The UK election offers a valuable lesson: hardline Far Left activism can be politically fatal.

[ArtTownsend]

Especially when paired with credible accusations of anti-Semitism as well as being utterly divorced from the traditional base of your party, particularly outside of college-educated urban areas.

[RandySF]

1. Labour was split on Brexit

so he tried to talk about everything else.

[ArtTownsend]

2. Yup, but Brexit can't be stopped.

[Johonny]

17. Yeah, it seemed like a doomed election

Bexit did what it was supposed to do. Use a false narative and xenophobia to drive liberal leaning voters to vote against their best interest. This election appeased a lot of inner racism in people, but they're not going to be prepared for the real neo-liberal agenda they just put in place. Theocracy and plutocracy lay at the heart of the conservative's neo-liberal agenda. They give not a shit for the poor and middle class whose role is to obey.

[leftstreet]

3. Corbyn is hardly a "far left" politician. Jeesus n/t

[Amishman]

11. The platform he was pushing was very transformative - nationalizing utilities

plus rail and some telecoms.

Plus massive spending, which was criticized as to how to pay for it (sound familiar?)

If there is a lesson to learn, it is that charisma matters (especially broad appeal) and that incrementalism is a better tactic than promising total transformation

[Recursion]

16. He was literally talking about nationalizing industries

not sure what qualifies as "far left" if actual honest-to-God socialism doesn't.

[roamer65]

4. Let's see how much of the UK is left after an English PM gets done with it.

Johnson is not a UK PM, he’s an English one.

Northern Ireland will unite with the Irish republic, then Scotland will leave.

[Straw Man]

5. Right.

Northern Ireland will unite with the Irish republic, then Scotland will leave.

Driving the final stake into the barely-beating heart of the British "Empire." It's about time.

The irony is rich, very rich.

[RelativelyJones]

6. Absolutely true.

[safeinOhio]

7. Thank you for

your concern about us "far Left".

[still_one]

8. It was a vote on BREXIT, but it is naive to believe that this was NOT a rejection of nationalism of

government into businesses

[Baclava]

9. Ummmmmmm, no, this was a Brexit vote, plain and simple, n/t

[tman]

15. It wasn't just brexit

Last edited Fri Dec 13, 2019, 11:43 AM - Edit history (1)

Take it from someone who lives there.

[Cosmocat]

10. Its evidence that the relentless stupid we see here

Unfortunately is not confined to our borders.

That somehow when whipped into a nationalist lather people in mass will readily come to believe completely immoral and corrupt fascist are more safe than those who soberly propose the common sense measures that would most benefit their best interests.

[DFW]

12. I get a different lesson

If a country is forced to choose between two completely unappealing candidates to lead them, they will go with the one already in place. The devil you know, e.g.

Labour should have had this in a cakewalk. Two things turned this around for the Tories. First, instead of offering a clear "stay" option to Johnson's "leave," they didn't distinguish themselves from the Tories on the Brexit issue, handing Johnson a get out of jail free card by letting him claim, "see? everyone wants to leave," when that is anything but clear. Second, Corbyn is SUCH an unappealing, repellent personality (at least in public), the Party ceded the media to Johnson. Johnson may act like a buffoon, but like a half-way amiable buffoon. He disguises the danger he presents (as did Trump to some extent) until it's too late.

An unappealing candidate in your top spot is what is fatal. An appealing candidate is a plus. This is how we took the White House from Bush, senior. This is also why McCain had no chance in the world. It is also why, if the Democratic Party chooses to go further left then we have before, that Warren will fare better than Sanders. However, if ANY halfway charismatic Democrat competes with Trump, especially in his current deranged state, we should win the election handily. Whether or not we win the counting afterward is, still a completely different issue--unfortunately.

[delisen]

13. B Clinton won on the state of economy

Bush Sr ignored the faltering economy and was deemed out of touch.He failed to address the main issue of most voters.

Clinton campaign hammered Bush on the economy. He addressed the main issue.

[Boomerproud]

14. The people who were in Bush's corner were the

M/I complex and the media. He did nothing for Americans because he had no clue or interest.

[jpak]

18. Bullshit

Unrec