It the exact same problem here, we have the Conservatives who are supposed to be for lower taxes and well, just like you say, "trimming the fat", but the reality is that both parties generally are painfully similar to each other. It doesn't matter which party is in power or who is prime minister, because things will just continue the same as usual.
I'm generally a Labour supporter (our version of the democrats), and I particularly like Jeremy Corbyn and have to believe he'll bring at least some of his socialist tendencies with him to Number 10.
Just last week our Lord Emperor May announced an increase in taxes to help plug the literal multi-billion pound deficit in the NHS, a deficit that has been increasing under Conservative rule as a result of their austerity measures. Inflation is creeping up, unemployment (despite official figures) is high and general sentiment amongst the populace is that our government is failing society as a whole, on all levels.
It's the same thing here again with the big corporations. I can't find the article I read, but I believe it was Netflix this time who paid next to nothing, and even got a massive tax rebate this last tax year!
"Benefits cheats" is a big thing in this country, with those who abuse the system being seen as the worst of the worst... and yet tax evasion or avoidance is a white collar part of being British.
I hadn't heard of Lord Jamar before, just watching the video now as I write this. Seems like the guy knows what he's talking about. I really liked when he said:
"So if we were just to look at everyone like our loved ones, we would be treating people in entirely different ways."
He's absolutely right about this "disconnection" or dissociation that occurs, take the current children being seperated in camps issue. I've gone stumbling around here on Steemit, and read some just completely disheartening comments made by people who I thought were different to that. Reading people say what are quite frankly disgusting, inhuman things about people they know nothing about chips away at what little respect for our species I have. I won't let myself get sucked into the Twitter rabbit hole, I'd probably end up walking off into the woods, never to be seen again.
To go off on a slight tangent, I think that's the problem I have with a lot of religious people. There are a few things from my Christian upbringing that are true; treat others how you would want to be treated and so on, that self-proclaimed practising Christians forget on a daily basis. Oh, and then there's Israel... but that's for another time.
Back to the topic, you're right the mainstream media really is the main perpetrator here in my mind at least. I think, at least in this country, the blending of opinion with news and facts has been a massive factor in the media getting to the state it's in. I think it's a sort of backlash or response to the internet and other modern forms of media and entertainment, where the mainstream media outlets have tried to incorporate the interactive nature of the internet (comments and polls) to retain some viewership.
We live in a strange time, where fast food chains roasting people on Twitter is the norm, and activism is just another tag on your instagram profile. I still can't quite get my head around the fact we live in a golden era of information and knowledge, and yet seem to be plagued more than ever by misinformation, or as many like to shout FAKE NEWS!
The way these social movements become a fashion trend is deeply concerning, just like you say there are some people who think that the most mundane of things are harassment. They just don't understand that what they're doing is detracting from those who genuinely suffered through something unthinkable, and probably are still suffering. I understand the current backlash to what I think is called "third wave feminism", because it really isn't about making progressive change. It just seems like to get by in today's society, you must be polarised, left or right. Topics and policies must be partisan, and meanwhile the centre is slowly disappearing...
... and breathe!
Thank you for your very interesting reply! I'm leaving this lame comedy here because I'm flailing with time management. <3