#UKElection Open Thread
Can't say I know much about the electoral process there, or can even offer a fair commentary of what to expect, or frame the situation for context.
But I have been enthused by the great outpouring of folks for Jeremy Corbyn and Labour's campaign, especially the youth. It's reminiscent of Bernie's here and obviously has ramifications for a global Left to gain footing. In an increasingly sputtering world of fascist voices filling the void where the "Left" have been masquerading too long on past glories as the party of the people it's very encouraging to see another clear and concise message, given by another genuine and authentic voice that slices right through the typical massive propaganda, to rally the masses under the auspices of the 99% and the dignified humanity of Socialism.
It would appear now, despite the rancid but predictable and tired attacks in what appears to be similar tactics to the ones used here of a coordinated collusion by the mainstream corporate media against Socialist candidacies, that Corbyn is in a better position than in a long time for Labour to make the most convincing argument that the Tories' lies about the "free market" and nationalism are a dead end.
Last night I went to a public meeting held at the UAW offices in midtown Manhattan of the Socialist Alternative folks who fought a brutal battle with Amazon in Seattle and came out victorious. To me it was a bellwether of how the Left is positioned to take on corporate monopolies, Big Money and the Oligarchy and defeat them by fighting proactively with real Socialist or Marxist praxis. I'll try to write up something about it if I can.
As it is right now I'm kind of on the edge of my seat. Though not knowing the ropes well enough to have any real idea either way of how it's going to go or how to interpret the real time results, there feels like something may be underfoot. Is the moment now, in light of a staggering number of global uprisings specifically class in nature and going up against corrupt governments, that it all starts coming together with a shift in consciousness reflected in electoral results?
Never mind the naysayers,
Never mind the cold,
Never mind the Tory press,
Never mind the polls:#VoteLabour #UKElection #GeneralElection2019 pic.twitter.com/UVEDQgesGm— Australasia Labour Party (@AusNZ_Labour) December 12, 2019
Comments
Hadn't seen anything here and it seems like the elephant
in the room of global politics.
Seems even before vicious slime merchant Murdoch was on the scene scaring the populace on the eve of elections with his "turn out the lights" fear-mongering headlines spread across his daily rags aimed at the fear-laden working class casting their votes that day, his oligarch antecedents were showing him the way. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
Those kids...they're alright.
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
#YOUTHQUAKE
Trending on Twitter.
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
Thanks for this
UK election open thread, Mark. I’ve been following it closely on this website. If Corbin gets elected - all bets are off.
We are moving into a new consciousness. We’ve been in the third dimension of consciousness and are moving to the fifth. We’ll get there beginning in 2030, but in the meantime, we are in the fourth dimension of consciousness where third dimension hangers-on try to pull us back (Trump, Biden, Clinton, corporatists), while the millennials and GenZers are pulling us toward the fifth dimension of consciousness. It’s why I’m all over the youth taking us forward. Bernie was born before his time, but it’s taken him, starting in 2015, to awaken the population to this movement. We will get to, but not without the upheaval we are experiencing.
I’ll be checking in periodically. Polls close at 3:00pm my time (5:00 pm eastern), so I should know results by the time I’m enjoying my evening!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
A good sign
Looks like Corbyn will out-perform polls again, but by how much?
Russia endorses Boris
Funny how the media doesn't care about that.
You mean 'A Russian' supports Boris don't you?
I looked on his twitter but I can't read Russian however I don't see any government connection and the LDPR party of which he is a member. is a ultra right wing Party.
However it does feed the Russian meddling farce, but not a word about Boris' support here in the US, and I don't see people saying 'America supports Boris'. and fwiw that is not the Party of which Vladimir Putin is a member.
Nope. I mean 'Russia!'
because if a single Russian supports someone, then it's the same as Russia!
At least that is the rules for anyone on the left. Or do those rules not apply to people on the right?
Jonathan Pie on 10 years of Tory misrule.
Perhaps his best rant ever...
.
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
Fingers are crossed
https://www.commondreams.org/
"It's Happening," Declares Jeremy Corbyn as Early UK Election Reports Suggest "Longest Queues Ever"
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
What's this? Anyone want to take a gander?
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
If the establishment can't get the votes it needs
to perpetuate their crimes, they bugger the election by blatantly cheating. Saw the yank's version of the same movie not too long ago.
question everything
I want Corbyn to win
He might be able to get Assange out of the Belmarsh nightmare and stop him from being extradited here. I will be appalled if the Brits reelect Boris after the news about the NHS has come out. That alone would get me to the polls and maybe that is why the youth turn out is so high.
I agree about the hope for Assanges rests on this election
If Corbyn wins I believe Julian Assange finally has a chance to live and be free at last.
This could have been written for the USA
I don't know what to think of anyone who votes for Boris. Just hoping that the big youth turnout means that they are voting for Corbyn.
Looks like polls close in half hour. I’m at the library
with the kids, who are enjoying Socialist amenities and then have to pick a few groceries and cook. My lady is at her office Xmas party. Already gonna be a long night either way.
Alas I may miss the first results. Hope some folks can stand in to post what they’re seeing.
Thanks rebel hearts.
#CapitalismKills
#SocialismSaves
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
BBC says exit polls show a huge Tory win.
Exit polls -- they used to be valid.
https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50765773
If so, it seems that the UK wants Brexit more than anything else.
I can't believe that Bojo is this popular
and the english want to privatize the NHS
the dots don't connect.....long lines usually
mean change
“Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything.”
― Joseph Stalin
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
The people of Britain had a clear choice
Hard Brexit or the NHS.
They chose a Hard Brexit.
I'm happy that they got what they wanted.
They better hope that they never get sick.
We shall see whether they lose the NHS
I think this threat will not materialize. The people understood it for the threat it was.
The NHS is going down
Not all at once, but it's fate is now sealed.
@gjohnsit Where is the proof
Where is the proof? People claim Medicare is toast all the time as well.
Same shit, different country.
Why do I feel like I've seen this all before?
Frankly it's hard to believe it could be so decisive so early.
Still it's fucking so depressing to be smacked like this.
Well, we know that the exit polls for the 2016 primary were waaaayyyy off. And for three days after the Seattle election while the votes were still being counted Kshama was losing - until she won.
I don't know. Haven't begun to really look. But it looks bad.
Chapo's raging:
The amount of £ your insulin just went up by
Get ready to learn what a deductible is you British cunts
Fuck this godforsaken country
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
Mind boggling ain't it?
They knew what was on the line and it looks like that's what they voted for. Did you watch the video I posted? Anyone who saw it and voted for Johnson anyway...well you get what you vote for.
Some sobering, grounded, searching rants - via Chapo.
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
Has Corbyn's mushy stance on Brexit cost him?
From the early Labour district returns in the northeast, results showing Cons vote remaining steady while Labour loses a big chunk to the Brexit party.
Swing voters in Labour districts don't want a second referendum.
If Corbyn loses, that's a big reason.
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
if Corbyn loses, and it looks like that's so...
it's because the Blairites in Labour kneecapped him. They'd rather have Johnson than Corbyn, just like certain Democrats would rather have Trump than Bernie.
I think the Brits were just done with the EU
Especially rural Britain. They have taken a royal fucking since Britain joined the EU.
Bend over, buckwheat
I suspect they are about to find out what a royal fucking really consists of.
Brexit or no, they've jumped from the frying pan into the fire.
Absolutely
Why can't people see that the EU was exactly the same kind of system we had after the Revolutionary War before we had the Constitutional Convention. The EU was just a loose Confederacy in which the powerful states absolutely dominate the weak states with no checks and balances.
Then it had a currency that was not a governmental currency and so the weaker states could do nothing to manage their own economies.
I think this is a great day. And I don't think the threat of losing the NHS will happen. Just a bunch of neoliberal bullshit.
Maybe the EU will collapse. Good riddance if it does.
Agree about the EU
Neoliberalism is now enshrined into the treaties of Lisbon and Maastrich. But the Tories will be very bad and there is a good chance that Corbyn will be replaced by a Blairite so this is a bad day.
Corbyn was always going to be screwed by Brexit
In his own party he has left leavers and remainers so he tried to fudge things. His stance was negotiate and re-vote and this did not please many, but there was no winning strategy for him. In addition, there are probably lots of leavers that would have voted Labour if the UK had already left the EU, but they want to get out of the EU and get out now so they voted Tory. Corbyn has also been demonized by the neoliberal media and that didn't help.
live tracker from the you tube (The Telegraph)
Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.
The race appeared to be tightening
But the awful DePiffle, who runs away from any unscripted moment, appears to have victory in the bag.
The mind boggles. Nine years of austerity and incompetence and the English (not the Scottish) vote for this toxic brew.
I was never keen on Corbyn, but he at least offered a way forward through the poison of Brexit. Now it'll be a Tory Brexit, and more of the dreadful same.
And the inevitable break up of the UK. Apparently, a decent, national broadband plan was just too 'socialistic'. A 'public good' too far. "Let's Make Britain Less Global"
I give up.
Plus, Brexit will deprive me of my EU citizenship (my son also), which really cheeses me off.
(Edited)
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Time to Say Goodbye...
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
more like.....
[video:https://youtu.be/Oi7xBe5-M8k]
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
EU citizenship? Can you explain?
Does the EU issue an EU passport? Is there a diplomatic passport for EU member states? If yes I want one. Oh boy, what a world.
I am so confused.
https://www.euronews.com/live
The UK is (at present)
part of the EU. All citizens of EU countries have EU citizenship, i.e., freedom of movement to live and work within the EU without barriers. If I had the money and a house to live in, I could just travel and live in Turin.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Thus, the Poles,
Bulgarians, etc...came to GB and were willing to work for slave labor, house in fire trap apartment buildings, because there were no jobs at home. Stress on the NHS ensued.
Benefit to a laborer in GB was...what?
It is always couched in racist terms, when the problem from inception was foreign poor white people competing for jobs with English white poor/working people. Foreigners won. They accepted the slave wages.
This flipped back today, except the GB laborers do not know what is coming with their health care.
Steep learning curve.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
was known to me, but ...
then, do I have double citizenship? A German one with a German Passport and a European one, because Germany is member state of the EU?
Bingo. I am lucky.
I assume you refer the Shengen Visa applications.
Schengen Visa Information
... and if you want to work or study, then you need more than a national travel visa as well.
there are visas and then there are other visas and a lot of conditions must be met to be allowed to work in the EU member states.
https://www.euronews.com/live
That is part of being a country.
There probably are some Americans who wanted an American Union and if we had one and voted to exit they would be pissed as well.
Your countrymen have spoken and many of them hated the EU. And as I pointed out the US tried that kind of confederacy of states before we had our Constitution and it didn't work. I am surprised the EU has lasted as long as it did, especially given the fact that governments did not have their own currency to handle their own economic problems.
You blame the austerity that you have gone through on the wrong people. That was caused by the EU bankers, not a particular government. Or if was caused by a particular government, well then it was caused by the most powerful one or two who had some power over the banks.
The Confederacy tried it again 1861-1865
They had the same problems plus the war they so rashly started, and the whole thing fell apart in less than five years.
Incidentally, the whole Confederacy/Virginia/West Virginia situation demonstrated blatant hypocrisy on both sides. The Federal government argued that it was Not OK for any states to secede from the Union, but that it was OK for any part-of-a-state that wanted to secede from the Confederacy and become a Union state to do so. The Confederacy argued that secession from the Federal union was OK, but secession of West Virginia from Virginia was Not OK.
Go figure....
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
It's like we have been there and done that twice.
And people still contemplate it all the time. Which pissed off state wants to secede this year?
But without some kind of federal government over all the states, confederations just don't work.
I do think that efforts by the press to demonize Corbyn
has grabbed people by the emotions and dragged them into doing something stupid. Bernie is relying on person to person contact to counteract all the BS the press puts out. I hope it works out for us. The Brits will discover how screwed they are, probably without knowing why.
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
@Lily O Lady The Brits were already
The Brits were already screwed having joined the EU in the first place. When you make that bad of a mistake to begin with, there is bound to be some pain getting out of it.
Mencken again
“Democracy is the belief that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.”
We can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed.
- Greta Thunberg
Link to the actual results.
Link to the actual results. Other links appreciated if this isn't accurate https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2019/results
They say that there's a broken light for every heart on Broadway
They say that life's a game and then they take the board away
They give you masks and costumes and an outline of the story
And leave you all to improvise their vicious cabaret-- A. Moore
I am kicking myself that I actually
thought Corbyn could eke out a win.
I should have known better than to have hope.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
BDSM, UK style
It would appear that the Anglo-Welsh working classes are into a bit of BDSM, as they've just elected the greatest Pain Parliament in the UK's history!
"Stupid git!" -- M. Python
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
I have no clue what
BDSM is...
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
defined
bondage/dominance/sado-masochism
(other spell-outs apply, following the same general idea)
with the Parliament that the UK just elected, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be singing this in a year:
[video:https://youtu.be/gpMorbaF0fo]
"..... it's my destiny to be the Queen of Pain...."
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Does the UK use black-box voting, or what exactly?
If it's black boxes, the matter is relatively self-explanatory. (We're going to get the same screwing-over, twice as hard, in less than a year.)
Hand-counted paper ballots would require rather more explanation....
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
@TheOtherMaven Historically the Brits
Historically the Brits have used paper ballots. I have not heard of any change to the contrary.
Here is the proof.