Are Trump and Brexit about freeing the rich to exploit the poor?

I have said so for some time. I accept many of the criticisms of the EU and of the Democratic establishment but I fear that people have voted for greater evils. 'Taking back control' of the EU has removed power from Brussels bureaucrats but placed it in the hands of a hard-right Conservative Party determined to make Britain even more of a tax-haven free-market island. Trumps appeal is largely the logical extension of long-standing Republican tactics which use fear the culture war to support the agenda of the rich.

More important that rhetoric or the mock-able palace intrigue, are the underlying agendas at work. People should look at policies and the people involved to find out what the agenda is. Both these things gained consent because of populist outrage against the establishment which - though somewhat deserved - has been redirected further against the interests of the population. The real winners are not ordinary citizens of Britain and America but the billionaires who thought that the old statues quo did not leave them dominant enough. Crocodiles drain the swamp and look what happens.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/04/ripping-up-protections-brexit-trump-freedom

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Northwest · M Best Comment

Yes.

bijouxbroussard · F

Well, I look at two Obama-era laws that were overturned, without that much outrage, even though I was certain the folks who complained so heartily about "Big Brother" wouldn't like it. One was a Fiduciary ruling in place that institutions investing your money for you had to keep [b]you[/b] apprised with investments being made in [b]your[/b] name, and were required to act in [b]your[/b] best interests as the client, including letting you know about any conflict of interests in their advising you. Trump had that ruling, which was supposed to start April 5, 2017, delayed---why ? So those businesses will have no restrictions on how they use your money.

The second, or course, was the internet privacy issue, where now your provider is under no legal obligation to keep your browsing or shopping habits private, and can sell them to whomever they want, without notifying you that they've done so. Another move that benefits business, and not the consumer.

They don't care about the people, they don't care about the rules. Right now, they're talking about pushing through the nomination of Trump SCOTUS pick, and if they don't have the number of votes they need, screw it, they'll just change the rules so they can have him confirmed [b]anyway[/b]. And Trump's supporters aren't saying a word against it. Obama's pick, Merrick Garland was a moderate, someone both parties could've lived with, but the GOP blocked him for no other reason than partisan politics. Now they're saying they have no intention of following the rules that have been set. This is why I have no respect for those who used to call Obama a "dictator", because they obviously don't know the meaning of the word.

Ynotisay · M

Just wait until they bring down Dodd-Frank. The very people who will get hurt the most will be the very people clapping their hands in support.

tynamite · 31-35, M

No. Trump and Brexit don't give or take away any power from politicians.

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Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@tynamite: [quote]I'd be more concerned about zero hour contracts and workfare than how leaving the EU will affect workers rights.[/quote]

Er... well. Those two things directly concern workers rights. They are not things that happened because of the EU but because of a Conservative Government that wants that kind of economy. They have now just been freed from their biggest constraint.

tynamite · 31-35, M

@Burnley123: Oh really? The EU can't do jack shit about the government making people poorer.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@tynamite: The EU did indeed stop things getting worse. In addition, regional development money helped a lot of places in this country that national government rejected.