I did not vote in the EU referendum.
I generally don't vote because:
a) I don't understand the issues well enough and
b) most voting issues appear to be a set of different reasons for the same concealed agenda. So you think you are making a choice but you are actually shoring up the same single power structure of the plutocratic elite whichever way you vote.
I would have voted Remain because I saw the US, the UK, Israel, and France as a cabal of rogue states committed to intensifying their petrodollar imperialism across the Middle East and Africa. There was a clear desire by some to unshackle the UK from any moderating influence of the larger European Union.
I would not have voted to Leave because the Leave narrative was evidently toxic with emotive manipulation and wild unsubstantiated claims. It was distasteful and worrying to see the lynch mob tactics whipping the population into a frenzy based on fear of catastrophic consequences. It was dangerous to hand the political power over to what many, including myself, see as the hard right fascist warmongers and oppressors.
But I was quite poorly on the day and didn't vote.
What I didn't know at the time is that I was living in the highest proportional density of Leave voters in the UK. There is a tragic irony in this. Lincolnshire, and Boston in particular, is a peculiar collection of swathes of impoverished Tory voters. I begin to understand the psychology of this which I call cultural Stockholm Syndrome. But it doesn't need a name because a lot of people recognise the subservient serfs doffing their cap to the overlord for their own security. The overlords deliberately engender and maintain a level of ignorance to the point that in times of tension or crisis the population tend to rally round the overlords decrying any dissenters with vigour to defend their 'providers' and 'protectors'.
As the whole volatile story of the various pros and cons of the power structures involved in this EU debacle are unravelling it becomes more confusing and more revealing at the same time.
At the outset my opinion was that if the UK had a decent socialist government I would think that the UK should be outside of any tight and constraining union with the European project. A kind of respected and respectable independent entity cooperating with the rest of Europe. If the UK had the same kind of hierarchical, authoritarian, capitalist government that it has had since Thatcher got into power in 1979 then the UK would be better inside the EU simply by way of moderating the rampant cruelty of the Tory ethos.
It has always been clear to me that the EU is neoliberal and that the UK government is neoliberal. The choice seems to be which arrangement most ameliorates or softens the extremes of neoliberalism. Although Corbyn had been leader of the Labour Party since September 2015 and the EU referendum was in June 2016 it took me some time to realise that he represented a profound change in the political philosophy of the Labour Party.
No one is likely to significantly advance their understanding of the political complexity and machinations that are currently afoot before the 12 December General Election. The landscape and emotions will be flooded with a kaleidoscopic dizzying array of sound bites to amaze and bewilder the population in true consumer culture advertising style.
Perhaps the General Election date should have been set for 25 December to heighten the profound contradictions and dangers we all face. Christmas has been turned into a disorientating hedonistic materialist extravaganza and a veritable orgy of consumer delight and drunkenness. All on the back of a profound story about the birth of an innocent baby human in a corrupt world setting out on a story with a tragic end brought about by greed, prejudice, ignorance, fear, and bigotry.
The NHS is a good example of the problems we are facing in the UK. The NHS is central to the election. It is both an important issue and a revealing one. The health and wellbeing of the UK is the issue. Back in 1980 Oliver Letwin wrote a book entitled "A Study of International Privatization in Theory and Practice". In 1988 he and John Redwood produced a book entitled "Britain's Biggest Enterprise - ideas for radical reform of the NHS" Redwood is a significant influence in the theory and agenda to privatise the social services in the UK too. Someone may help me here by clarifying the stance these two individuals have regarding the EU but it appears to me that Oliver Letwin is leaning towards Remain whilst John Redwood is leaning towards Leave. It is interesting since either way doesn't seem to matter to their big ideas about corporate control and free market capitalism.
The Health and Social Care Act 2012 was the keystone legislation that set the bigger plan of privatisation of the NHS on course. Corbyn's Labour are the only Party to make it clear that they understand what is taking place enough by making an unambiguous statement that they will repeal the Health and Social Care Act 2012. No other Party either understands what is afoot or is willing to raise the subject in public. Perhaps they think it is too complicated for the little people to understand. It is evidently vital that any hope of saving the NHS resides with the Labour Party. It is also evident that Labour are the only Party committed to reversing austerity and re-establishing the social security that has been decimated in this country (even understanding the significance of changing the Department for Work and Pensions back to the Department for Health and Social Security).
Given that we don't have the option of an entire radical reform of politics in the UK between now and 12 December it seems the issue at hand is who to vote for in the upcoming election. On that basis I am clear that Labour is the best option at this point. Of course the neoliberal elites may be grooming Corbyn as their way of extending neoliberalism in a more clandestine manner under the guise of socialism. We might find, as Labour get into government, that we are faced with the right wing takeover of the Labour Party again. Given the grass roots surge in Labour support on the back of the more socialist agenda proposed in their 2017 election manifesto it seems reasonable to at least doubt the right wing will have an easy time of overthrowing the left wing. But what is guaranteed is that every other significant Party is committed to neoliberalism come what may.
Every other significant Party is entirely neoliberal; the only question seems to be what colour you prefer. You can support free market capitalism which believes corporate rule with as little state control as possible (sounds a little like my understanding of Mussolini's political philosophy) and remain in the EU with the Liberal Democrats, or you can support free market capitalism and Leave the EU with the Tories or the Brexit Party. I would caution against voting for Leave or Remain in this General Election for two primary reasons; a) there is a real danger of voting on the basis of ideas or feelings initiated by the disastrous campaigns of the EU referendum whilst this is a GE not the EU referendum, and b) this election is about the government we want for the next five years and the leading "Remain/Leave" Parties are committed neoliberals regardless of where we are in relation to the EU.
Labour has made a very clear and difficult stand which is often (almost always) criticised as being indecisive or 'on the fence' whilst in fact it is (as is becoming clear) the most open, clear, consistent, and decisive position by any Party. First, get rid of the neoliberalism which has devastated the social infrastructure of this country. Second, to handle the Brexit disaster in the most clear, sensible, open, and respectful way possible under these difficult circumstances. So the proposition is to negotiate a workable and beneficial deal with the EU to Leave the European Union (they have done a lot of that work already though you would never know it from the neoliberal main stream media). Then they will have another referendum, tactfully and diplomatically called "A People's Vote", with the details of the arrangements for Leaving the EU out in the open for your perusal. In a calmer and more informed setting you can then vote for Leave or Remain.
The difficulty for some people is that they will fear they may be in the minority, or if they fail to vote for 'their side' in the GE that the 'other side' will usurp them, and so will attempt to grab at Leave or Remain in the General Election, but that is what neoliberalism relies on ... fear and greed. So, are you going to act out of fear and desperation and vote for the controlling neoliberal corporate overlords whether we are in or out of Europe, or are you capable of steeling yourself and acting in a more considered and intelligent manner and vote for the socialist agenda to dismantle the neoliberal infrastructure and then vote on Europe?
My own view is clear. For 40 years I have watched, and suffered the consequences of, the ideologues that believe, or pretend to believe, that unfettered capitalism will find its own equilibrium for the benefit of the majority. I have had 40 years to ameliorate, amend, or alter my view and I am more convinced than ever that this 'project' is a crime against humanity and can only result in a massive increase in suffering and needless death in this country and abroad. I'm getting a bit old, and am less interested in the consequences to me, but I know that this materialistic obsession is profoundly against humanity and nature itself.
And I am pleased to be in the good company of people like Naomi Klein, Noam Chomsky, Jeremy Corbyn, Yanis Varoufakis, Dr Bob Gill, Roger Waters, Ken Loach and so many more kind hearted, intelligent, insightful people. In fact it is nice to inhabit the same planet as them. Let's hope we can continue and nurture even more loving, compassionate, and delightful people in the future.
Priority 1 - Vote Labour - Get Neoliberalism OUT.
Priority 2 - I don't care if we're in or out of the EU at the moment so long as it is serviceable. And I will reserve judgement until I have read the proposed arrangements.
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