few days previously to protest their occupation by US bases. My only concern is that the rightwing groups will harness the very real relevant energy to further their goals. I am elated about Brexit and honestly hope that more countries follow suit. Scotland I don’t get – are they getting handouts from the EU?
Autumn – I think they are not happy about being part of the British Empire. Ireland was able to kick loose, why not them. I think they voted before, but the referendum lost.
So I’m watching RT.com right now and a possible “domino effect” is being discussed in terms of other EU countries who may wish to leave the EU – a Frexit, Czechxit, Auxit, etc. I think there are valid reasons why citizens may wish to escape the perceived stranglehold of Brussels, but I worry that the right wing factions are using the dissatisfaction to draw people into their agenda.
Any thoughts?
Autumn – do you have a problem with people controlling their own destiny or would you rather have Brussels do it for them? I watched the breakdown of the voting in the UK last night and generally many of the larger population center went for Remain but with lower numbers then the outlying country that went with much higher numbers. Even Northern Ireland wanted out. For some reason Scotland wanted to stay.
Now there is talk of Scotland trying to leave the UK again. Not sure if that is really a loss or not.
Steve,
I appreciate your sense of humor (or should I write “humour”?) Yes, Hillary changes often according to the polls – delightfully chronicled at #whichhillary. I wonder if that’s why she has not given a press conference since December. It is hard to face the press corps – even if they are “friendlies” – with no polls to steer her answers.
Cheers!
@ JT
“I have long been uncomfortable with the shifting of governance powers to international organizations like the EU which are not subject to the same democratic pressures as a national government.”
Dr. Matthias Rath has a similar, if more graphic and in-depth, take on the EU:
“In a recent edition of the London Times and two subsequent press statements, the Dr. Rath Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Matthias Rath, informed the people of Britain and the world about the following facts:
1. The Brussels EU is not a democracy. The parliament of the ‘Brussels EU’ lacks basic fundamental rights of any democracy, such as the right to initiate legislation.
2. The undemocratic structure of the ‘Brussels EU’ was not designed by accident. The Brussels construct, headed by a ‘Commission’, was created as a corporate ‘Cartel Office’ – the centerpiece of the World War Two Nazi plans for a Europe under German corporate and political control.
3. Before and during World War Two, the founding president and chief architect of the Brussels construct, Walter Hallstein, had been the key legal architect of plans to incorporate Britain and Europe into the Third Reich.
4. Both World War One, initiated by the ‘Second German Reich’, and World War Two, launched by the ‘Third German Reich’ and its corporate backers, had, as their defined war goals, the buildup of a “European Economic Union/Area” under German dominance.
5. Today’s ‘Brussels EU’ is nothing other than an attempt to build the ‘Fourth German Reich’ behind the veil of a so-called “European Union”, with a hegemonic Germany being surrounded by economically and politically subservient nations.
It is obvious that the German-led corporate interests responsible for over 100 million deaths in two world wars would do everything possible to prevent the spread of the facts about the continuation of their century-long plans for the conquest of Europe.”
Read the full article here:
http://www4.dr-rath-foundation.org/features/dr-matthias-rath-exposes-german-chancellery-as-coordinator-of-neo-nazi-organized-murders.html?utm_source=email&utm_medium=artikel-1-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-20160622
Ken Rogers – WWI was initiated by Serbia.
“Queen Elizabeth screaming at stockbroker to dump everything”.-The Onion, JUNE 24, 2016.
Tom – thank God for the Onion to give us the straight story.
Autumn, people can evolve. Clinton did just a few short weeks ago when poll numbers required it.