Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Game of Scones -- Brexit Recap/Analysis



As we keep turning and turning in the widening gyre, there's a lot left to say about Brexit. We cover the first week's fallout, clear up some widespread misconceptions, and take a guided tour through the horror show of Britain's class system and politics. As always you can listen below, here, or on iTunes here.

3 comments:

  1. I'm glad that you guys have opted to take this turn. I understand why #RHAP as a business empire has gone Switzerland on talking any kind of politics, but it's refreshing from this reality TV community to actually hear discussion about something other than game show contestants. And it's a discussion that reflects the rationality and civil discourse that's made your podcast a must listen all these years. I have no problem at ALL listening to an extended discussion about political history. Both as a double grad of history and classics, and as a fan of someone like Dan Carlin (and btw his #Brexit commentary is as always insightful) I could listen to this stuff for hours.

    So great job, particularly from Dom. Your insight is better than 90% of the shit I'm hearing out there...who knew this would come from a Survivor podcast?

    Greg aka Fuggybootnling

    p.s. Please do check out what Dan Carlin has to say on this at dancarlin.com. He has good thoughts on the larger narrative of what's going on, as always.

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  2. Enjoyed both the brexit podcasts. But I disagreed almost entirely with Dom's take on Brexit impact on UK. I understood his reasons to vote leave, as he explained in last podcast. But I am not convinced that reasons to leave in anyway could outweigh reasons to stay in current atmosphere or state of the world. Few points -
    - I have a lot of family and friends in UK and a couple of them have already experience one racial comment or another since the result. (They are of Indian origin, some half British). Even if someone is voting Leave for 'good' reasons, you can't ignore that you are effectively in a coalition with bigots, racists and xenophobes. This is the excuse a lot of republicans have used in US for ages, that they don't share the views held by religious right and are voting for Republican party for different reasons. But you end up emboldening and empowering these people when you hand them a victory like this. Like I saw a comment on twitter - "Not all 52% who voted leave are racists. But all the racists who did vote leave now feel 52% of the country probably agrees with them'. This problem is especially going to multiply when leave leaders are unable to deliver on promises on curbing immigration.
    - Second, the impact on economy has been glossed over. There is a real threat of jobs being lost due to this decision across the spectrum - be it manufacturing units or financial industry in London. As much as it is also in EU's interest to negotiate a good economic deal with UK, the political interests of individual nations' leaders would compel them to make some sort of example out of UK. French, German, Dutch leaders have to walk a tight road between economic and political interests. They can't embolden far right movements in their countries by giving UK a sweet deal.
    - If the leave vote does end up NI and Scotland breaking away from UK, would it still be worth it?

    As a side note, a reason why Blair is an untouchable in Labour party right now is due to Iraq war. It is only going to get worse after Chilcot report.

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  3. I've listened to the podcast since the first Blood Vs Water, and the Brexit podcasts are the first ones I have ever listened to more than once. Such great insight by Dom. Dom explains this better then any news organization or person I have heard. I hope we get a third because this whole thing just keeps getting more interesting with Boris and Nigel out now.

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