Richard Littler
Does anyone fancy their hand at being PM? Call me maverick, but I think next time we should take a break from the norm and have one who isn't a sociopath that exploits the role as a get-rich(er)-quicker scheme while the rest of the world burns.
#northsea #Sunak
Jul 31, 2023 at 10:44amMastodon for Android
Show threadBob HarveyJul 31, 2023

@Richard_Littler My father felt that democracy had a flaw - that the people who /wanted/ to run the country had already demonstrated thereby their complete unsuitability to do so.

His idea was to find succesful business people (or academics) and /sentance/ them to government, a bit like jury duty. The better at it they were, the sooner they got back to what they actually wanted to do.

Show threadMarc EtienneJul 31, 2023
@BobHarvey @Richard_Littler Douglas Adan's said it best: "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job."
Show threadCrone Cold Kate SherrodJul 31, 2023
@Richard_Littler I'll give it a go. I used to organize microbrew festivals...
Show threadCharlie StrossJul 31, 2023

@Richard_Littler I think we should go back to good old British basics, and sacrifice the Ki—I mean, the Prime Minister—every Samhain to ensure a healthy harvest and a rich economy. Then choose a new PM by sortition from among the surviving cabinet. (In event of a change of government, the new PM is chosen from the new largest party’s front bench.)

The PM should of course still be subject to the usual monstering in the tabloid media, scandal hunts, and so on.

Show threadFeòragJul 31, 2023
@cstross @Richard_Littler @rebelrebel62 Lughnasadh.
Show threadFeòragJul 31, 2023
@cstross @Richard_Littler @rebelrebel62 which is tomorrow, btw.
Show threadGenevieve.CogmanJul 31, 2023
@cstross Have you considered crucifying CEOs on burning crosses (or even Xs) atop their corporation skyscrapers to reinvigorate their companies, as a corollary?
Show threadCharlie StrossJul 31, 2023
@GCogman That seems like a very New Management sort of thing to do! (So when I go back there, I'll do it.)
Show threadSpeakerToManagersJul 31, 2023
@cstross @Richard_Littler @rebelrebel62
I have advocated for years that the US take on the similar Greek system whereby every year the current Βασιλιάς– er President, must face any challenger in single combat. In the event the challenger is biologically related to the incumbent extra civil service points will be rewarded and the family cursed for 3 generations.
Show threadVaneshiJul 31, 2023

@Richard_Littler Elect me, I'll make everything monorails, renewables, and green.

A whole lot of compulsory purchase orders to do it though. Which I suspect people won't like.

Show threadSteve LoughranJul 31, 2023
@Richard_Littler there's something really disconcerting about Sunak's expression in interviews: an emotionless stare off camera pivoting to anger when pressed. Makes me think of a serial killer on trial and being forced to explain the "she had to die" statement he had made on Facebook
#sunak.
Show threadpeterbJul 31, 2023
@Richard_Littler I misread PM in your toot as "project manager" and it still made sense.
Show threadEcosaurian 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Jul 31, 2023

@peterb

There are a few project managers I know that should be treated the same way.

Though I think the Tories are ahead of them in the queue for the cleansing ritual.

Just behind Murdoch, Koch, Barclay and co who've been behind the cultural swing to murderous democidal government.

@Richard_Littler

Show threadpeterbJul 31, 2023

@Ecosaurian @Richard_Littler As an American, my knowledge of British politics is limited to watching from afar and fantasizing how nice it must be to have the Tories be your worst problem.

(More seriously, I know the awfulness there and the awfulness here are related - and I think you're right that Murdoch et al are an important mechanism as to how.)

Show threadEcosaurian 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Jul 31, 2023

@peterb

I'd love to say "at least we aren't an authoritarian state that disappears dissidents" but that's no longer really true. You can be imprisoned for holding a blank sheet of paper or walking too slowly, and numerous people were rounded up and put in jail during the extravaganza of the new monarch's crowning to ensure they wouldn't cause a fuss.

The democratic process is completely broken, both sides of the house are run by capitalists from the same establishment background, and new laws are enacted to restrict the freedom of the public to protest, while refugees seeking asylum are locked in concentration camps awaiting rendition to an African nation with a track record for human rights abuses.

@Richard_Littler

Show threadChris Gioran 💔Jul 31, 2023

@peterb

Thank you, i'm so happy i'm not alone in this.

I actually had to double back at the hashtags because i couldn't understand what is a product manager of the northsea.

@Richard_Littler

Show threadGatekeeper..Jul 31, 2023
@Richard_Littler
I blame the King.
Show threadImplausible PlausibilitiesJul 31, 2023
@Richard_Littler I'd give it a go... Perhaps a little Yank perspective might teach you folks how to elect functional gov... Oh, wait... looks around at US politics You don't want our perspective. Or help. Not an improvement.
Show threadNoctisEqui 🇺🇦🇵🇸🇪🇹🏳️‍🌈Jul 31, 2023
@Richard_Littler
I’d do it as long as I get to have Larry the Cat to advise me. I figure I couldn’t be worse than this lot of Tories.
Show threadJeffJul 31, 2023
@Richard_Littler this feels like the kind of question one can’t answer without disqualifying themselves…
Show threadMartinAug 1, 2023
@Richard_Littler Oh, you and your reasonable, well-thought-through arguments… 🙄