From The Mind of Merc - Elections

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was thinking about elections.

One of the main things that always worries about elections when you have a perceptibly awful option that people presume that awful option doesn’t stand a chance and consequently they don’t bother to vote. Whenever people do that, that awful option regrettably stands an incredibly good chance.

The most memorable example of this for me (aside from the 2016 US Presidential election) will always be the 2002 French Presidential election. For this, the options were the incumbent Jacques Chirac, his sidekick, Lionel Jospin, and National Front candidate, Jean-Marie Le Pen. It was believed Le Pen didn’t stand a chance – who wants a fascist for President, right? – so the French people think they needed to vote. The result was Le Pen beat Jospin in the preliminary election to get through to the final round of voting. This shocked the French into action and Chirac won by a landslide but their initial laissez-faire attitude nearly meant a fascist taking control of their government.

In Britain we face the apparently obvious choice of Sunak and his self-serving, elitist cronies – who have crippled this country with their obscenely apparent money-grabbing ways – or frankly anyone else. Yet it is not a foregone conclusion that they won’t win. Aside from the fact that people still doubt Starmer’s credentials mean he’s a better option (even though it’s meant to be about policies not people and not a popularity contest), the polls confidently predicting Labour success  has the potential to produce the exact opposite effect to that it intends (as I fear).

Also, a big difference between us and the French election is the French get 2 goes – we don’t – that’s why we have to make it count.

So, on July 4^th, it’s imperative we learn from the almost-mistake of the French. Whether or not the think the Tories stand a chance (and regardless of thoughts or opinion of Starmer and his promises), in order to make sure the Sunak et al aren’t allowed to continue running this country into the ground like it’s their own personal piggy bank – you must go out and vote. If you don’t, their supporters will – just like Le Pen’s.

Remember:
- Never take election results for granted.
- Never assume you don’t need to vote to get the result you want/expect.
- Never let those who are out to serve themselves be allowed to continue in their way unchecked and unchallenged.

And, as a helpful hint, try this website to help get the Tories out: https://tactical.vote/

F*ck You - !!!NEW!!!

There's a distinctive theme to this month's posts - but a worthy one I feel - starting with a message for Mr Sunak.

F*ck You not by Lily Allen
Look at it, look at all of the shambles that you have created
We are all so fed up
Of the lies you make up and that’s why we’re frustrated 

‘Cause you say that it's okay for more pay, unless you’re in NHS
You're an elitist who should be defeatist
Your point of view causes distress

Fuck you (Fuck you), fuck you very, very much
'Cause we hate what you do
And Patel and Truss too
So please don't stay in touch

Fuck you (Fuck you), fuck you very, very much
'Cause you’re so out-of-date
And you’ve screwed the whole state
Go. And don't stay in touch

Do you get, do you get a little kick out of being so heartless?
You want to be like the Churchill, you’re convinced that you are brill
But your campaign is worthless

Do you, do you really enjoy making lives so miserable?
'Cause there's a hole where your soul should be
Your disdain is plain to see, you have proved you’re unable

Fuck you (Fuck you), fuck you very, very much
'Cause we hate what you do
And Rees-Mogg and Raab too
So please don't stay in touch

Fuck you (Fuck you), fuck you very, very much
'Cause you’re so out-of-date
And you’ve screwed the whole state
Go. And don't stay in touch

Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you
Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you
Fuck you

You say, you think we need to vote Tory, to fix the mess that you made
But it's people like you that we need to shoo
No one wants you to have stayed

Fuck you (Fuck you), fuck you very, very much
'Cause we hate what you do
Braverman and Hunt too
So please don't stay in touch

Fuck you (Fuck you), fuck you very, very much
'Cause you’re so out-of-date
And you’ve screwed the whole state
Go. And don't stay in touch

Fuck you, fuck you
Fuck you, fuck you
Fuck you, fuck you
Fuck you, fuck you
Fuck you, fuck you
Fuck you, fuck you

So Long And Thanks For Nothing - Mercorabilia

 He's gone! Hurray! That calls for a song.

So Long And Thanks For All The Fish Nothing not from Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy 
So long and thanks for nothing mate
So sad that this has come too late
We all have wanted you out for years

You never did earn our respect
Because we never did detect
A shred of integrity or
Worth within you

So long, so long and thanks
for nothing mate

The country has been left destroyed
And that has made us all annoyed
Because it was your job to stop this happening

Despite your Brexit promises
It seems your real legacy is
A weakened economy and thou
sands of lives lost

So long, so long, so long, so long, so long
So long, so long, so long, so long, so long

So long, so long and thanks
for nothing mate 

If we could have one more wish
It would be to eject Rish(i)
If we could just learn one thing
It's to not vote Tories in

Come join our song
Boris is gone
That's a cause for celebration 

(oooohhh oooohhh oooaahhhhh- ah ahh)

So long, so long, so long, so long, so long
So long, so long, so long, so long, so long

So long, so long and, Thanks!
for nothing mate!

Food Glorious Food - !!!NEW!!!

I work for Fareshare - the food redistribution charity - which, at times of crisis like this, is increasingly relied upon to make up for the shortfall in the government's (mis)management of the country. For some incomprehensible reason (Tory self-aggrandisement), this need is only increasing leading to plaintive cries such as this:

Food Glorious Food not from Oliver
Is this what we voted for?
Watching poverty rates soar
So hungry it makes us sob      
Every day we pray they’ll change
Make living within our range?
Yet they say it’s not their job!
10 years ago, at the UK food banks,
They gave out sixty one thousand meals
But that’s now shot right up to over two million
Now just what about that is appeal(ing) 

Food, we all need food
It’s vital for living
Yet we're all eschewed
That’s not very giving
There seems there’s never enough
Why not is the question?
Yes that’s right you’ve got it, love
Tory (in)action

Food, we all need food
Can’t survive without it
With benefits cut
We cannot afford it
Yet we fund the MPs meals
It’s all become skewed
Oh food! We all need food!
We must have food, we all need food

Food we all need food
Forgot what it feels like
Not to go hungry
That’s now a daily fight
Watching the MPs growing fat
Our senses are reeling
Watching their bank accounts that
Hit the ceiling

Food we all need food
What would just it take for
Them to do their job
And to not shaft the poor                    
Why should they be allowed to
Forgo to include
Our food
‘Cause we need food
Where is the food
We must have food
Give us our food
We all need food
Where is the food

From The Mind of Merc - Choices

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was thinking about the conundrum facing the enquiry panel - they basically have to decide whether Boris Johnson is an incompetent idiot or a corrupt criminal. Personally, I think the answer is obvious:

Even so, I'm not 100% convinced that a beneficial outcome will be produced whatever they decide as it appears to actually have an effect, his own party (of which 100 MPs backed him to reclaim the Premiership last year) have to agree to apply it. Sounding remarkably reminiscent of the attempt to impeach Trump - can only work if his own party are against him. 

It also doesn't help that the current incumbent is undoubtedly not any better seeing as how he appears to believe his having a heated swimming pool is more important than the people he is supposed to represent being able to eat(!)
Not to mention his disparaging of policies which turn out in fact to have been Tory-instigated and led - like the time he expounded the virtues benefits of being in the EU - talk about facepalm moment.
Plus his apparent conviction that answering questions to his own satisfaction is adequate for everyone else. Guess again.

There may be some sheeple in this world but they are not the majority. Neither are the Tory supporters as it has previously been reported that the majority votes any recent Tory stunt or election has garnered have been as protest votes against other choices (such as the referendum and the last election which is not only stupid and short-sighted but catastrophically damaging) rather than the voters actually choosing or preferring the Tory option.

I hope and pray that when we next have a choice come the next election that these self-serving money grubbing lawbreakers will be firmly and unequivocally shown the door and we can start repairing the country the Tories have spent the past 13 years systematically destroying for their own ends.

I have said this so many times but feel it needs saying again:

THE TORIES ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS. 

Please repeat as necessary until the message sinks in.

Gaslighting - !!!NEW!!!

Sometimes there are songs that are so easy to write because the words come so easily. Maybe it's because it's an important issue. Maybe because it's full of truth. Either way - here it is:
(I know I've used this tune before but it just fits so well)

Oom-pah-pah Gaslighting not from Oliver!
Isn’t it a pity
That deep in London city
There’s corruption so strong
That it’s causing a stink
Don’t be party to it
Realise that there’s more to it
And don’t let them tell you what it is you should think

Gaslighting, gaslighting
That’s what it’s called
Gaslighting, gaslighting
A trick so old
Don’t ever fall for it now you’ve been told
That it’s called Gaslighting

Economy's broken
The government has spoken
Immigrants and unions it’s all down to them
How can it be that’s true
It’s not cos let me tell you
The Tories are the ones who should take the blame

Gaslighting, gaslighting
That’s what it’s called
Gaslighting, gaslighting
A trick so old
The MPs are the ones hoarding the gold
By using Gaslighting

Look at the NHS
It’s got into a right mess
There’s no space for anyone and there’s no time
We’re told it’s the nurses
Who deserve all our curses
But blaming those heroes must be the real crime

Gaslighting, gaslighting
That’s what it’s called
Gaslighting, gaslighting
A trick so old
We can’t let them win and we can’t let it fold
‘Cause of their Gaslighting

Cost of living crisis
Has turned us all to ices
'Cause we can’t afford to turn the heating on
Sunak thinks that maths will
Prove to be the miracle pill
But we know that that is one more Tory con

Gaslighting, gaslighting
That’s what it’s called
Gaslighting, gaslighting
A trick so old
Don’t let them leave us all out in the cold
Not with their Gaslighting

Isn’t it a pity
That deep in London city
There’s corruption so strong
That it’s causing a stink
Don’t be party to it
Realise that there’s more to it
And don’t let them tell you what it is you should think

Gaslighting, gaslighting
That’s what it’s called
Gaslighting, gaslighting
A trick so old
Don’t ever fall for it now you’ve been told
That it’s called Gaslighting

Gaslighting, gaslighting
That’s what it’s called
Gaslighting, gaslighting
A trick so old
Don’t ever fall for it now you’ve been told
That it’s called Gaslighting

From The Mind of Merc - History Repeats Itself (Part 2)

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was thinking again about history repeats itself – only this time a lot closer to home.

Associations have been made (including by me) linking Trump with the rise of the Nazi party in 1930s Germany. (An association which was supported particularly by the photo taken at THAT rally.)

However, from my perspective at least, similar associations can now be made for Johnson.

Let me explain:
In the 1930s, Hitler began an escalating campaign to takeover land in Europe which continued unimpeded or even challenged for years. Britain, which under the terms of the League of Nations was supposed to act on aggression, made occasional efforts to supposedly combat this with repeated and what proved to be unfounded threats of retaliation. Ergo, when Hitler threatened to invade Poland and Britain once again threatened to respond if he did so, Hitler had no reason to believe they would actually follow through.

In 21^st century England, Johnson and the Tory government have been following an escalating campaign to impoverish, weaken and, at times consequently, endanger the nation and its people  whilst enriching themselves. This has also gone on unchecked or effectively challenged. Members of the British establishment (specifically those who are supposed to without bias monitor, review, query and when necessary act to prevent questionable or illegal activities) have repeatedly failed to do so. Ergo when Johnson and the Tories push through increasingly self-serving and (to the rest of us) punitive policies, they have no reason to believe they will be questioned or held accountable for their actions. 

However, just as Hitler was wrong with his assumption, I sincerely hope the Tories will prove to be wrong with theirs and that at long last the British public will prove that they will be not accept being mistreated like this.

Just as when England did nothing to prevent Hitler’s policy of aggrandisement so the British have done nothing to prevent the Tories’ policy of self-aggrandisement. We’ve threatened anger, displeasure and discontent but not actually done anything to prevent it. If anything the opposite as they have been consistently voted in – so we the British public are to blame.

However, just as with England in the 1930s, we also have the power to stop it from continuing.

This also links into another theory I had – which I posted about on Facebook – following Liz Truss’s resignation. 

I honestly believe the Tory government thinks we are idiots and that having gaslit us for a ridiculously long number of years, we will now agree to and go along with whatever they say/want/do.
Case in point, Liz Truss’s resignation – it struck me that she could easily be a Tory sacrifice, someone they put out there who was so awful at her job that she was designed to make Johnson look almost palatable. Like they’re trying to get us to think that we would be so much better off if Johnson came back. There are several things wrong with this theory (which I sincerely hope the British public realise):

1.        The mess was Johnson and the Tory government’s creation in the first place – Truss just compounded it
2.       Johnson was ‘in charge’ for years, Truss for 44 days. She was bad for a bit. Johnson has been bad for ages. And what she achieved in her brief tenure is nothing compared to what he achieved (or rather destroyed) during his time in power.
3.       Whether or not Truss was any good (and I’m not saying she was) does not in any way mean that Johnson was good or that the myriad of rules, regulations and laws that he broke is now somehow ok.

As with Hitler, the underestimated ‘lower orders’ are in fact the ones with ultimate control. Yes, it will be up the Tories to choose their new leader but we live in a democracy and it is up to us to say whether or not we accept their rule and want it to continue. In the end we have the power. That is why the Tories seek to control and manipulate us while they line their own pocket at our expense and try to distract us by directing our critical gaze inwards when it should be at them.

Consequently, whenever it is we manage to get a general election (and if there is any sense and justice in the world it’ll be soon), I sincerely hope we will not allow the Tory government to repeat their mistakes in the way they have run the country by repeating ours and voting them in again.

The choice is ours. The power is ours. We can make things change for the better.

Goodbye Liz Truss - !!!NEW!!!

While it might have been more appropriate to use Another One Bites The Dust, for some reason this tune popped into my head so I just ran with it.

Sing As You Go Goodbye Liz Truss not by Gracie Fields 

Hee-hee, come on lads and lassies
The PM’s resigned again
Hee-hee, come on
Ee, let's sing of it

Goodbye Liz Truss and good riddance to you
44 days, but still you got it so wrong
You thought you could lead us
But you wouldn’t feed us so be on your way

Goodbye Liz Truss, you couldn’t do the job
Though you’re not worst, you still are not good enough
A lettuce beat you, the world knows it’s true
So bye, don’t come back again

(Tory) Blues, look at you now
You oughta know that we’ve no use for you
You’ll go soon we vow
The time of your Tory misrule is through
Though a new premier might be in sight
It is unlikely they’ll put it right

Goodbye Liz Truss and good riddance to you
44 days, but still you got it so wrong
You thought you could lead us
But you wouldn’t feed us so be on your way

Goodbye Liz Truss, you couldn’t do the job
Though you’re not worst, you still are not good enough
A lettuce beat you, the world knows it’s true
So bye, don’t come back again

Goodbye Liz Truss and good riddance to you
44 days, but still you got it so wrong
(Ay you, you just got it so out of whack, hee-ee)
You thought you could lead us
But you wouldn’t feed us so be on your way
(Hello, Boris, you back again? Are you? We’ll see about that)
Goodbye Liz Truss, you couldn’t do the job
(Gee, it's mad just how quick she’s gone)
Though you’re not worst, you still are not good enough
A lettuce beat you, the world knows it’s true
So bye-bye-bye-bye
Don’t come back a-gain

Dear Mr Johnson - !!!NEW!!!

A double bill today.
First a message to our illustrious (in his mind) leader. Perhaps not the most appropriate song (🤮) but definitely an appropriate message.

Dear Future Husband Mr Johnson not by Meghan Trainor

Dear Mr Johnson
Here's a few things you'll need to know if you wanna be
Our premier MP all your life

Think that you’re so great
Please give us a break
And don't ever think that we believe ev’rything you say
Yet after all you’ve done
Still think that you’re the one
Hard to believe
But words don’t deceive 

You’ve been in charge so long
So many goings on
So watch out or you’ll find out someday soon you are gone
Cos we are not that dumb
And we will not stay mum
We will use our clout
To get you voted out (yes) 

You gotta know how to be a good PM
You’ve got to uphold the system
Know how to do what is right

Dear Mr Johnson
Here's a few things you'll need to know if you wanna be
Our premier MP all your life
Dear Mr Johnson
If you wanna get that re-election
Stop serving yourself and start to do what’s right (now) 

In a pandemic
It’s not politic
To look for ways to make yourself more money out of it
And it is always wrong
To risk lives for so long
Herd immunity?
Why, herd immunity? 

You gotta know how to be a good PM
You’ve got to uphold the system
Know how to do what is right

Dear Mr Johnson
Here's a few things you'll need to know if you wanna be
Our premier MP all your life
Dear Mr Johnson
Serve the masses
Not upper classes
It’s not too late you’ll find that there is still some time 

When there are people fleeing a dictator
Open doors for them and do not wait for later
Don't be a racist tw*t
Show you are more than that
This is your chance
To take the proper stance, yes 

You gotta know how to be a good PM
You’ve got to uphold the system
Know how to do what is right

Dear Mr Johnson
Here's a few things you'll need to know if you wanna be
Our premier MP all your life
Dear Mr Johnson
If you wanna get that re-election
Stop serving yourself and start to do what’s right (now)
Now, oh
Mr Johnson, time to see the light

From The Mind of Merc - The Cummings Conspiracy

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was thinking about the effect that Dominic Cummings still appears to have on UK politics.

What I mean by this is that, although he is longer a member of parliament it is still painfully evident that they continue to dance to whatever tune he cares to play.

Tbh, I really wouldn’t surprised to see him become PM in the future. To be clear, this is not something I want or would relish – it just seems to me that a man who holds as much sway in and over the UK government as he does and is capable of using that to his own ends must surely only have one destination in mind.

To explain what I mean about his clear and continuing influence, I present these 3 examples.

Example 1 – The Durham Debacle
He flagrantly and unapologetically broke the lockdown rules by driving to Durham with his family. What repercussions did he suffer for his lawbreaking? Absolutely none. Clear proof of the power he held as it Boris wouldn’t dare evict his loyal and experienced advisor.

Example 2 – Gone But For How Long?
Cummings’s enforced resignation coincided with a change in leadership in the USA. The new POTUS brought about a change in Boris and his strategies (particularly COVID) – a heavy suggestion both what Cummings’s influence had been and that it had (for now) been removed. 

Example 3 – Hancock’s H-exit
Last month Cummings emerged from the woodwork to take aim at Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, who was forced to resign after footage of an affair (which had to have been going on before this) subsequently surfaced – the government is still subject to Cummings’s machinations.

Clearly, Cummings is not finished messing with politics and, ultimately, I believe the main question is who will he take aim at next? And how long before the Tories to decide he’d be a good replacement for Boris? Remember: we do not need to elect him – he only needs his own party to choose him to be their leader. And when there’s little to no effective opposition within his own or from other parties…

From The Mind of Merc - A Change For The Better?

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was thinking about the effect of the recent US election on UK politics.

Has anyone else noticed the change in Boris Johnson’s approach to (in effect) his job since his best buddy Donald Trump was ousted from the Presidency following November's vote?

Prior to this he seemed to be following the example of the sexist, racist bigot the US were unfortunate enough to have to call their Commander-in-chief; evidently believing that if the POTUS could get away with God knows what and still stay in power then so could he. Then along comes the US election which Trump undeniably (despite what he’d like to think) and humiliatingly loses and suddenly the truth hits home and Johnson is left buddy-less, example-less and the only and worst remaining demonstrable failure on the political stage – especially when it comes to COVID. Surely now is the time he needs to pull his finger out and I think there are clear signs that there has been a definite change in his approach.

For example, let’s start with COVID:

Johnson has gone from ‘Herd Immunity’ and ‘It’s not that bad’ to ‘We must act now’ and ‘We will be following data, not dates’. While this could be said to be the approach he should have had a year ago, I think the main thing to take out of this is that he does appear to be actually trying to do his job – we can only hope and pray this is the start of a long-term policy.

Also, the departure of Dominic Cummings from his team hopefully shows that just as he is no longer committed to playing follow my leader with Trump and his policies, he is now less inclined to blindly and foolishly follow the advice of people he likes, has previously trusted or possibly have leverage over him. True he is still not practising accountability for himself or his cohorts – as demonstrated by the fact that Cummings faced no repercussions for any of his transgressions and likewise Matt Hancock has now evaded censure for his unlawful actions regarding COVID contracts – but it is a definite step in the right direction.

I’m not saying he’s perfect – there's still a long way to go before he even gets close to that and there are still a lot of dismissive policies and borderline comical U-Turns to sort out, get past or prevent from happening ever again.

Overall, I believe judgement should be reserved on this newfound ‘dedication’ until we have sufficient time to judge the success and also longevity of his apparent epiphany but it is hopefully I sign that we are at last truly on the road to recovery. We can only hope that the UK finally gets the leader we so desperately need and that Johnson apparently desperately believes he is.

From The Mind of Merc - Hypocrisy

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was thinking about Hypocrisy.

The Tories various failings to fulfil their duty to run the country (instead evidently preferring to run it into the ground) have led numerous people on numerous occasions to query the correct definition of democracy – which struck me as the Tories providing us with a valuable vocabulary lesson. It also occurred to me that they’re teaching us exceptionally well about another word – hypocrisy.

The most glaring and recent example has to be Boris Johnson’s declaration that bullying will not be tolerated in Whitehall… despite refusing to dismiss Home Secretary Priti Patel when an independent investigation found her guilty of exactly that.

But this is far from the only example. There is also the instance of the Tories on the one hand extolling to the public to do their bit to ‘Save the NHS’ and on the other undermining it, underfunding it, and selling bits of it off. They have since compounded their own duplicity with a parliamentary meeting in which 50 people crammed into a room that was only supposed to hold 29.

And let’s not forget the school meals fiasco with the exorbitant sum of free school meals meaning the government was loath to fund them… despite the fact that it’s equivalent to the amount they spent on  PPE contract for face masks (handed without tender to a wealth advisory firm with links to the Tories) that turned out to be unusable.

So if there’s one thing you can say about this government, it’s that they’re educational. Aren’t we lucky!