Vassal State: How America Runs Britain by Angus Hanton

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Not just to America. Also China, and the burgeoning number of Sovereign Wealth Funds.

The last people to have a say in the day to day running of this country, are the British

No surprises there we have been selling off national assets for decades and closing our core industries, then we decided to sell off our utilities to foreigners Kidding ourselves that a service economy would be our salvation, all in the name of short term gain.

It hasn’t.

The key aim of the Chinese involvement in British Steel now appears to have been with to close it down and make us reliant on their goods.

Chinese built electric cars are to be banned from British military bases for fear of spying.

Yet, all the while, a huge new nuclear power station is current under construction in Somerset (just up the road from me) by the Chinese and the French.

I have no idea why that is not considered a major risk in terms of energy supply - or worse.

We’ve become hollowed out David49 we rely so much on other countries now. Our vulnerability may come back to bite us down the line.

Quote from the book: "Mississippi is the poorest of the 50 US states: one in five lives in poverty and it has the highest mortality rate in America. Yet, if the UK were the fifty-first state, it would be, by some estimates, poorer than Mississippi and certainly among the poorest five or six US states."

FriedGreenTomatoes2

We’ve become hollowed out David49 we rely so much on other countries now. Our vulnerability may come back to bite us down the line.

Why do you think that happened FGT?

PoliticsNerd

FriedGreenTomatoes2

We’ve become hollowed out David49 we rely so much on other countries now. Our vulnerability may come back to bite us down the line.

Why do you think that happened FGT?

Stupidity among our political classes, greed among big industriaalists

And, perhaps, people thinking that voting for those offering what sound like very simple solutions to just about everything, including very complex problems?

It has to come back to the voter M0nica We are the ones that offer them the power. Not taking ownership of that leads to the worst of governments.

PoliticsNerd

FriedGreenTomatoes2

We’ve become hollowed out David49 we rely so much on other countries now. Our vulnerability may come back to bite us down the line.

Why do you think that happened FGT?

Thatcherism

Thatcher was democratically voted into power. In the end all voters have to to own the decisions made.

Cameron & Osborne’s austerity measures PNerd.

We are poorer than Mississippi? That’s a shock.

PoliticsNerd

Thatcher was democratically voted into power. In the end all voters have to to own the decisions made.

Well I didn't vote for her! Just because other people did doesn't mean I have to think the same as them...

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Cameron & Osborne’s austerity measures PNerd.

I do wonder if there isn't a way we can all be better informed FGT. I liked the sound of citizens juries but I dont think they are going forward with them. There's a lot for them to concentrate on at the moment.

keepingquiet

PoliticsNerd

Thatcher was democratically voted into power. In the end all voters have to to own the decisions made.

Well I didn't vote for her! Just because other people did doesn't mean I have to think the same as them...

I don't think anyone was suggesting that keepingquiet.

So what do you mean by 'all voters have to own the decisions made?'

Maybe I misunderstood?

The problem is that what polititians say during elections does often not match the policies after, I’m pretty sure Trump would not have got elected if voters knew the chaos he was going to cause in office.

Yes but the signs & sayings were all there with Trump - he's even suggested he would try to seize power beyond his four-year term, before he was elected. Its just that voters thought he could do all these radical things without causing chaso, or at least not to them & theirs.

keepingquiet

So what do you mean by 'all voters have to own the decisions made?'

Maybe I misunderstood?

I was emphasizing the idea that every voter is responsible for the outcomes of the choices made in an election, including the policies and actions taken by elected officials.

Some accept the responsibility to be an informed and active participant in the democratic process; some do not.

Some accept that decisions made by elected officials are a reflection of the collective will of the voters; some do not.

Some accept that participation in elections is not just a right but also a responsibility that comes with consequences for the entire society; some do not. Some act and speak as if the government is their individual servant, rather than a servant of democracy. Sadly, some act as if the government is their to entertain rather than the less entertaining act of governance.

I hope that clarifies my comment.

The problem is that what polititians say during elections does often not match the policies after

“Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after we win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled.” Trump - June 2024

The US will abandon trying to broker a Russia-Ukraine peace deal within days unless there are clear signs a truce can be reached. "If it's not going to happen, then we're just going to move on." US Secretary of State,Marco Rubio - April 2024

Should read - April 2025.

PoliticsNerd

keepingquiet

So what do you mean by 'all voters have to own the decisions made?'

Maybe I misunderstood?

I was emphasizing the idea that every voter is responsible for the outcomes of the choices made in an election, including the policies and actions taken by elected officials.

Some accept the responsibility to be an informed and active participant in the democratic process; some do not.

Some accept that decisions made by elected officials are a reflection of the collective will of the voters; some do not.

Some accept that participation in elections is not just a right but also a responsibility that comes with consequences for the entire society; some do not. Some act and speak as if the government is their individual servant, rather than a servant of democracy. Sadly, some act as if the government is their to entertain rather than the less entertaining act of governance.

I hope that clarifies my comment.

It does- thankyou.

I still think our present problems have their roots in Thatcherism- I think your statement about consequences for the whole of society backs this up.
Thatcher changed the 'us' to 'me' and we have never been able to go back from this. We are now seeing the worst consequences of what she unleashed- together with Reagan, even in Russia and China it has become markets before democracy, and no one seems to care because we're too busy protecting our own interests.

Churchview

*The problem is that what polititians say during elections does often not match the policies after*

“Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after we win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled.” Trump - June 2024

The US will abandon trying to broker a Russia-Ukraine peace deal within days unless there are clear signs a truce can be reached. "If it's not going to happen, then we're just going to move on." US Secretary of State,Marco Rubio - April 2024

The problem for poiticians is - as Mr macMillan said, whenprime Minister - events, events, events.

No matter how clear your manifesto pledges, events happen that make them impossible or impractical, or things happen which mean you have to do the exact opposite.

Trump, was, at best a fool, at worst deranged, when he made his pledge to end the Russia/Ukraine war, because it was a promise that relied on the agreement and cooperation of others. And one of the parties, has no intention whatsoever of ending the war and Trump demanded a price from the other that is extortionate and they have refused to pay.

Both our political parties seem adept at hiding how parlous this country's financial situation is, so that when the new party, whichever it is, comes into power, they find that the money they thought was there, to fund their policies isn't, so they have to impose more taxes or change their promises.