Obama, a great man

Heartfeltdawn

axisus said:

Personally I think that it shows that leadership (on a worldwide scale) have gotten too indulgent with their own agendas and lost touch with 'the people'. The people are opting to take back some control by whatever method is necessary.

Which is a far too simplistic conclusion to reach in my view. David Cameron was more in touch with the average working man than Robert Walpole was nearly 300 years ago. I don't buy this whole belief that our politicians walk around in some gilded fishbowl existence where they don't understand those lower down the pecking order. I readily accept that Jacob Rees-Mogg isn't going to understand what it's like to grow up on a council estate in Hackney but to suggest that someone like him would be entirely ignorant is wrong in my view. 

The people are opting to back politicians who have very limited policies. UKIP really are a one-issue party and Trump, outside of bluster about walls, is a weird mix of feeble shouting, protectionism, and near-anti-globalist sentiment despite clearly making a fair amount of cash himself out of globalisation. You see with Marine Le Pen the tying up of some old NF racism with obvious protectionist policies, appealing to more than one old socialist out there. Corbyn can change a policy in the time it takes for me to take a shit but still appeals to this new audience. 

It strikes me that one of the changes has been the introduction of what I call "consumer politics". Facilitated by Facebook and news feeds, the casual punter is more aware of issues without having to delve into the actual mechanics and history of politics. Policies and manifestos are not key issues for many voters. This is certainly something which applies to Trump's success. I'd say it's there for Corbyn as well and this was noticeable watchign some of his audiences last year in person, how mention of Thatcher and the 80's strikes etc didn't really connect with the young 'uns but the more-SJW issues did. 

Heartfeltdawn

Chalky said:

Any young politico joining a political party now is soon going to be pissed off by the elders of the party and what is now their utterly useless, worthless and anachronistic 'dinosaur' experience.  The old methods of organisation, communication and message filtering and management is dying fast if not already dead.

Which is what happened in America. From the Heritage Foundation, so vital to Reagan's period in office, came Heritage Action for America. 

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/01/meet-the-newer-softer-heritage-action-for-america/448695/

https://newrepublic.com/article/115688/heritage-foundations-michael-needham-tears-apart-right-wing

Michael Needham is someone many Americans wouldn't recognise but his influence has been huge. HA for A didn't care about the old way of doing things. They were doing things how they wanted. Trying to find solutions across the board? Fuck that. Attack dogs and proud of it. 

Motorhate

Looks like Obama really was full of shit when he was saying the UK was going to be the last in line for a trade deal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38631832