Richard Baum
@richardbaum.bsky.social
I read, I occasionally reply. I (almost) never post, because you probably know more about stuff than I do.
I write rhymes.
I write rhymes.
He may be a junior Trump admin official but he’s also the proprietor of the world’s most influential social network - one that can whip up mobs in moments. He decides who gets to have ‘free speech’ on it, and how loudly they can speak freely on it. His status with Trump is relatively irrelevant.
January 6, 2025 at 3:32 PM
He may be a junior Trump admin official but he’s also the proprietor of the world’s most influential social network - one that can whip up mobs in moments. He decides who gets to have ‘free speech’ on it, and how loudly they can speak freely on it. His status with Trump is relatively irrelevant.
I’m worried about Musk too, but there is a difference between Nigel Farage and the President of the United States. Musk less likely to put up with ideological differences and insults from a bloke called Nigel with 5 British MPs than he is from the man with the nuclear codes.
January 5, 2025 at 7:03 PM
I’m worried about Musk too, but there is a difference between Nigel Farage and the President of the United States. Musk less likely to put up with ideological differences and insults from a bloke called Nigel with 5 British MPs than he is from the man with the nuclear codes.
LDs could do that, sure. But it wouldn’t be easy because most of their membership and lots of their MPs aren’t that way inclined.
January 5, 2025 at 4:50 PM
LDs could do that, sure. But it wouldn’t be easy because most of their membership and lots of their MPs aren’t that way inclined.
That would be my hope. But I’m not sure the electoral map or the ideologies of those parties will allow it.
January 5, 2025 at 4:46 PM
That would be my hope. But I’m not sure the electoral map or the ideologies of those parties will allow it.
It’s exactly how politics works. Parties don’t necessarily take *equal* terms, but eventually one party loses momentum, and/or the public gets bored with them. When the choice is one of two parties, and one of those two parties is full of extremist cranks, we have a big problem.
January 5, 2025 at 4:44 PM
It’s exactly how politics works. Parties don’t necessarily take *equal* terms, but eventually one party loses momentum, and/or the public gets bored with them. When the choice is one of two parties, and one of those two parties is full of extremist cranks, we have a big problem.
This is not a problem for Farage.
The best way for Farage to appear more mainstream is for a high profile person to be even nuttier than he is. Step forward Musk. All of a sudden Farage seems reasonable.
The best way for Farage to appear more mainstream is for a high profile person to be even nuttier than he is. Step forward Musk. All of a sudden Farage seems reasonable.
January 5, 2025 at 4:31 PM
This is not a problem for Farage.
The best way for Farage to appear more mainstream is for a high profile person to be even nuttier than he is. Step forward Musk. All of a sudden Farage seems reasonable.
The best way for Farage to appear more mainstream is for a high profile person to be even nuttier than he is. Step forward Musk. All of a sudden Farage seems reasonable.
The first time, yeah. But when the government disappoints and people want ‘change’, what’s the only change option they have…?
January 5, 2025 at 4:28 PM
The first time, yeah. But when the government disappoints and people want ‘change’, what’s the only change option they have…?
This is potentially great for Farage. He’s not the lunatic’s choice any more.
January 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
This is potentially great for Farage. He’s not the lunatic’s choice any more.
Has he actually got something better than that, if Musk read this and immediately recommended that Reform ditch Farage?
January 5, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Has he actually got something better than that, if Musk read this and immediately recommended that Reform ditch Farage?
Is there a risk here that Farage sees an opportunity to appear reasonable as an anti-Musk person? Until now he’s always been the craziest guy in the room, resulting in normal people getting nervy and not voting for him. Now he’s way more sensible than the real crazies, so why not give him a go…?
January 5, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Is there a risk here that Farage sees an opportunity to appear reasonable as an anti-Musk person? Until now he’s always been the craziest guy in the room, resulting in normal people getting nervy and not voting for him. Now he’s way more sensible than the real crazies, so why not give him a go…?
Yes. Absolutely right. The promise that a degree would provide an income many times more than the minimum has gone, at the same time as getting a degree has become life-alteringly expensive. Requires mental gymnastics to understand, and is difficult to rationalise. Will cause big resentment.
January 4, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Yes. Absolutely right. The promise that a degree would provide an income many times more than the minimum has gone, at the same time as getting a degree has become life-alteringly expensive. Requires mental gymnastics to understand, and is difficult to rationalise. Will cause big resentment.
‘That’s how he earns his living but it isn’t quite true’ is quite the statement coming from Farage.
January 3, 2025 at 7:48 PM
‘That’s how he earns his living but it isn’t quite true’ is quite the statement coming from Farage.
Yet another example of the government seemingly being utterly terrified to actually fight the good fight. It’s so frustrating and disappointing that they’d rather run from the minority of loudmouth fascists than serve the overwhelming majority by loudly condemning and taking preventative action.
January 3, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Yet another example of the government seemingly being utterly terrified to actually fight the good fight. It’s so frustrating and disappointing that they’d rather run from the minority of loudmouth fascists than serve the overwhelming majority by loudly condemning and taking preventative action.
And this feeds into the ‘All my tax is wasted’ pro-Reform narrative, because few understand that Councils are effectively now just care providers with bin lorries. They just see the services that they pay for, that lots of people use, disintegrate in favour of care services that few use.
January 3, 2025 at 12:49 PM
And this feeds into the ‘All my tax is wasted’ pro-Reform narrative, because few understand that Councils are effectively now just care providers with bin lorries. They just see the services that they pay for, that lots of people use, disintegrate in favour of care services that few use.
I think that’s their dog-whistle point though - that since you can’t directly use a history degree for a job other than historian, history degrees are worthless.
January 3, 2025 at 11:11 AM
I think that’s their dog-whistle point though - that since you can’t directly use a history degree for a job other than historian, history degrees are worthless.
The setting up of the commission is an admission of this. Everyone knows what a rough solution must look like but nobody will propose it because the press will go mad. The point of the commission isn’t to come up with ideas, but somehow to get everyone to agree with the idea that is obvious today.
January 3, 2025 at 9:51 AM
The setting up of the commission is an admission of this. Everyone knows what a rough solution must look like but nobody will propose it because the press will go mad. The point of the commission isn’t to come up with ideas, but somehow to get everyone to agree with the idea that is obvious today.
God he was a good looking lad. 1968-70 George looked like the coolest man who ever lived.
January 2, 2025 at 6:23 PM
God he was a good looking lad. 1968-70 George looked like the coolest man who ever lived.
Yeah. And a £15 minimum wage is all well and good when it comes to ‘appealing to the Red Wall’, but Farage’s ‘end the NHS and only get care if you can afford it’ message probably isn’t!
January 1, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Yeah. And a £15 minimum wage is all well and good when it comes to ‘appealing to the Red Wall’, but Farage’s ‘end the NHS and only get care if you can afford it’ message probably isn’t!
Not sure how serious you are but the practicalities seem tricky. Would any Tory leader allow him to stand?
It would be Peak Current Tories though, to assume that success will come by out-Farageing Farage whilst forgetting that most normal people will be repelled by Johnson.
It would be Peak Current Tories though, to assume that success will come by out-Farageing Farage whilst forgetting that most normal people will be repelled by Johnson.
December 31, 2024 at 3:29 PM
Not sure how serious you are but the practicalities seem tricky. Would any Tory leader allow him to stand?
It would be Peak Current Tories though, to assume that success will come by out-Farageing Farage whilst forgetting that most normal people will be repelled by Johnson.
It would be Peak Current Tories though, to assume that success will come by out-Farageing Farage whilst forgetting that most normal people will be repelled by Johnson.
Oh, yes. It’s definitely their function. I was meaning that the entire world and everything in it is insane as a result. Sorry.
December 31, 2024 at 9:26 AM
Oh, yes. It’s definitely their function. I was meaning that the entire world and everything in it is insane as a result. Sorry.
Exactly this. TV and radio stations have a ‘newspaper review’ section, and Today etc headlines are driven by newspaper front pages. It’s insane when those newspapers write about what their owners want, not what the actual news is.
December 31, 2024 at 9:22 AM
Exactly this. TV and radio stations have a ‘newspaper review’ section, and Today etc headlines are driven by newspaper front pages. It’s insane when those newspapers write about what their owners want, not what the actual news is.
Lowering wage inequality is fine if it makes sense. But there should be a big wage inequality between unskilled and highly skilled work, especially if a costly degree is required. If there isn’t, people won’t bother.
Wage inequality is most unfair at the top end, which has got worse.
Wage inequality is most unfair at the top end, which has got worse.
December 30, 2024 at 10:15 PM
Lowering wage inequality is fine if it makes sense. But there should be a big wage inequality between unskilled and highly skilled work, especially if a costly degree is required. If there isn’t, people won’t bother.
Wage inequality is most unfair at the top end, which has got worse.
Wage inequality is most unfair at the top end, which has got worse.
Congrats on your theft.
December 30, 2024 at 2:10 PM
Congrats on your theft.
You are. But if you ‘forget’ then all that happens is arrears build up. If you ever move back, your repayments would be no different monthly or probably ever. Another reason to recommend emigration, and another sign of the unsustainable stupidity of the student loan system.
December 30, 2024 at 2:09 PM
You are. But if you ‘forget’ then all that happens is arrears build up. If you ever move back, your repayments would be no different monthly or probably ever. Another reason to recommend emigration, and another sign of the unsustainable stupidity of the student loan system.
Plus do they also not avoid having to pay an additional 9% income tax forever by working abroad?
December 30, 2024 at 1:41 PM
Plus do they also not avoid having to pay an additional 9% income tax forever by working abroad?