First UK. Then France. Now Germany. Canada on the brink.

[TyWebbIU]

Governments around the Western world are dropping like flies.

UK’s Tories faced the largest defeat in their history a few months ago.

France had an election in July that had to rely on a very fractious minority coalition to form a government under PM Michel Barnier. It lost a no confidence vote a couple weeks ago to become the first government ousted by Parliament since 1962. So it lasted about 5 months.

Now Olaf Scholz has also lost a no confidence vote in the Bundestag, setting up elections in a couple months.

Rumors are flying that Justin Trudeau is going to resign as Canada’s PM imminently.

Oh, and Donald Trump will be taking the oath of office here in about a month…assuming he isn’t tripped up by Section 3 of the 14th Amendment disqualifying former government officials who have engaged in insurrection from holding public office.

Whew boy.

And this is in addition to the Assad regime falling in Damascus, Israel wiping out Hamas and Hezbollah and hitting targets in Iran, South Korea declaring martial law, a war in Ukraine that seems likely to either lead to territorial gains for Russia or escalation beyond the current theater. Anything else?

I see a lot of people cheering all this on social media. “Down with globalism!” and all that vapid palaver.

I myself am a tad bit freaked out about so much political instability and chaos in the Western world happening in such quick succession. Maybe it’ll all come to naught. Maybe it will lead to something better.

But all we know is that a lot things are in motion.

It’s been apparent for a long time. The world is a powder keg waiting to erupt. Hopefully Trump can do some good.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

CoH, you hit on something which rang my bell when you wrote, Seems like we don’t vote for candidates any longer, we vote for a package created by media, consultants, and influencers.

Remember the day when a self-serving political organizer appeared at a party ward chairman's meeting suggesting we direct the efforts of our precinct committee persons toward raising campaign money rather than the grassroots politics of canvassing, registering, and getting the vote out.

Slowly but surely the importance of people participating in grassroots politics shifted from the We the People to the packaged candidates and money described by CoH above.

The growth in representation in elected bodies of non-'mainstream' Party participants is due largely to continuing work by Tea Party, and TP-derived groups focusing on gaining precinct and county committee seats, who were completely responsible for the seating and election of Indiana Lt. Governor Beckwith.
Beckwith was NOT the Party machine's choice. One of his key roles will be to make sure the machine's Governor remembers the nominating convention.
This strategy worked to retire Dick Lugar.
It still works.

 

[JamieDimonsBalls]

It'

It's a crazy, convoluted wiki page. Sounds like he's being accused of being a far right extremist, yet he adopted the name given to him by actual far right extremists who were accusing him of being an "Jewish Agent".

Shlomo Finkelstein (Online-Aktivist) – Wikipedia

de.wikipedia.org

 

[JamieDimonsBalls]

It’s been apparent for a long time. The world is a powder keg waiting to erupt. Hopefully Trump can do some good.

It's always been a powder keg. I actually think most developed countries are less interested in conflict than they have ever been. There is no desire to join more wars by those countries. It's the "up and comers" and religious fanaticals that are causing conflict.

 

[TyWebbIU]

It's always been a powder keg. I actually think most developed countries are less interested in conflict than they have ever been. There is no desire to join more wars by those countries. It's the "up and comers" and religious fanaticals that are causing conflict.

Much worse today.

 

[BradStevens]

CoH, you hit on something which rang my bell when you wrote, Seems like we don’t vote for candidates any longer, we vote for a package created by media, consultants, and influencers.

Remember the day when a self-serving political organizer appeared at a party ward chairman's meeting suggesting we direct the efforts of our precinct committee persons toward raising campaign money rather than the grassroots politics of canvassing, registering, and getting the vote out.

Slowly but surely the importance of people participating in grassroots politics shifted from the We the People to the packaged candidates and money described by CoH above.

I think we have to assume the reason for the shift is because the political operatives figured out it works better--i.e. it's more effective to getting their candidate elected.

I think that if that's true (and I think it is), you have to start questioning the assumptions behind democracy.

 

[BCCHoosier]

It’s been apparent for a long time. The world is a powder keg waiting to erupt. Hopefully Trump can do some good.

I think Trump is the only person alive that can save us. Perhaps he was sent by God?

 

[TyWebbIU]

I think Trump is the only person alive that can save us. Perhaps he was sent by God?

Are you saying you don’t believe in God? I’ll pray for your soul.

 

[BCCHoosier]

Are you saying you don’t believe in God? I’ll pray for your soul.

Thanks Ty. While you're at it put one in for the Hoosiers on Friday night too.

 

[Bulk VanderHuge]

Thanks Ty. While you're at it put one in for the Hoosiers on Friday night too.

“Make it a good one, Strap.”

Coach Norman Dale

 

[Aloha Hoosier]

Much worse today.

The times before WWI and WWII were much worse. It’s not close.

 

[TyWebbIU]

Thanks Ty. While you're at it put one in for the Hoosiers on Friday night too.

Already have.

 

[Aloha Hoosier]

I think Trump is the only person alive that can save us. Perhaps he was sent by God?

I doubt he was sent by God . . . or by Satan. If it was certain he was sent by one or the other and I had to bet, I’m leaning one way. Think MAGA hats could be Sign of the Beast? 😉

 

[hoot1]

The growth in representation in elected bodies of non-'mainstream' Party participants is due largely to continuing work by Tea Party, and TP-derived groups focusing on gaining precinct and county committee seats, who were completely responsible for the seating and election of Indiana Lt. Governor Beckwith.
Beckwith was NOT the Party machine's choice. One of his key roles will be to make sure the machine's Governor remembers the nominating convention.
This strategy worked to retire Dick Lugar.
It still works.

Mass, have to throw in my two cents as your post got me thinking and reminicing.

Mass, without a doubt the Tea Party both state wide and outside the state played a roll in defeating Lugar along with the feeling among Hoosier Republcans that Lugar had lost his Hoosier roots.

Should keep in mind Lugar lost in a primary election and Micah Beckwith eked out a victory at a GOP state convention. The dynamics and strategies in winning the nominations in a primary or a convention are both similar and different.

Beckwith didn't have the endorsement of Braun or Trump, but he did have the support of several country chairman, so it could be said the party machinery was divided.

On personal note, although active with both parties at the grass roots level, never took the time and effort to become a delegate at a state convention. Went to conventions in different capacities but not as a delegate. Did enoy seeing acquaintances and attending all the festivities though.