Potholes.

Everyone seems to think there is some magical world in which each and every voters wishes get responded to by the political executive.

Its as much Magic Unicorn Land as Communism.

Democracy is there so that e.g a majority of Iranians can get rid of an Ayatollah without getting shot.

In the UK post Brexit we have achieved that happy state, but we haven't yet managed to get rid of the incumbents yet.

My memory of talking politics to a Frenchman was a massive Gallic Shrug and 'no matter who we vote for, the taxes go up' There really isn't much democracy in the EU any more,. A little bit in the smaller countries. And the ex sovbloc.

Well with a bit of luck there'll always be the odd country leaving as a result of populist lies by traitors and demagogues.

My thoughts exactly.

Interesting article in the Telegraph that touches on democracy in the UK. A small sample:

”Keir Starmer arrived in No 10 in 2024 promising “change”. When he got into the building he turned to Sue Gray, his chief of staff, and asked her for the plan for the new government. It turned out she didn’t have one, and nor did anyone else in the Labour Party. So Starmer has spent nearly two years thrashing impotently around in search of a mission and the means to deliver it.” […] ”The five powers Dame Antonia has granted herself are (I paraphrase): to lead delivery of government policy; to be the Prime Minister’s principal policy adviser; to manage the Cabinet; to reform the Civil Service; and to lead the Civil Service. She is therefore in charge of execution, policy, decision-making, and the machinery of the British state. This includes direct responsibility for all ‘economic, domestic, international and national security’ matters. Oh, and she will also ‘act as a steward for the democratic system of government and guardian of the constitution’ for good measure.

..Especially those that work for the EU...

-- “It is not the truth of Marxism that explains the willingness of intellectuals to believe it, but the power that it confers on intellectuals, in their attempts to control the world. And since...it is futile to reason someone out of a thing that he was not reasoned into, we can conclude that Marxism owes its remarkable power to survive every criticism to the fact that it is not a truth-directed but a power-directed system of thought.” Sir Roger Scruton

Pity he didn't use that natural talent to make a living out of his own original art