COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Monday, April 18, 2011

Tru Finn Party Shocks - Europeans Getting Fed-up




Finnish election threatens Portugal rescue

True Finns election posters (Photo: heipmann)
Today @ 09:30 CETeuobserver.com


Finnish politics has been transformed with the soaring success of the nationalist right in Sunday's general election.
The True Finns, a staunchly anti-EU and anti-immigration party saw their support skyrocket, from five seats in the last election to 39 on the back of almost a fifth of the country's voters.
The conservatives, whose chief, the current finance minister Jyrki Katainen, will lead the next government, will have to choose between the True Finns and the second-place Social Democrats.
The centre-left Social Democrats also lost three seats, taking them down to 42 mandates, although analysts describe the vote as a defensive success for the party, with the vote up on recent surveys.
The Social Democrats had warmed to the growing anti-EU mood and criticised the recently announced EU-IMF bail-out of Portugal from the right.
The biggest party in the last election, the liberal Centre Party of Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi was the biggest loser of the night, shedding 16 seats, a result that has pushed them into fourth place.
With the second and third biggest parties sharply critical of EU bail-outs of countries viewed by voters as feckless and indigent, the election puts the recent rescue of Portugal in the balance.
The conservatives must choose between a centre-left that wants significant changes to the terms of the bail-out and a nationalist right that rejects the idea outright.
Negotiations with the Social Democrats would certainly be easier, but the conservatives would then be seen as ignoring the clear winners of the night, the True Finns.
Described in some parts of the international press as a ‘far-right' party, the party contests the term and analysts say the ideology of the party is more complicated.
While the party is strongly opposed to immigration and backs a firm law-and-order agenda, the True Finns also back many elements of the welfare state and progressive taxation, putting them more in line with the pot-pourri of ideologies at play in the growing populist mood to the right of the conservative mainstream in Europe.
"We are not extremists, so you can sleep safely," leader Timo Soini told the BBC on Sunday.
Soini also sits as a deputy in the European Parliament. It is unclear as to whether he will keep both posts.
The Greens, the other coalition partner within the outgoing government, also got trounced, losing five of their seats. On the back of the support of 7.2 percent, the party won just ten seats, and are unlikely to sit in the new coalition.
The Left Alliance, a party to the left of the Social Democrats, also saw some of its support bleed away to the True Finn surge, although the party has declined in every election since its 1995 high point.

46 comments:

  1. What does it mean? Normal people everywhere are sick of the liberal Pollyanna view of the world with unfettered immigration, contempt for majority views and financial bailouts for broken banks and profligate spending politicians. Here is hoping it bodes well for the US.

    True Finns!

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  2. TRUE FINNS' NATIONALISM COLOURS FINLAND ELECTION

    'Embraced to death'
    Finnish politics has been stable for years because ruling coalitions have integrated and then diluted the radical parties of left and right. That was the fate of the Communists and, later, the Rural Party. Novelist Leif Salmen wrote that the Communists were "embraced to death". The True Finns emerged from the Rural Party in the 1990s when that party failed to keep its election promises. Finland is officially bilingual, but the True Finns' nationalism has no room for Swedish. It excludes Swedish as something unfamiliar to Finnish culture. Polls suggest that most Finns share that view and want to stop the teaching of Swedish in Finnish schools.

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  3. Nationalist message
    The True Finns' manifesto indicates they have much in common with right-wing populist parties elsewhere in Europe. They believe that a low birth rate is not solved by immigration, as that results in problems and foreigners are do not fit into Finnish culture. Instead, young women should study less and spend more time giving birth to pure Finnish children.
    ...
    Finland suffered when the Soviet economy collapsed, because the USSR was a major export market for Finnish goods. But in 1995 Finland joined the EU and Nokia developed into a globally successful mobile phone manufacturer. Finland joined the eurozone wholeheartedly in 2002. But for many Finns today EU membership is no longer sexy - not when it involves bailing out countries like Greece, the Republic of Ireland and Portugal. Other companies have caught up with Nokia and even the traditional "green gold" of Finland - timber - has lost its lustre. One paper and pulp mill after another has closed and many workers have been fired. If the True Finns join the next coalition Finland will turn in some degree towards stronger nationalism and protectionism.
    © BBC News

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  4. True Finns' nationalism has no room for Swedish. It excludes Swedish as something unfamiliar to Finnish culture. Polls suggest that most Finns share that view and want to stop the teaching of Swedish in Finnish schools.

    Gotta stop those Swedes!

    Go True Finns!

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  5. The True Finns feel towards Swedish influence in their country the way many at the EB feel towards Gays and Lesbians influence in California.

    The Equivalency Standard

    Swedes = Gay and Lesbians.

    It all depends on perspective.

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  6. Unlike the True Finns. the US electorate is proud of the contribution that foreigners have made, in the United States.

    Especially the impact the contributions that the Swedish immigrants have made, here in the Americas.

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  7. In Finland, it seems that Swedish is as Spanish is here, in the US.

    Considered a blight upon the "National Heritage"

    ReplyDelete
  8. Perspective is key to perception.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Really? London, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Paris, Frankfurt and Malmö have all been thrust into greatness by Muslim immigrants? East London by the joyful masses from the Caribbean? The culture brought by the diaspora of Albanian traffickers and drug dealers? The car burning Algerians of Paris?

    Stockholm was a gem of a city. The liberals in Sweden spread the welcome mat and in 2008, 23 percent of Stockholmers said they were crime victims. When Finns want to close the door to Swedes, they are not talking about the Vikings.

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  10. I live in Finland, and a lot of Finns are shocked about this result..

    Although I must say I am not, I do not generally agree with it but I can see how it has happened. Finns are a very singular people they are not part of Scandanavia nor are they a part of Russia, the rest of their border is water, and they view themselves as an Island nation.

    Their views on Europe have always been positive but some Finns are only willing to accept a connection with the EU as long as that positiveness is a benefit to the country. The view on the failing EU states and the proposed bailout brings out strong opinions in Finns, the feeling that the failed states have brought this on themselves makes the Finns unhappy about loaning money which is seen as good money being thrown after bad.

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  11. ...As Finns, we of course are part of Europe by choice and would hope that we would enjoy our bretheren's support in the event of being subjected to any form of aggression (whether economic or military).

    However, we saw how helpful the rest of europe and indeed the world was when we faced a real threat from our immediate neighbour to the east, in 1939... many expressions of solidarity...yep... lots of words... but with few exceptions, not much action.

    Perhaps it will be different under the morally united fraternal banner of the EU than under the League of Nations... hmmm... perhaps I hear the deafening silence of sceptics?

    On a practical note... unless these guys have feasible plans and solid national commitment to adhere to terms of bail out, the objectives of the bail out will not be met. Pressure from other EU countries -including the threat to not support the bail out- is the right thing to do.

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  12. As if we needed another indication that high gasoline prices are here to stay:

    If you're wondering what General Motors is up to China, here's a fresh example. It's the new Baojun 630 sedan, which debuted last week at the Shanghai auto show.

    Apparently, the midsize Baojun 630 has one truly appealing quality: It's cheap.

    "The Baojun 630 will address the growing demand across the country for affordable personal transportation." said Kevin Wale, president of the GM China Group.

    GM says it was developed in China as the first in an expected line of vehicles. For the moment, it isn't saying the price of the car. But it should be eyepopping, at least by U.S. standards.

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  13. The new Baojun sedan will be sold on the local market complete with a 1.5l DOHC engine, capable of producing 108 hp at 5,800 rpm and maximum torque of 146 Nm at 4,200 rpm. Far from being frugal when it comes to fuel consumption, judging by today’s standards, the engine needs however a comfortable amount of fuel to cover 100 km: 6.9 liters.

    General Motors Co. said Monday it plans to double the number of cars it sells in China to 5 million by 2015.

    GM China President Kevin Wale said he's optimistic the company can achieve the "ambitious" target, which is more than twice the 2.35 million vehicles it sold in 2010.

    Global automakers are focusing their efforts on China's auto market, which is the world's biggest. Some 13.7 million passenger vehicles were sold in the country last year, when sales grew by a third over 2009.

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  14. $5.00 gal gasoline may be a nostalgic figure in a few years. That will have a profound affect on the fringe suburbs around US cities and further dampen demand for housing in those areas. That is probably a good thing in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Now S&P downgrades the long term outlook for US debt. Markets are heading south in Europe.

    ReplyDelete
  16. According to some article I read the other day Finns are quite distinct from
    Swedes and Norwegisans, the reason being their genetic heritage is mostly from east of the Urals. This figures in also to their lack of ability to hold their liquor.
    Don't know about their voting patterns and not sure if the above is correct either though I think the language difference is telling.
    Just saying.....

    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  17. No, Deuce, those cities you mentioned, have a long history of cultural exchange, invasion and immigration of Swedes into their cultures.

    England, France, Germany, even Ireland have all seen Swedes make an impact, historically.

    The True Finns seem to reject the cultural impact that Swedes make, for Finland. They want to reject the concept of Finns speaking Swedish in legal proceedings or balloting.

    They want to move from a bilingual system to a monolingual one.

    Swedish in Finland = Spanish in the US.

    No where in he True Finn manifesto was Islam mentioned, according to the story posted or the link I provided.

    Sweden was, Portugal was, Ireland was.

    The thrust of the True Finn movement, anti-Swedish culture and anti EU economic amalgamation.

    Islamic influences were not mentioned as part of the motivation driving True Finns to victory, nor the Rural Party before them.

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  18. The Sauds did an astonishing thing over the weekend. Claiming weak demand (in the face of rapidly increasing Global Prices,) they Claimed to have cut production in March by 833,000 bpd.


    Some are saying "I told you so," and selling oil; some are saying, "Bullshit," and buying (or, at least, sitting back, waiting to buy.)


    Are the Sauds telling the truth?

    Are they just covering for the fact that their fields are "tired, and can't ramp up?"

    We should know more in a couple of weeks, maybe.

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  19. I quess it was on Michael Savage. Part of the idea he was expressing, if true or not I know not, was Finns are good long distance walkers and I think his opinion was they metabolize slowly, hence the trouble with the booze.

    I was in Stockholm once, about 1970. It was a nice city then.
    Beat Paris and London in my prejudiced view. And Paris beat London.

    The whores, not that I used one, I don't do that, in Paris in a working class district on your right as you head towards the Triumph were the best looking in the world.

    Notre Dame was impressive the Seine was a sewer and I glad to get back to the
    Wenaha.

    haha!

    I don't like big cities.

    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  20. The Euros, and the Anglos seem to be believing the story a little more than did the Asians.

    It's telling that 85% of Persian Gulf Exports (including those from Saudi Arabia) go to Asia.

    ReplyDelete
  21. The Swedes having a greater historic cultural impact on England, Ireland, France, Russia and Germany than the Islamoids ever hoped for or dreamed of.

    That Swedish influence is the main cultural impact that the True Finns are trying to stop from further contaminating their society.

    They also object to foreign aid to the free spending economic basket-cases in the EU.

    According to the information currently supplied.

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  22. I should have put "Swedes" in quotation marks. EU regs say that if you are a legal resident in one country, you are in all. A country such as Sweden has let a huge number of immigrants from Southern and Central Asia. They are the non-Viking Swedes to which I referred.

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  23. It will, Always, Eventually, come down to "the pocketbook." In all societies, in all cultures.

    ReplyDelete
  24. even Ireland have all seen Swedes make an impact

    All rise and applause - the Rat has said something true!!


    Founded Dublin, we did. Spread our genes around, there are people even in the northeast US that think they are Irish, but their unforgivingness gives them away.

    That's why I'm so proud of my French background. Without that I think I'd just sit and hate, and what a way to live that would be.


    By the way, WiO is right,
    Cedarfart is a long timer in the Jew hating busineess. That's why he got the moniker, it comes from there, over at BC, old Cedarfart. I used to read his bullshit over at Belmont
    Club till he got kicked out.

    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  25. But those non-Vikings, Deuce, have assimilated, or at least, are speaking Swedish.

    It is Swedish speakers that the True Finns object to, in Finland.

    It is Swedish language classes they want removed from their schools.

    No mention that I saw, of Islam.

    Swedish, for the True Finns, equates to Spanish, for those here that object to the US becoming a bilingual society.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Well, damn, I gotta turn this thing off, and get to work.

    I can't believe the Richest 400 in the U.S. only pay 17%.

    Damn Tax Day.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'm over at
    The University Inn Best Western a hot spot in walking distance put up by a Scandinavian, Hagadorn by name.

    The car next to me has a "metro Gymnastics" in orange color splashed on the window. Some of the others have similar lettering.

    There is more going on in these small towns than you would imagine.

    Last week there was a lecture at wazzu by a major man, name forgotten, on the situation in the middle east.

    Also, spring has finally come!!

    Lonely women make the best lovers. Remember that song?
    And, I don't want to marry you
    I just want to do what we will do
    etc... all from old country classics...1450 on your dial


    dwr

    \dwr

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  28. There is no hurt
    In loving you
    If she'd just give me
    One good reason
    I'd be gone


    The hardest thing I've had to do
    Is holdin' her
    And lovin' you....

    1450 on your am....

    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  29. You leave me cryin' in the night
    What kind of fool do you think I am




    Would you like
    To hear I love you
    Again?
    Would you mind
    Another heart beating for you?
    Darlin', tell me, would these
    Arms be in you way?

    The leaves on the trees are
    Turnin' inside out
    We made it through the flood of 93
    I'm a desperate man
    A song in my heartbreak....

    You big city folk got nothin' on us


    The love she gave
    Was like a breath of spring
    Like a restless wind...
    There's a song in a heartbreak..

    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  30. Offshore Wind Power is taking off, folks.

    19,000 MW of offshore wind power capacity have been approved up to now. Renewable Power News reports that “if all these wind energy potentials were being exploited than offshore wind power would generate a total of 66.6 Terawatt hours of electricity. This would be sufficient to power 14 of Europe’s largest capitals.”

    Furthermore, by 2020, it predicts that China will have invested $100 billion in offshore wind and will have installed up to 30,000 MW. “That’s equal to all of the onshore wind farms currently installed in China, already the world’s largest market for wind power,”

    none of Japan’s offshore turbines were harmed by the tremendous earthquake and tsunami despite some being quite close to the quake epicenter.


    Blowin' in the Wind - Not "Glowing in the Night"

    ReplyDelete
  31. .

    Trump Stalls TV Contract Extension Talks While Mulling Campaign

    Trump Running?

    I guess I am just cynical by nature but I see Trump's action as just one more publicity stunt.

    He says he will commit to running (or not) on the final show of the Apprentice. Well gee, that shouldn't hurt ratings much.

    He announces he has delayed talks on a new contract because he wants to decide whether he is going to run for president. Gosh, almost looks like a negotiating ploy.

    I just can't take the guy seriously. The fact that he is a 'birther' (in realty or for effect) just increases my skepticism.

    .

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  32. Ah'd love ya in a NEW YORK minute

    Then Ah'd take a

    Latah County hour

    Doin ' it

    Ah love the spring

    An' the feel of the wet

    We'll pick the most unlicky places

    So they don't know our faces

    It's love in the back black spaces

    When she confronts me with things

    I can't explain


    dwr

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  33. :)

    it's unlikely

    I'm getting off on 1450am your country music station

    some of these songs are really good
    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  34. Come on over to
    Sarah's column, Quirk, it feels good.

    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  35. Come on over to
    Sarah's column, Quirk, it feels good.


    Become a Palinista?

    Feels Good?

    Palin equals Trump light. When people are frustrated they like to be pumped up by people that can tap into those feelings. That's what you do dhwr. You feel.

    Try thinking sometime.

    .

    ReplyDelete
  36. I posted the other day about Poet getting their biomass harvesting program underway; now, Abengoa (another very strong, very efficient ethanol producer) announces they have their biomass lined up (they're using wheat straw.)

    Build the plant and the biomass will come. Abengoa has announced that they have signed contracts with several biomass producers farming in and around Hugoton, Kansas, to provide 315,000 tons of cellulosic biomass by the end of 2011. Construction of the biorefinery is scheduled for this summer and expected to be fully operational sometime in 2013. Once in production, the plant will utilize 315,000 tons of biomass each year to produce 25 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol. The plant will also produce 25 megawatts of electricity, enough to power the ethanol conversion process.

    Coming Soon

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  37. Real Americans love television stars.

    In the US and Mexico.

    Erik Estrada for President!

    He's as qualified as Mrs Palin, while both he and Mr Trump score better in the Nielson ratings.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Well, I'm off to enjoy my Federal subsidies.

    Hope you all have a great day.
    Mine will be awesome, as is the standard.

    ReplyDelete
  39. That's the thing, Quirk....

    What's thought?

    We exist by feeling, thought breaks down.

    Rationality breaks down. Can't explain.

    Learn to feel by loving, then you have it.

    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  40. Now, comes this:

    On Friday April 15, BioProcess Algae, dedicated its Grower Harvester bioreactors signaling the final phase of construction for its commercial scale algae biorefinery. On hand for the event in Shenandoah, Iowa, were USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack along with Green Plains Renewable Energy (GRPE) CEO Todd Becker and Mary Rosenthal, the executive director of the Algal Biomass Association. After touring the biorefinery, Vilsack delivered the keynote address to a standing room only crowd, despite the cold and raining Iowa weather.

    The BioProcess Algae technology is unique in several ways; one in that it is sited next to a first generation corn-ethanol plant owned by GPRE. The algae plant utilizes the carbon dioxide (CO2) from the ethanol process to grow the algae. The plant also utilizes the waste heat and waste water from the ethanol plant, creating in essence, one symbiotic biorefinery that will produce biofuels, feed and fiber.


    Symbiosis

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  41. We are all glad to have you gone.

    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  42. .

    ...Can't explain.

    I've notice.

    .

    ReplyDelete
  43. The Federal Reserve will have a relatively small holding of Treasury securities even after its second round of bond buying concludes, according to Carl Lantz, Credit Suisse AG’s head of U.S. interest-rate strategy.

    The CHART OF THE DAY tracks the Fed’s investment in Treasuries as a percentage of debt held by the public, based on a Credit Suisse analysis of government data. The chart compares the March 31 percentage with year-end figures since 1919.

    March’s level, 14.1 percent, was lower than the figures at the end of 2000 through 2007. The highest reading during this period was 18.4 percent, posted in 2002. The peak for the past nine decades was 28.4 percent at the end of 1973, when the U.S. was in a recession.

    “The Fed holds a historically low share of government debt,” Lantz wrote in an April 15 report with a similar chart. The ratio is poised to decline to 11.9 percent by 2013, assuming the central bank leaves its Treasury holdings stable, he wrote.

    Lantz’s report sought to debunk “myths” surrounding the Fed’s bond purchases, or quantitative easing, and the Treasury market. They include the myth that the central bank’s share of the market is unprecedented.


    Another Myth shot all to Hell

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  44. Why is the moon there,
    Quirk?

    Please no stuff about asteroids and stuff.

    I don't mean that.

    Why is the moon so thin sometimes?

    dwr

    ReplyDelete
  45. Keep posting stuff like this i really like it

    ReplyDelete