@kmacdonald.bsky.social
I am sure freedom and democracy will survive and indeed flourish. Not so sure about MU.
August 28, 2025 at 2:51 PM
I am sure freedom and democracy will survive and indeed flourish. Not so sure about MU.
Ignoring Trump is an undervalued weapon in preserving our sanity. We all know what he's like - we don't need to torture ourselves with it.
May 10, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Ignoring Trump is an undervalued weapon in preserving our sanity. We all know what he's like - we don't need to torture ourselves with it.
I wish he was more radical but he isn't. When cautious people abandon that caution for some reason they often make a mess because they are not used to living with risk. What we need are people who are more radical but can use the strengths Keir has shown e.g. in handling Trump.
April 5, 2025 at 5:33 PM
I wish he was more radical but he isn't. When cautious people abandon that caution for some reason they often make a mess because they are not used to living with risk. What we need are people who are more radical but can use the strengths Keir has shown e.g. in handling Trump.
How do these wondrous creatures turn in to the monsters we see all around us (often running countries) ? I know you are trying to change this and all power to you.
April 5, 2025 at 4:51 PM
How do these wondrous creatures turn in to the monsters we see all around us (often running countries) ? I know you are trying to change this and all power to you.
You are basically right. I think Starmer feels he has to keep up appearances about a deal with the US because of the power of the right wing national newspapers and their influence over the broadcast news agenda.
April 5, 2025 at 4:47 PM
You are basically right. I think Starmer feels he has to keep up appearances about a deal with the US because of the power of the right wing national newspapers and their influence over the broadcast news agenda.
Excellent analysis. These methods are currently being applied in the US and would be in the UK if the right won the election. We need to make sure as many people as possible understand what is going on.
March 31, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Excellent analysis. These methods are currently being applied in the US and would be in the UK if the right won the election. We need to make sure as many people as possible understand what is going on.
Take your point but the government is determined not to provoke Trump and I think that is correct. That means they have to speak in code. Not very elegant but necessary I think.
March 26, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Take your point but the government is determined not to provoke Trump and I think that is correct. That means they have to speak in code. Not very elegant but necessary I think.
That is precisely what is happening in the USA and what would happen here if there were a rightwing victory at the next election.
March 19, 2025 at 3:53 PM
That is precisely what is happening in the USA and what would happen here if there were a rightwing victory at the next election.
It might be useful to see again some of the occasions on which Nicola choked back tears. It was one of her specialities.
March 15, 2025 at 5:02 PM
It might be useful to see again some of the occasions on which Nicola choked back tears. It was one of her specialities.
The complete emptiness of nationalist politics - right-wing or Scottish - has been ruthlessly exposed by this clash with reality.
March 2, 2025 at 12:24 PM
The complete emptiness of nationalist politics - right-wing or Scottish - has been ruthlessly exposed by this clash with reality.
If the right regain power in Britain one of their key objectives would be to bring that situation here. They would lift all limits and rules about donations, including those preventing money from abroad and allow TV advertising of politics. All this would be done under the label of "free speech".
February 14, 2025 at 5:28 PM
If the right regain power in Britain one of their key objectives would be to bring that situation here. They would lift all limits and rules about donations, including those preventing money from abroad and allow TV advertising of politics. All this would be done under the label of "free speech".
I do not see how she can survive, certainly beyond the English local elections. Robert Jenrick is campaigning like mad and it is difficult to see how the party can avoid a pact of some kind with Farage before the next election.
February 13, 2025 at 11:00 AM
I do not see how she can survive, certainly beyond the English local elections. Robert Jenrick is campaigning like mad and it is difficult to see how the party can avoid a pact of some kind with Farage before the next election.
I think you have put your finger on a real problem for Farage. Let's hope he never solves it.
February 10, 2025 at 1:02 PM
I think you have put your finger on a real problem for Farage. Let's hope he never solves it.
The tragedy is that, officially at least, the idea of community is not supposed to exist in the USA. It does of course but the political system is very effective at stifling it.
February 1, 2025 at 6:25 AM
The tragedy is that, officially at least, the idea of community is not supposed to exist in the USA. It does of course but the political system is very effective at stifling it.
I have found the same thing though I haven't got to the seat stage yet (joke). School pupils will normally tell me to board first in the bus queue. A war between the old and the young is another conflict we mustn't let the right stir up.
January 30, 2025 at 6:41 AM
I have found the same thing though I haven't got to the seat stage yet (joke). School pupils will normally tell me to board first in the bus queue. A war between the old and the young is another conflict we mustn't let the right stir up.
I think the problem in the States is that the Constitution is outdated. The gun rights provision refers to a militia, which was understandable post - revolution, but is hopelessly anachronistic now.
January 28, 2025 at 10:30 AM
I think the problem in the States is that the Constitution is outdated. The gun rights provision refers to a militia, which was understandable post - revolution, but is hopelessly anachronistic now.
I am not sure how you entrench any set of values beyond the reach of a would be dictator. The best guarantee is a well educated public and healthy public discussion. We clearly have a way to go.
January 28, 2025 at 10:14 AM
I am not sure how you entrench any set of values beyond the reach of a would be dictator. The best guarantee is a well educated public and healthy public discussion. We clearly have a way to go.
I agree about the importance of having effective markets in many area of our economy. That is quite different from the rhetoric of the right who advocate for wealthy individuals and big companies and actually dislike competitive markets.
January 28, 2025 at 10:12 AM
I agree about the importance of having effective markets in many area of our economy. That is quite different from the rhetoric of the right who advocate for wealthy individuals and big companies and actually dislike competitive markets.
We could go on forever which is why I suggested thinking about a more formal discussion on how we convince the majority that the liberal democratic system, for all its imperfections, is the best for them.
January 27, 2025 at 3:23 PM
We could go on forever which is why I suggested thinking about a more formal discussion on how we convince the majority that the liberal democratic system, for all its imperfections, is the best for them.
I think you are making assumptions about Trump voters. Many of them are very different from British Brexit supporters.
January 27, 2025 at 3:22 PM
I think you are making assumptions about Trump voters. Many of them are very different from British Brexit supporters.
I can't think of any better system of democratic control than the supremacy of Parliament , subject to regular recall by voters. Referenda suffer from uncertainty about wording and the absence of anyone responsible for implementation. (Brexit).
January 27, 2025 at 3:18 PM
I can't think of any better system of democratic control than the supremacy of Parliament , subject to regular recall by voters. Referenda suffer from uncertainty about wording and the absence of anyone responsible for implementation. (Brexit).
An interesting historical argument Robert but I don't think that's what really matters at the moment. Powerful people are determined to impose their will on the rest of us and they will do so in the name of democracy. We must have a clear vocabulary to resist them.
January 27, 2025 at 2:30 PM
An interesting historical argument Robert but I don't think that's what really matters at the moment. Powerful people are determined to impose their will on the rest of us and they will do so in the name of democracy. We must have a clear vocabulary to resist them.
I don't agree that this is democracy because it makes no allowance for opinion to change. I wonder if you have ever thought of organising or suggesting to colleagues a symposium/conference on this topic ?
January 27, 2025 at 1:27 PM
I don't agree that this is democracy because it makes no allowance for opinion to change. I wonder if you have ever thought of organising or suggesting to colleagues a symposium/conference on this topic ?
I don't see how you can have an authoritarian democracy and, even if it existed, that is not what the modern right are after. They want to make sure that, having got power, they can never be removed.
January 27, 2025 at 12:43 PM
I don't see how you can have an authoritarian democracy and, even if it existed, that is not what the modern right are after. They want to make sure that, having got power, they can never be removed.
I don't think it's a battle between different forms of democracy. The "strong-men" use democratic processes to gain power but then subvert those processes to prevent any defeat in the future. That is what Trump is doing and that is what Farage and the Tories would do if they got power in Britain.
January 27, 2025 at 12:16 PM
I don't think it's a battle between different forms of democracy. The "strong-men" use democratic processes to gain power but then subvert those processes to prevent any defeat in the future. That is what Trump is doing and that is what Farage and the Tories would do if they got power in Britain.