Slightly off topic but not really?

Brexit is an obsession of Atrios but I have not had anything to say about it. However I think it is actually somewhat instructive for us. As Simon Wren-Lewis explains, the expectations Brexit advocates had were literally impossible. The most likely outcome at this point is that Britain continues to be constrained by all the rules of the European single market and customs union, but will no longer have a vote.

This is because the border between the nation of Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland is an open border. The Irish, on both sides, will not stand for it becoming a closed border; while the Northern Irish will not stand for a closed border with the rest of the UK. Therefore there will have to be an open border between Britain and the European Union, and that will require that Britain continue to be a de facto member of the EU economic zone.

That also means that Britain will not be able to negotiate trade deals with other nations: Sayeth W-L:

The Brexiters’ dream was to rid the UK of the shackles of the EU so it could become great again, but it is a legacy of empire that has brought this dream to an end. All the stuff about bringing back the glory of a once great trading nation will not happen. Instead we will still be acting under the rules of the EU, but because we are not part of it the UK will be largely ignored on the world stage. A rather large country, which nevertheless gets other countries (like Ireland!) to set its trade and associated rules for it, and which it is therefore not worth bothering with in the international arena. A Britain that can no longer pretend to be a world power, not as a result of the actions of some left wing government, but because of the delusions of Brexiters.

Hmm. The Conservative government has to go through with this, however, or they will make themselves look stupid. Which they are, and which will become apparent to everybody in due course. Does this remind you of any, say, tax bills?