thread

WE HAVE A PROBLEM

1. I've tweeted about this before & there's a problem with no viable solution at the moment. Whatever your views on Brexit, I'm sure we can all agree it was a symptom of discontent.

2. People voted for change, a big change & we're told in no uncertain fashion that the change would hit the economy. You can't threaten people who have nowt, with more nowt. They'd had 10 yrs + of nowt, bailing out the mess caused by the 2008 crash.

3. Recessions tend to last 18 months to 2 years, but outside of London the austerity endured for over a decade & has caused longer lasting damage & deprivation to many regions.

4. Just as the UK rejected neoliberalism, so did the US when they voted for Trump.

Just because Trump has gone (well almost), it doesn't alter that problems in society that voted him into power in the first place.

5. The BLM protests came along at the worst possible time. In the UK we'd waited 4 yrs to leave the EU with a promise of levelling up the regions, making our economy less London-centric. In the US the Rust Belt voted for Trump for similar, levelling up reasons.

6. The global problems caused by the 2008 crash & the inequality it emphasised should have been a call to action for leaders to bring about stimulus & change. But they bailed the banks & left the public to pick up the bill, initiating crippling public spending to do so.

7. The unforgivable element in all this is the duration. It should have been evident early on that cutting public spending so drastically during a recession caused the economy to contract further. And at a time when record numbers of migrants were driving down low skilled wages.

8. So the West were all out winners in the race to the bottom of how to trash the economy & make people suffer for it.

A lot of people have waited a long time for change. Then along comes BLM & the silent majority feel marginalised again.

9. I can't help but feel that Trump's presidency was a wasted opportunity. Had he not been so offensive, had just reined in a little on the narrative, he'd have been in for another 4 years. His handling of the pandemic didn't help either & came at the worst time, pre-election.

10. So instead the US have tilted back to the Democrats & I can't help but think it won't work out well. Trump had made headway in the Middle East with the peace initiatives, yet now it may all unravel without careful handling.

11. Another 4 years would have built on that initiative & could have made a huge difference to Europe with the migration issues we all face. Peace & stability in the Middle East gives opportunity for countries to prosper, thus stemming the need or desire for people to flee.

12. I get the feeling the Democrat victory is but a hiatus in what is turning out to be a long painful process towards change. People have lost faith in the system because it failed & no-one has really acknowledged the enforced sacrifices people had to make to prop it up.

13. The only people left with faith in the system are the political class who have no idea & no vision as to how to set about making changes that work. They're still not listening. The people who do know are those that live it, day in day out. Ask them. And then listen.

14. I hope for the sake of the US that things settle down soon. I believe they will. Today's protests could have been much worse. As it was, the protesters appeared to be making a point, but had no motive to cause serious harm or lasting damage.

15. Restoring faith & trust will take time.

As for our liberal 'elite' media & celebs, so quick to condemn. Shame on you. You've shown yourselves up to be authoritarian, out of touch, 'hang em high' cranks.

You are the very thing you claim to despise.