Saturday, June 25, 2016

The Brex heard 'round the world.

Brexit shook the world yesterday as British voters voted to leave the EU. Markets tumbled and global snoots everywhere recoiled in horror as they struggled to comprehend a decision made by actual voters. Remember them? Fraser Nelson, the editor of the Spectator, attempted to explain the case for Brexit on the pages of the Wall Street Journal this morning in a thoughtful essay. Mr. Nelson wrote:


The world is looking at Britain and asking: What on Earth just happened? Those who run Britain are asking the same question.

Never has there been a greater coalition of the establishment than that assembled by Prime Minister David Cameron for his referendum campaign to keep the U.K. in the European Union. There was almost every Westminster party leader, most of their troops and almost every trade union and employers’ federation. There were retired spy chiefs, historians, football clubs, national treasures like Stephen Hawking and divinities like Keira Knightley. And some global glamour too: President Barack Obama flew to London to do his bit, and Goldman Sachs opened its checkbook.

And none of it worked. The opinion polls barely moved over the course of the campaign, and 52% of Britons voted to leave the EU. That slender majority was probably the biggest slap in the face ever delivered to the British establishment in the history of universal suffrage.

Mr. Cameron announced that he would resign because he felt the country has taken a new direction—one that he disagrees with. If everyone else did the same, the House of Commons would be almost empty. Britain’s exit from the EU, or Brexit, was backed by barely a quarter of his government members and by not even a tenth of Labour politicians. It was a very British revolution.....

The Brexit campaign started as a cry for liberty, perhaps articulated most clearly by Michael Gove, the British justice secretary (and, on this issue, the most prominent dissenter in Mr. Cameron’s cabinet). Mr. Gove offered practical examples of the problems of EU membership. As a minister, he said, he deals constantly with edicts and regulations framed at the European level—rules that he doesn’t want and can’t change. These were rules that no one in Britain asked for, rules promulgated by officials whose names Brits don’t know, people whom they never elected and cannot remove from office. Yet they become the law of the land. Much of what we think of as British democracy, Mr. Gove argued, is now no such thing.

Instead of grumbling about the things we can’t change, Mr. Gove said, it was time to follow “the Americans who declared their independence and never looked back” and “become an exemplar of what an inclusive, open and innovative democracy can achieve.” Many of the Brexiteers think that Britain voted this week to follow a template set in 1776 on the other side of the Atlantic.

Mr. Gove was mocked for such analogies. Surely, some in the Remain camp argued, the people who were voting for Leave—the pensioners in the seaside towns, the plumbers and chip-shop owners—weren’t wondering how they could reboot the Anglo-Scottish Enlightenment for the 21st century. Perhaps not, but the sentiment holds: Liberty and democracy matter. As a recent editorial in Der Spiegel put it, Brits “have an inner independence that we Germans lack, in addition to myriad anti-authoritarian, defiant tendencies.”...

The EU took a gamble: that the Brits were bluffing and would never vote to leave. A more generous deal—perhaps aimed at allowing the U.K. more control over immigration, the top public concern in Britain—would probably have (just) stopped Brexit. But the absence of a deal sent a clear and crushing message: The EU isn’t interested in reforming, so it is past time to stop pretending otherwise....

In the turbulent weeks and months ahead, we can expect a loud message from the Brexiteers in the British government: The question is not whether to work with Europe but how to work with Europe. Alliances work best when they are coalitions of the willing. The EU has become a coalition of the unwilling, the place where the finest multilateral ambitions go to die...

The Brexit campaign was led by Europhiles. Boris Johnson, the former London mayor turned pro-Brexit firebrand who now seems likely to succeed Mr. Cameron, used to live in Brussels and can give interviews in French. Mr. Gove’s idea of perfect happiness is sitting on a wooden bench listening to Wagner in an airless concert hall in Bavaria. Both stressed that they love Europe but also love democracy—and want to keep the two compatible. The Brexit revolution is intended to make that point.

Mr. Gove has taken to borrowing the 18th-century politician William Pitt’s dictum about how England can “save herself by her exertions and Europe by her example.” After Mr. Cameron departs and new British leadership arrives, it will be keen to strike new alliances based on the principles of democracy, sovereignty and freedom. You never know: That might just catch on. Rest of essay.

Kingfish note: The United Kingdom is the largest foreign investor in America and the EU's second largest economy.  One can hope that our leaders will form a free-trade agreement with the U.K.

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

I firmly believe this movement would not have been successful had the POTUS Obama stayed at home and kept his mouth shut. I can assure you the Scots. and Brits. do not like being addressed by Obama like he addresses his many minions in the states.

Anonymous said...

And I can assure you that the Scots voted overwhelmingly to STAY

Anonymous said...

The Scots have no interest in leaving the EU. England just shit the bed and they are already regretting it out loud.

Anonymous said...

Not overwhelmingly, but the Scots are liberal and did vote to remain. They will quickly get a referendum up to leave the UK. The major sticking point will then the oil fields of the North Sea and armed forces. If France, Italy, and the Netherlands hold their own votes though, there may not be an EU for the Scots to join.

Anonymous said...

3:33, While that may have contributed (a lot), the majority of Brits. (obviously) were tired of ceding authority to Brussels on things as minute as the allowable wattage of vacuum cleaners. It will be messy for a while, but the Eurozone was never about partnership -- the backdrop was always debt and became more and more about propping up near failed states and irresponsible immigration. Trade and travel will become more complicated, but this move will also unhitch the British economy from leeches like Greece.

Side note: It is fun to watch all of these supposed democracy-loving people whine when things don't go their way.

Anonymous said...

He is now widely recognized as a miscreant, so I believe your point has merit. I also believe that the courage of DJT to speak out on crucial subjects and break through the PC hypnosis had an influence as well.

On a side note: It is interesting that Cameron's slogan in arguing to remain was "Brits don't quit", which he did immediately after the vote.

Anonymous said...

And I can assure you that the Scots voted overwhelmingly to STAY

Yeah. Not even 8% of total Brexit vote count and turnout down 1/5th from their independence vote but let focus real hard on the meaning of the Scottish.

Anonymous said...

Can we have a #Jaxexit

Anonymous said...

Financial Times Brexit Tracker.

Anonymous said...

Hard to be a leech (Greece) when Germany was a proponent to have you join the EU.

Anonymous said...

3:33 suffers from Brainxit. Prayers 4 u, my friend.

Anonymous said...

I fear that powerful interests will find a way to quash Brexit. However, at our house, we celebrated, and then the kids went online and started buying things British. If it's only a Burberry umbrella, or a tin of 'bisquits', I think it would be wonderful if a wave of Americans bought things English, in order to support that nation's independence from the European Union.

I would add that it's high time America's involvement with the United Nations came to an end.

Anonymous said...

Scotland came this "-" close to voting for it's independence a while back because of political intrusions by parliament, but voted to stay by a small margin with promises from the PM that he would quit shoving his political agenda down their throats and wiping their cultural heritage away. The Scots also realized that the move would be stupid for them economically at the time, but now Scotland will most definitely re-look at the issue of divesting itself from England/ Great Britain/U.K.

Also, this Brexit vote is mostly symbolic. The so called divorce will take a while to negotiate, and will be truly enacted by parliament, not the people- like in 2018 if it indeed goes through.

Anonymous said...

"These were rules that no one in Britain asked for, rules promulgated by officials whose names Brits don’t know, people whom they never elected and cannot remove from office. Yet they become the law of the land."

How ironic.

Anonymous said...

10:50 Were you cheering when your retirement account lost significant value over the past couple of days? BTW, America is already one of the UK's biggest trade partners; maybe you and your kids should check out Wikipedia sometimes when you're online.

Anonymous said...

Global Economic Theory has always been hopelessly flawed. It rather obviously overlooked nationalism and religion as well as the human need for the personal sense of security that is found in cultural cohesion.
The theory was seized upon in the business world because it was an good way to rationalize to exploiting/importing cheap labor and to expand markets.
Even if one is foolish enough to buy into the idea that international economic parity is achievable, Maslow's Pyramid ( if one bothered to really understand the implications) would indicate that having "needs" met would simply free people to considered "wants" instead. And, humankind is such that "wanting" world domination should have been considered in that list.
Ironically, even now, the media discussion is still focused far too much on the EU financial elements. And, economists and financiers have, while always recognizing the concept of " panic" affecting markets, haven't bothered to understand what drives human behavior at all!
Capitalism is NOT a form of government. It is an economic system. Capitalism can be made compatible with most any form of government as we see in China and Vietnam. But, those here and abroad who see " business" models as the answer to everything have put us all in peril.

Anonymous said...

And 3:19am sums up what is wrong with this country and world in one statement...."were you cheering when your retirement account lost significant value."....selfish prick. That's all that matters isn't it? He's the type of stupid piece of shit that will vote for Hillary so as not to upset the market. He'll gladly give away his children's and country's future for his own, present finances. They count on your greed to keep you in check.

Anonymous said...

10:50 How cute. Something tells me you and your clan would don foppish blonde wigs in solidarity with Trump/Britain.

Anonymous said...

The only way people will loose anything from their retirement account is if they are dumb enough to sell now. Buy when the price is low. Sell when the price is high. If you are scared put your money under your mattress. Only fools sell when the price goes down.

Anonymous said...

Some people still care about their country. Some think a country has borders for a reason. Some people do not like people who do not live in their country making the decisions concerning their country.
Maybe the people in the U.S. will some day grow a pair and stand up for their country.

toejangle said...

To 8:41am

When you are retired trying to get by on a piss ant Soc. Security check,balance medical expenses and your savings(k-plan)then yes you are correct that is all that matters---it is called survival. Until you can find a way to euthanize us so that we don't become a burden to globalist "pricks" such as yourself you will just have to accept it !!

Anonymous said...

I never could understand why any country would allow people in another country to dictate law to them. Why would anyone join a group, give them money and only get half of it back. When it comes to Govt, Europeans aren't that bright. They can't help themselves trying to find the Holy Grail of socialism. Here is a hint, there is no Holy Grail,there are no Leprechauns and rainbows with pots of gold, yet Europeans keep trying. This is the continent that gave us two world wars not that long ago. One small group wanting to take Europe and the other larger group unwilling to stop them. Britain, however, has always shown some backbone, better late than never, compared to the rest of Europe. Maybe they are showing it again.

Anonymous said...

10:00, politicians do not have that worry. If they need money they just give themselves a raise. People should remember that when they get in the voting booth.

Burke said...

I got distracted by the person who spoke of Trump's "courage." Is a vampire courageous for sinking his canines into a carotid artery?

Anonymous said...

11:26, why not ask Hillary. She has been sucking up tax dollars all of her life. Never had a real job. I just can't understand why Bill does not want anything to do with her. She is very good at doing the thing he likes.

robert redd said...

5:40 really nailed it

Anonymous said...

10:50 Were you cheering when your retirement account lost significant value over the past couple of days?

If your retirement account is positioned so badly as to not withstand a small market correction then you deserve to lose every penny and more for being so f"ing stupid.

Anonymous said...

Yes, everyone with a retirement fund should go out immediately and sell everything. Sell while it is low. Wait a little while and you can buy back when the price is high. Every intelligent person is doing it.

Anonymous said...

Margaret Thatcher once said "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." The Brits saw the gathering storm and made a strong move for self-determination. Other members of the EU with strong, or at least marginally healthy economies should follow suit and quit delaying the inevitable.

Anonymous said...

Good for England. When we tried to do it, our innocent civilians were starved, tortured, and murdered by this shitty country called America.

Anonymous said...

8:31, you are welcome to leave at any time and file your US State Department Form DS-4081 - here's the link: https://eforms.state.gov/editdocument.aspx?documentid=55

Ophelia said...

George Will , in his essay in today's paper, describes the EU as "ramshackle" and "sclerotic." How apt. And good for Britain, shouting "Enough is enough!"

Anonymous said...

The Scots are pussies anyway.

But, not to worry - J. Kerry has been dispatched to calm this storm. As soon as he returns, Mr. Obama will draw a bright line in the notion of 'world economy' (When he draws a line, by God, he means it!) and we will be back to business as usual - The business of making law from the White House.

Anonymous said...

★★★★★★★★★★

The Telegraph: The EU is poised to ban high-powered appliances such as kettles, toasters, hair-dryers within months of Britain’s referendum vote, despite senior officials admitting the plan has brought them “ridicule”.

The European Commission plans to unveil long-delayed ‘ecodesign’ restrictions on small household appliances in the autumn. They are expected to ban the most energy-inefficient devices from sale in order to cut carbon emissions.

The plans have been ready for many months, but were shelved for fear of undermining the referendum campaign if they were perceived as an assault on the British staples of tea and toast.

Read more here ...


★★★★★★★★★★

Anonymous said...

Finally, a country with enough people with a set of balls are taking their country back. Hope it is contagious.

Anonymous said...

I applaud the vote and think it's a great idea to buy British products as a show of support.

WW III said...

⚑ ⚑ ⚑ ⚑ ⚑

The foreign ministers of France and Germany are due to reveal a blueprint to effectively do away with individual member states in what is being described as an “ultimatum”.

Under the radical proposals EU countries will lose the right to have their own army, criminal law, taxation system or central bank, with all those powers being transferred to Brussels.

Controversially member states would also lose what few controls they have left over their own borders, including the procedure for admitting and relocating refugees.


The plot has sparked fury and panic in Poland - a traditional ally of Britain in the fight against federalism - after being leaked to Polish news channel TVP Info.


⚑ ⚑ ⚑ ⚑ ⚑

Anonymous said...

Stop posting crap that's not even fit for Snopes.....

Anonymous said...

Stop contributing comments that make no sense .....

Anonymous said...

Has everyone sold out their retirement already? Remember it is the smart thing to do. All of the highly educated people are doing it. Sell out quickly before the price goes up again.


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If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

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