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SPD debacle shows agony of European centre-left
It was a black night for Germany’s Social Democrats. Their catastrophic general election score of just 23 percent was by far the worst since the creation of the Federal Republic in 1949. It was more than 11 points worse than their result in 2005, and nearly 6 points worse than their poorest post-war showing in 1953.(Picture shows party activists at SPD headquarters watching first exit polls on television)
Their shattering defeat was the latest in a series of debacles for the European centre-left since the onset of the financial crisis. Just when the social democratic outlook of a strong state to regulate and curb the excesses of the markets and protect workers from the rough edges of capitalism has made a comeback around the developed world, its original proponents are in disarray.
Why? Partly because the centre-left is blamed by its own voters for having embraced deregulation and globalisation without taking care of the losers of such policies. Partly because it lacks charismatic leaders of the calibre of Helmut Schmidt, Francois Mitterrand, Tony Blair or Barack Obama. And partly because new social and economic forces — the services sector and the knowledge economy — and new ideas — ecology and communitarianism — have moved the political goalposts.
France’s Socialist party has been consigned to opposition since 2002 and is deeply divided over personalities, policy and ideology. The British Labour Party, after a record 12 years in power, is deeply unpopular and looks doomed to lose a general election next year. The Italian left has not managed to mount a serious challenge to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, despite scandals over the billionaire media tycoon’s sex life.
As in France, the SPD bled votes to the radical Left party, to the Greens, to the conservatives and to abstention. An estimated 2 million Social Democratic sympathisers stayed home. As many switched to the Left — a mixture of former East German communists and disenchanted former Social Democrats demanding red-blooded socialism and an exit from NATO and the European Union.
The SPD took the blame for unpopular curbs on unemployment benefits under former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, as well as raising the retirement age to 67 from 65 under the grand coalition with conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel. An election-day opinion poll showed 67 percent of SPD sympathisers believed the party had betrayed its principles on these issues.
The party now has a chance to regenerate itself in opposition. But it will share the hard benches with the more outspoken Left party, which scored a record 12.5 percent on Sunday, and the environmentalist Greens, who draw a lot of young and educated voters. The SPD’s electorate is shrinking or dying out — pensioners, trade unionists, manufacturing and public sector workers. Whichever way the party goes in opposition, it stands to lose as many voters as it wins back.
Further more. May I add a defensive perspective to the European style of governance? At least they have the fortitude and bravery, almost honer I would call it, to present themselves as the party they truely represent. America in my opinion almost does need to break this two party system, or one side needs to show the honor most believe they have lost.Â
I say this because in this democratic party we have progressives, liberals, and I’m not sure, but I’m prety sure the 75% of democrats who opposed this bill are exactly that, democrats, not progressives!Â
If the progressives feel the need for a roll in governance, a style of governance I wish to have no affiliation with… I know how they are. Should they not brave up, and have the honor to run as a progressive party? Or extremests from both sideds need to either be forced out at election time, or what hope do we stand at uniting as Americans again? When the government mandates charity, what does it do for those that wish to give, but already feel the government is doing it for them? Im not trying to discredit anyone, but progressive governments in my experienced opinion in dealing with them for more than twenty years, I find to errode your freedoms of choice, and deal in your life too greatly. I won’t lay out my many, many, many examples… But feel free to email me any counter opinions, or want to see the evidence for yourself…. Please back up your logic with evidence. I enjoy all opinions, but stongly lean capitalist, demacrat or republican is not an issue.
Right now there is a movment within the republican party to reinvoke the spirit of America back into politics. They are attempting to force out anyone who is deemed radical, and not suited for America. They are concentration on promoting members that most importantly. Believe in the process of America, the constitution! Of course they will promote traditional republican values, let that not bother you. I commend this movement, and will give it full support. Why can we not do this, we can win the election this way, and this way alone in my opinion, well that and/or amnesty. Most all forigners are socilists, they will vote democratic by default. That is troubbling.
Why is not the democratic party doing the same thing, I feel to allow your party to be violated in such a way requires a split, or internal movment for demacracy! If there is no split, or movement, all demacrats will be forever tarnished as progressive, but not I. I find that thaught hard to be actual as 75% of this party does not support, call it what it is, socialised medicine. We do not support the massive bailouts, and we do not, I thought, support progressives. Though I supose we do, and we are,it seems in congress alone! I feel my vote and many others will be lost for the democratic party. fox news are not scare mongers, are as one sided as us, they have valid points, they need to be actually countered with evidence. We need to take it to their level, we are loosing out on what needs to be covered. The more liberal media covers fox news, I don’t see how that helps anyone, now fox is covering liberal headlines in retialiation, how does this help the country? And how the hell does it help liberal media? How does it help the democrats? How does it help America! We all need to get back on track, the divide in the left/right is worse than ever, I mean come on! Read posts above!!! Talk of revoloution, how democratic, or republican is that! And finally that being said, treat others how you want to be treated, we all remember gerorge bush. Â Â Â
Here is a point to mention, an enlightment of true progressiveness. If there is honor left in Washington, and amnesty is not about votes, but actually about careing, and about us. We shall see if it too takes effect in no less than four years, we will see how fast amnstey is attempted to pass, we shall see! This will be an effective gage of honor. It will force my voice low, or it will force my voice high. I hope everyone takes the time to notice what is being done to us here. Â
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The Wall
SPD moved so far to the right that everyone stayed home or voted die Linke or other left parties. Kurt Beck the man in SPD who wanted to stay true to SPD values was forced out by the conservatives 2 years ago. We’ll see what happens now. My German family all voted for the Pirate Party by the way.