Britannia Radio

Mobilizable Political Putty

From the desk of George Handlery on Fri, 2010-12-17 18:25

How much protection for intolerant communities? The to be protected right of an intolerant religion for acceptance. Who is left to lead? Words in response to bullets mean more bullets. Console the poor or improve their lot?

1. Turkey’s ruling “moderate” Islamists have found a catching contention. It bolsters the case for their country’s acceptance by the EU. The line is that, a rejection will push them into the arms of Islamist global Muslim irredentism –where they seem to feel rather well. Concurrently, for local consumption, the membership is sold as a way to gain influence in the EU and to accommodate the Muslim point of view. The contradictions are more than a problem of logic. They mark the rocks upon which the good ship Europe might have its hull ripped.

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Multiculturalism In Trouble

From the desk of Herbert Grubel on Fri, 2010-12-17 18:19

The PVV, an anti-immigrant party in the Netherlands, recently won the elections and participated in the negociations that led to a new government. As a result, this party has had an important direct influence on immigration policies. More indirect influence on policies have been achieved by anti-immigrant parties, which have recently gained 29 percent of the votes cast in Switzerland, 22 percent in Norway, 17 percent in Austria, 14 percent in Denmark and 5.7 percent en Sweden. (In the 2008 federal elections in Canada 6.9 percent of the vote went to the Green party and 18.2 percent to the NDP). In Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel caused a stir around the world when recently she said “Multiculturalism in Germany has failed”.

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Democrats Hit Republican Wall

From the desk of Johnny Fincioen on Fri, 2010-12-17 09:19

Can you blame them? Two weeks is all what is left for the Democrat majority in the US Congress to take as much as they can out of the (empty) government chests. And they try hard to do just that until the last day! They even canceled their Christmas vacation. Starting January 5th the Republicans have the majority in the House, and almost the majority in the Senate. All what the Democrats didn’t dare to bring up for a vote in the last two years, although they had an absolute majority for most of the time, is now brought before the Congress. Will they succeed?

There are no problems in the House, since the Democrats have a comfortable majority in that legislative body. For the time being they give the impression to have big problems with the compromise text not to raise taxes during the next two years. But, this is only a big show for their union constituents. When you read this text, it is quite possible they already voted for the new law. The Senate accepted the compromise a few days ago. The Republicans convinced Obama to go along with the new deal. This was a first big victory for the Republicans.

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