General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I am amazed - really quite amazed - at some of the Brexit opinions I am reading here on DU [View all]DirkGently
(12,151 posts)It sure looks like nationalism and xenophobia carried the day -- European NeoNazis and fascists seem thrilled. Doesn't mean there isn't a kernel of righteous fury at oligarchy in there as well though.
I think there's a danger whenever the population senses establishment forces have run amok that popular anger is directed not at the problems in the establishment itself, but at the usual bogeymen of the uninformed -- groups of people outside the traditional culture.
Putin is selling homophobia to distract from the kleptocracy he's running. Trump soothes the fearful by promising to build a wall.
Meanwhile, the TPP sails blithely forward, and U.S. banks look for the next speculative bubble they can use to transfer the remaining scraps of middle class wealth into their bulging pockets.
Everyone seems to recognize we need change; no one can agree on what that needs to look like.