luka

Well-known member
A few days ago I said it was odd for Barty, a 24 year old, to identify so strongly as New Labour. It's a core part of his identity. He's as passionate about it as third is about Kommunism. But once I'd said it I starting thinking, well Barty was born into this world
Celebrate Life


and he grew into this one


Stabber. And I thought, fucking hell, if ever there was a narrative of decline... No wonder he dreams of the glory days of Blair's Britain before the Iraq war, before 9/11, before the Global Financial Meltdown, before Isis, before austerity.

I mentioned it to him and he said he's actually part of a movement dedicated to reclaiming the neoliberal tag and there's a lot of other young people involved. Interesting stuff and linked to the way Trump has moved the goalposts on a lot of things, globalisation for instance.
 
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luka

Well-known member
I remember when Blair got in. There was a buzz. You know those days when you know for a fact it's not just you on a good one, the whole world around you is caught up in the same energy. It was that. I was born in 1979 so for me it was the first time labour had won an election. All I'd known was Tory dominion.
 

luka

Well-known member
Anyway, this is Barty's Patreon if you're interested in contributing

https://www.patreon.com/neoliberalproject

The Neoliberal Project was founded in 2018 to promote a salient political identity around Neoliberal ideals. We believe that harnessing new media is the most effective way to spread a political message in the 21st century.

Why are we doing this? The old guard of Liberalism is under threat. We want to build a radical new vision of what Liberalism can become. We build off successes and correct the failures of the past. Given the current political moment, the stakes could not be higher.

We are a label - or rather an ideology - for people who do not like labels. Thus, our job will be to bridge the gap between the experts and you, so that you can make your own political conclusions.
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
I remember the 90s as being a very sunny happy decade.

I would have been more or less unaware of any culture before I was 8 or 9 I suppose? So that's around 1994.

Course it's all bound up with being an innocent child. I was 16 when 9/11 happened. Perfectly timed, really, to become disillusioned and horrified with the world.
 

luka

Well-known member
I've never listened to any podcast of any kind there's no way in the world I'd listen to that one.
 

luka

Well-known member
I'm surprised your first reaction is to mock, Craner. I would have thought this is a project you'd have a lot of sympathy for.
 

luka

Well-known member
Good on Barty for holding sincere political convictions and having the courage to act on them, if you ask me. If only more young people were like him
 

luka

Well-known member
You've become a terrible cynic Oliver Craner. You used to be so full of fire and passion.
 

luka

Well-known member
"The last time I saw Craner[SUB][/SUB] was Barry in '68
And he told me all romantics meet the same fate someday
Cynical and drunk and boring someone in some dark café
You laugh he said you think you're immune
Go look at your eyes they're full of moon
You like roses and kisses and pretty men to tell you
All those pretty lies pretty lies
When you gonna realize they're only pretty lies
Only pretty lies just pretty lies

He put a quarter in the Wurlitzer and he pushed
Three buttons and the thing began to whirr
And a bar maid came by in fishnet stockings and a bow tie
And she said "Drink up now it's getting' on time to close"
"Craner, you haven't really changed" I said
It's just that now you're romanticizing some pain that's in your head
You got tombs in your eyes but the songs you punched are dreaming
Listen, they sing of love so sweet, love so sweet
When you gonna get yourself back on your feet?
Oh and love can be so sweet Love so sweet

Craner got married to a figure skater
And he bought her a dishwasher and a coffee percolator
And he drinks at home now most nights with the TV on
And all the house lights left up bright
I'm gonna blow this damn candle out
I don't want nobody comin' over to my table
I got nothing to talk to anybody about
All good dreamers pass this way some day
Hidin' behind bottles in dark cafes dark cafes
Only a dark cocoon before I get my gorgeous wings and fly away
Only a phase these dark café days"
 

luka

Well-known member
This is a good conversation topic. I'll add to it. What Barty said to me is that Blair's genius lay in understanding that you cannot govern without the consent of the rich. It's a non starter. Any coalition founded with the intent of taking power must, by necessity, include the rich. Business, banking, landholders. Then the game is to see what concessions can be gained from them, sometimes by persuasion, more often by stealth.

He has a searing contempt for Corbyn as he considers Corbyn to be someone who hasn't learned this lesson. A Citizen Smith who seeks to build a coalition which excludes the rich and situates itself in opposition to the rich. He says that this is untenable in terms of winning an election, but more than that, is a bad way to run a country. "Unless" he said "you want to end up like Venezuela."
 
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