A Parliamentary Fiasco

You may have seen on the news (all around the world) that the recent shut-down of Parliament by the execrable Boris Johnson has been declared illegal by the Supreme Court here. They had to go back to work, and yesterday we were treated to a shocking example of shouting, abuse, and general playground antics, from people paid a small fortune to ‘supposedly’ (and I use the term loosely) represent those in their constituencies who voted them into a wonderfully well paid job, with huge benefits and expenses.

They were shameful indeed. Bellowing at each other like angry school children, and bringing proceedings to a halt with cat-calling, hooting, and braying. If you were listening without watching, you might be forgiven for thinking that you had tuned in to a group of irritated donkeys.

Nobody was exempt, and all sides were culpable.

What they achieved, (and I use that word loosely too) was to show that not one of them deserves their cushy job in Parliament. They should all be shamefaced this morning, but I can guarantee not one of them is.

So I am left to be ashamed for them. And angry too. Despicable people, not worthy of their titles, their jobs, or their pay.

They should all be discharged, and swept away from public life.
Is it any wonder that this blog thinks Democracy is a sham?

Bring on the Dictatorship. The Dictatorship of me!

But we can all relax, because Princess Beatrice has got engaged. A royal wedding is coming in 2020.
Ah, doesn’t that make you feel all warm inside?

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Parliament, Brexit, and The Will of The People

I have no doubt that everyone will be aware of recent events in British politics that have resulted in the temporary closure of the Parliament, a process known as ‘Proroguing’.

This is not something you hear about every day, though it has happened before. Here is a definition.

What does proroguing parliament mean?

The act of proroguing parliament brings to an end the current parliamentary “session”. This leads to a short break before a new session begins.

Parliament runs in “sessions” that generally last for around one year, although the length can vary.

A session opens with a “Queen’s speech” where the government sets out the laws it wants to pass over the coming session. Parliament must then approve the speech by voting in favour of it. Parliamentary business which hasn’t been completed by the end of a session is normally brought to an end (meaning it can’t be picked up at the start of the next session).

If that doesn’t mean much to you, then join the club.

In plain speech, the current Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, along with his Right-wing rich boy cronies, was unable to get agreement for a ‘No Deal’ Brexit on the 31st of October. Parliament was blocking him, and his majority is too slim to ever give him hope of winning a no-deal vote. As well as his opposition, many of those in his own Conservative Party rebelled against him, with the Scottish politicians even going to their High Court to have the suspension of parliament declared illegal.

Ironically, many of those opposing the no-deal departure from the EU represent constituencies that voted heavily in favour of Leave. But they think they know better of course. After all, the voters are mere dull-witted ‘plebs’, giving them a well-paid job with lavish expenses that will last at least until the next election.

So Boris took the rather drastic option of closing down Parliament, preventing those trying to stop a no-deal option getting through. It is likely that when it reconvenes, there will not be enough time to debate any issues further, and we may well leave on the 31st with no arrangements with the EU.

But everyone forgets that this is what the majority voted for, in 2016. Much is said now about people not wanting no deal, and not being sensible enough to realise what they were voting for. Even more is said about the fact that 48% of the voters opted to remain. But we live under a political system where the majority vote in a referendum is the winning vote. Even if that was one vote, let alone 1,269,501.

I cannot stand Boris Johnson and his sickening hangers-on. I hold no brief for the Scottish Nationalists that want to stay in the EU, or those in Northern Ireland that want to do the same. I am neither xenophobic, nor racist, and do not associate myself with any of the right-wing or nationalist groups in England clamouring their support for the Prime Minister.

But I did vote to leave the EU, more than three years ago. Ever since, the will of the people has been trampled on, sneered at, and attempts made to overthrow it.

It’s time to leave. Deal or not, Boris or not. Otherwise, we have to face the truth.

We do not live in a Democracy.

A Very Convenient Death

When Jeffery Epstein was arrested, and the story reported here about his ‘connection’ with everyone from President Trump, to British Royal princes, I turned to my wife, and said.
“He will never get to trial. They will be too afraid of who he will name. Too many skeletons in cupboards. He will do a deal too, name names for a reduced sentence”.

Now I don’t claim for moment to be the only person who thought of that, but I was not in the least surprised to see on the news that he had ‘committed suicide’ in prison. If you believe that, I am offering Tower Bridge for sale, at a knockdown price. One owner, and hardly used.

If you want to see what happens when you cross the British Royal family, there is no need to go back as far as 1605, and Guy Fawkes. Just remember 1997, and Lady Diana, in a French road tunnel. A ‘car accident’. We don’t have a very efficient Secret Service for nothing. But maybe the British had nothing to do with Epsein? Witnesses that potentially upset the status quo in America rarely get their day in court. Ask Lee Harvey Oswald, or Jack Ruby.

But you can’t, because they are both dead. One shot and killed whilst under arrest, the other ‘died in hospital’.

Epstein made a big mistake. He got involved with the wrong sort of people.

My Take On Gun Violence (Again)

Please read the thoughts of chuq on this issue. An American blogger who is also a gun owner.

In Saner Thought

I have written my thoughts about the debate and the violence around guns….and once again I need to make my thoughts known after a bloody weekend last.

A few of the posts I have written about the gun violence culture we live within…..

Gun Violence–Here We Go Again!

God–Country–Guns

Happiness Is A Warm Gun

Seriously? Again?

Like I said…just a small selection of my thoughts and posts on the subject of gun violence….

After last weekend I feel I need to repeat myself on guns and violence.

I will begin by saying I am pro gun…I have many guns….but I also see the need for some sort of definitive action to try and put the brakes on this spiral of violence that we are living.

Tuesday night panic broke out in NYC because of a motorcycle backfire…..watch the video here….

The mass shootings over the weekend in El Paso and Dayton have…

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Nobody cares: More shootings in America.

The news is reporting another random mass shooting in the USA, this time in El Paso, Texas. Twenty or more injured, and ‘multiple fatalities’.

This made the headlines on the BBC News, as the first story to be featured. To us, it is unthinkable.

As of the 31st of July, 2019, no less than 249 shootings of this nature have been reported, in just seven months. This recent even takes that number to 250.

Today is only the 215th day of the year. So that means shootings have exceeded one per day, by a fair margin.

America is not listening. Americans wants their guns. America is never going to implement gun control.

The 251st shooting is probably only a few days away.

Nobody in America really cares. Or at least not enough. It is always someone else’s gun, never mine. I need my gun.

Because if they genuinely did care, they could stop it.

The world is crying out to Americans, but they refuse to listen.

A choice that is no choice

The two candidates vying to be the next leader of the UK Conservative Party, and by default, the next Prime Minister of Britain, are coming to the end of their campaigns. They are facing tougher than usual questioning, and both are seen to be struggling under the pressure. For US readers, these characters are the equivalent of Republican grandees. Well-educated, previous experience in government, and both suitably smug and complacent.

Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson are competing in a one-horse race to win the prize. That will be voted on only by the members of the UK Conservative Party; around 160,000 people, out of a population of around 67,000,000. I say one-horse race, because Boris Johnson is the out-and-out leader, and expected to win, by everybody. This man seems to be a tousle-haired buffoon. A supporter of the Right in politics, and a bumbling former Mayor of London.

But don’t be fooled by his public persona. He is very intelligent, and knows very well how to play to the ‘mob’.

There is little chance Hunt will beat him, but to me that is of little consequence. They are both the awful descendants of Margaret Thatcher. Supporters of the rich and privileged, big business, and their financial backers. They won’t keep a single promise they are making, whichever one of the evil men wins.

We supposedly have a choice, voted for by their own party members. But for me, it is no choice at all.

They are both as bad as each other. In my world, they would be hanging from lamp-posts.

EU Elections

This Thursday, Britain will be voting in the EU elections, to send more than 70 members to represent our country in the European Parliament.

You might be forgiven for wondering why, as in 2016, we voted as a country to leave the EU. But because the government failed to agree on an exit strategy, we are stuck with the process of sending MEPs to the EU, despite the cost exceeding £110 million. To say this is completely unacceptable, is an understatement. It is nothing less than shameful, at a time when some British people are using Food Banks to survive, and the minimum wage here is insufficient to live on.

For only the second time in my life, I will not be voting. Because failing to vote is the only protest I can make, regarding this disrespect of Democracy, and the overturning of the accepted voting processes in this country.

The only word in my head is ‘SHAME’. Shame on Parliament for disrespecting the vote of the majority. Shame on Theresa May, for sucking up to the EU bigwigs. And shame on the Remain dissidents, who have tried to overturn the democratic process since 2016.

This country is now broken, and bitterly divided. And it is all the fault of those who refused to accept a result they didn’t expect. You are no better than fundamentalists, refusing to accept any idea or belief that you don’t adhere to.

Shame on you all. I am disgusted to live in the same country as you.