Typical Austrian, full of self improtance. There are some cracks in the system for sure but keep in mind Austria is a “good” bit to the “right”. Even tried to elect an extremist as one of it’s members to the EU parliament a while back. The conservatives split over the contraversey caused in the rest of Europe. One of the “real” conservative leaders Joerg Haider, thought he was above everything, even the laws of physics - didn’t survive hitting a bridge abutment with his MB at 135kmph plus while under THE infulence PS he was driving himself as he didn’t trust chauffeurs.
fennec, sorry but I’m not knowledgeable as to toonest. Just my observations from dealing with Austrians and listening to some of their news broadcasts. Silly as it sounds I would almost believe they miss the Empire days. You’ve a good point about what “middle” is preceived to be between Us and EU. There are left shifts here and there … ie The SPD, liberals, in Germany recently took their biggest loss since 1950 in elections. It was the small parties that gained, mostly based on work availibiilty and enviroment.
It always irks me a little when I hear European left parties described as liberals. while it might be the closest analogy, I think there should be a more accurate term.
Recently, right-wing and centrist parties seem to have been doing better, whether because of the economic crisis or other reasons. It remains to be seen how strong this trend is, though: the last election in Greece was won by their large left-wing party.
Ah yes, I see the similar styles between the two quite different personalities, the wide, broad strokes of a large tar brush, the exquisite tarring of all and sundry with a paradoxial narrow mind. In one it is easily understood, one cannot teach an old dog new tricks; in the other, the generalised contempt is disappointing, leaving one with a sense of sadness.
4uk4ata: I quite agree, the notion of liberalism within Europe itself isn’t quite the same north and south.
I must admit I’m closer with what I suppose is an anglo-saxonic view of liberalism. Here, in the UK, I identify most with the Liberal Democrats. In Portugal I identify with no party but in South Africa, where I grew up, I gravitate towards the Democratic Alliance (with anglo-saxonic traditions).
In the late 80s & early 90s I was in Portugal and I would have said I was a social-liberal libertarian and the closest I identified with was the Portuguese Social Democratic Party (economics at any rate). But socially they moved ever more conservatively discarding liberalism altogether and I began to dislike the libertarian lack of empathy. I moved left, likening myself more with the Portuguese Socialist Party who were becoming more centrist. Today I don’t see myself supporting either.
This reminds me, fennec a few months back recommended I read Rawls…
I did comment previously on this cartoon in Views Business 2009-10-04 and had mentioned that the Greeks were the exception to the rule of Europe moving right. I believe it has more to do with the electorate being fed up with the current government. I suspect the Greeks themselves may still be slightly rightish?
Portugal had elections the same weekend as Germany (I know, who noticed :p )and there the governing Socialist party lost some ground to the right so it shall have to form a coalition with a small more left-wing party.
The UK will most likely have a conservative government next May but is it more because they aren’t New Labour?
Improtance? I think some of you commenters are a little touchy. He is a cartoonist on editorial toons, he just happens to be from Austria. If it did not say anything in that corner, Im doubting these comments would be the same.
HUMPHRIES over 14 years ago
Typical Austrian, full of self improtance. There are some cracks in the system for sure but keep in mind Austria is a “good” bit to the “right”. Even tried to elect an extremist as one of it’s members to the EU parliament a while back. The conservatives split over the contraversey caused in the rest of Europe. One of the “real” conservative leaders Joerg Haider, thought he was above everything, even the laws of physics - didn’t survive hitting a bridge abutment with his MB at 135kmph plus while under THE infulence PS he was driving himself as he didn’t trust chauffeurs.
scotty, Hyder was just your type of man.
HUMPHRIES over 14 years ago
fennec, sorry but I’m not knowledgeable as to toonest. Just my observations from dealing with Austrians and listening to some of their news broadcasts. Silly as it sounds I would almost believe they miss the Empire days. You’ve a good point about what “middle” is preceived to be between Us and EU. There are left shifts here and there … ie The SPD, liberals, in Germany recently took their biggest loss since 1950 in elections. It was the small parties that gained, mostly based on work availibiilty and enviroment.
4uk4ata over 14 years ago
It always irks me a little when I hear European left parties described as liberals. while it might be the closest analogy, I think there should be a more accurate term.
Recently, right-wing and centrist parties seem to have been doing better, whether because of the economic crisis or other reasons. It remains to be seen how strong this trend is, though: the last election in Greece was won by their large left-wing party.
OmqR-IV.0 over 14 years ago
Ah yes, I see the similar styles between the two quite different personalities, the wide, broad strokes of a large tar brush, the exquisite tarring of all and sundry with a paradoxial narrow mind. In one it is easily understood, one cannot teach an old dog new tricks; in the other, the generalised contempt is disappointing, leaving one with a sense of sadness.
OmqR-IV.0 over 14 years ago
4uk4ata: I quite agree, the notion of liberalism within Europe itself isn’t quite the same north and south. I must admit I’m closer with what I suppose is an anglo-saxonic view of liberalism. Here, in the UK, I identify most with the Liberal Democrats. In Portugal I identify with no party but in South Africa, where I grew up, I gravitate towards the Democratic Alliance (with anglo-saxonic traditions). In the late 80s & early 90s I was in Portugal and I would have said I was a social-liberal libertarian and the closest I identified with was the Portuguese Social Democratic Party (economics at any rate). But socially they moved ever more conservatively discarding liberalism altogether and I began to dislike the libertarian lack of empathy. I moved left, likening myself more with the Portuguese Socialist Party who were becoming more centrist. Today I don’t see myself supporting either.
This reminds me, fennec a few months back recommended I read Rawls…
OmqR-IV.0 over 14 years ago
I did comment previously on this cartoon in Views Business 2009-10-04 and had mentioned that the Greeks were the exception to the rule of Europe moving right. I believe it has more to do with the electorate being fed up with the current government. I suspect the Greeks themselves may still be slightly rightish? Portugal had elections the same weekend as Germany (I know, who noticed :p )and there the governing Socialist party lost some ground to the right so it shall have to form a coalition with a small more left-wing party. The UK will most likely have a conservative government next May but is it more because they aren’t New Labour?
comYics over 14 years ago
Improtance? I think some of you commenters are a little touchy. He is a cartoonist on editorial toons, he just happens to be from Austria. If it did not say anything in that corner, Im doubting these comments would be the same.