Dissing the People's Will

Wow. I've again been trying to give up my addiction to EvC Forum, and can only wait and see if I'm succeeding this time. Meanwhile a post appeared on the thread about the Brexit problems in the UK, in which it is being suggested that the vote of the people should just be overridden in favor of the obviously superior opinion of the ruling elites.

Well, that's been happening here too, though it's done by a court that calls the people's will "unconstitutional" based of course on their Leftist revisionist definitions of what's constitutional.  So much for "Of the people, by the people, for the people...."    And down down down we go.

Isn't the margin in favor of Remain 8-10% lately? Aren't the devastating downsides of Brexit that have gradually become apparent over the past couple years a call to Parliament to carry out their leadership responsibilities and do what is best for the country, regardless of how the electorate voted in 2016?

It is this blind adherence to the 2016 referendum, including some dunderheaded idea that an issue can only be voted on once, that is a big part of the problem. The members of Parliament know a Brexit vote today would be far more informed than the one in 2016, and they should make sure it happens.

In all representative governments it is reasonable to ask, "If the electorate voted for the country to jump off a bridge, should the government do it?" In my opinion we elect our public officials not to blindly do our bidding but to represent our best interests, even when we have a misguided understanding of what those best interests are. Unfortunately most representatives today care most about getting reelected. Rather than leading they slavishly mold their behavior to public opinion in their district. Love of country must take precedence over love of holding office, even when it means you'll lose that office. Integrity demands this kind of behavior, but little of it exists today.

----- Percy at https://www.evcforum.net/dm.php?control=msg&m=847068#m847068