avevale_intelligencer: (Default)
avevale_intelligencer ([personal profile] avevale_intelligencer) wrote2005-05-06 08:20 am

(no subject)

He did it again.

With all we know of him, with all we've seen, he did it again. My ancestors fought and died so that he could get in again. My vote made exactly as much difference as I expected it to, and he got in again.

Excuse me, I'm just slightly overcome with the majesty of the democratic process in action.

[identity profile] pbristow.livejournal.com 2005-05-06 08:09 am (UTC)(link)
Well, at least he's back down to a "normal" sized majority instead of a stonking great "stuff you other parties, we *own* this place!" majority. But they still get to fill more than half the house, despite only a quarter of the country (aka a third of those who voted) having voted for them. =:o{

I would have preferred a closer result. Heck, I would have *preferred* a LibDem victory, but my optimism didn't quite stretch that far. But every few more yellow seats means a bit more moderation of the red/blue tit-for-tat.

[identity profile] zanda-myrande.livejournal.com 2005-05-06 09:08 am (UTC)(link)
I don't see that it does. With a normal majority, Labour can win most if not all votes. Even allied with the Tories, the LDs can't outvote him (if the numbers I saw earlier are correct). I would seriously doubt that there's any thought in what passes for Blair's mind today beyond "I won!"

What it comes down to is that he can do what he likes and no-one can stop him. I'd love to think that wasn't the case, but it is. And I really wish I could think about something else right now...

[identity profile] pocketnaomi.livejournal.com 2005-05-06 11:30 am (UTC)(link)
According to the news, since his party blames him for their substantial loss of seats, they may well kick him out.

[identity profile] zanda-myrande.livejournal.com 2005-05-06 11:44 am (UTC)(link)
That's the most hopeful thing I've heard this morning! (okay, it probably wouldn't lead to any substantial change in policy, but it would be personally satisfying...) Thank you! ((([livejournal.com profile] nrivkis)))

[identity profile] pocketnaomi.livejournal.com 2005-05-06 11:47 am (UTC)(link)
You're welcome. Glad I could make your day a little brighter. :) (And I understand about the distinction -- getting rid of Tom Delay probably won't make a material difference to policy either, but man, would it feel good.)

[identity profile] ci5rod.livejournal.com 2005-05-07 10:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Actually I suspect that a fair amount of his mind was occupied with thinking "Bugger, that was on the low side of the informed pundits' predictions." I'd guessed at a majority of 80, but I'd heard figures from 60 to 100.

Blair's biggest danger is now his own party. What he can't do any more is to push controversial issues through, which used not to be a big problem because the size of his majority meant he could ride through any plausible back-bench rebellion. If he tries something like going to war again (for example), he's going to have to persuade an awful lot of people who know full well that it will lose them their seats, and most of them really won't be keen. I'm hoping that this has spiked the ID cards issue, though it's always possible that he'll find some way to make it attractive to the Tories.

[identity profile] filkerdave.livejournal.com 2005-05-06 12:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Dude, I sympathize. Look what we have here in the US...
aunty_marion: Vaguely Norse-interlace dragon, with knitting (Default)

[personal profile] aunty_marion 2005-05-06 12:26 pm (UTC)(link)
I accidentally spoonerised the two leaders a while back, and now can't get Bare and Blush out of my head.

[identity profile] filkerdave.livejournal.com 2005-05-06 12:35 pm (UTC)(link)
There is probably slashfic involving the two of them.

What a thought. Excuse me while I go and boil my brain to sterilize it now.

[identity profile] zanda-myrande.livejournal.com 2005-05-06 12:30 pm (UTC)(link)
The sympathy is entirely mutual. And I see from [livejournal.com profile] filkertom that Nehemiah Scudder and his like are indeed waiting in the wings...if they get a foothold, we might have to start parachuting in and smuggling you guys out.

[identity profile] filkerdave.livejournal.com 2005-05-06 12:36 pm (UTC)(link)
It's almost enough to make me want to start collecting guns and ammo.

[identity profile] bardiclug.livejournal.com 2005-05-06 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll be running a half-way house for politically disgusted Americans in Vancouver. Make your reservations early. :)

"They" keep saying it is going to get better, but so far I see no evidence of that...

[identity profile] figmo.livejournal.com 2005-05-07 01:31 am (UTC)(link)
I think it's a great time to be a political satirist.