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Another Wingnut Bites the Dust: Italy Edition
Ooooh, I hope these exit polls are accurate:
Center-left leader Romano Prodi looks set to beat Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Italy’s general election, winning a majority in both houses of parliament, according to exit polls released on Monday.
A poll by the Nexus research institute predicted that Prodi’s alliance would win between 50 and 54 percent of the vote in both the lower house of parliament and the upper house.
Berlusconi’s center-right bloc was shown winning 45 to 49 percent of the vote in both houses according to the poll, broadcast by state television RAI.
If this holds up, then it means yet another nation has overcome the dark powers of wingnuttery. Recent examples include Spain, most of South America and Israel, who mercifully decided to give neocon dreamboy Benny Netanyahu the finger.
The question is, what will it take to defeat wingnuttery here at home? Democrats, I think y’all are pretty lame, but you’re unfortunately the Obi-Wan to my Princess Leia- in other words, my only hope. Do you think you could start campaigning soon? Pleeeeeeease? I can’t take another two years of wingnut rule. If you can’t take back the House this year, you never will.
Here are two ideas for campaign messages:
1.) State unambiguously that the Iraq war has been a disaster, and that it should be the official policy of the United States to immediately form an exit strategy.
2.) Make single-payer health insurance a central tenet of the party platform.
Now, taking firm stances like these will probably result in Joe Lieberman bolting the party.
La-tee-da.
Jillian said,
April 10, 2006 at 16:39
Here’s some more…
3.) Wouldn’t it be nice if your kids could afford to go to college? Well, all the money that we’re not shovelling into the mouth of the all-consuming GWOT anymore, we’ll put back into student loan and grant funds, so that you won’t need a third mortgage just to get your kids educated.
4.) Remember diplomacy? You know, where you calmly and skillfully discuss things with other countries before leaking threats to nuke them? We do – and we’ll use it, too.
5.) Do you like the fact that the Middle East has us by the short hairs because of our total dependence on them for sources of energy? Neither do we – so we’ll actually DO something about it by putting some serious muscle behind expanding our available energy options through research.
Unfortunately, all of these suggestions require vision and spine – neither of which are to be found in the Eyeless Invertebrate Party.
blogenfreude said,
April 10, 2006 at 17:24
Now Silvio can go get laid … he lost!
Vance Maverick said,
April 10, 2006 at 17:47
I’ll be as happy as the next guy to see Berlusconi go and Prodi replace him. (I lived for two years in Bologna, Prodi’s home, while he was EU president — even saw him once on the street.) But don’t let’s get over-optimistic. Italian governments don’t generally last long. Berlusconi is the great exception to this rule. The government that preceded his — which lasted less than a year — was Prodi’s. Realistically we should expect the game of musical chairs to resume.
Also, Berlusconi is something much scarier than a “wingnut”. His professed beliefs are not especially wacky. What’s extreme about him is his command over the entire public sphere, both media and politics (and by extension the law). He has turned a Western democracy, admittedly a dysfunctional one, into an extension of himself. As if the Republican Party had a king, and Fox News was on every channel.
Brad R. said,
April 10, 2006 at 17:49
Also, Berlusconi is something much scarier than a “wingnut”. His professed beliefs are not especially wacky. What’s extreme about him is his command over the entire public sphere, both media and politics (and by extension the law). He has turned a Western democracy, admittedly a dysfunctional one, into an extension of himself.
All the more reason to celebrate his defeat, no? Whenever people ask me about Berlusconi, I tell them to imagine George W. Bush crossed with Rupert Murdoch. Thank God he’s going down.
liberalsouth said,
April 10, 2006 at 17:53
UGH – Lieberman. He’s so drunk on his own self-importance that it makes me ill. Since he’s been threatening to run as an independent, I feel like the Dems in CT should show him the door as quickly as possible. UGH. I personally don’t give a rip if he does leave the party. Good riddance to moral-scolding rubbish.
teh l4m3 said,
April 10, 2006 at 18:07
6) Remember when it was possible to earn such a thing as a living wage — when earnings were not swamped by the cost of living?
7) Remember when you could drive America’s highways without shattering your spine?
8) Remember when 99% of all media outlets were not owned by five multinational conglomerates?
9) Remember when America was sane?
Vance Maverick said,
April 10, 2006 at 18:18
Brad, yes, of course we should celebrate. My point is that defeat in Italian politics is seldom final, and that the Berlusconi machine, which has had far better success on that playing-field than any political formation in memory, can hardly be expected to disappear after losing a mere election. If Prodi is succeeded by Rutelli (to name just one of the many names jostling for attention in the center), then we might begin to wonder if the witch is dead.
GuinnessGuy said,
April 10, 2006 at 19:01
9) Remember when America was sane?
I would submit that at no point in our history have we ever been sane.
“Less insane” might be a better catagorization, *wink*.
Mal de mer said,
April 10, 2006 at 19:17
To paraphase an American Supreme Court Justice: Va fa in culo, Berlu.
Brando said,
April 10, 2006 at 20:00
I think the answer, as always, is outsourcing. Have campaign workers from countries that have successfully defeated wingnuts — at a fraction of the cost the Democrats spent in 2004 — manage our campaigns.
Michael said,
April 10, 2006 at 20:10
Now, taking firm stances like these will probably result in Joe Lieberman bolting the party.
That’s the definition of a win-win.
Mal de mer said,
April 10, 2006 at 21:01
Have campaign workers from countries that have successfully defeated wingnuts — at a fraction of the cost the Democrats spent in 2004 — manage our campaigns.
Those countries don’t have American-style media…where outrages, like Swiftboat Veterans for Truth among countless examples, are allowed to permeate public discourse for very long.
If nothing is done about media in the US, I’m afraid there’s little hope in the short term.
Gary Ruppert said,
April 10, 2006 at 21:17
If the World was turning away from Bush’s Liberation Philosophy, then how come Canada, Poland, and Germany elected pro-liberation governments? How come England elected a pro-liberation government?
The fact is that Berlusconi will not lose.
As for your platform
1.) State unambiguously that the Iraq war has been a disaster, and that it should be the official policy of the United States to immediately form an exit strategy.
In other words, “Pro-Surrender”
The Iraq War has been a tremendous success. We liberated 25 million people. If we were to surrender to terrorists, it would send the wrong messege to all people fighting for freedom.
2.) Make single-payer health insurance a central tenet of the party platform.
Big Government Health Insurance is simply not affordable, especially when you consider the massive debt (which was accumlated due to FDR’s socialist policies).
3.) Wouldn’t it be nice if your kids could afford to go to college?
Yeah, how does subsidizing college education solve anything?
If anything, the liberal mass emphasis on college has made it harder for a lot of Americans to get a job.
Well, all the money that we’re not shovelling into the mouth of the all-consuming GWOT anymore, we’ll put back into student loan and grant funds
After all, a kid not getting into college is more of a threat to my life than terrorists who wish to kill me.
4.) Remember diplomacy? You know, where you calmly and skillfully discuss things with other countries before leaking threats to nuke them? We do – and we’ll use it, too.
“After all, diplomacy worked with Hitler!”
Morons.
5.) Do you like the fact that the Middle East has us by the short hairs because of our total dependence on them for sources of energy? Neither do we – so we’ll actually DO something about it by putting some serious muscle behind expanding our available energy options through research.
“But we won’t drill for more oil in America! We’ll just build hippy-powered windmills”
You all are living in a fantasy world. Come on.. you think the media is conservative and that the Swift Boat Vets got too much time?
You’re a bunch of socialist wannabes.
teh l4m3 said,
April 10, 2006 at 21:18
GG: point taken.
ON tha outsourcin’ tip: Anyone else see the Simpsons last night? Is Jonah G. still watching anymore? (just realizing I should nip over to the Corner…)
Kathleen said,
April 10, 2006 at 21:23
I love that I don’t even have to scroll down to know that a post is Gary Ruppert’s.
Keep at it dude. I have been having imsomnis, but your posts put me right to sleep.
theo said,
April 10, 2006 at 21:25
Gary Ruppert loses on his brilliant triple-Godwin 10 meter bellyflop.
Because all 10,000 years of recorded human diplomacy have been Hitler appeasement.
Awesome. Gary, tell us more about the immortal Fuehrer.
Bistroist said,
April 10, 2006 at 21:26
To momentarily steer the conversation back to the topic that started it, the Italian election looks far from settled yet. Latest results I’ve seen has Berlusconi up by less than 0.5%.
Gary Ruppert said,
April 10, 2006 at 21:27
The fact is that with maniacs like Hitler and the Mullahs in Iran, Diplomacy is not an option.
Oh yeah, media reports from Italy say that Berlusconi is on his way to victory.
Kathleen said,
April 10, 2006 at 21:30
The fact is that with maniacs like Hitler
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
suezboo said,
April 10, 2006 at 21:31
Gary :
I’m new to this blog, so could I ask you a coupla questions?
How do you distinguish between:
a)Surrender and a “negotiated end to hostilities” ?
b)Terrorists and “people fighting for their freedom”?
As a non-American I find this distinctions a leetle too fine for me.
Gary Ruppert said,
April 10, 2006 at 21:32
Oh yeah, when it comes to Iraq, it turns out that it has been proven that Saddam Hussein was planning to attack America
Gavin M. said,
April 10, 2006 at 21:54
And if Gary’s wrong, he’ll do that thing with the flare gun again.
Christopher said,
April 10, 2006 at 22:08
“Big Government Health Insurance is simply not affordable, especially when you consider the massive debt (which was accumlated due to FDR’s socialist policies).”
Hah! You had me going there man! I thought you were serious for a while. Good one.
However, Gary brings up a good point; The Democrats are in a great position to pull of a kind of “Southern Strategy” of their own.
See, the Bush administration and the Republican congress have completely abandoned any pretense of fiscal responsibility. Hell, they voted to increase the amount of government debt!
In other words, much like the Democrats of the civil rights era, they’ve alienated a signifigant portion of their base, and to boot, it’s a portion the Democrats have been wooing for a long time.
I believe that fiscal responsibility should be the cornerstone of the democratic plank right now.
olexicon said,
April 10, 2006 at 22:09
the fact is that Gary Ruippert can suck his own cock
teh l4m3 said,
April 10, 2006 at 22:15
Ooh, snap, he cites Captain Ed. We are so teh PWn3Ded!!1!!1!
teh l4m3 said,
April 10, 2006 at 22:17
“The Democrats are in a great position to pull of a kind of ‘Southern Strategy’ of their own.”
Only in ours, we won’t have to peel away the least moral element of the opposition party…
Kathleen said,
April 10, 2006 at 22:20
Gavin – that comment is pure comedy gold. that totally made my afternoon.
Timmah420 said,
April 10, 2006 at 22:34
Isn’t it interesting that Bush has already turned most south american governments leftist, and now he’s working on europe.
It’s actually really quite humurous, he’s the world’s most effective (albeit unintentional) leftist agitator.
As for gary: The fact that you so readily and seriously compare movements as different as islamic fundamentalism and terrorism
to World War 2 nazi fascism shows that you’re either being very intellectually dishonest or you don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.
DJ said,
April 10, 2006 at 23:04
Gary Ruppert is a noted Eschaton troll with an IQ somewhat lower than most house plants.
I-RUPPERT-I said,
April 10, 2006 at 23:05
SWRM seeks pubescent girls and boys for photos and watersports and buggery.
No fatties.
Mal de mer said,
April 10, 2006 at 23:15
Gary certainly has an IQ in the single digits, but all he needs to do is fluff up his commentary with a few imposing factoids and he could sound like any of the prominent wingnut spokespeople. It’s kind of nice to see Gary distill the byzantine complexity of wingnut sophistry down to its essence, revealling just how empty of insight it is.
jkd said,
April 10, 2006 at 23:17
“Gary Ruppert is a noted Eschaton troll with an IQ somewhat lower than most house plants.”
So does this mean S,N! is moving up in the world? Or down?
Alls I know is that I miss Marie Jon’.
Pooh said,
April 10, 2006 at 23:31
Now, taking firm stances like these will probably result in Joe Lieberman bolting the party.
Bug or feature?
Worst. President. Ever. said,
April 10, 2006 at 23:50
Fuckin’ beautiful smakchdown, Gavin M.!
“Hey, who is that guy over there with the flare gun up his ass?”
“Why, it’s GARY RUPPERT, king of the wingnut wankers! And for five dollars, he’ll bite the head off a live chicken!”
Dan Someone said,
April 11, 2006 at 0:11
After all, a kid not getting into college is more of a threat to my life than terrorists who wish to kill me.
This comment says a gvreat deal about where Gary is coming from. Note the dual focus on fear and egotism. Gary doesn’t give a flying rat’s ass about anybody other than himself, and certainly not about the downward trends in American educational success. No, the terrorists have him all in a tizzy over his own personal safety, so the hell with maintaining the nation’s status as the premier driver of worldwide economic and scientific advancement.
Psssst, Gary: If you base all your policy and personal decisions on fear of what the terrorists might do to you… the terrorists have won.
I-RUPPERT-I said,
April 11, 2006 at 1:12
What does this have to do with all the republican pedophiles being persecuted by the weak-kneed liberal establishment, though?
Jillian said,
April 11, 2006 at 17:42
Gary is adorable! He’s absolutely precious. If only we could train him to honk horns with his nose in exchange for us tossing a few fish his way, we could take his act on the road and retire as millionaires off the earnings.
Noone said,
April 12, 2006 at 19:21
“The fact is that Berlusconi will not lose.”
- Gay Ruppert
Um, he did Gay…
Marq said,
April 15, 2006 at 20:57
Well, knock me over with a falafel–Gary’s prediction about Italy’s election results were a tad… off. Oops. Well, blame Canada, Gary, blame Canada.