Disappointed in senior elected officials
Jun. 15th, 2022 01:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mtbcFor a few more days, I live in a country that not only allows people to buy military assault rifles but can't even agree that buyers first need a background check. I have wondered if one issue is primaries that tend against the nomination of centrists. However, I happened to catch some Prime Minister's Question Time today and, my goodness.
Before we put forth the relative virtues of parliamentary democracies, consider that the UK has many capable people to choose from yet somehow we have ended up with a government in which Boris Johnson is Prime Minister, Priti Patel is Home Secretary*, and Liz Truss is Foreign Secretary. How did we manage that? But the Opposition is led by Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner and, again, goodness. I once had some hope for Keir but today he favored cheap rhetoric aimed at soundbites and laughs, a tactic that feels like a tragic waste of an opportunity, It might have been funny had the context not been that of governing the country.
In the meantime, having lived through one independence refendum in Scotland, it seems as if I may have to endure many months of another. Last time, the SNP proposed an incredible fantasy with imaginary numbers and promises about things outside their control, a future in which we could have our cake and eat it. There are credible paths forward, they may even be attractive if they truly embrace independence from England. In practice, on past form, local news will probably be filled with poppycock again.
*In fairness to her, the position is open only to Sith Lords.
Before we put forth the relative virtues of parliamentary democracies, consider that the UK has many capable people to choose from yet somehow we have ended up with a government in which Boris Johnson is Prime Minister, Priti Patel is Home Secretary*, and Liz Truss is Foreign Secretary. How did we manage that? But the Opposition is led by Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner and, again, goodness. I once had some hope for Keir but today he favored cheap rhetoric aimed at soundbites and laughs, a tactic that feels like a tragic waste of an opportunity, It might have been funny had the context not been that of governing the country.
In the meantime, having lived through one independence refendum in Scotland, it seems as if I may have to endure many months of another. Last time, the SNP proposed an incredible fantasy with imaginary numbers and promises about things outside their control, a future in which we could have our cake and eat it. There are credible paths forward, they may even be attractive if they truly embrace independence from England. In practice, on past form, local news will probably be filled with poppycock again.
*In fairness to her, the position is open only to Sith Lords.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-17 02:28 am (UTC)