Bregretting Brexit

Living in a post-fact society can be problematic.

Some Leave voters knew what they were doing, but many believed the BS that Brexit would sharply increase National Health Service (NHS) spending and sharply decrease immigration.

Sure, people told them it was bullshit, but those people were experts, so they weren’t worth listening to.

See that bus? The Leave campaign wasn’t subtle. But within a day of winning the referendum, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage admitted that the promise of additional NHS funding was “a mistake.”

The same thing happened regarding immigration. Many thought they were voting to close the borders, but reducing immigration from outside of the EU was never on the table, and leaders of the Leave campaign admitted after the vote that Brexit probably won’t end free movement of labor from the EU either.

Some Leave voters truly care that regulations they don’t like come from Brussels instead of London. And some voted Leave because they believe Britain will gain something abstract, like independence, sovereignty, national identity, etc.

But many who chose to Leave expected something tangible: namely, an increase in their government benefits, and/or fewer Eastern Europeans and Muslims. And they expected that, because that’s what they were promised, and that’s what they wanted to believe.

Everyone should doubt arguments based on “just trust me, look at my title!” But rejecting carefully researched, well-supported facts on the grounds that the person presenting them has studied the issue for a while is monumentally stupid.

All this makes me wonder how many Trump supporters believe electing him would actually result in a Mexico-financed border wall, manufacturing jobs moving from China to the US, or fewer Muslims in America.

Probably quite a few. I’d be curious to see their reactions if Trump wins and none of that happens. But in a parallel universe I could visit and leave, not here.