Open (More or Less) Post on Covid 29

[ecosophia]

The semi-open posts  I've hosted here on the Covid-19 narrative, the inadequately tested experimental drugs for it, and the whole cascading mess surrounding them have continued to field a very high number of comments -- to understate the matter considerably! -- so I'm opening yet another space for discussion. The rules are the same as before: 

1. If you plan on parroting the party line of the medical industry and its paid shills, please go away. This is a place for people to talk openly, honestly, and freely about their concerns that the party line in question is dangerously flawed and that actions being pushed by the medical industry et al. are causing injury and death. It is not a place for you to dismiss those concerns. Anyone who wants to hear the official story and the arguments in favor of it can find those on hundreds of thousands of websites.

2. If you plan on insisting that the current situation is the result of a deliberate plot by some villainous group of people or other, please go away. There are tens of thousands of websites currently rehashing various conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 outbreak and the vaccines. This is not one of them. What we're exploring is the likelihood that what's going on is the product of the same arrogance, incompetence, and corruption that the medical industry and its tame politicians have displayed so abundantly in recent decades. That possibility deserves a space of its own for discussion, and that's what we're doing here. 
 
3. If you plan on using rent-a-troll derailing or disruption tactics, please go away. I'm quite familiar with the standard tactics used by troll farms to disrupt online forums, and am ready, willing, and able -- and in fact quite eager -- to ban people permanently for engaging in them here. Oh, and I also lurk on other Covid-19 vaccine skeptic blogs, so I'm likely to notice when the same posts are showing up on more than one venue. 

4. If you don't believe in treating people with common courtesy, please go away. I have, and enforce, a strict courtesy policy on my blogs and online forums, and this is no exception. The sort of schoolyard bullying that takes place on so many other internet forums will get you deleted and banned here. No, I don't care if you disagree with that: my journal, my rules. 

With that said, as Canadian officials launch a campaign of reprisals against citizens who supported a peaceful protest against government policy, and the words "died suddenly" become the favorite media euphemism of our time, the floor is open for discussion.   

Comments

Re: A gray champion, dictator or something else soon?

[(Anonymous)]

You would hear the cheering in Rhode Island! As well as the heartfelt prayers of thanks to all the Gods in existence.

And then we'd have a party!

Liam in Toronto

Re: A gray champion, dictator or something else soon?

[ecosophia]

That's basically what Vico says. Having a monarch take over the business of politics, and take it out of the hands of the political class, is hugely popular once the political class becomes (a) hopelessly dysfunctional and (b) just as hopelessly committed to interfering in the private lives of citizens. Prime Minister Turducken, as another commenter helpfully called him, is a poster child for both of those mistakes, so...

Re: A gray champion, dictator or something else soon?

[(Anonymous)]

The political class in Germany is on the same track as Mr Truck Fudeau. I am currently just not seeing who could fit the role of the monarch.

Somewhere on the fringes of the internet I have read about a movement that is trying to reinstate the Hohenzollern monarchy. I am not sure whether this would be a good idea based on our past experience with them.

Kind regards
Secretface

Re: A gray champion, dictator or something else soon?

[dr_coyote]

I wonder if the British monarch's powers extend so far as to be able to remove an out of control prime minister in a Commonwealth country. It seems unlikely, but if so, it would be a fast and legally established way out of this problem for everyone concerned.

Re: A gray champion, dictator or something else soon?

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, legally it does. I'd expect the uproar in other countries to more than make up for the relief in Canada, however, so unless this is her way of escaping the UK and making a new home, I doubt we'd see this.

Re: A gray champion, dictator or something else soon?

[(Anonymous)]

My understanding is that the Governor General, who is the monarch's representative, does have the power to do this.

In Australia, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was dismissed from office by the Governor General in 1975, for reasons that are much debated.

I believe there are petitions happening in several commonwealth countries calling on Governor Generals to dismiss their prime ministers. In another thread hearthspirit includes a link to a statement by the Canadian Governor General:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/governor-general-no-confidence-1.6360883

but note carefully the words used, she does not deny having the power to dismiss the PM, only pointing out that there is no 'process or registry' for citizens to trigger this.

Happy to be corrected by someone who knows this better than me.

Re: A gray champion, dictator or something else soon?

[dr_coyote]

Thanks for this info. Yes, that rings true that there would be no 'process or registry' for citizens to petition the GG. As the representative of the monarch, and only the monarch, why would there be such a process? This completely makes sense within their system, and it seems like a pretty robust check on abuse of power.

Huh. Wheels within wheels of political power, things that I never even guessed existed in the Commonwealth. Such is the ability of a pandemic to pull out all the weird corners of laws and customs, and to show where the real power lies.

Re: A gray champion, dictator or something else soon?

[team10tim]

Not meaningful commentary, just a detail.

Mary Simons, the Governor General, is Inuktitut and her name, Ningiukudluk, translates to bossy little old lady.

Re: A gray champion, dictator or something else soon?

[(Anonymous)]

I foresee tons of ex-house representatives, senators, PMC, etc. Holed up in some country of ex-pats. They’ll be bitterly complaining about how wonderful the US used to be when THEY ran things.
Of course no one here will be too heartbroken.

Re: A gray champion, dictator or something else soon?

[(Anonymous)]

That's what happened in Fiji with Bainimarama. The situation got so messy that when a strong man finally stepped in many of the citizens were incredibly grateful. Outside the country a lot of jornos and ex-pats were calling him all sorts of nasty names but when I went there it was surprising to find out how popular he was.