Paul Walter

The lamp beside the golden door has dimmed a little

By | Wed 6th November 2024 - 8:35 am

After a surprisingly good sleep, I’ve woken up. I’ve done a quick review of the latest on CNN and the web.

Then I switched over to an excellent BBC documentary called “Scotland – The New Wild”. It is remarkable. It has some excellent footage of basking sharks.

In the past, I have looked to USA for vicarious inspiration. While UK domestic politics has been rather depressing, USA has provided a refreshing relief – some
inkling of a better approach for civic life.

While I respect the USA’s constitution and its people, I really can’t find any further great inspiration in its politics. I look forward to hearing brave voices fighting against the worse excesses of Trump.

But there really isn’t a sofa big enough to protect me from this disconcerting turn in American politics. I respect American voters and their focus on the economy. But I fear that they have unleashed a most unpleasant beast.

Ho hum.

For the next few years, at least, we cannot look to the USA, which is encapsulated in the words on the Statue of Liberty:

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!“

We shall have to find our inspiration elsewhere and do our best to encourage like-minded people in America.

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.

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One Comment

  • Nigel Jones 6th Nov '24 - 2:18pm

    Can we hope that Kier Starmer will make it clear where we disagree with Trump ? Trump is the sort of person who respects those who are firm in their views and unless we stand up to him he will squash us. We also need to stand up to him for the sake of our world wide reputation and our relationships with other nations which are now going to matter more than ever and probably more than our relationship with the USA.

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