The Aftermath

++First,travel tip--go to the former UK and Scotland now because it will be the cheaper than at any other time since the mid-1980s. Also there is a window before England becomes grungy--the effects will take about three years.

++I've spent most of the day reading millennials reactions to Brexit and they are sad.  The vote against standing in the EU dooms the next generation from not being able to work and live in 26 other countries and have a freedom of movement available as an EU member.

++The Scottish reaction was quite clear that Scotland embraces the future and voted for the EU at every age level and class.  The reason I tend not to like Ian Rankin's late novels is that they are so Eurocentric but Scotland seems comfortable being open to Europe. Long may the rampant lion roar. 

++I received e-mails from a conservative my age who thought this was a vote against experts and elites. Partly true but those experts even ridiculed on BBC turn out to be true in the short term. And Nigel Farage of UKIP admitted this morning that he lied about all the figures he used to campaign against "remaining " in the European Union. But the politics of lies is ok for "all the honest people" who voted against the European Union. The English burned down the house last night.

++In the same email where I sent the conservative the Scotsman's article about Scotland having to have a new referendum he said that would raise security issues about RAF bases and where submarines would find safe harbor. But those issues weren't raised in the "Leave" campaign about Calais or Ireland.

++Josh Marshall had several posts today about Breixit but the most telling one was a response from one of his readers working at the US Trade Representative's  office. All this speculation that it is a snap to develop a d trade agreement with England is rubbish. Even Obama sort of suggested it could be done quickly. But this reader said because the office is underfunded--gee I wonder why--and understaffed, it has to focus on trade negotiations with China and the other countries of the European Union and that Britain has to stay in the queue. And because of EU priorities ,American playing favorites with England after it dissed Europe would not go over well.

++Josh reproduces American conservatives' reactions to Brexit. I found it ironic that all the writers were millennials who never realized their generational counterparts are not imprisoned for almost 60 years in yesterday's decision. Instead our guys said this would allow England to become a glorious superpower again. 

++Josh Marshall's response was that the Sainted figure Winston Churchill was a Europeanist who fought against the Colonel Blimp stereotype and that the European Union with all its flaws was part of an American encouraged project to create a Europe that would not be ravaged by war.

++The Spanish government reacted with panache tweeting images of posters welcoming British Refugees. But the EU was quite curt by saying you voted to leave,leave tomorrow. There should be no delay.

++I thought of a great Scottish member of the European Parliament who has argued with me against Scottish independence for years . He is the head of a committee that oversees Iraqi refugees and human rights violations in that country. He has built up years of institutional knowledge--yes, he may be called an expert. He has to go with this vote and that is a blow to human rights and means that his European colleagues will have to go without his advise.  

++Throughout the European bureaucracy,there are thousands of British citizens who will have to be removed. That is a loss of talent and memory for a gratuitous vote.

++The Washington Post ran a piece by a British millennial who castigated the Baby-Boomers for being so selfish to doom her generation to isolationism. It was touching and we should remember not to be tempted to make dramatic political decisions which we know will close off opportunities for any of our fellow citizens. Or our victims may end up eating the rich.

++Policy is boring. I know but to get it wrong has catastrophic and unintended effects. and yes,you might have to consult experts. You'll be surprised what you learn. Ask one something. They generally live a lonely existence and will love to talk about their subject.

++Josh Marshall wrote a piece today saying that the demographics resisting change in the UK resemble our own here in the States. Embrace the change. Let the millennials go free. They engage the world more openly than the older generation and should be allowed to explore the future. 

++The UK made a breathtaking decision to wallow in their past and to cut themselves off from a more open future.