tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942478546968158905.post1009363418722496566..comments2024-03-24T11:22:15.548+00:00Comments on Lustig's Letter: Why the pundits may soon owe you an apologyRobin Lustighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00578195216460807588noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942478546968158905.post-38237001087607449852017-03-18T21:00:41.672+00:002017-03-18T21:00:41.672+00:00Excellently put! Thank you, Robin Lustig. The imag...Excellently put! Thank you, Robin Lustig. The image of Farage addressing his own reflection in the mirror will stay with me as a way of banishing, for my mind at least, this dreadful incubus on the body politic.Chris Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08987944321723654778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942478546968158905.post-77338340388179022712017-03-17T11:01:38.688+00:002017-03-17T11:01:38.688+00:00First of all, those who do not participate in elec...First of all, those who do not participate in elections, in my opinion, are endorsing "in blanco" the election result whatever it may be. So they should be counted with the winning vote, rather the losing side. <br /><br />Secondly, the impact of the rise of popularity of populist right wing parties (which is undeniable) should also be measured in the way it affects political discourse across the party spectrum and shifts the centre to the right. <br /><br />Both Conservatives and even Labour copied parts of UKIP's rhetoric before the general election. Mark Rutte also radicalised the tone of his campaign in response to Wilders, which sadly appears to have worked out well for him. The rise of the radical Francois Fillon as candidate of Les Republicains is also largely due to the presence of Marine Le Pen. <br /><br />I believe there is merit in being cautious. After all no one like Trump was elected ever before, even though radical candidates of this sort have come close before (like when Le Pen sr entered the second round of presidential elections in France). There is a design flow in liberal democracies that allows societies to sleepwalk into a result that most voters didn't really want, as we know from history. Raising alarm bells early is probably better than ignoring red flags until it's too late. Paul M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00750946113993125900noreply@blogger.com