(no subject)

[arwen_lune]

In a way it is a disappointment after all. It means that over half of the American people are actually satisfied with the current course. It's mindboggling, but that's what they are saying. "Yes this is what we want"
Making the mistake once - well okay. But twice?

At least when half the Dutch people voted for LPF in some kind of collective brainfart they realised their mistake when LPF turned out to be idiots who should not be allowed within 10 kilometres of a parliament, and the very next chance we got LPF was decimated.


Forwarded here in case it reaches anyone relevant:

"On November 2nd, we took to the polls. This was not enough to stop Bush. So on November 3rd, we will take to the streets and proclaim...

"We are united individuals no longer represented by George Bush..."

RALLY & VIGIL FOR DEMOCRACY

Copley Square, Downtown Boston
(Green Line to Copley)
Wednesday, November 3
Starting at 5:00 PM & going on all evening
One day after another possibly stolen election, people across the nation will be gathering to tell the Bush Administration it has NO mandate from us, and to demonstrate our own visions for a truly democratic society. Bring candles, signs, banners, instruments, props, street theater and your mind. This demonstration is open to everybody, and we strongly encourage individual actions and displays.


Sponsored by the people of the people and for the people, as well as...
ANSWER * Boston Mobilization *The Boston League of Pissed Off Voters * BEAN2004* United for Justice with Peace * Cape Cod for Peace and Justice * Iraqi Veterans Against the War * MA National Lawyers Guild * Mass Peace Action * Muslims for Kerry * No Stolen Elections Campaign * Pirates Against Bush * Radical Cheerleaders * Worcester Global Action Network* Lesley Student Action Coaltion*

For additional information please contact: Alison Ramer alisoncarmel@comcast.net or subscribe for updates @ BEAN2004-subscribe@yahoogroups.com"

Comments

[sierra-le-oli.livejournal.com]

I disagree with what you're saying here. First, half the Dutch people did not vote for the LPF; the LPF got 26 seats out of 150. Second, I don't think voter disillusionment was entirely responsible for the LPF getting dumped. The VVD, CDA and PvDA all shifted in the LPF's direction which made that party a lot less relevant.

I don't think there was a collective brain fart either. People welcomed an anti-immigration party, they knew what they were voting for.

[arwen-lune.livejournal.com]

People seemed to vote more like signing a condeolance register than they actually voted for who should be in parliament...

[sierra-le-oli.livejournal.com]

I presume you mean that the LPF only got that many seats thanks to the sympathy votes after Pim Fortuyn's death. However, that's not what happened. The number of votes that the LPF got shouldn't have been a surprise, it was something that was being predicted weeks in advance. A study done after the election showed that there were some sympathy votes cast but that these were more or less ofset by the people who decided not to vote for the LPF seeing as Pim Fortuyn was gone.

The myth of the sympathy vote seems very persistent. I suppose it's an appealing one because of the imagined tribute to Pim Fortuyn and also because it allows people to believe that the LPF support was a temporary stupidity.

I was rather tired when writing my last comment and feel that I lost my point somewhat. What I wanted to say is that I'm not buying the 'stupid' argument, not for the Americans and not for the Dutch.