Comments on: French Lessons http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/08/french-lessons/ Exposing the ugly truths about the Bush Administration. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:02:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.3 by: Detlef http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/08/french-lessons/#comment-215190 Tue, 08 May 2007 20:45:27 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/08/french-lessons/#comment-215190 Well, comparisons are difficult since the political center in most European countries is to left compared to the USA. In comments on American blogs, I´m always saying that German Conservatives can be roughly compared to the US Democrat party. How to compare the German Social-Democrats...:) One a center-right party, one a center-left. But with overlap in the center so in rare circumstances - like now - a coalition between them is possible. Leaving the smaller parties in opposition for now. And by the way, if Schroeder hadn´t called for early elections in 2005, it is possible that he might won the regular election in late 2006. He lost primarily because of the economy which started to really grow in 2006, one year too late for him. It´s a bit more complicated in France as far as I understand it. The two "big" parties are Sarkozy´s UMP (former Gaullists), a (European) right-wing party and Royal´s left-wing Socialist Party. With a smaller centrist party UDF (Bayrou) in the middle. The Socialist Party itself has two wings, a Social-Democrat wing probably closer to the center and a left Socialist wing. Which means that France doesn´t have a real center-left party in the European sense. But now to Dionne. If by American Progressives he means Democrats, they would be conservatives in Europe. Second, he didn´t mention Italy or Spain? Conservative governments there lost the last elections? The British local elections he mentioned had a LOT to do with Blair and Iraq, not globalization or immigration. And Sarkozy? <a HREF="http://www.eurointelligence.com/Article.620+M5349193f7a5.0.html" rel="nofollow">Here</a> is a opinion from a "Financial Times" (both Germany and UK) columnist. <i>I think he has point when he says that a new centre-left party in France – similar to the centre-left in Germany or Northern Europe - would in fact be to the right of Sarkozy. From a liberal [in the European sense] Anglo-Saxon or German perspective, Sarkozy is definitely left-wing on economics, and right-wing on law and order and tolerance – an unusual combination.</i> Well, comparisons are difficult since the political center in most European countries is to left compared to the USA.

In comments on American blogs, I´m always saying that German Conservatives can be roughly compared to the US Democrat party. How to compare the German Social-Democrats…:)
One a center-right party, one a center-left. But with overlap in the center so in rare circumstances - like now - a coalition between them is possible. Leaving the smaller parties in opposition for now.
And by the way, if Schroeder hadn´t called for early elections in 2005, it is possible that he might won the regular election in late 2006. He lost primarily because of the economy which started to really grow in 2006, one year too late for him.

It´s a bit more complicated in France as far as I understand it.
The two “big” parties are Sarkozy´s UMP (former Gaullists), a (European) right-wing party and Royal´s left-wing Socialist Party. With a smaller centrist party UDF (Bayrou) in the middle. The Socialist Party itself has two wings, a Social-Democrat wing probably closer to the center and a left Socialist wing. Which means that France doesn´t have a real center-left party in the European sense.

But now to Dionne.
If by American Progressives he means Democrats, they would be conservatives in Europe. Second, he didn´t mention Italy or Spain? Conservative governments there lost the last elections?
The British local elections he mentioned had a LOT to do with Blair and Iraq, not globalization or immigration.

And Sarkozy?
Here is a opinion from a “Financial Times” (both Germany and UK) columnist.

I think he has point when he says that a new centre-left party in France – similar to the centre-left in Germany or Northern Europe - would in fact be to the right of Sarkozy. From a liberal [in the European sense] Anglo-Saxon or German perspective, Sarkozy is definitely left-wing on economics, and right-wing on law and order and tolerance – an unusual combination.

]]> by: moonbat http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/08/french-lessons/#comment-215152 Tue, 08 May 2007 17:55:47 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/08/french-lessons/#comment-215152 Newt would like his party to learn the lessons of France, but I don't think it's in the cards. The GOP's candidates are to varying degrees crazy and unappealing even to those within their base, let alone moderates and independents. Meanwhile, the Boy King refuses to change course in his disastrous war. The net effect is to make the GOP radioactive for at least one election cycle, possibly more. The Dems, for once, have a strong bench of candidates. I keep reading about <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/06/1010/" rel="nofollow">how moderate Republicans are flocking to them</a>. I also read about how certain far right figures, such as Rupert Murdoch are also cozying up to candidates such as Hillary Clinton. My big fear is that, knowing the Republican brand is doomed, the right will co-opt the Dems, by supporting a centrist figure such as Hillary. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. In the meantime, I really believe that the fix is in for the Republicans. Newt can prognosticate all he wants, but I see them losing big in 2008, even if they manage to get behind an effort to evict Bush/Cheney before Jan 20, 2009. And so the right gets a centrist Democrat who won't rock their revolution too much, the Republican brand goes into rehab for awhile, as they regroup for their next assault. Newt would like his party to learn the lessons of France, but I don’t think it’s in the cards. The GOP’s candidates are to varying degrees crazy and unappealing even to those within their base, let alone moderates and independents. Meanwhile, the Boy King refuses to change course in his disastrous war. The net effect is to make the GOP radioactive for at least one election cycle, possibly more.

The Dems, for once, have a strong bench of candidates. I keep reading about how moderate Republicans are flocking to them. I also read about how certain far right figures, such as Rupert Murdoch are also cozying up to candidates such as Hillary Clinton. My big fear is that, knowing the Republican brand is doomed, the right will co-opt the Dems, by supporting a centrist figure such as Hillary. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

In the meantime, I really believe that the fix is in for the Republicans. Newt can prognosticate all he wants, but I see them losing big in 2008, even if they manage to get behind an effort to evict Bush/Cheney before Jan 20, 2009.

And so the right gets a centrist Democrat who won’t rock their revolution too much, the Republican brand goes into rehab for awhile, as they regroup for their next assault.

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