Optimism in Trouble

I am, by nature, an optimist. I always have been. Even as a wee bairn (English - small child) I believed that whatever happened would be for the best. Sometimes I was right and sometimes I was wrong. However my optimistic faith in the outcome was rarely shaken.

I have always ensured that this blog avoids serious controversy or political issues of any sort. I am a believer that we all have a right to our own views provided we afford the same right to others.

I hate to say it but I truly believe that this week the world that you and I have known until now has changed for ever. 

The US has suddenly declared that it has become completely US oriented with little or no interest as the guarantor of the 'Free World' as we like to call it.

Only two powers in the world can really challenge the US and Europe: The USSR and China. China has little of no military interest in conquering its biggest customers. Why would it whilst we are fuelling its economy to our mutual benefits?

The USSR on the other hand......

Israel's current Prime Minister now potentially continues to have carte blanche to commit genocide and cause total chaos in the Middle East to the economic detriment of The Middle East and Europe and much more of the world. 

President Putin can extend his empire by annexing the occupied territories of Ukraine with impunity. The Baltic countries which he covets are genuinely worried. Europe does not have the military might successfully to fight Russia on the ground. The UK has a nuclear deterrent, the use of which would be self-defeating and that's about it.

I'm 80 and will probably pop my clogs before a major conflagration involving the UK occurs.

I hope that I am completely wrong in that which I have said.

You will be happy to know that his will be the only post of its sort that I will write.

Health and Shopping: the New Normal.

NHS Western Isles has been doing a great job in respect of the vaccination of the Western Isles population. 

 

I ordered some gardening gloves in the middle of March from Amazon. They haven't arrived. The order is apparently with Amazon EU. They are supplied by a German company. They are made in China. The order page tells me that they are 'on their way' but that I can now get my money back. Of course if I do that they will turn up in the next day or so. 

What is interesting is the tracking information. Quite clearly it isn't just 'the little man' who is having problems with the the UK's new found 'independence' when it comes to trade with the EU

Cynical Campaigning

I have always been committed to the idea of the European Union: anything that increases inter-country understanding is, in my mind, a Good Thing. Whether the UK's current membership of the European Union achieves that may be open to question. Many, perhaps most, people are cynical about the great bureaucracy that is the EU. That, combined with many other considerations, may well lead to a vote on the 23rd June to leave the Union. 

It doesn't end there, though. The regional makeup of the vote may also have huge ramifications for the UK. If, for example, English votes are sufficient to take us out of the EU but Scotland votes to stay in what then? If the Scottish vote is sufficient to 'overrule' the English vote what then? There are many permutations. 

There is certainly the possibility that the result could lead to a renewed call for Scotland's independence.

How does one make a decision based on the outright untruths and emotional arguments that are being made? They look more and more like a fight for the leadership and political control of the two main UK political parties.

However what really bugs me is the most cynical of all advertisements: the NHS advert. Wouldn't it be wonderful to think that we could spend that £350 million a week on the NHS. The possibility that the £350m a week could ever be available in or out of the EU is a complete myth. But even if it wasn't the three main protagonists: Michael Gove, Boris Johnson and Ian Duncan Smith have all supported directly opposing policies when it comes to the NHS: Gove wants it privatised, Johnson wants it charged for and IDS was responsible for one of the the most iniquitous of all policies: PIP (which targeted so many of the genuine claimants because they were the easy soft targets).

Put them in charge of the country aided by Nigel Farage and then have PM Boris Johnson negotiating with President Trump and world politics will certainly be 'interesting'.

I'm just not sure I want to be living in it.