An Obligatory Bush post
Is there a blog on this planet that does not comment on Bush's victory? As stated earlier, it neither surprises nor worries me, though I have reservation about his policies. Actually, my support is emotional rather than rational: Bush is an underdog, in Europe at least. Bush's victory proves that the media are not as strong as they believe themselves to be.
There were elections in this country as well, and the two are worth comparing. Visiting Prague a couple of weeks ago, I was struck by a billboard with enigmatic message: "Prihoda neni nahoda" or, cumbersomely, but accurately, "The event is not random". An insurance company? No, it was the message from Mr. Prihoda (literally "Event") a conservative candidate for a Senate seat.
(The slogan can be traced at least twenty years back: "Nehoda neni nahoda" or "There are no random accidents" was a catchphrase of the then Czech State Insurance Company.)
The floodgates of meaninglessness were opened earlier this year by the PM of our social-democratic government, Mr. Gross. His boyish face with motto "I mean it sincerely" were watching you like the Big Brother from every quarter. Though a great target of parodies and derision, the tone for the campaign was set. There will be no issues. There are no matters. This is a popularity contest.
It was remarked that this pre-election campaign degenerated to the level of a marketing promotion for some FMCG. This is a slight to any self-respecting advertising agency. The ads may mislead, they may lie, but they always try to give you some reason: Buy us, we'll make you happier! Make you younger! Make you look as hip as this happy, shiny people! But what did we get from our politicos? Vote for us because Event is no Accident.
Whatever. The point I was trying to make that the US campaign, for all the bad blood that was spilt, was impressive in its thoroughness. There are important issues for US policy, both domestic and foreign, and all candidates had to take stand on them (some candidates took even more than one stand on many of them; this might have been too much thorough for their own good). Surely there was sloganeering and oversimplifications, but over all I cannot but wish that the level of public discourse here was as 'simple' as in that dumb America.
There were elections in this country as well, and the two are worth comparing. Visiting Prague a couple of weeks ago, I was struck by a billboard with enigmatic message: "Prihoda neni nahoda" or, cumbersomely, but accurately, "The event is not random". An insurance company? No, it was the message from Mr. Prihoda (literally "Event") a conservative candidate for a Senate seat.
(The slogan can be traced at least twenty years back: "Nehoda neni nahoda" or "There are no random accidents" was a catchphrase of the then Czech State Insurance Company.)
The floodgates of meaninglessness were opened earlier this year by the PM of our social-democratic government, Mr. Gross. His boyish face with motto "I mean it sincerely" were watching you like the Big Brother from every quarter. Though a great target of parodies and derision, the tone for the campaign was set. There will be no issues. There are no matters. This is a popularity contest.
It was remarked that this pre-election campaign degenerated to the level of a marketing promotion for some FMCG. This is a slight to any self-respecting advertising agency. The ads may mislead, they may lie, but they always try to give you some reason: Buy us, we'll make you happier! Make you younger! Make you look as hip as this happy, shiny people! But what did we get from our politicos? Vote for us because Event is no Accident.
Whatever. The point I was trying to make that the US campaign, for all the bad blood that was spilt, was impressive in its thoroughness. There are important issues for US policy, both domestic and foreign, and all candidates had to take stand on them (some candidates took even more than one stand on many of them; this might have been too much thorough for their own good). Surely there was sloganeering and oversimplifications, but over all I cannot but wish that the level of public discourse here was as 'simple' as in that dumb America.
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8:46 AM
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