Politics News in Brief March 16th 2017
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Conatus News/Uncommon Ground Media Inc.
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2017/03/16
Big data transforms politics
According to Vox, through an analysis and summary of a column by NBC’s Chuck Todd and Carrie Dann, it was found that big data plays a massive force for the transformation of politics in the United States, and likely elsewhere.
“Politics “broke” because the system is paralysed by polarisation, and it’s paralysed by polarisation because technology and demographic data have made it easier (and less risky) for campaigns to target their base instead of appealing to a broad swath of voters.”
The information about and on voters provided by the digital revolution has given political folks the ability to have precise information about their constituencies, about the general public. With big data, huge computation, and largesse in finance and information, politics has been changed. Voters can be mobilised like never before.
How BJP secured pole position: To remain central pillar of Indian politics, it must ensure opponents don’t gang up
The Times of India reports that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, based on the electoral results from throughout 5 states, “have secured pole position in Indian politics.” It is an echo of the huge win from 2014 before.
Between 1999 and 2004, the Times of India noted that the leadership of PM Vajpayee felt as if a post-Congress era. There was a long 25-year period of coalition governments, but “very few thought a Congress revival likely.”
For 10 years, Congress revived and ran the country. According to the article author, Congress seems unable to accomplish the task, to do it again – or revive and run India for 10 years. That is, it is “apolitical, out of touch and wrong instincts at its highest levels.”
UK fate sealed
The Guardian reports that, “Nicola Sturgeon has accused Theresa May of sealing the fate of the United Kingdom after the prime minister rejected her demand for a second Scottish independence referendum before the Brexit talks conclude.”
It was noted by the first minister that the stance taken by May is both unacceptable and outrageous. This was made after the insistence on the immediate present being the time for the referendum by the prime minister. Sturgeon described directly that this amounts to an argument for independence because “Westminster thinks it has got the right to block the democratically elected mandate of the Scottish government and the majority in the Scottish parliament. History may look back on today and see it as the day the fate of the union was sealed.”
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