As we know, bait and switch is a common political tactic seen all over the place. So common is it that we may as well take it as an inevitable aspect of any political platform. But as ever we should be aware of it.
From Wikipedia -
Bait-and-switch is a form of fraud used in retail sales but also employed in other contexts. First, customers are "baited" by merchants' advertising products or services at a low price, but when customers visit the store, they discover that the advertised goods are not available, or the customers are pressured by salespeople to consider similar, but higher-priced items ("switching").
More useful as a political term I'd say but no matter, Wikipedia always has to be used with discretion.
The EU is a good example of bait and switch. Offer free trade – get mass immigration and totalitarian politics. Climate change is another good example. Offer a clean environment and undemanding virtue – get totalitarian politics again. What a coincidence.
Brexit is a good example of David Cameron and the wider political class forgetting the switch part of bait and switch. Maybe this suggests that political bait and switch fans are not necessarily the sharpest knives in the drawer. They thought the referendum vote could only go one way – so no switch. This is why there have been such frantic efforts to insert a Brexit switch retrospectively. Keir Starmer has been keen on that one, suggesting that he is definitely a bait and switch fan.
The coronavirus debacle is another example where the sudden appearance of the pandemic and subsequent stable door bolting have exposed the mechanics of political bait and switch. Offer competent government-led medical intervention as bait - get a complete shambles which like Brexit has to be sustained by another unplanned switch. Gosh it’s totalitarian politics again.
It is possible that the coronavirus switch to a police state is intended to secure totalitarian control when Brexit is implemented in case people think freedom was on the cards. That level of foresight seems unlikely but given the ingrained nature of bait and switch is surely not impossible.
3 comments:
Both Brexit and the virus certainly caught the government on the hop for the reasons you give, it also showed that when actually given a task outside their comfort zone they have not a clue and their personal inadequacies are shown in full glare of the public.
So they double down and a large percentage of the public actually believe what they are doing is for their benefit, we do live in extraordinary times but not good ones.
“The EU is a good example of bait and switch. Offer free trade – get mass immigration and totalitarian politics. Climate change is another good example. Offer a clean environment and undemanding virtue – get totalitarian politics again. What a coincidence.”
Stealing this bit. :)
Wiggia - and as well as their personal inadequacies they highlight the inadequacies of the levers of power they supposedly operate.
James - good :)
Post a Comment