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Spanish elections - the Socialists are returned

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democritus
Post subject: Spanish elections - the Socialists are returned
Posted: Mon 10 Mar , 2008 1:08 pm
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Cross-posted from Manwe.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 515600.ece

A good result for the Spanish people I thought over the weekend. Zapatero's government has not been with out flaws but I give it credit for its principled withdrawal from Iraq, the advancement of its progressive social agenda, particularly the legalisation of gay marriage and the long overdue sorting out of Spain's divorce laws that had been too heavily influenced by the Catholic Church. I also support Zapatero's efforts to speak to the regions who favour independence and see what could be acheived in the form of a compromise. That was not, as the PP claimed, giving succour to terrorists (ETA), as it was an attempt to move the debate forwards and get the parties to commit to some kind of political process and arrangement that may lead to a true cessation of hostilities down the road just like what (eventually) happened with the Good Friday agreement. I also thought that the Socialists took the braver and better route on immigration making the kind of considered calls on the issue that I wish many other liberal-left parties would consider as well. Neither pandering nor exploiting immigrants despite it being a hot-button issue in the election.

I am concerned about the Spanish economy and the fact that much of its economic strength in the last decade was fueled by an unsustainable construction boom (I was amazed at the unending sea of cranes in every direction that I saw when I used to drive in from Madrid's airport into the centre of the city). Zapatero is going to have to show restraint and caution in his spending plans in the next cycle as Spain suffers the same impacts from the global downturn as everyone else. Infrstructural reforms including overhauling and stream lining the Spanish public sector and reducing the burdensome red tape for businesses would be a good place to start.

I have to admit to following the Spanish elections fairly closely this time, I have a great affection for the country and think it has generally been moving in the right direction under the current government.


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Berhael
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Posted: Mon 10 Mar , 2008 9:36 pm
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I agree (but then I voted for the socialists). I quite like Zapatero and his "non-confrontational" style of politics. The man seems as genuine as a politician can be.

It's worth bearing in mind that the Spanish economic boom was largely financed by EU aid too, not only the construction boom. Now that EU money is flowing to Eastern Europe nations, more in need of it, I think that the Spanish economy is bound to take a double whammy.

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Ara-anna
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Posted: Mon 10 Mar , 2008 10:00 pm
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Question

Wasn't the Spanish Civil War faught over sociolist ideas? I don't know and all I know about it is from Pans Labyrinth. I find it all quite interesting because all I know of that era is WWII.

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Berhael
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Posted: Mon 10 Mar , 2008 10:13 pm
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Ara - the Spanish Civil war started when the army, led by General Franco, staged a coup d'etat against the Republic, the democratically elected left-wing coalition in power. As usual, Wikipedia is handy. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_civil_war

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The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started after an attempted coup d'état committed by parts of the army against the government of the Second Spanish Republic. The Civil War devastated Spain from July 17, 1936 to April 1, 1939, ending with the victory of the rebels and the founding of a dictatorship led by the Nationalist General Francisco Franco. The supporters of the Republic, or Republicans (republicanos), gained the support of the Soviet Union and Mexico, while the followers of the Rebellion, nacionales (literally, "nationals" but rendered in the English bibliography as "nationalists"), received the support of the major European Axis powers of Italy and Germany and neighbouring Portugal.
The war increased tensions in the lead up to the Second World War and became in some cases a world war by proxy, with Germany in particular using the war as a rehearsal for many of the blitzkrieg tactics it later used in the war in Europe. The advent of the mass media allowed an unprecedented level of attention (Ernest Hemingway, George Orwell and Robert Capa all covered it) and so the war became notable for the passion and political division it inspired, and for atrocities committed on both sides of the conflict.
After General Franco died in 1975 (I remember seeing his funeral on TV :Q ), the first elections of the transition to democracy put a centrist coalition in power, but soon after that the Socialists got in power and stayed there for nearly a decade. The last 20 years in Spanish politics have been divided between the conservative, centre-right Popular Party (which got Spain to join the USA and UK in the war against Iraq, despite overwhelming public opposition) ad the centre-left, social-democratic Socialist Party. In theory I think it's quite healthy that the sign of a country's politics changes every 8-10 years, especially because in this case the policies of both parties aren't that different. But unfortunately in practice Spanish politics are incredibly petty. :roll:

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Ara-anna
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Posted: Mon 10 Mar , 2008 10:30 pm
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Quote:
But unfortunately in practice Spanish politics are incredibly petty
So that's where that comes from...we have that here in New Spain. ;) Oh yes we indeedy do. So much so that it sometimes interferes with real life stuff.

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Berhael
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Posted: Mon 10 Mar , 2008 10:39 pm
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It's a different kind of petty... but yeah :LMAO: I like that "New Spain". ;) It's surprising how many geographical names in the US are Spanish: Arizona, "arid zone", Florida, "the flowery one", Sierra Nevada, "snowy mountain range", all the cities named after saints: San Diego, Santa Monica...

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Ara-anna
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Posted: Mon 10 Mar , 2008 10:45 pm
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I have often wondered why New England is New England and the part of the US the Spanish conquered isn't New Spain. And the part the French had isn't New France.

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Berhael
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Posted: Mon 10 Mar , 2008 11:05 pm
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New Spain was a general term for all of the Spanish colonies in South America. :) I don't know about New France though!

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halplm
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Posted: Mon 10 Mar , 2008 11:13 pm
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New France = Canada

;)

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Berhael
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Posted: Mon 10 Mar , 2008 11:45 pm
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Louisiana (the French bit) was named that after the French king...

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Iavas_Saar
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Posted: Tue 11 Mar , 2008 12:05 am
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Just watched Elizabeth: The Golden Age last night - Spain, you're going down ;)

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Riverthalos
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Posted: Tue 11 Mar , 2008 3:22 am
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I asked my Spanish labmate what he thought.

He was not happy.

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eborr
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Posted: Tue 11 Mar , 2008 8:29 am
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Spending quite a lot of time in Spain at the moment and I must say by and large I am impressed. The Spanish people seem to have a pretty good work ethic,and I would think that they mwy well have used the EU funding and the construction boom to pump prime an economy.

As to whether Zap is really a socialist I don't know, I heard a journo on the news claiming he was really "New Labour social democrat" which is course a complete contradiction in itself.

No doubt that particular lick-spittle/ Brown noser was simply trying to curry favour with our current leadership.

Seems to me that the Spanish have used the boom to pump-prime their economy whic of course is a socialist thing to do, unlike New Labour, who are far more converned at making Briatain an attractive tax free haven for the super rich.


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Berhael
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Posted: Tue 11 Mar , 2008 9:26 am
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Iavas_Saar wrote:
Just watched Elizabeth: The Golden Age last night - Spain, you're going down ;)
Resentful after 400 years? :LMAO: ;)

Yes, PSOE is more to the left than New Labour (but what isn't? ;) ).

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