Vulcanoid

I think a lot of the problem started in America, but has spread around the developed world, and the question is how good civic institutions are at holding it back. I don't know if Karl Rove was the first, but he certainly popularized the political idea of take-no-prisoners, all you needed to do was massively wind up 1 more voter than the 'enemy' could, never mind if that was 50%+1 of society, far less a broad consensus. The basic problem is that the right have discovered they win by not ceding any ground, even if what they win is less than they could have shared otherwise. Obamacare is a good example of this, where US citizens are obliged to purchase private insurance - the system idolized in the 90s by Republicans, who now view it as dangerously left-wing. They put in a lot of effort to constantly move the Overton window, so as soon as their opponents take a step towards them in an effort to compromise, that position immediately becomes the furthest left anything can ever go, and the centre shifts rightward.

There's an argument to be had about whether the Democrats should respond in kind by demanding things to the left, but if they come to do so, that does risk compromise and long-term stability being utterly impossible. Unfortunately, there may not be a choice, since this year has shown Republicans don't care about either long-term or compromises, having agreed a consensus budget, voted for it, then promptly demanding tearing up the Democrats' bits. If they're going to be like this, working with them will become absolutely impossible, (see also: stealing a Supreme Court seat by unconstitutionally refusing to do their job of advise & consent on the President's pick, and the abolition of long-standing bipartisan traditions like blue slip vetos for judges to a Senator's state).

That said, I was amazed today when the normally spineless Ted Cruz came out in vocal opposition to a Nazi running for the Republicans in Illinois. If they can cut off the cancerous fringe of the party, there may be hope for them.

France and the Netherlands were good at telling those same forces to take a hike, and Denmark relies on them for votes but refused them the Prime Ministership for the same reason. Britain may be a semi-lost cause for the moment; the current choice is between the country either being shot in the head, or refusing to lie down but then finding a way to stop an armed revolt by the people who actually shot an MP in the head. For the moment, the island is stuck with the first government in history actively trying to do harm because it doesn't dare try the contrary. I regularly feel lucky we had a way out.

Jingsamichty

+1
There are a frightening number of people who genuinely believe that the BBC is a left-wing propaganda machine.

mikelincs

I suspect that more are now leaning the other way as the BBC consistently fail to cover anything vaguely left wing, like the NHS march yesterday, which received very little coverage despite starting from outside broadcasting house for that very reason.

BristolUK

Just like back in the 80s then when they'd quote police sources of march numbers of about three pensioners and a dog and when they connived with the police to show the Orgreave footage in the wrong sequence to blame the miners.

People often complained about left wing bias back then too and I remember reading about several governors and others who had been or were Tory candidates or Labour deserters.

carcajou

The same France and the Netherlands that sent the Le Pens to the Presidential run-off twice, and that now has Geert Wilders as leader of the opposition?

BristolUK

Losing heavily
In opposition. You know, as in not being the government that Vulcanoid was referring to.

carcajou

Oh, sure. That Wilders and Le Pen have risen so far is a sign that everything is under control. Nothing to see here, carry on! Just like in Italy and Austria. Oh, wait . . .

We're running out of countries in the EU to just write off and label as anomalies.

Vulcanoid

You seem to have stopped reading before the first line. Sorry for burying it so deep.

BristolUK

There's a lack of logical thought process that puzzles me. Or fairness, even. I mean, bias is one thing - we all have that - but downright stupidity...that takes some beating.

Here in New Brunswick we recently had an election. I don't really favour either of the two dominant parties. The party I'd likely favour doesn't get a look in here. But two of the major issues in NB since I moved here in 2005 were the lack of abortion rights - even though legislated for - and no catastrophic prescription plan like existed in the rest of Canada under various names. Study was replaced by new study on every change of government - which happened every cycle with no second term.

But the last government actually did something about it and we now have the same abortion rights as the rest of Canada and an affordable drug plan run jointly with Blue Cross. It really feels like NB has modernised a bit.

As is usual, though, there's no second term and the opposition won the most seats, 22 to 21. But no working majority. And while they won one more seat, the 'government' won the people's vote 140,000 to 120,000. Or 38% as against 32%. The governing leader tried to hang on, even to the point of including opposition policies in the throne speech in an attempt to sway some to vote his way in the confidence vote. It was doomed.

The 'debates' in the on line news site are all about "the people voted for change" and in the interests of fairness, I'd comment that while the electoral system isn't based on the popular vote it's difficult to claim the people were crying out for change when more voted for the outgoing government than the incoming one.

The answer would be that 62% voted against them. Well, if you use that argument you have to accept that 68% voted against the other side so your argument looks even worse. Or stupid. Honestly this sounds more like Trump's America than Canada.

The now ex-Premier is accused of desperately hanging on to power by including opposition policies in the throne speech, but isn't it equally desperate to mobilise all your party to vote against your own policies in order to win a confidence vote? Want a bet that if the roles were reversed the same thing would happen? They always do. Every incoming government rewards those helping them with a cushy job on the Power Board or the Liquor equvalent, the opposition complains of cronyism and then they do the same when it's their turn.

But everyone behaves as if it's unique to one party.

It's no wonder I have little interest in politics in Canada...although writing this means it might have become a little less dull.

jimf

New Civil War it is ...

http://www.niallferguson.com/journal...r-to-civil-war

America is exhausted by this new Civil War | Niall Ferguson | Journalism