Donald Trump and the rise of populism

Submitted by ANN FARMER (United Kingdom), Jul 22, 2016 at 17:16

I share the reservations about Trump. They had some very good candidates too, it's such a shame none of them got through.
In Europe too people are turning to political figures who unlike the political elites seem to be listening to their concerns and will tell them anything they want to hear. And the more the political elites disdain them, the more the voters spring to their defence - they become the underdog, and are even more energised by popular support, and the elites get even more disdainful - and so on.

We've had the same thing here in the UK with the massed band of the media, politicians and big names all trying to scare us into voting 'Remain' in the EU. It didn't work, and ever since the Referendum they've carried on with Project Fear, hoping to get a second Referendum - it's worked elsewhere.
One of their slurs has been that the Leave campaign was all about racism and hate rather than sovereignty. Quite ironic when the Labour Party, which has been at the forefront of such accusations, is rife with anti-Semitism (worse under Corbyn) but which apparently doesn't count as racism. The far Left has forgotten the indigenous poor and now flatters the large Muslim populations with anti-Israel rhetoric, while they certainly do not reflect the socially conservative views of this constituency. Some inner-city boroughs have become notorious for fixing votes in elections, delivering a pro-Labour vote. These constituencies are the new 'rotten boroughs'.

Many traditional Labour voters are deserting to UKIP as they feel deserted by the party.
We are living in strange times and praying for the best outcome.
What a wonderful picture, though - something to treasure.

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