Lessons learned from the U.K. election, in which a blustery, lying buffoon (sound familiar?) won handily…
The BBC asks: “Does U.K. election hold clues to Trump’s fortunes?”
We’ll answer that. Don’t run someone against Trump who sucks.
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson appears to have deeply solidified his hold on the Conservative Party, the “Tories”, and the nation. With pretty much bigger numbers than anyone expected.
His main opponent, Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn proved to be one of the worst candidates ever. Proof? He lost ground in an election where even if his party didn’t win, or didn’t gain ground, no way should’ve lost as much as it did. With such big interest. And turnout. And so much at stake. Instead, it was the worst showing for Labour since 1935. 1935!
Corbyn pissed everybody off, which sometimes works as a strategy. But not if you put a greasy layer of smug and arrogant on top of that. When some humility and foresight might’ve been in order. He’s not a guy you want to have a beer with. He’s the kind of guy you leave the bar when he comes in to avoid the possibility he might come up and start talking to you.
Upshot? Here comes Brexit. Almost for sure now, though not with the locomotive strength and speed Johnson has promised, probably. Which as little sense as it makes, at this point we feel just do it. The British people did vote for it. At least indirectly. At least at this point twice. Now, not every Tory agrees with Johnson on how to do it (and even Johnson really doesn’t have an agreement with himself and Europe on how to do it), so it’s still gonna be bumpy. But definitely seems like an inevitability or close.
It’ll almost certain create amazingly challenging turmoil at the border with Ireland (or what looks far more likely now at the border between Northern Ireland and the rest of Great Britain, which really isn’t/shouldn’t be a border at all, since they’re part of the same country.)
- Longshot: Britain loses Northern Ireland after it—economically—effectively becomes part of Ireland.
- Less of a longshot: violence from Protestants who don’t want that.
- Also less of a longshot: Scotland leaving the U.K. because they want to stay part of the European Union.
- Longshot: Wales too.
Lesson for Democrats in the U.S. Only one:
- Don’t run someone who sucks. It’s that simple.