The election of “The Donald” was one of those events in history that was completely unexpected. Of course, the unexpected happens every day. The difference with Mr Trump of course is that he had been elected to the most powerful office in the democratic world.
British Gazette readers know well the term “politically correct” and it’s opposite, “politically incorrect”. They are recent terms and all readers will be able to cite examples. However, for the purposes of today’s article we would like to use the term more generally. In the sense that there has always been “political correctness” and “political in-correctness”. It’s just that it has not been called that.
Basically, across all human societies throughout history there have been things that are OK to say and things that are not OK to say. These things vary as do the reactions and penalties faced by those who say them.
Another thing that British Gazette readers are well aware of is that across “the western democracies” there is an established political class that rules. This has also always been the case. The difference is that the social make-up of his political elite changes over time. Today we have a meritocracy with many intellectually able graduates from a broad spectrum of social classes entering politics. The thing they have in common with their 19th and early 20th Century predecessors is that there are “political norms” that are to be followed.
This is where businessmen with no experience or involvement with politics can get themselves into “hot water” with the political establishment of their countries. President Trump has landed himself into a lot of hot water!
In all democracies there are things that you just should not say. Not just when they may be true but especially when they are true!
The particular tub of hot water that President Trump has jumped into that is the subject of today’s article is this: https://www.mail.com/int/news/us/4950992-republicans-seek-distance-trumps-comments-putin-us.html#.1272-stage-hero1-1
In particular we would draw your attention to the critical response (to President Trump) by the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. He stated:
“……Putin’s a former KGB agent. He’s a thug. He was not elected in a way that most people would consider a credible election……” Continuing, “……. The Russians annexed Crimea, invaded Ukraine and messed around in our elections. And no, I don’t think there’s any equivalence between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does…….”
British Gazette comment: Au contraire Senator. There is. Throughout the 20th Century the USA involved itself directly and indirectly in the internal affairs of it’s Central and South American neighbours. Cuba and Chile are two examples that spring most prominently to mind. There are numerous others! President Trump’s great sin is to ignore the political convention that one does not cite examples of one’s own country’s “bad behaviour”
Let us not think that the UK is somehow exempt from this. It is not. No country is.
What we are witnessing from our vantage point from the “other side of the pond” is a battle not so much between the Democrats and the new (nominally) Republican administration but between that administration and the Republican establishment!
This is an important struggle. Whilst President Trump has been elected to the most powerful office in the democratic world, he is constrained by the US Constitution. Of it, it is said that the President proposes and Congress disposes. The founding fathers drafted their new constitution on the old British constitution. They did not want an all powerful sovereign – even if he was to be elected for a four year term.
The fact is that in order to get his programme through, President Trump will have to work with the US Congress. He will have to persuade and encourage those in the House of Representatives and the Senate to back his proposals.
Notwithstanding the constraints imposed by the constitution, President Trump can still exercise a great influence however. For us and the rest of the world, how President Trump deals with the Paris Agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is of great importance.
President Trump will be able to remove the USA from the list of participants because it is – so far as the US constitution is concerned – and Executive Agreement and NOT a Treaty. This means that President Trump can nullify the USA’s participation by one of those Executive Orders he has grown so fond of signing of late!
However, if and when he does such, he and we should be in no doubt – no doubts whatsoever – as to the size and extent of the brouhaha that will be unleashed! Right across the world – particularly in the UK and the rest of the EU – there will be a veritable wailing and gnashing of teeth!
Mr Ed Miliband and Mr Tim Farron will glow like those incandescent light bulbs that have now been banned as these aforementioned twits consider them a threat to the future of Planet Earth! The question we can ask is this: Will Caroline Lucas become hysterical?
Another thing we can be sure of – a racing certainty in fact – is that thousands of Snowflakes (of the green variety!) will again come out onto the streets of London and other UK cities deploring President Trump’s action.
Another thing is that Mrs Trump will be urging her husband to not be too laggardly about getting the White House staff to discuss with the UK Foreign Office when President and Mrs Trump can visit the Queen on the State Visit.
We anticipate that such will be the size of the protests from “the Greens”, “the Socialists”, “the Liberals” and “the Muslims” that the Metropolitan Police will have to draw officers from other police forces across the UK. In fact they may have to use the Army.
Of course the real woe for British politicians will be after “The Donald” has left. This is because US industry freed from the debilitations of “Green Initiatives”, US industry and commerce will find their costs reduced and competitiveness increased!
Here is a FACT: the cheapest way to generate electricity is to build a really really big coal fired power station with boilers running at ultra high pressures and temperatures.
Here is another FACT: the USA had some of the largest coal reserves in the world with coal that can be cut at competitive prices. Sadly, due to geology and NOT any failings of the workforce, UK coal cannot compete with the vastly rich US coal seams.
When and if such power stations are under construction you can be sure that the BBC will report upon it with such as David Shukman looking suitably distressed. The one thing British Gazette readers will justly be worried about is this:
Will the Bullshit Broadcasting Corporation inflict Emma Thompson upon us?
If they do, many of us may lament that we are not US citizens as their constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment!
Speaking the Truth unto the Nation
