My final post on politics. This is the only thing that matters and something the Democrats need to carefully examine.
Well played Dominic ->
Well played Dominic ->
X : What about if we get a new ...
Me : Stop! The wolves are no longer baying at the door, we've welcomed them in with open arms. Adaptation is a survival mechanism. We're all wolves now. The past is gone.
Me : Stop! The wolves are no longer baying at the door, we've welcomed them in with open arms. Adaptation is a survival mechanism. We're all wolves now. The past is gone.
X : If only ...
Me : Heaven help us. I did warn that what I feared was not brexit but what happens if we continue to ignore the will of the people. We're here now. We're all wolves now. Adapt to it.
Me : Heaven help us. I did warn that what I feared was not brexit but what happens if we continue to ignore the will of the people. We're here now. We're all wolves now. Adapt to it.
X : Have you thought of moving to Scotland?
Me : That's very sweet and Scotland is not only a great place (I used to live there) but it deserves its independence. However, I live in England with the rest of the wolves. That's not going to change.
Me : That's very sweet and Scotland is not only a great place (I used to live there) but it deserves its independence. However, I live in England with the rest of the wolves. That's not going to change.
X : How influential do you think ...
Me : Stop! No-one cares. That's enough. It's over. We're all wolves now. If you want maps, there you go. This is the same conservation I had about May pre-2017 election. May would have had a landslide if ... oh, who cares. Water under bridge.
Me : Stop! No-one cares. That's enough. It's over. We're all wolves now. If you want maps, there you go. This is the same conservation I had about May pre-2017 election. May would have had a landslide if ... oh, who cares. Water under bridge.
Cost cutting completed this morning ... drawbridge up, portcullis down.
Now looking into mutuals / friendly societies - financialmutuals.org - with a view of ensuring adequate healthcare and other provisions.
Now looking into mutuals / friendly societies - financialmutuals.org - with a view of ensuring adequate healthcare and other provisions.
X : Seriously?
Me : It has only been day one but "Those who can afford to take out an insurance policy, should be encouraged to do so” Damian Green MP, LBC ... come on, you must know what's going to happen over the next five years, patient choice, patient budgets etc.
Me : It has only been day one but "Those who can afford to take out an insurance policy, should be encouraged to do so” Damian Green MP, LBC ... come on, you must know what's going to happen over the next five years, patient choice, patient budgets etc.
X : Patient budgets?
Me : Personal health budgets - nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/… ... it's about giving you choice i.e. what sort of privatised NHS are you unwittingly choosing? You don't think that privatisation just happens with a big "for sale" sign or without your unknowing assent?
Me : Personal health budgets - nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/… ... it's about giving you choice i.e. what sort of privatised NHS are you unwittingly choosing? You don't think that privatisation just happens with a big "for sale" sign or without your unknowing assent?
The process is fairly simple, more will be given budgets because ... well, you're the public and you know best (aka acquiescence). You'll be able to top up your budgets (aka contribution) and over time because of cost and fairness then budgets will be harmonised and reduced ...
.. but you'll have a market of providers (aka choice) ... of course, we won't mention the downside of choice which is exclusion.
Anyway the NHS will privatised with your acquiescence, your contribution and your choice. It shouldn't take more than five years ...
Anyway the NHS will privatised with your acquiescence, your contribution and your choice. It shouldn't take more than five years ...
... the best thing (depending upon your perspective) is that such a change can be baked into trade deals protected by international courts i.e. market access. Which means it'll be almost impossible to reverse it - see TTIP.
In short, start planning now.
In short, start planning now.
i.e. think Friendly societies.
We need to quickly learn to adapt. We know what we've voted for, we now have to work to mitigate the worst effects on the poorest, the most vulnerable.
I'm not ready to be involved yet. Give me time but for now I need to make a strategic retreat.
We need to quickly learn to adapt. We know what we've voted for, we now have to work to mitigate the worst effects on the poorest, the most vulnerable.
I'm not ready to be involved yet. Give me time but for now I need to make a strategic retreat.
But ... please, please ... stop spending energy and what remaining political capital Labour has on getting outraged, demonstrating against Boris and infighting.
Accept what has happened, adapt and realise there is now a lot of work to be done to protect the most vulnerable.
Accept what has happened, adapt and realise there is now a lot of work to be done to protect the most vulnerable.
You need to realise that we have a decade of rampant neoliberalism before us.
We have to accept and adapt. Those old ideas from universal healthcare to education are gone, left to history.
We will need to rebuild relevance in a very different UK.
We have to accept and adapt. Those old ideas from universal healthcare to education are gone, left to history.
We will need to rebuild relevance in a very different UK.
And ... as unpalatable as it might seem ... that means a future Labour will now probably need to be right of Blairism.
Before you recoil in horror, think about where we are heading and the alternative of not being this.
Before you say ... we can afford to ... yes, I know ...
Before you recoil in horror, think about where we are heading and the alternative of not being this.
Before you say ... we can afford to ... yes, I know ...
... but the issue is not what the nation can afford, the issue is education and what people will believe.
A wonderful study of Romanian business students ... education changes perspective.
A wonderful study of Romanian business students ... education changes perspective.
... neoliberalism has been baked into education and through the media for 40+ years. It's why we are constantly shifting further right.
I know the economic lies etc but that is irrelevant. It'll take 40+ years to change perspective and that can only start with success.
I know the economic lies etc but that is irrelevant. It'll take 40+ years to change perspective and that can only start with success.
The most relevant graph you will see in this election is this one ... and I've highlighted the bit that matters.
Exposure to the system of neoliberalism over time will make you act in a more individualistic manner and support neoliberalism. No different from the Romanian study.
Exposure to the system of neoliberalism over time will make you act in a more individualistic manner and support neoliberalism. No different from the Romanian study.
You cannot change this quickly by having a better or fairer manifesto.
Labour will need to move right of Blairism, it'll need to win and it will have to prove over a 40 year period (this is how long education systems take to change) that a better path exists.
Labour will need to move right of Blairism, it'll need to win and it will have to prove over a 40 year period (this is how long education systems take to change) that a better path exists.
So, fine Labour's manifesto was exceptional, it was incredibly fair and balanced, it would have done wonders for the economy, for equality, for opportunity ... but none of that stuff matters.
You need to take a longer path, the changes are too baked into education.
You need to take a longer path, the changes are too baked into education.
Start planning, when you are ready and take a long term view.
Accept that we're going have a couple of terms of naked neoliberalism. Adapt to that. Labour will need to rebuild and be remoulded.
It doesn't mean the manifesto was wrong - it was fabulous. It was also irrelevant.
Accept that we're going have a couple of terms of naked neoliberalism. Adapt to that. Labour will need to rebuild and be remoulded.
It doesn't mean the manifesto was wrong - it was fabulous. It was also irrelevant.
X : What about the NHS?
Me : Gosh. It's gone. It's over. You'll be fighting the wrong battle trying to save it. Think more US style insurance with a market of providers and a franchise called the "NHS". You need to think broader and longer term if you want more than irrelevance.
Me : Gosh. It's gone. It's over. You'll be fighting the wrong battle trying to save it. Think more US style insurance with a market of providers and a franchise called the "NHS". You need to think broader and longer term if you want more than irrelevance.
X : What do you think about protests?
Me : Counterproductive. Pick your poison / conspiracy - either idiotic fringes on the left or misguided individuals funded by the right - result is the same, loss of political capital. Anyone involved from Labour should be permanently banned.
Me : Counterproductive. Pick your poison / conspiracy - either idiotic fringes on the left or misguided individuals funded by the right - result is the same, loss of political capital. Anyone involved from Labour should be permanently banned.
X : What do you think of Blue Labour?
Me : Now is the time for strategic retreat, for reflection, for rebuilding and for planning a long term game. It is a time for accepting, understanding and adapting to a new reality. It is not a time for knee jerk reactions but stillness.
Me : Now is the time for strategic retreat, for reflection, for rebuilding and for planning a long term game. It is a time for accepting, understanding and adapting to a new reality. It is not a time for knee jerk reactions but stillness.
So I have no issue with discussions but we need that time to retreat, to reflect and to build. You have to be thinking long term. There should be no action, no decision, no campaigning ... stillness. Let it all sink in.
X : Did you really cut your charity contributions?
Me : Yes. Once I've got myself and family sorted then I'll re-engage but it'll be 100% local on food banks / homeless / poverty depending upon circumstances.
Art, Cancer, Environment, Animals, Heritage, Museums etc - gone.
Me : Yes. Once I've got myself and family sorted then I'll re-engage but it'll be 100% local on food banks / homeless / poverty depending upon circumstances.
Art, Cancer, Environment, Animals, Heritage, Museums etc - gone.
X : Won't a One Nation Tory approach be good for the country?
Me : A good friend of mine @liammax calls me a a "One Nation Tory" ... that's because I'm "Old" Labour and the difference between them is tiny - focus on the many not the few, market as a tool not a purpose etc.
Me : A good friend of mine @liammax calls me a a "One Nation Tory" ... that's because I'm "Old" Labour and the difference between them is tiny - focus on the many not the few, market as a tool not a purpose etc.
... most of the Labour Manifesto was "One Nation Tory", I know many called it Marxist but that's because they haven't a clue what they are talking about. Empty vessels making noise.
X : So what's wrong with One Nation?
Me : There is no evidence that the current Gov is One Nation.
X : So what's wrong with One Nation?
Me : There is no evidence that the current Gov is One Nation.
... hence my whole "let us hope they're more huskies than wolves" ... the slogans are good but the action, well we shall see.
I'm not confident. If I look at the examples of people talking "One Nation" - - it's naked neoliberalism.
I'm not confident. If I look at the examples of people talking "One Nation" - - it's naked neoliberalism.
... if you want to be "One Nation" then you're going to need to go back to the original purpose, to revisit Disraeli, to protect the many from excessive collection of power by either state OR market. You'll need to realise the market is a tool and not something to believe in.
X : Are you really cutting back on Green investments?
Me : For now? I'm not planning to invest. I produce (solar) almost as much power as I use and have decent levels of efficiency etc. There's more I want to do but for now, let us call this a strategic review ...
Me : For now? I'm not planning to invest. I produce (solar) almost as much power as I use and have decent levels of efficiency etc. There's more I want to do but for now, let us call this a strategic review ...
... I want to see what our new Government does. Is there going to be collective action or just a focus on the individual?
I also want to see how they deal with fracking, how they tackle the explosive growth in 4x4s and the lacklustre growth in electric etc etc.
I also want to see how they deal with fracking, how they tackle the explosive growth in 4x4s and the lacklustre growth in electric etc etc.
