tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post5108676366343158617..comments2024-03-22T06:05:36.544-04:00Comments on Kids Prefer Cheese: Germany to the Left: NaNaNAHNa, Hey-Hey-Hey--Goodbye!Mungowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340064320347875601noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-60752205939467894822009-09-29T09:43:21.161-04:002009-09-29T09:43:21.161-04:00I don't see how a low turnout in elections can...I don't see how a low turnout in elections can reduce the harm done by government. The winners will claim a mandate no matter what.<br /><br />I am thankful to Obama for teaching us (the electorate!) that "change" means More Of The Same.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08574355302581451838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-64185866213411959242009-09-29T01:28:40.775-04:002009-09-29T01:28:40.775-04:00Anonymous,
I didn't read that sentence that w...Anonymous,<br /><br />I didn't read that sentence that way. Try substituting "the electorate" for "us" in that sentence:<br /><br />"Perhaps Obama really IS the best cure for what is wrong with the Repubs, by reminding [the electorate] what nut jobs the Lefty Dems are?"<br /><br />I believe that works.John Thackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15269867695937765049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-10789910685657089762009-09-28T21:56:09.093-04:002009-09-28T21:56:09.093-04:00Why do you refer to the Repubs as "us"? ...Why do you refer to the Repubs as "us"? That's the problem with Libertarians: you guys are reliable GOP voters so the good in your message re tolerance and getting gov't to leave you alone is lost because you always bite on promises of lowered taxes even when it doesn't make sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-60283477429698671782009-09-28T14:36:56.585-04:002009-09-28T14:36:56.585-04:00You forgot another interesting thing: Why did whoe...You forgot another interesting thing: Why did whoever made this graph put the Left on the right and the Right on the left?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-83140647292715533812009-09-28T12:27:18.329-04:002009-09-28T12:27:18.329-04:00Note that in that very Speigel article that you li...Note that in that very Speigel article that you link:<br /><i>Left Party co-chair Oskar Lafontaine was once the chairman of the SPD. If it was his goal to humiliate the party that he left in 1999, then he has succeeded.</i>John Thackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15269867695937765049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-3191797325258976362009-09-28T12:25:00.602-04:002009-09-28T12:25:00.602-04:00If you want to know what Lafontaine is probably mo...If you want to know what Lafontaine is probably more upset about, it's that taking over the Left wasn't enough to pass the SDP in his home state of Saarland in the August 2009 state elections, though it gained a lot. The polls had him hoping for at least second place.John Thackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15269867695937765049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-23993940625118630882009-09-28T12:21:43.406-04:002009-09-28T12:21:43.406-04:00Without the proportional seats (and ignoring that ...Without the proportional seats (and ignoring that people would vote differently), the FDP would have 0 seats but the CDU/CSU combined would have 218 of 299, an enormous majority.John Thackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15269867695937765049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-57935603590422540502009-09-28T12:20:41.300-04:002009-09-28T12:20:41.300-04:00, with his ridiculous move to Der Linke in 1999......<i>, with his ridiculous move to Der Linke in 1999.... what now, dude?</i><br /><br />I think Lafontaine is feeling satisfied overall. He captured most of those fleeing the SDP; they had the second highest positive swing and their best result ever. The CDU/CSU also got one of its worst results ever, losing 1.4% but gaining seats due to vote splits. They won a lot more plurality vote constituency seats, and lost party list proportional top-up seats.<br /><br />The Left actually won 16 constituency seats; the FDP won 0, getting all its seats on the party list. The FDP got 9.4% in constituency vote and 14.6% in party list; the CDU/CSU combined got 39.4% in constituency and 33.8%. So about a third of the FDP support voted (presumably mostly) CDU/CSU in the plurality races.<br /><br />Die Linke did about as well in the constituency vote as in the list vote, indicating that their 11% of votes are pretty hardcore who really dislike the SDP, unlike the FDP which has more soft support who will support the CDU/CSU as least worst.John Thackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15269867695937765049noreply@blogger.com