Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:15 pm Post subject: Elections
It's important to vote... so tell us about elections in your country. _________________ Toe ek jonk was, het ek al die antwoorde geken. Nou verstaan ek nie eens die vrae nie.
I think it's important to vote too! You have one little vote and you should use it. I'll agree one vote is a hell of a lot more than no vote at all. The election is on September 17 and I honestly don't know which party to vote for, or if I'm going to vote blank like I did last time. Most people I've asked (I'm a little excited about the election I'll confess) if they know how they're going to vote have said that they're not sure. The four parties in the parliament that're in the middle and to the right have formed an alliance; they want to form a coalition government. The right-wing party even calls itself a "workers party" nowadays. Socialdemokraterna which has been the dominating party the last 70 years or so has crept further and further away from the left and the left-wing party... their leader calls himself a communist which has caused some reactions as you might imagine. He wants to abolish school grades, what the f... The green party doesn't seem to have much to say except on environmental issues. For a moment there I was thinking about Folkpartiet, which is in the alliance, mainly because they focus a lot on school and police, both of which are a disaster, more or less. They also focus on integration and the elderly care among other things. But they're going a bit too far, like wanting to introduce school grades in grade 6 (you first receive them in grade 8 ), and put grades on "order". Most if not all of the parties have their appealing bits but there's so much talk, so many fair promises...
It's great that you're really considering your options, Walker! To vote is a responsible thing to do, and should be done in a responsible way. So many people simply vote the way their parents or their friends do, without really knowing what they're voting for. _________________ Toe ek jonk was, het ek al die antwoorde geken. Nou verstaan ek nie eens die vrae nie.
It's great that you're really considering your options, Walker! To vote is a responsible thing to do, and should be done in a responsible way. So many people simply vote the way their parents or their friends do, without really knowing what they're voting for.
Yeah, that's true. Unfortunately. Like a workmate I had this summer who told me that her parents and her boyfriend always vote for one specific party, and if she didn't do the same they'd be "mad" at her. My eyes widened a little as I said "what?".
It's great that you're really considering your options, Walker! To vote is a responsible thing to do, and should be done in a responsible way. So many people simply vote the way their parents or their friends do, without really knowing what they're voting for.
Yeah, that's true. Unfortunately. Like a workmate I had this summer who told me that her parents and her boyfriend always vote for one specific party, and if she didn't do the same they'd be "mad" at her. My eyes widened a little as I said "what?".
Jeez... does she understand the concept of: "Your vote is secret"? :shock: And... the concept of thinking for yourself... :? _________________ Toe ek jonk was, het ek al die antwoorde geken. Nou verstaan ek nie eens die vrae nie.
Yeah, that's true. Unfortunately. Like a workmate I had this summer who told me that her parents and her boyfriend always vote for one specific party, and if she didn't do the same they'd be "mad" at her. My eyes widened a little as I said "what?".
Oh God... reading this has made me really depressed :scuse2:
Walker: Exercise your vote wisely, mate. I did not get a chance to vote this year at all at the General Elections as my ward was a walkover i.e. no opposition candidate showed up to contest the incumbent.
Greg: I always wonder what Ms Royal sees in her partner Francois Hollande. As for Arlette Laguiller, that unreformed Communist never throws in the towel, doesn't she?
Of course, I am hoping, from an interested foreigner's perspective, for Sarko to prevail. This is not because I am against the idea of women in power (I lionise Margaret Thatcher) but simply because Segolene Royal is in the wrong camp. _________________ Hillary Clinton is an acquired taste which I have clearly yet to acquire.
Why is it that politicians always look so ugly in photographs? Sarkozy... the immigrant who doesn't like immigrants, as my (French) French teacher described him.
What I think is ridiculous is that everyone is already talking about the next UK General Election, even though it's almost three or even four years away, and the previous one was only last year.
It was reported by The Sun (not a reliable newspaper generally, but it has predicted election dates and other similar information accurately in the past) today that Tony Blair will resign on 31st May next year. This won't cause a General Election, but there will definitely be a leadership contest and the winner will become the prime minister. I don't think that Tony Blair has formally confirmed this date, but the extreme pressure for him to resign, which grew further today following several resignations from other members of the government over the issue, seems to suggest that he will have to resign very soon before being booted out.
It is not just disreputable sources such as The Sun which has ventured out on a leg to make such a brazen speculation. Even the venerable BBC has hazard the same guess and if venerability is a sign of authenticity, Auntie Beeb must be right!
I think it is a pity that his party is so rebellious. If there's a lesson which Labour could learn from the Conservatives, it is not to be drawn apart by intra-party divisions. Tony Blair risks becoming a lame duck Prime Minister for the remainder of his term in Downing Street.
As for Sarko's supposed dislike of immigrants, your teacher betrays a profound, not to mention astonishing, ignorance of his actual campaign platform. Every country has a sovereign right to define its immigration policy and I must say that John Howard (Australian PM) makes Sarko look like a softie as far as illegal aliens are concerned. _________________ Hillary Clinton is an acquired taste which I have clearly yet to acquire.
Last Updated: Monday, 18 September 2006, 13:58 GMT 14:58 UK
Analysis: Sweden changes direction
By Thomas Buch-Andersen
BBC News, Malmo, Sweden
In any other democratic country, a narrow win would be a demonstration of division.
Victory for Fredrik Reinfeldt's conservative Alliance for Sweden constitutes nothing less than a political revolution.
"Sweden has finally become a real democracy," said a senior member of Mr Reinfeldt's New Moderates.
"In real democracies governments change from time to time. That is what is happening here," he said.
The Alliance beat the Social Democrats, who have held power in all but nine years since 1932.
'Working-free class'
So why are the citizens of one of the world's best welfare societies so desperate for change? Because at least 6% of the workforce are unemployed - although the conservatives give a much higher figure - and are living off generous social benefits.
With many Swedes taking sick leave and enrolled in government-run training schemes, analysts are talking about the "working-free class".
Mr Reinfeldt is promising to reform the tax and benefits system so that taking a job will always be a better deal than receiving social benefits or government training.
Mr Reinfeldt, who takes office 6 October, will also make it easier for companies to hire and fire people.
He says the move will have a significant impact in reducing youth unemployment, which is among the highest rates in Europe.
"We are the party of working people," Mr Reinfeldt told voters throughout the election campaign.
He wants to trim the Swedish economy so that it will make the best of the global market. And he has the support of big, as well as small, businesses.
Birth of New Moderates
The 41-year-old has three children. His wife, Filippa, is mayor of Taby, the Stockholm suburb where they live.
Since becoming leader in 2003 he has transformed the Moderates. Dubbed the "Swedish David Cameron", he has taken the party from the right wing to a more popular centre-right position.
And in an echo of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's New Labour, he has broadened its appeal and renamed the party New Moderates. He has also forged an alliance with the three other conservative parties in parliament.
Others nickname him "the soap" - they say he changes shape when pressed and loves it when things are clean and tidy.
As proof of the level of trust in Mr Reinfeldt's new way forward for Sweden, not even the so-called "spy scandal" could rock the conservative Alliance boat.
Only two weeks before election day, it was revealed that a senior member of the Folk Liberal Party - part of the Alliance - had hacked into the computers of the Social Democrats, thus giving the Alliance access to campaigning schedules and strategies.
Although Sweden is a member of the European Union, the country has traditionally held a neutral position in foreign affairs and Sweden is not a member of Nato.
Sweden currently has about 1,000 military personnel serving abroad on international peace missions.
The neutral position is unlikely to change with Mr Reinfeldt's government, although some analysts believe that his Sweden is likely to play a stronger role in shaping the EU.
Outgoing Prime Minister Goran Persson, who held power for more than 10 years, says he will stand down as the Social Democrats' leader next March.
"It is time to give way for a new generation," he said.
However, the Social Democrat party is still the largest in the Swedish parliament, Riksdag, and shows what Fredrik Reinfeldt is up against.
Swedes might be desperate for change but Mr Reinfeldt will have to walk a very fine line between renewing the welfare system and keeping the sense of a state supporting its citizens.
He will be closely watched. In a country where the Social Democrats are the natural party of government, the conservative revolution could be over before it has begun.
Do you think the new government will bring about a lot of changes, Walker? _________________ Toe ek jonk was, het ek al die antwoorde geken. Nou verstaan ek nie eens die vrae nie.
Well, my hope is that things will become better. I didn't vote for Reinfeldt but I'm a little curious to see if things will turn out the way he says they will. One of the main changes might just be that they'll cut taxes, especially when it comes to people with a low/middle income. That's good. The welfare system will suffer a cut-down. I think the welfare system is a good idea, but too many people receice welfare - people who should be working. Some people become dependent on welfare and some people fool the system and that's the ugly face of welfare. Instead they intend to decrease unemployment rates by creating new jobs, cutting the employers' tax, and making it easier for employers to hire and fire people, as the article says. I don't know about that last part, though. Today there are a lot of unemployed people, especially young people, and I really hope that they manage to decrease unemployment rates. I'm not fully employed myself and I know what it's like to be totally unemployed and looking for a job for months and months. I'd so much prefer if they'd cut welfare and increase the number of jobs. Like I said, I think the welfare system is a good idea, and necessary, for some people do need it. But it cannot continue the way it's been; when there are no jobs it's easy to turn to welfare, but when you do your self-confidence hits the bottom and that it turn can make it even harder to find a job.
Another thing they might do is privatize part of the health care system. The idea is that there's supposed to be an option to the regular/public health care that's run by the county council. Today the waiting lists are miles long due to lack of resources. The personnel are way too few and cut-downs have made it impossible to hire more people (no wonder so many people are on sick-leave in this country). Instead of hiring people they have constantly re-organized the organizations in the health care system, and each re-organization has come with a promise that things will be better. During my 6 years on and off at the hospital the organization I've been in has gotten a new name and a new boss like three times. But things remain the same. So I guess privatizing means that people with money will receive health care first. On the other hand those the waiting lists might be shortened.
Apparently the police will be given more resources. There will be "zero tolerance against crime". Crime has increased over the last few years and violence has become more brutal. Organized crime and gang-related violence are two big problems that need to be dealt with. I watched a documentary some time ago about investigations and lack of resources. It was terrible. Piles and piles of cases that would remain where they were simply because the police didn't have time to go through them. It was only a question of prioritizing. Now, Herr Reinfeldt has made a promise that no case will be left uninvestigated. And there will be more policemen, not only investigating ones but also in the streets where people can see them.
They've also been talking about school issues; a lot of kids "finish" elementary school without being prepared for High School. There will be more teachers who have special training in helping children with reading/writing difficulties. No pupil will go unseen but will be supported individually, the quality of schools will be more closely checked etc etc.
The process that asylum-seekers have to go through will be faster to avoid unnecessary suffering and costs. "Asylum-seekers will as fast as possible be given the opportunity to work". As it's been now these people have had to wait for a long time.
Pauline, I am given to understand that Belgian politics have largely been devolved to the regional level. Wallon voters decide on issues pertaining to Wallonia while the Flemish do likewise for Flanders.
Do national elections exist then? Since the King inherits his position while the Prime Minister is often chosen by his party, do Belgians of all stripes and colours ever rub shoulders in a polling station? _________________ Hillary Clinton is an acquired taste which I have clearly yet to acquire.
In the parliaments 1-4 people vote about issues pertaining to the place they live ; locally important. In the national one, it's exaclty what you've wrote -everyone vote for the national government.
How is it in Singapore ? I've heared that it split up from Malaysia because of politic and religion - this was beneficial for Singapore, no ?
Now, I understand why voting is compulsory. With a gamut of elections to vote from the national to the regional level, it is a wonder if election fatigue has not already set in.
I am impressed that you are aware of Singapore's split from Malaysia. The primary reason for the collapse of the partnership was primarily political with a communal twist. But there were also a myriad of other factors that led to the dissolution of the union.
In Singapore, we simply go to the polls once every 5 or 6 years to vote in the GE (General Elections). The ruling party has never been tossed out of power and is not only the natural party of government, but also the only party of government. Due to the first-past-the-post system, all parliamentary seats in government are occupied by the ruling party save for two plucky constituencies which have been voting for the opposition since 1984 and 1990 respectively.
There is no natural dichotomy between right and left that exists in so many other countries. The ruling party's origins were socialist but its economic policies are now definitely liberal i.e. free market, small government, low taxation, etc. It is also socially conservative but then again, Singapore society is relatively conservative in general.
The opposition are a disparate bunch of parties which usually advocate inchoate ideas about welfarism such as giving the elderly a pension or fully subsiding healthcare a la the NHS in Britain. Of course, these ideas are popular with the working proletariat who can only afford (relatively) cheap travels to Bali or Australia but the idea of a Social Democratic welfare state would never gain common currency among people who have a sound understanding of economics.
Since Belgian is divided along linguistic lines, would I be overstepping my mark if I ask you about your linguistic affiliation? Es-tu un francophone ou un néerlandophone ? D’ailleurs, que penses-tu de la politique séparatiste de l’extrême droite en Flandres ? J’ai entendu dire qu’un certain parti politique qui s’appelle le Vlaams Beweging (sic?) est devenu de plus en plus populaire chez les électeurs de nos jours, surtout dans les métropoles tel qu'Anvers. _________________ Hillary Clinton is an acquired taste which I have clearly yet to acquire.
<< Singapore society is relatively conservative in general. >>
yes, i did heared this : the gold cage.
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<< Since Belgian is divided along linguistic lines, would I be overstepping my mark if I ask you about your linguistic affiliation? >>
no problem - I'm francophone, but i can speak fluently ducth also because I've learned it at school.
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<< D’ailleurs, que penses-tu de la politique séparatiste de l’extrême droite en Flandres ? J’ai entendu dire qu’un certain parti politique qui s’appelle le Vlaams Beweging (sic?) est devenu de plus en plus populaire chez les électeurs de nos jours, surtout dans les métropoles tel qu'Anvers. >>
I think all rigth-wing politic is disgusting- I find it very important having a good social welfare system for look after everyone. Yes, the flemish racist party it's called : Vlaams Belang, before it was : Vlaams Blok and it's very popular especially in antwerp and it get approximatley 30 % of the vote. about separatism, it won't happen i think because the flemish want to have Brussels, and if we will separate they wouldn't get it.
It seems you know very well about belgian politic !!!
what langauegs can you speak & what are spoken in Singapore ? I think that many have english for their mother tongue, and can speak also malay, chinese etc...? I've heared it's a wonderful and exciting country.
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—> Ségolène Royal
—> Nicolas Sarkozy
—> Jean-Marie Le Pen
—> DSK (Dominique Strauss-Kahn) 
—> Lionel Jospin 
—> 
—> who knows ? 
—> Christiane Taubira 
—> Arlette Laguiller