A Note on the British Election
Its election day in Britain and the Rt. Hon. gentleman from Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, Prime Minister Gordon Brown needs your vote.
Does he really deserve another term though?
When you look at it, Brown and the Labour Party have probably run out of steam. I'm a Labour supporter going back a long time, but as I consider myself Old Labour, I've never been 100% behind the party as it has existed under Blair and Brown. While they abandoned the official party line supporting traditional cradle-to-grave European socialism, they have done a fair enough job of preserving the National Health Service and the rest of the social safety net to retain my support over the years. That said, the party seriously lost its way when it went all in with the Bush Administration's neo-fascist anti-terror policies and foolhardy invasion of Iraq. Can we really sweep that under the rug?
What is the real alternative though? For the first time in a long time, the two party stranglehold on British politics is showing cracks. The Liberal Democrats have gained significant support during this election cycle thanks in large part to party leader Nick Clegg's strong performance in the debates (this is the first British election to feature American style debates between the three major party leaders). The LibDem's offer a serious break with British tradition on many issues, most significantly being their support for proportional representation in the UK, a political reform which would basically relegate the Tories to permanent minority status. Clegg comes off as a bright, energetic leader willing to be frank with the people, as he has been in telling the British people he is an atheist. Yes, the British have an atheist as a major party leader. Suck on it. The sad fact remains that the LibDems aren't going to win. The very best outcome they could hope for is a power sharing deal with Labour should the election produce no clear winner.
There are also the Tories. The party that gutted British social services, privatized the rail system, and sent the British fleet to defend the 6 sheep that live in the Falkland Islands from Argentinian aggression. Party leader David Cameron is slick and smooth like a Land Rover salesman, saying all the right things, and perhaps most importantly after 13 years of Labour, representing the face of change. But make no mistake, this is the same Tory party of Thatcher and Major. What was that phrase about putting lipstick on a pig? David Cameron is just a stylish stick of MAC lipstick on the same Thatcherite pig. And that is one ugly ass pig...
So who should it be? In a perfect world, the LibDems deserve a shot and Clegg would probably make a fantastic Prime Minister. That is highly unlikely to occur though. So between the Tories and Labour who should it be? The Conservative Party simply cannot be trusted to protect the social safety net or refrain from nuking Buenos Aires over a cup of bitter maté. The best thing I can say about the Tories is that Oasis put out much better music when they were in charge. Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory? are classics. Conversely, the band has shown a serious decline under Labour and especially under Gordon Brown. After Blair handed the reins of power over to Brown, Oasis released a steaming turd of an album called Dig Out Your Soul and eventually broke up. Would a Tory victory lead to an Oasis reunion? Probably not. Noel isn't voting Labour this time around (he was invited to 10 Downing after Blair took power in 1997), but he isn't voting for the Conservatives either. He recently announced plans to scribble TEVEZ IS GOD on his ballot to show his support for Manchester City footballer Carlos Tevez.
That leaves us with Labour and Gordon Brown. Flawed? Yes. Better than the Tories? Oh hell yes. Besides, we feel obligated to stand by the Prime Minister. You shouldn't need to be flashy to lead a country. You should have a solid grasp of the issues, an inquisitive mind, and the people's best interests at heart. Gordon Brown is no saint, but he certainly meets that criteria. Vote Labour.
So, Gov ... with Cameron having officially taken the PM helm from the resigning Brown, what is the sphincter factor on the NeoCon Brits under his new regime?
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Actually, you probably had more neocon influence under Blair than Brown and the new Conservative government combined. I think the new parliament, for as long as it lasts anyway, isn't going to have time for whatever dumbass imperialist adventures the neocons cook up. The British economy is in serious trouble.
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