Autonomous Mind picks up the "referism" theme (again – not his first time) and gets the point entirely. It is about taking back power. We are not powerless. We are not helpless little wimps dependent on the mighty politicians to tell us what to do and to guide our mean little lives. The power is ours and we mean to have it back.

The other point AM gets entirely is that the independent political blogosphere is our voice – it is the authentic voice of free Britain. You have no idea how annoyed I was with Dale's piece in The Guardian earlier this month – a sad little Tory attempting to take ownership of a property which is not his.

View full article here

Does 'fine' writing matter so much? Does a finely written blog attract more readers? I'm not too sure because I prefer to read a work of passion rather than an essay which has been honed so much that the emotion is lost.

I entirely agree with you about Iain Dale's latest project Richard. To suggest that he - and only he - can provide a blog of 'excellence' is extraordinarily arrogant. I believe many of his 'friends' are professional journalists and those who make a living writing, which is all well and good, but I find the opinions of the independent blogger just as, if not more, valuable. We are the 'man in the street' and we matter.

Thank you for the mention. I feel honoured.

I'm alarmed that you're "honoured" ... and it's not for me to say that you deserve more exposure ... that would be arrogance on my part, setting myself up as a judge or arbiter. However, in my opinion, you have an excellent blog with fine, passionate writing. We are lucky to have you.

"

Richard. I agree that to the extent that the Blogosphere is "the authentic voice of free Britain" then that is true - as you illustrated previously with the USA as a prime example. A voice that is independent of the MSM, of mainstream political parties, of the Establishment & etc. Very fine but in practical terms still highly fragmented and disparite and not really united about anything much except general disaffection with the way things are in a vague political sense generally, and expressing deep anger with the government in particular. (We can write off Dale and Conservative Home too - they represent only the deeply introspective voice of current Conservatism - and only a minority of these at best)

But the real issue and buring question you raise is how to express the views of all those on the many and growing blogs, how to wrest power from the imposters who wield it in government, and return it to the people.
The nasty reality is that "power" resides in the political process centered physically in Westminster as we know. Nothing will change that until "we" do.

The power and influence of the Blogosphere is still as yet largely an untapped resource and, so to speak, remains 'suspended in the ether' on computer screens!
Well as always the cliche and truism still remains "United we stand...& etc......"

That is why I suggested that if all the disparite Blogs and their respective contributors (politically aware and active) could unite over one single issue and fight for that issue then the process of active poolitical reform will at that point have become become a reality. Say for example, every single such Blog united and co-operated to oppose, say, the European Arrest Warrant - a civil liberties issue which could garner a much wider appeal across the political spectrum, then would not that be a good start and example of real Blogosphere united action at work?

No ... First of all, it is a downstream issue, a symptom of a larger problem. I am sick to the hind teeth of battling small causes. We have to go for the jugular. We really do not have time for the incremental approach.

Second, I am not going to attempt to marshal blogs ... herding cats would be a lot easier.

Third, I have no time for the consensus approach, refining the message in an attempt to attract the maximum of support. The message is the message ... we are the people and the power belongs to us. We want it back. You are either with us, or you are not.

Four. If you are not with us, get out of the way ... we're coming through.

Dale never was a "good" Blogger. Months before he threw in the towel his 'Diary' had degenerated into a series of inconsequential lists, interspersed with comments on football and his personal activities: politics had long since disappeared.
It says all that needs to be said of the man that now he chooses to belittle a world that tired of him and to do so in the GUARDIAN. In fact, considering that that paper is Dave's favourite read (remember the picture of him on the Tube 'open-mindedly' reading it?), all-in-all what does that say about Dale & Dave's politics?
Good riddance to him. Let's hope that the TV media stop turning to him whenever they want a blogger from the right of the political spectrum - something he never was and certainly isn't now.

That's the interesting thing ... he is now the "media's blogger". The BBC reverentially refer to him, and have filmed him talking about blogs, for the BBC school of journalism, to teach all the little muppets about the genre. He is their ideal "blogger" - lightweight, unthreatening and fundamentally unserious.

With respect, Dr North, it is axiomatic (or has been since 1964) that the medium is the message ;o)

Richard wrote in reply to Graham Wood:



Richard in response I would say you have made an uncharacteristically knee-jerk reaction - I presume borne out of frustration with the current situation.

1. The EAW is anything but a "downstream" issue as you put it. On the contrary as you well know it centers on our fundamental liberty of freedom from arrest and imprisionment by arbitrary government - leave alone by the totalitarian EU 'government'. Certainly no minor issue therefore, and arguably as important, if not more so, than a campaign to restore control of the purse strings (which I happen to agree with as a political priority)

2. Nobody is suggesting that you personally should engage in the "herding cats" exercise! But, at some point, and the sooner the real fight will begin, there will have to be co-operation, co-ordination, and a willingness to submerge separate agendas on the part of the Bloggers you admire and support to form common cause. If not, then it must be patently clear the present impasse will continue.

3. I reply, thats a great pity because it most certainly will be needed at some point if the Blogosphere is to be anything other than a hot air safety valve for malcontents in the political wilderness. One must ask: what is the point of separate organisations, each with its own constituencies, agendas, political voice, web sites & etc which in fact are actually broadly united to get us out of the EU?
I can hear many of these calling out Richard "come and join US"
BOO. Referendum Pledge. Bruges. CIB. Democracy Movement. and numerous other anti EU campaigns which could be mentioned. All of these articulate what you and I believe - but not at Westminster where the power lies!

4. [b]If you are not with us, get out of the way Like others I would not be posting here and on a couple of other similar blogs unless I was not very much "with you". We are all trying to think through potential practical routes for Referism to take shape and go. Nuff said!

As His Grace observed in a previous thread:



This will get nowhere without consensus and the patience and time necessary to achieve it.

That is a classic statement: I'm planning to use this quote a lot. Thanks. It will be very handy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZvWt29O ... r_embedded

H/T to Not a Sheep.

A well known saying: “United we stand – divided we fall”, except that united in clear vision we present an easy target. A scattered opponent pursuing a common aim is far more effective. May the many blogs live on, if not in plain view, then underground and interlinked.

We (in general) expect some sort of 'movement' to follow, a leader of some kind. It is from that moment we are lost, as sure as Sheep seek a dog to herd them, controlled by a shepherd, bought by a paymaster - and so the loop is complete.

We need to remove the 'Farm', or leave it. The question is How? - As we have never done it before - we've always been Sheep. Change starts from within. Where it leads may be different for each one of us.

It is all very well with people like us reading and/or writing excellent blogs but the sheeple are more interested in the fact that Cheryl Cole has been kicked off the panel of American X Factor. Many really are more focused on celebrity trivia and will believe everything the BBC and newspapers say/print. I would dearly love more people to understand what is wrong with our country but at the next election they will still in the main vote for LibLabCon; or the main parties in Scotland, N. Ireland and Wales. Look at the trouble David Vance has had with his attempts for his party the TUV to secure a decent enough vote in N. Ireland.

I am very sorry that UKIP has not made the breakthrough to break the monopoly of the major parties so the problem is getting the message to the population as a whole. Unfortunately we are at a big disadvantage because the elite, plus MSM do not like any dissent.

...which reminds me of another well-known quote: "We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." That was the gentleman Ben Franklin some 235 years ago, but it's still an accurate statement about those audacious enough to challenge those attempting to hold authority over us.

Graham ... it most certainly is not a minor issue ... but is is "downstream". You really need to focus here. The Upstream issue is our lack of control over those who purport to rule us. We need to regain control ... re-assume the power. Once we have the power, we can use it on the downstream issues such as membership of the EU, from which the further problem of the EAW stem. Stop trying to bale out the river when you can get to the head and turn off the tap.