What’s Up With This Pink Tie Thing?
The gentlemen in question is Nigel Farage, Member of the European Parliament (MEP), and former head of the UK Independence Party, which makes him a very heavy duty wing asshole.
That being said, I’m struck by just how well spoken he is. He’s an asshole, and as the defacto head of the UKIP, he is implacably opposed to the EU doing anything, ever, but he is well spoken and thoughtful in a way that is miles beyond people like Boehner, or McConnell, or Bush, or Dick “the Human Snarl” Cheney.
Why does someone wanting accountability and democracy make them an 'asshole'? Should people not be allowed to have a say in how they are governed?
Wanting accountability and democracy does not make one an asshole.
Being the head of xenophobic party that subtly allies itself with racists. (UKIP)
I'm a bit of a Euroskeptic myself, see my comments on their anti-democratic efforts on the Lisbon treaty, their anti-democratic structures, etc.
I would also note that he is fundamentally correct on his criticism of the selection of <span> Baroness Ashton, though his comments implying that somehow taking money from socialists made her anti-democratic was despicable red baiting.</span>
Still, he is an articulate man who can speak coherently, which puts him miles ahead of the right in the US.
As to the others, you have draft dodging war hawks (all of them), who have no respect for government as an institution (all of them), who are bet wetting cowards (Cheney), who are distorting the political climate in order to avoid prosecutions war crimes (Cheney) and for outing a CIA agent (Cheney, he's a busy boy).
UKIP is not a "xenophobic" party. Wanting to restore legislative sovereignty to Westminster has nothing to do with hating foreigners or not wanting to co-operate.
UKIP wants friendship, free trade, and co-operation instead of supranational political union.
As for allying with racists. In the European Parliament to form a group one has to ally with strange parties. Strange parties being present is a consequence of the proportional representation system. Some of the allies of the governing parties in Europe are not so great either!