Maybe I need to go into journalism...

[johnpalmer]

I just saw a website mentioning that Al Quaeda might not have influenced the Spanish elections.

I mean, think about it... an attack by Al Quaeda, right before the election, and it *MIGHT NOT HAVE INFLUENCED THE ELECTION*. Even though it caused the government (Pro-Iraq war) to be turned out!

*HELLO!!!!!!!!*

Spain's government was shouting that it was some Basque terrorist group, *not* Al Quaeda. They were blaming the terrorism on their political enemies, *even after* there started to be evidence that it was Al Quaeda. They were disgusting, lying, political opportunists, trying to score points on the dead bodies of their citizens.

I mean, what the *hell*, are people really this forgetful?

Okay, stupid question.

People ask why France and Germany aren't helping us out more in Iraq, after Bush proudly said we will do it with them (if they agreed with us, 100%, as to timing and method), *OR WITHOUT THEM*. Bush said he didn't need their help back then; he hasn't apologized for saying that, nor for his other bits of angry posturing. Bush shut them out of reconstruction... excuse me, he shut them out of "lucrative reconstruction contracts", a phrase I think the Bushies invented to make it sound like the non-war-supporters would only be upset due to selfishness.

But, gee... we're now going back and asking them for money and troops, after cutting them out of a chance to help our their own companies.

Plus, think carefully about this one, folks.

If there were a few French and German companies trying to make a few billion in Iraq reconstruction, wouldn't France and Germany have a damn good reason to be *really* concerned with security?

A President of the US needs to be able to swallow his pride and his anger at being criticized, and do what's best for the country. Just a few measly reconstruction contracts (and maybe less of a bone thrown to Haliburton), and some soft words to help people forget the harsh ones, and he might have turned things around.

So I guess people really can be forgetful. They *can* forget how shabbily we treated our allies, they *can* forget the egregious behavior of the ex-government of Spain, and they can forget all kinds of nasty things.

Journalists should be our memories, to some extent... but they seem to be forgetting, too damn often, as well.

Comments

ask me in November after the Elections.

[andreas_schaefer]

I don't think those elections were uninfluenced by the terror attack - but it may have been less influenced than one might think.

Here in Germany there is a continuous poll every week asking : "if there was election next sunday.. "
Currently the main opposition is above 40 percent and the current major ruling party at below 30 - so is there was an election on Sunday we'd swap the parties that are in with those that are out .
However another poll found that 76 percent believe the opposition would do no better than the current administration. The general consensus must be the complement to "never change a running system" : namely "if the system has broken down change it" ( not exactly the brightest logic ).
More merely 6 years ago we got rid of chancellor Kohl - who admitted to having recieved illegal campaign money to the tune of 6 million - but refused to reveal the sources of those millions because " I have given my word of honor" . Given that he left the chancelory leaving incomplete files and destroyed files. ( all through misunderstanding by underlings who acted without order ) and that the key witness would have been himself the legal proceedings were dropped. ( little chance of getting him on the main case of aiding taxfraud and not worth the while to put him into jail for a weekend for contempt of court. ) Practically everybody in a serious position in his party - the current main opposition party got his/her start through him , either by direct patronage or by not being selected out ( as some very bright heads were ) so one would think voters would remember but , as the polls prove: a simple majority would vote the current government out despite the trackrecord ( the current high level of national debt , and 4+ million unemployed was reached under Kohs 16 year reign ) and the fact that the alternates are 'the godsons of Kohl"


People do not seem to vote by logic, at least most of the voters don't.

A little thought experiment in two parts:
First a part for prospective Democrat voters: " what would it take for you to decide to vote for bush rather than Kerry ?"
(proof that Kerry is a childpornographer?) No matter what you answer here it would have to be pretty drastic I bet.
Now the second part: for Republican voters, for the fans of Bush.
What would it take for you to decide to vote against Bush, for Kerry?

I bet even if tomorrow indubitable proof turned up that a team of the Republicanm administration arranged the destruction of the WTC because it would generate a political climate useful for them even if such proof came up. If Bush was alive and elegible in november hed get about 30 percent of the vote . ( "... this family has always voted republican and I am not going to change now ")

I don't understand this , neither on the individual level nor do I undeerstand the way the voting collective as a group moves.

Having said that I have to admitt that it would take something pretty strong to not vote for the present idiot chancellor. ( I distrust him just a tiny fraction less than the opposition candidate )

You got a point there about security concerns -besides there are German companies making a tidy little profit - as subcontractors.
And had Bush not made an issue out of it while the election campaign was in full swing here - and through his temper tatrum made it into an election issue, I think there is an even chance Germany might have supported the war in some way.
Not that we don't do that anyway. There are several big US bases in Germany - which used to be guarded by US military personell - and are now guarded by German soldiers. Freeing those US soliers from boring guard duty in an allied country to go to the exciting front.
I am not sure , but would Not be surprised if a good bit of the supply chain went through Germany.

Yes one could argue that the present US administration insulted us but frankly I don't think many care. If the present Administration continues to favor US companies agains the fair trade rule of the World trade organisation , now THAT would be serious. ( Germany is a small country if we don't export we are broke . )

Re: ask me in November after the Elections.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

You're right about voter apathy and lack of memory... you don't get to be a successful politician without the ability to deflect a lot of criticism or ignoring the truth. I think that EE "Doc" Smith was right that we need Lensmen to be leaders... or at least, journalists. People forget, or don't realize how important things are, and in today's "news spinning" environment, where people are willing to believe that a serious charge is "just people playing politics", it's even worse.

Add in to this the fact that things don't tend to change all that much, no matter who you vote for, and, well, I can see why there's a lot of apathy.

You're probably right that Germans don't care too much about being insulted, but the German leaders probably do. That's the ultimate proof that all politics is personal :-).