7 ms·

I hate saying it because it makes me sound like a paranoid loony, but we're literally getting close to being a config file change away from being an inescapable

I hate saying it because it makes me sound like a paranoid loony, but we're literally getting close to being a config file change away from being an inescapable totalitarian dictatorship, all the parts are slowly being put in place and then all it'll take is someone to go for it. In the name of keeping us safe they're making us powerless and helpless before the powerful

marcinzm 5y ago
I mean, to be cynical, they managed to convince the population to support Brexit so why not go for gold while they can?
- CodeGlitch 5y ago
  By "they" I assume you mean the government? The Tory government at the time was campaigning to remain, so not sure what you're talking about?
  - pjc50 5y ago
    The press and the surviving Leave faction that comprises the current Tory government?
    - Dma54rhs 5y ago
      As opposed to socialist Corbyn who attacked EU for being globalist cabal from Brussels for decades?
- shapefrog 5y ago
  It would be the will of the people.
switch007 5y ago
> inescapable totalitarian dictatorship For context the government is also proposing: - Voter ID for voter disenfranchisement (Elections Bill) - To rig elections in favour of the Conservatives and stifle opposition (Elections Bill) - All but banning protests (Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill) There is multi-pronged attack underway which is in no way hyperbole.
- throwaway8689 5y ago
  Northern Ireland has had a free voter ID card for years. I can't recall hearing complaints about disenfranchisement. http://www.eoni.org.uk/Electoral-Identity-Card/Electoral-Identity-Card-FAQs http://www.eoni.org.uk/Electoral-Identity-Card/Electoral-Ide...
  - pjc50 5y ago
    I went and checked the proposed legislation and this is also included in the UK scheme; free electoral ID. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-02/0138/210138.pdf https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-02/0138... (page 63)
  - CodeGlitch 5y ago
    In the context of the UK, I've never heard a good argument against Voter ID.
    - earthbee 5y ago
      How about not only there being a lack of evidence showing significant election fraud in the UK but there's also positive evidence there is no significant election fraud, and that there are hundreds of thousands of people in the UK who have the right to vote but cannot get ID and adding the extra hurdles and steps to allow these people to vote anyway will discourage at least some from voting? And that this could potentially unfairly affect the results of elections, which is exactly the problem that voter ID is supposed to prevent
      - CodeGlitch 5y ago
        > How about not only there being a lack of evidence Isn't this a chicken and egg problem? Without voter ID we don't know whether fraud has taken place or not. > there are hundreds of thousands of people in the UK who have the right to vote but cannot get ID That is a wider problem that should be fixed. Agreed that in the current state it would cause friction for people to vote.
pjc50 5y ago
The UK has always been authoritarian-monarchist with the minimum level of reform and public inclusion necessary to placate the middle class. In some ways this was better than comparable European countries; whenever there was a flashpoint there was always enough reform to avert armed revolution in the capital, so the UK had no 1789 moment. (Don't forget the armed rebellion in Northern Ireland for half the 20th century! Complete with kangaroo courts, political prisoners, troops shooting people in the street, and of course censorship. Anyone else remember Gerry Adams MP being banned from speaking on television and the "words read by an actor" compromise?) However the country had no formal free speech guarantee until the Human Rights Act 1998. The public and press retain an authoritarian streak; the Tory press are generally quite happy to support Internet censorship because it won't affect them and in fact affects their competition. The UK has a lot of aspects which are "authoritarian on paper, liberal in practice, don't worry about the lack of formal guarantees, we don't do that here because we're British". Until we do do that here and nobody is held accountable.
roody15 5y ago
I think they are actively “going for it” right now. Scary times
nolok 5y ago
Everytime I see the news about our countries slowly moving in that direction, usually helped by the new wonders of technology now used to circumvent the protections europe put in place after world war 2, I'm reminded of this quote for the v for vendetta movie > How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. > I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War, terror, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to [the politicians asking for more power]. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent. The situation is always more complex, but still, had "child abuse" to that list and it fits almost too perfectly. At the end of the day, we demand solutions, and when the leadership says "for that I need more power" we're all too eager to give it to them. Because we don't really care, we're complacent, we just don't want to be interrupted in our relatively pleasant little lives so we agree to give them whatever they say they need to stop it. Of course, it doesn't actually stop the bad things from happening, but little by little it erodes our control and freedom, and we are not getting them back.
- HeckFeck 5y ago
  The sad truth is: even had we the will to resist, we haven't the means.
odiroot 5y ago
How are LibDems reacting to it? I expect them to be strongly opposed.

marcinzm 5y ago

I mean, to be cynical, they managed to convince the population to support Brexit so why not go for gold while they can?

CodeGlitch 5y ago
By "they" I assume you mean the government? The Tory government at the time was campaigning to remain, so not sure what you're talking about?
- pjc50 5y ago
  The press and the surviving Leave faction that comprises the current Tory government?
  - Dma54rhs 5y ago
    As opposed to socialist Corbyn who attacked EU for being globalist cabal from Brussels for decades?
shapefrog 5y ago
It would be the will of the people.

switch007 5y ago

> inescapable totalitarian dictatorship For context the government is also proposing: - Voter ID for voter disenfranchisement (Elections Bill) - To rig elections in favour of the Conservatives and stifle opposition (Elections Bill) - All but banning protests (Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill) There is multi-pronged attack underway which is in no way hyperbole.

throwaway8689 5y ago
Northern Ireland has had a free voter ID card for years. I can't recall hearing complaints about disenfranchisement. http://www.eoni.org.uk/Electoral-Identity-Card/Electoral-Identity-Card-FAQs http://www.eoni.org.uk/Electoral-Identity-Card/Electoral-Ide...
- pjc50 5y ago
  I went and checked the proposed legislation and this is also included in the UK scheme; free electoral ID. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-02/0138/210138.pdf https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-02/0138... (page 63)
- CodeGlitch 5y ago
  In the context of the UK, I've never heard a good argument against Voter ID.
  - earthbee 5y ago
    How about not only there being a lack of evidence showing significant election fraud in the UK but there's also positive evidence there is no significant election fraud, and that there are hundreds of thousands of people in the UK who have the right to vote but cannot get ID and adding the extra hurdles and steps to allow these people to vote anyway will discourage at least some from voting? And that this could potentially unfairly affect the results of elections, which is exactly the problem that voter ID is supposed to prevent
    - CodeGlitch 5y ago
      > How about not only there being a lack of evidence Isn't this a chicken and egg problem? Without voter ID we don't know whether fraud has taken place or not. > there are hundreds of thousands of people in the UK who have the right to vote but cannot get ID That is a wider problem that should be fixed. Agreed that in the current state it would cause friction for people to vote.

pjc50 5y ago

The UK has always been authoritarian-monarchist with the minimum level of reform and public inclusion necessary to placate the middle class. In some ways this was better than comparable European countries; whenever there was a flashpoint there was always enough reform to avert armed revolution in the capital, so the UK had no 1789 moment. (Don't forget the armed rebellion in Northern Ireland for half the 20th century! Complete with kangaroo courts, political prisoners, troops shooting people in the street, and of course censorship. Anyone else remember Gerry Adams MP being banned from speaking on television and the "words read by an actor" compromise?) However the country had no formal free speech guarantee until the Human Rights Act 1998. The public and press retain an authoritarian streak; the Tory press are generally quite happy to support Internet censorship because it won't affect them and in fact affects their competition. The UK has a lot of aspects which are "authoritarian on paper, liberal in practice, don't worry about the lack of formal guarantees, we don't do that here because we're British". Until we do do that here and nobody is held accountable.

roody15 5y ago

I think they are actively “going for it” right now. Scary times

nolok 5y ago

Everytime I see the news about our countries slowly moving in that direction, usually helped by the new wonders of technology now used to circumvent the protections europe put in place after world war 2, I'm reminded of this quote for the v for vendetta movie > How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. > I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War, terror, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to [the politicians asking for more power]. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent. The situation is always more complex, but still, had "child abuse" to that list and it fits almost too perfectly. At the end of the day, we demand solutions, and when the leadership says "for that I need more power" we're all too eager to give it to them. Because we don't really care, we're complacent, we just don't want to be interrupted in our relatively pleasant little lives so we agree to give them whatever they say they need to stop it. Of course, it doesn't actually stop the bad things from happening, but little by little it erodes our control and freedom, and we are not getting them back.

HeckFeck 5y ago
The sad truth is: even had we the will to resist, we haven't the means.

odiroot 5y ago

How are LibDems reacting to it? I expect them to be strongly opposed.