I am amazed - really quite amazed - at some of the Brexit opinions I am reading here on DU

[ljm2002]

170. Here's the thing about "populism" ...

... it's an easy sell when the population is unhappy. And the population tends to be unhappy when their economic standing goes down or stagnates, while they work more; and when their children have fewer opportunities than they do; and when their leaders could give a flying rat's patootie about the well being of their constituents.

Yes, some of that populist rage was molded by demagogues who took advantage of the unhappiness, and who knew how to whip up xenophobic fervor.

But you know what? If the so-called elites had given a fig about the populace in the first place, we'd all be in a better place. But they did not, and they do not. The only message they got out of this result is "Britain's population are a bunch of angry bigots". As long as that is the only take-home lesson, expect things to get worse.