Looks like Brexit will be a reality

[silverscreenselect]

Do you remember why our credit rating was downgraded? (Not that that's had any effect on the interest rates demanded for U.S. sovereign debt by people with real money at stake.) It's because the Republicans (led by Cruz) very nearly caused us to default on our debt by refusing to raise the debt ceiling. Pure politics. No economic basis at all. For Republicans to cause the problem and then point to it as a reason we're in trouble -- well, see my first line above. --Bob

You could not be more wrong.

S&P downgraded the U.S. debt for the 1st time in 70 years in 2011 when Congress INCREASED the debt limit.

S&P's AA+ rating remains the same from 2011 to now, unchanged by the 2014 heroism of Ted Cruz.

That's the same Standard & Poor's that paid a $1.5 billion fine because it inflated the credit rating of subprime mortgage bonds.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/ ... u-s-states

And here's the devastating effect that their downgrade had on the U.S. economy:

Since the August 2011 downgrade from AAA, record budget deficits have shrunk, economic growth accelerated, the dollar rallied, stocks climbed to all-time highs and Treasuries strengthened their hold as the world’s preferred haven from turmoil.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/ ... le-outlook

Whenever Flock gives one of his memorized diatribes from Sean Hannity, he and his source conveniently ignore 90% of the economic news and cherrypick and distort the other 10% to get "shocking" headlines. I've often said that Obama didn't act boldly enough to end the crisis and it ran longer than it should, but Bush economics got us into the mess in the first place.

[silverscreenselect]

And for you to blame it on Ted Cruz or the Republicans shows how blindly and robotically you are influenced by propaganda.

That's one of your funnier comments Flock. Unfortunately, here it Atlanta, the radio station that has the best traffic reports also has Sean Hannity in the afternoon so I occasionally wind up listening to him while trying to get updates. And every time he launches one of his prepared little lists of how bad things are, you wind up repeating that list almost verbatim here a few days later.

[Bob Juch]

Over one million Brits have signed a petition asking for a revote.

[TheCalvinator24]

Over one million Brits have signed a petition asking for a revote.

When it gets close to 17.4 million, let me know.

[silverscreenselect]

One other consequence of the Leave vote that I forgot to mention: Scotland is strongly considering another independence referendum, as Scots overwhelmingly want to stay in the EU. So this could be the issue that finally gives Scotland its freedom.

So, Brexit will soon be followed by Scexit and Niexit (Northern Ireland will probably also go if Scotland does).

Apparently, younger voters favored staying but didn't show up to vote in as high a percentage as the older voters did.

[Jeemie]

Over one million Brits have signed a petition asking for a revote.

The terms they wanted to set for the revote (at least a 75% turnout...at least a 60% vote one way or another, or it isn't valid) should have been the terms for the first vote.

This was such a momentous decision that a mere majority shouldn't have been enough to pass it.

Too late now, though- you can't have any do-overs.

[silverscreenselect]

Too late now, though- you can't have any do-overs.

Not technically true, as this article explains. Trying to have a"do-over" is probably about the same as efforts to deny Trump the Republican nomination at this stage. It's probably legally possible but highly unlikely (although one Virginia delegate has already filed a lawsuit demanding his "right" not to vote for Trump). And, if it happens, it would cause enormous chaos in the Republican party.

In order to leave the EU, Britain would have to negotiate an exit agreement, and, if Cameron's successor is unable to do so (especially if Scotland and Northern Ireland threaten to secede), then that may cause new Parliamentary elections which may result in the same thing at the end, if the Conservatives lose power.

http://www.vox.com/2016/6/23/12021222/b ... ppens-next

[silverscreenselect]

Over one million Brits have signed a petition asking for a revote.

I would guess that a large number of those Brits voted against Brexit in the first place.

If they thought it might do any good, you could easily get that same percentage of US voters asking for a revote after every single presidential election in this country.

[SpacemanSpiff]

Meanwhile, this hits a bit close to home for me.

My two oldest stepsons work for their father in the front office of Eisbaeren Berlin, all on UK passports. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

Over one million Brits have signed a petition asking for a revote.

The terms they wanted to set for the revote (at least a 75% turnout...at least a 60% vote one way or another, or it isn't valid) should have been the terms for the first vote.

This was such a momentous decision that a mere majority shouldn't have been enough to pass it.

Too late now, though- you can't have any do-overs.

According to the 2nd referendum petition meta-data, only 353,988 (as of date taken) is from the UK.

#Brexit

[Bob Juch]

Then there's this:

[SpacemanSpiff]

I saw this on a posting from a Facebook friend. This part seems appropriate here.

Being British is about driving a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer, then on the way home, grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab, to sit on a Swedish sofa and watch USA shows on a Japanese tv. And most of all being suspicious of anything foreign.

[Vandal]

Stephen King on Twitter:

Stephen King ‏@StephenKing

After Brexit, maybe Britain should go all the way and rename itself Boaty McBoatface.

[Pastor Fireball]

An update on the office of the Prime Minister. It appears as though the Conservative Party as a whole will choose David Cameron's successor.

One of the candidates on that short list of people who could be the next Prime Minister: Boris Johnson. That's right... the former London mayor with the blonde hair that looks like Bernie Sanders but the mouth that sounds like half-melted push-pop coated in ashtray sand Donald Trump.

If chosen, Johnson would become the second UK Prime Minister not born in the UK (Andrew Bonar Law, who served from 1922-23, was born in Canada) and the first UK Prime Minister born in the United States (he was born in NYC while his father was a student at Columbia University).

[Bob Juch]

An update on the office of the Prime Minister. It appears as though the Conservative Party as a whole will choose David Cameron's successor.

One of the candidates on that short list of people who could be the next Prime Minister: Boris Johnson. That's right... the former London mayor with the blonde hair that looks like Bernie Sanders but the mouth that sounds like half-melted push-pop coated in ashtray sand Donald Trump.

If chosen, Johnson would become the second UK Prime Minister not born in the UK (Andrew Bonar Law, who served from 1922-23, was born in Canada) and the first UK Prime Minister born in the United States (he was born in NYC while his father was a student at Columbia University).

Boris Johnson was a major proponent of Brexit.

[silverscreenselect]

S&P's AA+ rating remains the same from 2011 to now, unchanged by the 2014 heroism of Ted Cruz.

It didn't take long for S&P to ding Great Britain for Brexit. Their rating was actually reduced two grades to AA from AAA with a negative outlook (the US outlook is stable). Fitch, another rating service, downgraded Britain from AA+ to AA.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/27/sp-cuts- ... m-aaa.html

[silverscreenselect]

An update on the office of the Prime Minister. It appears as though the Conservative Party as a whole will choose David Cameron's successor.

One of the candidates on that short list of people who could be the next Prime Minister: Boris Johnson. That's right... the former London mayor with the blonde hair that looks like Bernie Sanders but the mouth that sounds like half-melted push-pop coated in ashtray sand Donald Trump.

If chosen, Johnson would become the second UK Prime Minister not born in the UK (Andrew Bonar Law, who served from 1922-23, was born in Canada) and the first UK Prime Minister born in the United States (he was born in NYC while his father was a student at Columbia University).

Boris Johnson won't be the next PM:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/30/europe/uk ... index.html

[SpacemanSpiff]

An update on the office of the Prime Minister. It appears as though the Conservative Party as a whole will choose David Cameron's successor.

One of the candidates on that short list of people who could be the next Prime Minister: Boris Johnson. That's right... the former London mayor with the blonde hair that looks like Bernie Sanders but the mouth that sounds like half-melted push-pop coated in ashtray sand Donald Trump.

If chosen, Johnson would become the second UK Prime Minister not born in the UK (Andrew Bonar Law, who served from 1922-23, was born in Canada) and the first UK Prime Minister born in the United States (he was born in NYC while his father was a student at Columbia University).

Boris Johnson won't be the next PM:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/30/europe/uk ... index.html

That would help to avoid a possible awkward moment if he (as PM) had to meet President Obama in an official capacity.

[jarnon]

The British have chosen their next Prime Minister: Theresa May

Theresa May set to be PM after Leadsom dramatically quits Tory race

May has been Home Secretary since 2010. She's been tough on crime and immigration; nevertheless, she's considered a moderate in the Conservative Party.