was aware of Opa Bush's links to Hitler way back in 1999.

I had heard of that one before, but I was not surprised [after all, a lot of the Anglamerican political class was in love with Hitler in the 1930's - including the King of England!] nor did I think it was too useful to focus on it (paging Godwin).

This, howecer:

While we spend our time pretending that our votes matter, the reality is that this is Democracy In Name Only. The people who can be elected are fixed around the policies, and the key parts of the policies aren't up for debate.

If a democratic result appears to threaten the status quo, it's either subtly sidelined, buried under propaganda, or stopped by force.

should be a diary. Whenever politicians and pundits talk about a "crisis of democracy" they invariably refer to Democracy™ working as advertised and not as intended.

Can the last politician to go out the revolving door please turn the lights off?