The Trump/Musk fiasco

So, Trump and Musk have finally fallen out. Was it to be expected? I would say almost certainly. Two narcissistic psychos with massive egos. The row erupted after Musk criticised Trump's Big Beautiful Bill. Of course, the row isn't going to stop them still causing massive damage to the USA and it's people. The horror story continues.

Could they get back together? That is possible if it suits their needs and greed, but damage has been done with Musk raising Trump and the Epstein files on Twitter, calling for his impeachment, and Trump threatening to cancel Musks contracts. Trump's mate Bannon has called for Musk to be deported as an illegal alien. The fun goes on!

I found this excellent meme on Bluesky, but was unable to find out who made it. Happy to give credit.

What next? Who knows? Putin will be laughing for sure. But let's hope they continue to tear one another apart and enjoy it while we can 😂

The death of the Labour party

In 1999, I joined the Green Party. Why? I've always been a socialist and I always voted Labour, when I bothered to vote. By then, I had seen through Tony Blair. While the media and Labour supporters were still fawning over Emperor Blair, I could see he had no clothes, I was that little boy. People have conveniently forgotten that New Labour was cruel to benefit claimants, built very little housing, and was in hoc to the corporations - a neoliberal party. Blair managed to lose about 5 million votes, the BNP blossomed, but he was worshipped by the party - and still is.

Blairism has mutated in Starmerism, an even crueller and more vacuous version, in the pockets of Palantir and BlackRock, who btw are buying up the UK, soon we won't own any of our own country. I'm sure you're aware of the vicious cuts to PIP and the refusal to lift the two child benefit cap. If you don't know about freeports and SEZs you need to find out. Starmer is taking the UK down the drain via corporate fiefdoms. 

And then, of course, there is his support for the atrocious ongoing support for the Israeli genocide of the Palestinians. 

Many people are now disillusioned with Labour. Starmer promised 'change' and has given us more of the same - on steroids. Labour have plummeted in the polls and Reform, led by uber grifter Farage, are on the rise. The local elections are on Thursday and Reform are ahead in some polls. They could win the by-election in Helsby and Runcorn. 

People were getting really angry after 14 years of Tory government, hence Labour's bizarre landslide in 2024. Now, they are even angrier. Where do they turn? Not to the Tories. Some will go for the Fib Dems. What are the other options? Basically Reform or the Greens, though independents might have a chance.

Part of the key to this is the rotten and corrupt system of government we've had in the UK for decades with politicians in the pockets of corporations, and a FPTP electoral system which doesn't deliver democracy. We still have a House of Lords, FFS! 

All we can do is buckle up, organise and work to get Greens elected. They have the best policies and are doing well in some polls. We don't have a credible alternative left party. At this rate, I may have to rejoin the Greens! *

*I left when Corbyn became Labour leader, as we all know he was sabotaged by the MSM and the political establishment.

We were meant to live together, capitalism has destroyed that.

Guess what? Humans are social animals. We are made that way. We need the company of others to survive and to thrive. This does not mean just family, or friends, it means being part of a real community. That is where we should be based, But we aren't. As I wrote in a previous post here, the nuclear family in the west has divided us up into little boxes, neatly packaged, to divide us and serve the purposes of capitalism.

How many people live on my street. I would guess about 500. How many do I know? About 10 or so. How many are friends? Half a dozen. Why? Is it because I'm not sociable? I don't think so. I would guess that most people in the street are the same. They may know others because they are neighbours or because they meet at the school gates, or possibly the pub. But that's about it. Most people's visitors are family and friends, not locals.

This affects all of us, but we are so used to it, we hardly notice. Being separated into nuclear family units is good for neoliberal capitalism. As Margaret Thatcher said, "there is no such thing as society". Although it has been argued that this was taken out of context, there can be no doubt that the 'atomisation' of individuals suits those that exploit us. It weakens our agency as a collective. Real change has happened when we have come together, as in the solidarity and work of the Suffragettes, for example. Individualism, lauded by some, makes us weaker and easier to use and manipulate. 

A suffragette being arrested.

If you look at indigenous communities, they are collective. People work together and live together in a group. That is how we evolved and how we were made. That is how we should be living, but separation is so ingrained it will be difficult to bring about real change. However, there is nothing to stop us trying to build stronger communities by becoming active in community groups, with solidarity and mutual aid. The way the world is going, we are really going to need this.

Trump epitomises the psychosis of neoliberal late stage capitalism

Where are we now? It's hard to keep up. This is only a brief summary. Trump has been president for less than a month and in true Steve Bannon style has 'flooded the zone with shit' using an avalanche of executive orders, most of which appear to be illegal and have been challenged.

His benefactor and right-hand man billionaire Musk, working through DOGE, seems to have access to all government departs with his team of kids and is 'stealing' data and making crazy cuts. It seems they want to scrap the department of education, defund USAID, libraries, forests, healthcare (National Institutes of Health), ban books, attack POC and trans people whilst ensuring that hundreds of millions of dollars go into the pockets of Musk and Trumps billionaire pals.

Then we've got RFK, the vaccine conspiracy theory lunatic who appears to want to damage and destroy the lives of millions of Americans, and Hesgeth, the whisky quaffing defence secretary whose main priority, apart from booze is renaming US bases and removing any traces of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) from the US military - something which is being implemented in all US government departments.

The of course, we have the tariffs threat. First Canada and Mexico, and now, he appears to be going after the UK, China and the EU. He may have backed down on the first two 'victims' but he's already damaged the US economy as Canadians are boycotting US products.

Trump's fake ceasefire in Gaza may have brought some relief to the Palestinians trapped there, but it will be temporary. Trump and Netanyahu want the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, expelling the Palestinians and turning it into some kind of luxury resort. This won't happen, and the horror of the Gaza genocide will continue.

This is a photo posted by Trump recently on social media

This week we have witnessed the black farce of the Munich Security Conference. JD Vance chumming up with the AFD and criticising free speech in the UK. Hesgeth talking BS while drinking whisky. Now, we have Trump selling out Ukraine to Putin and demanding all of their mineral resources.

It's not that much better in the UK. Starmer and Reeves think they are going to get growth by bowing down to oligarchs and corporations, selling off UK assets, and funding oil companies that are destroying the planet. They're boosting defence spending whilst cutting overseas aid, and allowing Ofgem to rip off energy customers with another hike in energy bills in April.

May people are depressed by the rank state of affairs we find ourselves in. The only thing we can do is get ourselves organised and fight back. It's going to be a long, uphill struggle, but we have no other choice. 

The New Chartists - We need a Charter for real change in the UK.

We need real change in the UK, and we need it very soon. But how do we bring it about? Millions of Brits are pissed off. They are struggling to pay the rent, mortgage, energy bills and put food on the table. While Musk rants about Farage and Tommeh, Trump steps into the Whitehouse, and genocidal Kid Starver freezes pensioners and cuts benefits for the disabled more, and more people are suffering.

Our political system, and democracy is broken, our economy is broken, our country is broken, and the 'change' Starmer promised is simply the same old shit we have had to put up with for the past 14 years. It's not just the working classes who are suffering, so are the middle class and the petit bourgeoisie. Graduates are struggling in low paid jobs. The country is ripe for a peaceful revolution.

I'm not convinced we need a new political party, but we definitely need a people's movement for change. We need real democracy - direct democracy - in which our citizens can all participate. Furthermore, we know that this can work because it's already been tried through citizens assemblies.

Recently, I found this article by Peter Garbutt, an old GP comrade of mine. He explains how the system can work and bring about the changes we need in a dying society and planet, where we must work to avoid climate collapse.

He says: 

"Here’s how it would work. First, a political party would be formed with the specific and explicit aim of introducing government by citizens assemblies – selected by sortition, much like juries are at present – and introducing UBI. It’s extremely difficult for new parties to make headway in our system. It’s usually a lack of money or a lack of media coverage that’s the problem."

And:  

"By the end of the party’s term, the system of governance by citizens’ assemblies would be up and running. The party’s final act would be to adopt the constitution and abolish political parties, including itself."

I'm not sure if we need a political party to bring about the changes we need, but the support of a political party would be important. As for UBI that is a separate issue not covered in the post.

The Great Chartists meeting on Kennington Common in 1848

So many people are disillusioned with our 'democracy' and political parties that the biggest group we have is none voters. I think a people's movement, let's just call it the New Chartists, could produce the momentum for the change we need. So let's work together a draw up a new charter of our demands for the changes we need. The demand must include citizens assemblies with the power to make decisions locally and nationally, and a written constitution.

Millions, on the left and centre, are disillusioned with the state of the UK and our 'democratic' system. Only the right are enthused because they sense a chance to seize power. Let's grasp this opportunity to thwart them and bring about real positive change! What other choice do we have?

A horror story for 2025: Bad Enoch summons The Great Eloon.

Bad Enoch cackled as she listened to the radio in the darkness. "Nice one Cruella" she said, "now my latest plan is to build a wall between what's left of the UK and Turkey, we have to keep those damn migrants out of our blessed realm". She laughed loudly "Mwuuhahahaha!'. Little Fartage tittered and farted, as he sat at her feet.

She lifted her dress. "Now Fartarse, come and do your duty!". He crawled around behind her and sniffed. "Enough sniffing, get licking!" she demanded. His little face disappeared between her cheeks. She groaned slightly. "That's enough....for now....fetch the black candle". "Yes Mistress" he croaked.

When the candle was lit, she moved over to her cauldron and began to stir it. "Now!, it is time to summon the Great Daemon!". She stirred the noxious brew, and the rancid fumes filled the stone chamber. I summon thee, O Great one, I summon thee in the name of X!" 

The fumes rose, and then a great figure arose, with red eyes, filling the chamber with green light. The Great Daemon sat before them, laptop in hand. "Who had the nerve to call to me!?" he shouted, "Abase yourselves, you lowly creatures!" They bowed very low. 

"Oh Great Eloon" said Bad Enoch, "We have been praying for your support all of our lives, we are your faithful servants!". They bowed again. "How dare you interrupt my posting, you fools. Did you not know I have discarded you! Do not presume to summon the great leader of the free world!". He raised his magic Starlink and blasted them to pieces, laughing. "Now I have more important work to do, where is my sidekick Tommeh?"

Ends..... or does it?

2025: The crisis continues

Who is looking forward to 2025? Where to start? 2024 was an annus horribilis: the war in Ukraine, the climate crisis, the slaughter in Gaza, a Labour government that failed in the first few months, the election of depraved criminal Trump, and an acceleration of the climate crisis. There's much more, but that will do for a start.

It's actually quite simple. As I've said before on this blog, neoliberalism is destroying people and planet. Neoliberalism is an extremist ideology, which puts the market above all else. Profit comes well before people and planet. If the triumph of the market brings about the end of civilisation - so be it.

Nu Labour panders to the free marketeers, which is why, after only 3 months in power, they had become unpopular. Now things are worse for them. Their corporate chums, like BlackRock, are like parasites, like Dracula. They want to suck the blood out of Britain. Every last drop. If our nation dies, they'll simply move on to the next victim. That is where we are. 

The kleptocrats, like Musk, operate with impunity, interfering in elections at home and abroad using their money to get the results that suit them. Musk is said to be planning a $100m donation to Farage's Reform Party, no doubt hoping that Reform will win the next UK GE, and he'll have Farage in his pocket*. It seems Nu Labour will do nothing to prevent this overseas interference in UK politics. Maybe that's because Kid Starver wants foreign donations?

Why is this all happening? Neoliberalism is the key. 'Centrist' governments in Europe and the UK have adopted austerity and neoliberalism, and immiserated, and alienated the electorate. This has paved the way for the rise of the far right and the failure of social democracy. Instead of moving back to the left, and fighting back,  social democratic parties have pandered to the racism and anti-asylum seeker hatred of the far-right, making themselves weaker in the process.

All of this is well summed up in the diagram below, which I found on the web. Happy to give credit for it, but I haven't found out who created it:

Unless things change politically, we will be dragged further into the swap. It ain't easy, but we have only one option - organise and fight back! We need to build from the grassroots as well and working, on a national level, to bring about change.

* Yes! We are all laughing since Musk rejected his grifting puppet Nigel Farage 😂 😂 😂