Be careful what you wish for . . . what you vote for

By a vote of 52% to 48%, British voters expressed their wish for the U.K. to leave the European Union (EU).    There is much to suggest that this was a protest vote against the policies of the conservative government of the U.K., which adopted austerity measures in recent years -- and which have increased income inequality and reduced social services.

Along with that is a fear and reaction against immigrants from within the EU coming in a taking their jobs.   In Britain, it's not so much those from the Middle East but from other European countries who, because of the open EU borders, can freely come into Britain.  Rather than oust their own government, which exacerbated the economic situation by its austerity measures, the Leave voters blamed the European Union and voted to get out.

MSNBC is showing anecdotal interviews of some people who are having "buyer's remorse" the day after, saying they voted Leave as a protest, not expecting that position would actually win.   We don't know the extent of that false belief -- that it was safe to cast a protest vote because they wouldn't win -- but the truth is that the consequences are really historic and globally devastating.    In one day, the global wealth lost $2 Trillion dollars, and the U.K. fell from the 5th largest economy to 6th place.

Today of course was just trying to absorb the shock -- and the long range economic fallout will likely not continue such a drastic slide.   But the point is:    Be careful what you vote for.

I hope U.S. voters will take this as a cautionary lesson, rather than encouragement.   It's all very well to be mad as hell at government and want to "throw the bums out" in protest.    But be careful who you put in the bums' place.   Pick someone with some experience and a plan for getting us out of such a similar position of economic inequality, not someone who spouts off slogans and promises that will only makes things worse.

Ralph