On April 20, George Soros wrote an article in Project Syndicate titled “The EU Should Issue Perpetual Bonds.” In it, he argued that there is “an easy, fast and low-cost way to finance the proposed €1 trillion European Recovery Fund,” by issuing perpetual bonds — that is, bonds that don’t have a maturity date. Issuers pay coupons on perpetual bonds, in theory, forever. Or, in practical terms, until the issuers redeem the principal, which they are not required to do. As a result, perpetual bonds “would impose a surprisingly light fiscal burden on the EU.” A €1 trillion perpetual bond with a 0.5% coupon would tap the EU budget for only €5 billion a year.
Two days later, George Soros happily noted that “Spain Is Leading the Way on Perpetual Bonds” when it submitted to the virtual European Council summit, held on April 23, “by far the most thoroughly considered and innovative proposal.” It, of course, incorporated his idea of using perpetual bonds to finance the EU’s debts incurred in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic repercussions. Here Soros called to mind perhaps the most famous perpetual bond in history, Britain’s consolidated bonds (Consols), issued in 1752, which later were used to finance, among other things, the Napoleonic and Crimean Wars and World War I. The United Kingdom eventually redeemed in full all Consols in circulation in 2015.
It didn’t take long for Viktor Orbán to discover Soros’s latest suggestion for dealing with the COVID-19-induced economic crisis. In his April 24th radio interview he called it “the most important news of the week.” He described it as “the second Soros plan,” which follows the financier’s earlier plan to deal with the refugee question. If one describes the concept of a perpetual bond issuance as Orbán did, without mentioning any of its benefits, it sounds frightening to the uninitiated: “The Union must borrow large amounts of money which need not to be paid back but which carry interest without maturity dates. As long as we live, we pay. As long as these countries exist, they pay.” Hungary must look out because “the power struggle in Brussels is always about how much money they can make on us.” On the very next day, April 25, Magyar Nemzet announced that “the second Soros plan is ready.”
Gergely Brückner, the excellent economic journalist at Index, wrote a balanced assessment of George Soros’s solution to the financial crisis of the European Union. He concluded that “the plan is neither diabolical nor brilliant. It is a long-maturing bond with some singularity.” The most important question, he said, is whether there would be any interest in such a low-yield bond. As for Hungary, contrary to Orbán’s claim, such a construct would be beneficial for the simple reason that Hungary on its own couldn’t get loans with such a low interest rate.
In his May 1 radio interview Orbán returned to the second Soros plan. He said he had anticipated the arrival of international financiers with plans that are beneficial only to themselves. Among them was “the most talented son of our homeland, George Soros.” After making sure that everybody understands the perpetuity of the bond, he stressed Soros’s influence in Brussels, where “very few countries will say no to the plan.” But “we will say, thank you very much, we want none of it.” On this occasion, he also accused George Soros of being responsible for spreading false news about the enabling law and dictatorship in order “to weaken Hungary’s voice during the debate on the issue in the European Union.”
On the Hungarian side, Csaba László, finance minister between 2002 and 2004, published an enthusiastic article about Soros’s “second plan.” He stressed that the chief benefit of the perpetual bond is that, even though the borrower can use the money perpetually, he can decide at any time to repay the loan (as the British government did after 263 years). “This latest anti-Soros campaign from the professional point of view is total nonsense,” says László. It is possible that Soros’s idea cannot be realized, but, if it could, “it would make a lot of business sense.” He finished his article on a funny note: “If George Soros phones the Hungarian government to say that he would gladly buy €20-30 billion worth of perpetual bonds at 0.5%, I beg them not to turn him down!”
On April 27, EU President Ursula von der Leyen announced the issuance of debt for a €750 billion recovery fund, to be repaid over 30 years. George Soros campaigned in vain for his perpetual bond idea. The “second Soros plan” was dead.
That the EU opted to issue 30-year paper instead of a perpetual bond didn’t deter Viktor Orbán from using the nonexistent “second Soros plan” to stir up Hungarians against the man who allegedly wants to rob his birth country. A question about the new Soros plan will be included in the next “national consultation,” which, according to a government announcement, will cover 13 topics. A typical underhanded Orbán move. Soros’s idea was a viable response to the current crisis, which was, however, quickly rejected by the European Commission. And yet, on the next “national consultation” Hungarians will be asked whether they approve of Soros’s idea of Hungary being in debt forever. (Of course, I have no access to the draft of the 13 questions, if a draft even exists as yet, but I assume the Soros question will be worded in roughly this way.) Another ploy to bolster the popularity of the regime.
Soros is the gift that keeps on giving for Orban. Little fat Viktor must be missing something at home that he wants so much power and popularity.
There would be others without Soros and there will be others after Soros. Soros is very obviously just the current reincarnation of the age-old figure of the”scheming Jewish speculate” which millions in Hungary get and hate. Millions of Hungarians have no idea about abstract and – let’s face it – alien conceptions like “democracy”, “rules of law”, “green” initiatives etc. (with which the opposition is bombarding the masses, and who steadfastly refuse to be interested in them) but they sure understand what a “Jewish moneyman” is about. It’s the disgusting and utterly hateful version of Orban making pickled cucumbers on FB. Note that even the non-fidesznik media picked the story up (hey, Orban brought his jar to his offices, it’s so interesting!). On FB Orban received thousands and thousands of likes, people really enjoyed “the whimsy”, “isn’t he just cute? he brings the cucumbers to the office full of serious people in suits?”. But it’s summer, so ordinary joes and janes do make pickles. Meanwhile Momentum’s new member of the presidium is talking about some boring policy matter on FB and gets 24 (!) likes (from her converted supporters). Why they can’t these politicians just… Read more »
Again not true, Marty! Opposition presents useless things to show that they are caring humans in the media as well!
https://444.hu/2020/05/26/itt-tartunk-gyurcsany-kiscicat-etet
Instead all of them should do their job and that is neither about cucumbers nor about cats!
Gyurcsany even published a cook book too. I know. He understands that the average joes must like him. Whether it works for him or not, is another question (he is from Pápa but his image is not that of a rural average joe), but at least the MSZP voters moved over to DK.
But how do we know that András Fekete-Győr or Bertalan Tóth or Péter Jakab is a person who is like us?
Of course you need to have a matching personality that is somewhat congruent with the image campaign (you want to avoid “a Dukakis in the tank” moment by all costs). Orban can actually credibly be that jovial rural feudal lord who loves football, pálinka, and pörkölt.
But the “new generation” of opposition politicians simply are unable to. They are not comfortable with such media life (on instagram, FB, youtube etc.).
Which is very bad because no voter will ever be convinced with white papers on new urban pedestrian crossings or whatever.
Hitler was non-smoker and vegetarian. Makes that him being a good example for being a healthy living politician?
Politicans of what ever party should do their job. The rest is useless rubbish!
And he had a German Shepard dog – a really lovely one!
Marty is right in that too many people see just the “nice Guy” – what he really does is a totally different matter. Just think about the former Mayor of Györ.
Well, the fault of some people (happens indeed, I don’t deny that) should not be reason for media to multiply that! When Orbán produces his Facebook cucumbers they shouldn’t repeat that without criticism, but ask Orbán why he has time for that, but no time to represent his regime when the EP is discussing the situation in Hungary? I think we have other problems than cucumbers – or cats.
Just another thought: Does Merkel produces herself as well in such a way? Or does she prefer to speak to the voters with a political message?
The German electorate operates at a higher intellectual plain than the type of simpleton who votes for the politician with the nicest cucumbers. A moronic message for a moronic electorate, Orban has sussed his voters 100%.
Istvan, are Momentum and DK competing in the German elections? What may work in Germany will not necessarily work in Hungary, I thought that goes without saying. Try to spend no more than 15 minutes walking around in a Szolnok produce market place or a Balatonszéplak beach in the summer queuing for beer and try to overhear conversations. (Also note that these people are not the poorest, rather they belong to what in Hungary can be considered as middle class.) When you’ve done those, then please come back and talk about using Merkel’s methods on those folks. There is NO way to reach these people’s minds (let alone to flip them to vote for you) in 2020 with boring political speeches and policy proposals and interviews given to HVG. Most people only want to have their beer, a better car, prepare their Sunday schnitzel or broth to their grandkids, buy a new flatscreen, go on a holiday to Croatia and consume. They don’t want to hear about – in the name of some new expert-based ideology – having to stop using their cars, having to give up their pork chops or home made pálinka.… Read more »
No question that politicians in Germany have different topics than we need to have here, it is a different country with different problems that need different solutions. Nevertheless the question is not the perfect jam in any country. As I wrote it is: Why has Orbán time for his pickles, but no time for Hungary. BTW a question the opposition asked as well! You don’t need to have complicated speeches to all voters, but you need a message – and that’s not about an animal. It is way more what D7 Democrat wrote: A destroyed political culture!
OV had an American consultant on his side.
Arthur knew how to whip up support by the power of hate.
Gyurcsany is no match against these challenges.
We urgently need an effective Hungarian opposition clone for Ronald Regan without his Republican myths.
Well, the ordinary joes have now learned that Viktor likes his cucumber and that Mrs. Orban doesn’t do pickling.
The EU is crazy to finance this guy. Anyone in his right mind would kick him out right away (mint macskat nagydolgozni), after using such enticement and language against the EU. The insanity is that keep financing a common criminal, an evil mafioso, disguised as a failed soccer player.
Daniel, I understand you, but the EU just can’t kick anybody out. The EU just can bring him before the court and that is happening permanently. The treaty doesn’t allow anything else.
„The treaty doesn’t allow anything else.”
István, that´s the point! We can get upset, discuss, argue here about Soros, the EU or the törpe himself, but it doesn’t help. At the end of the day, it’s like in the movie “Groundhog Day” – always the same. Nothing changed. Resistance is pointless, because the FIDESZ machine works perfectly.
Should, should, should this endless loop be cut, I found an ingenious statement on the Internet. Then someone from Hungary said:
We need a law called: “The Viktor Orban Act” that makes it clear that a sitting President can be indicted. By naming the law after Orban, it will remind people for generations to come of Orban´s corruption and ensure the name of Orban will forever be associated.
Brilliant!!!
The language in the Trianon speech was the most hateful, inciting and aggressive since WW2, “the toughest say” the sycophants gloated.
“The west raped the 1000 years old borders and history of Central Europe… We shall never forget this … After WW2 they heartlessly threw us to the communists. The Poles, the Czechs, the Slovaks got as a reward what we were punished with….”
And on and on to some final victories… although Orbàn didn’t disclose his “secret weapon” (Putin?)
https://www.kormany.hu/hu/a-miniszterelnok/beszedek-publikaciok-interjuk/orban-viktor-unnepi-beszede1
And echos of the heinous speech:
https://www.google.com/search?q=orb%C3%A0n+trianon+nem+felejt%C3%BCnk&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari
Fascism it is, guys!
You must be talking about our Trian-Onanist-in-Chief, our very own Reg’lar Joe, who likes to play with his cucumber.
How did we get down to this level? Who brought us here?
Bimbi
“We” have been more or less there, at that level, since Orbàn have been stirring up the sh..t for a decade more of it came to the surface (as the Hu saying goes).
This is the most funny part of it: „Vésd az emlékezetedbe, hogy minden ember azonos állapotban születik, és hogy semmi sem emel fel, csakis az alázat, semmi sem taszít le, csakis a gőg és a gyűlölség.”
From the mouth of someone who is everything but humble and who injects hatred and ideas of superiority into Hungarian minds.
well don’t consider it “funny”
may be only when a comedian or even better a parodist would bring the text
from the official translation:
“Remember that all men are born in the same state, and that nothing lifts you up, only humility, and nothing pulls you down, only pride and hatred.”
very proud and hateful words straight from the ‘orse’s mouth of OV, the Hungarian Serial Democracy Killer, on 2020.Jun.06 near Sátoraljaújhely
“Végül az ezeréves történelmi Magyarországot a budapesti összeesküvések hátba döfték.”
Adding to all the others categories of hatred that the little guy is spreading: Hatred between metropolitans and provincials.
Other categories being:
Hatred between white Hungarians and brown Hungarians.
Hatred between white Hungarians and Brussels.
Hatred between white Christian Hungarians and those Hungarians who don’t identify as Christians.
Hatred between white Hungarians and refugees.
Goal: White Hungarians should feel besieged, because besieged people always beg for a “strong” leader.
It’s amazing that a guy like Orban who hates the West and his neighbours so much is an icon of the “Alt right”. Just shows what a powerful international propaganda machine the man has.
erm,… what about the “intelligence” of the “alt right”?
There have been quite a few examples where the extreme right in different EU countries got into conflicts.
The Italians vs the Austrian nationalists on South Tyrol …
All of the Balkan right wingers, when the right wing FPö wanted a law that reduced child support for guest workers
and so on.
German AfD also is no friend of the “Balkan immigrants”.
It may be different when there is no direct contact nor competition – like between Fidesz and the Italian neofascists
As usual: The extreme right needs a lot of borders between them to be friends. Being closes makes of them enemies immediately.
I think that the EU monies are equivalent of the so called oil-rents which some Arab states enjoy and which make them extremely resilient against change in leadership/revolutions.
If there is money to distribute to a loyal cadre of oligarchs, the security establishment (the two sets of course overlap), and some even to a few key political constituencies (e.g. religious people, rural conservative, nationalistic voters), it is impossible to get rid of the ruler.
The EU monies function the same way in Hungary.
But the EU just doesn’t care because it’s really just about the free circulation of goods, capital, services and labor; nothing else.
Marty – If you believe that, then you are not just lying to yourself, you also cortradict just about everything else you could possibly know about Hungarian domestic politics and the EU regarding the conditions for national administration of EU membership.
The comparison with Arab oil-economies is as far fetched as anything coming from the mouth of a certain mr. Kovács.
The money is still not an EU parenting tool, and the fact that such a large part of the Hungarian electorate votes for national sovereignty as a firm principle, while at the same time they don’t give a flying fart about the level of sanity in the political rhetoric or the level of corruption at all levels, must be very frustrating for anyone who wants to see a change of culture.
The EU monies – let’s not kid ourselves – are without any strings attached. Orban only needs to back up his local decisions on the distribution of the monies with the right paperwork, which he does.
The money is flowing, it is legally and politically impossible to turn it off, no matter what Orban does.
Orban and his clan steals at least half of all EU funds, some other smaller, local oligarchs also receive money and maybe a third of the total amount reach the recipients (in the form of project which they don’t necessary need).
This is exactly what any Arab oils state would do with the money flowing from the oil wells they are sitting on.
Don’t be naive, Michael, the EU subsidies are just free money to the local dictator and his clan, which allow them to entrench their positions, which they duly accomplish. Case closed, Orban is not leaving anywhere as long as the EU money flows, simple as that.
Bs Marty!
Be naive and accept your silly parallelizations.
Z’s Pox all over.
So Orban thinks it is George Soros who causes others to think badly of Orban;s regime, let alone the Enabling Law. The little viktator does all that with out any assist from George Soros or any one else.
And Orban’s comment about George Soros being the “the most talented son of our homeland” fools no one, especially since the likes of Orban were all too happy chase out, let alone murder that “most talented son of our homeland.” The continued anti Semitic Orwellian “1984” style campaign against Mr. Soros speaks for itself.
The questions are out: https://twitter.com/viktoriaserdult/status/1270035580257214464 .
It’s even worse, more stupid, more brutal, than what one could imagine. Soros plan, migrants (the earlier Soros plan of “letting a million ‘immigrants’ into Europe every year” is now backed by the EU as well, they say). And “Brussels”, which is preparing to attack Hungary and force it to change the anti-immigration paragraphs of the Constitution (whatever they are). “Do you agree that the Hungarian government must stick to its anti-immigration paragraphs even if it means an open conflict with Brussels?”
Soros, “migrants”, Brussels. Why change the propaganda tools which so far have worked so well?
Reading the slogan/title:
A Te Országod. A Te Hangod.
It’s Your Country. It’s Your Voice.
Following immediately flashed through my mind [which can be understood as the missing very first aka.0-question:]:
0.Does everybody in Hungary “hear her/his voice” in the by all financed Hungarian “public” media?
YES or NO…
Very good Ferenc. I think your suggestion would be a great one for a real referendum.
DAY 71 OF THE “ECONOMICS-IS-SO-DIFFICULT” DICTATORSHIP
“…we only know how to steal.”
There are two reasons for the Orban rant:
The first is his popularity depends on keeping hate figures centre stage.
Second is that the bond being issued to the EU would create a liability to which his government would have to contribute, He only takes from the EU.
Soros and migrants …
Are (some/many/almost all) Hungarians really that insecure (don’t want to use stronger words …) that they still see nothing else?
Anyway, what about those hundreds of thousands of Hungarian migrants and guest workers in the West?
But I forgot – they still are thinking that THEY are something special!
Priming the HU-public for the incoming negotiations with EU over these money, and possibly even their failure
Orban does not want political strings attached (same with Poland) while on the other hand the economic crisis, the HU-public at home affected by it, will increase the pressure on him to accept, something which EU can use against him.
In this way he gets more room to maneuver, less pressure at home, as the EU’s financing schemes (whatever they may be) become associated in the public opinion with the much hated Soros, accepting migrants, and the would be plots seeking the ‘enslavement’ of the Hungarians.
Yes, the motto of Hungary and some other countries re the EU is obvious:
We’re only in it for the money!
Sometimes I have to agree with those in the West which say:
Just cut off the money flow to the Balkan, maybe rebuild the Iron Curtain, let them rot in their own crap!
But of course companies in Germany and other countries (like Japan even) like the cheap workers – and the scientific geniuses that flee to the West.
Óvoda, it is no surprise that criminals are not taking any responsibility!
(Wow, the smart guy on duty).
Instead of blowing his BS Orbàn should quietly supported this 0.5% bond issue – Hu would save Eur hundreds of millions by refinancing its debt current carrying 2.5-3% interest, ie. paying FIVE , SIX times more.
E.g. if you borrow € 200k to buy an apartment, your interest will be 1k per year indefinitely, a fraction of a rent, and you can later sell the house with huge profit too.
Orbán offers us six years bonds for average 4,95% – tax free. We just need to go to the post office to buy them to keep it simple. Orbán is in need of money!
Istvàn
Right, the situation deteriorated even before the crisis, but I take the averages of the last two years excluding C19 crisis effects.
No doubt at all that the situation was deteriorating before March. The percentage I mentioned came already at the end of last year. Just in April I saw that the regime was more and more promoting this, but haven’t seen it now for a few weeks. “Thanks” to the reallocation of unused EU funds without proper control Orbán was able to finance the “needy” stróman and a few others, while most of the rest had to see how to survive. Bad enough no reliable statistics about how money was spent and who got it, just some media information about single cases. I just don’t know how long it will take until the effects of the current crisis will be visible in even higher percentages.
Fideszian economics in Magyarorszag. What a joke. Put Mr.Soros one of the world’s highly capable financiers and ‘financial computers’ in charge and the country will go from an as usual always hands out ‘kenyer’ basket to eating much better from Mr. Soros’ dinner pail. There’s no way Orban bread can ‘cut it’. Jo etvagyat.
In economics VO can’t hold a candle to Mr. Soros when it comes to financial affairs. He’s way out of his element. And even he must know he’s been feeding the nation too much fat and keeping the good cuts. Mr. Soros knows that Orban bread always falls the buttered side down. At least he has thought of some things which could help the country just get a chance to bite into some pieces of steak. Magyarorszag has been starved so long they can’t tell the good meat from the bad, you know?
And so the nation should always be asking of its ‘choice prime cut’ meat men: ‘Kerem szepen, hol a hus?’ And please hold the fat’.
Does anyone know if the consultation questionnaires usually leave enough space to express an opinion, or there is only enough room for a simple yes/no answer?
Question 1 allows to choose between the success of Orbán fighting the pandemic from limited rights of movement to free parking in case of a 2nd wave (several may be chosen), the rest is yes or no only. Of course questions are manipulative and they are not really a choice. “Do you want banks to pay the costs of the pandemic” Yes, of course! If I choose no it will be me who has to pay. Hardly anybody thinks about the fact that banking in Hungary is already way more expensive than elsewhere and we all will pay for anyway….
I understand the questions, but recently became a Hungarian citizen and am expecting to be consulted. Of course, a genuine consultation would involve a two-way conversation rather than questions like “would you like to have free Internet rather than pay for it?” If there’s enough space, I’ll write my own opinions…
If you are ought to say yes and answer with no it’s likely enough not to be counted. Writing text will make it invalid in counting. It is a piece of propaganda, Orbán wants a yes for his “policy”, a no to Soros and EU, but he doesn’t care about your opinion. It is not about democracy! I participated only once, when the opposition collected this as used paper to fund a charity.
thanks for the reply, yeah I understand the purpose behind it but if I reply it will only be to make myself feel better, even though it doesn’t make any difference. As you say, if they cared about my opinion (or yours) it wouldn’t be full of leading questions with the required answer obvious to anyone, but would be a genuine conversation, like “what do you think about xyz…?”
Szél and Hadházy collect this time empty “consultation” forms: TITA (Tisztességes és Igazságos Társadalomért Alapítvány), 1401 Budapest, Pf. 152.
No, as far as I know. There have been attempts at more sophisticated answers. In the “Stop Brussels” questionnaire in 2017, one could choose one of two answer options, for instance either (a) “In the interest of the safety of the Hungarians, illegal immigrants must be taken into custody, until the authorities have made their decisions”, or (b) “Let the illegal immigrants move freely within Hungary”. In 2015, they had a strange three-point scale (strong positive – positive – negative), for instance: Do you agree that illegal immigrants should immediately be sent back to their countries of origin? Answer options: strongly agree – agree – disagree. This questionnaire only has YES or NO as options. And as far as I remember, none of the questionnaires has had space for comments or a more detailed answer.
Thanks.
It might be an interesting idea for the opposition parties to draw up their own joint consultation, with 3 or 4 questions only, to be completed via the Internet. Anyone have any suggestions for what questions should be asked?
[(inspired by Ferenc’s comment about public media)]
Your comment to me revolves around the whole process of public opinion research in the country. If it is taken on a firm by firm basis perhaps there is still hope that the research produced is ‘worth’ looking into. Government ‘research’ I’m afraid is done simply to set narratives not intrinsically part of ‘opinion’ as such but rather putting the day dreams of Fideszians into reality after culling the best parts of data gathered and having it falling in line with the way the world and society needs to be seen in their estimation. It is at bottom statisticalized bs.
If the opposition does research they need to do it ‘right and tight’ and that means statistical rigor in all its phases while conducting the survey research. No use in wasting time doing research without integrity. GIGO is bad for good research: it’s simply ‘garbage in garbage out’. And the opposition of course needs to do things better.
Government sponsored opinion research investigated for their methodology when conducting referendums, surveys etc. Not too sure that is even the case. Who checks the checkers who ask others to check off?
By Gad sir! Orbán is right!
“…to stir up Hungarians against the man (Soros) who allegedly wants to rob his birth country.”
Doesn’t this Soros fellow know already that the only people who have a license to rob Hungary and Hungarians in perpetuity is Viktor Orbán and his Faithful Fideszniks?!
By Gad sir! Orbán is right!
“…to stir up Hungarians against the man (Soros) who allegedly wants to rob his birth country.”
Doesn’t this Soros fellow know already that the only people who have a license to robe Hungary and Hungarians in perpetuity is Viktor Orbán and his Faithful Fideszniks?!
Spot on, ” nobody kills anybody here, but me and Zack..” Pulp Fiction.
In a year the price of pork (the staple Hungarian meat) went up by 20% in a year. The price of the famous parizer (kind of cheap cold cut) went up by 22%, as did the price of sausage. Potato, seasona vegetables, fruits by 20%, sugar 15%. (And these are on top of hefty increses in previous years).
This is what average joes talk about (not democracy and rule of law) and Fidesz would burn the house down if the left was presiding over such price increases to make it clear: they understand that pain pf average joes.
Yet none of the opposition parties has said anything, they don’t care. The message by the opposition to ordinary folks: suck it up. The opposition will be popular, surely, with this message.
https://444.hu/2020/06/09/egy-ev-alatt-20-szazalekkal-ugrott-meg-a-disznohus-ara
Well, Marty, if they are not playing with their cucumbers, they are complaining about the price of their Parizsi. And what are the RJs saying?
It’s crazy and in other circumstances it would be funny …
Don’t people realize or don’t they care that these questionnaires look like those in Nazi and Communist times?
My wife will probably throw a hysterical fit – of course not, she’ll throw the whole crap straight into the garbage bin, sorry, of course the waste paper collection like she did the last times.
Just found a very interesting article:
In the 1930s, with high unemployment and disunity, Europe’s strongest economy today was then its weakest. Carl Schmitt, a leading legal German scholar at the time, proposed a ‘strong state’ based on ‘authoritarian foundations’ to ‘depoliticise’ Germany. Some of this is seen today in Hungary, where Viktor Orbán’s rule by decree with no clear end to a state of emergency has attracted the attention of the Council of Europe. Depoliticising politics clearly creates a problem that politics cannot solve: whose politics?
We all know who Schmitt was a fan of …
https://www.ips-journal.eu/regions/global/article/show/when-the-second-covid-19-wave-hits-4416/
“Carl Schmitt, a leading legal German scholar at the time, proposed a ‘strong state’ based on ‘authoritarian foundations’ to ‘depoliticise’ Germany. “
Nonsense, but then what else to expect from Wolfi’s links&readings.
Schmitt’s argument aimed at what he called “overcoming secularization and depolitcization”. Schmitt argued precisely that “the political has been usurped by a historical process of depoliticization” and wanted the process reversed.
Says the creature whose favourite fake news source is breitfart … :)O 🙂
Anybody know MAD Magazine? It’s so creepy mad, it makes you laugh. Orban Hungary surpasses it.
1) Do you agree that doctors are not allowed to travel abroad and not to quit their jobs, even though they earn three times more than you do? Yes or no.
2) Do you agree that Hungary equips its workers with the necessary knowledge to work? Yes or no
3) Do you agree that foreigners can decide whether we drink healthy water or not? Yes or no
4) Do you agree that doctors go abroad after their studies although the state did not finance their studies? Yes or no
5) Do you agree that Jews and Roma attend primary school classes to show the children that they are normal people? Yes or no
6) Do you agree that the Friends of Horthy hold an annual parade in Budapest? Yes or no
7) Do you agree to answer suggestive questions because they help Hungary? Yes or no
Does anybody know any more stupid questions that fit better to the orban reality?
OT:
I started reading MAD in the 60s as a student, then when I had a credit card got a subscription for it.
I learned a lot about the USA – like when a MAD review of a movie or a tv series was really bad you didn’t have to watch it.
I also have the first years on a collection of CDs.
PS:
There also was a German edition of MAD for some time, but it wasn’t what Germans wanted to read.
The German equivalent Pardon was also one of my favourites.
One could wish that the Fid. elite had studied at The Alfred A Neumann Academy in their younger days – that might at least have given them some understanding of humor and satire.
It is possible that neither the EU, nor the USA for that matter, as we know it will exist in their same form 30 years from now. The debt markets assume these entities will be enduring and really that is what counts for the issuance of large scale debt. If Hungary had been hit the way Italy and Spain were by Covid 19 Orban would have likely been the first in line to support this debt plan. If Hungary somehow received a lot of money out the proposed bond offering that he could use to reinforce his own power he also would support the plan.
In some ways Orban wants to be like Trump in relationship to international obligations and organizations. Just telling whoever he wants to effectively to go to hell, whether its the UN or WHO. It’s the epitome of nationalism, in the case of Trump believing the USA can operate outside of international frameworks is delusional, in the case of Orban leading a small nation with very limited economic power it is complete madness.
I consider it a lot more than possible, that in 30 years time the EU will have a different form and the debt is not going to hold it together for 30 years.
For much too long, a number of countries have had to hold back their intentions and capacites for persuing a more progressive direction, in the name of solidarity. This applies especially to environmental/climate related changes in infrastructures and trade as well as welfare. Defense-wise, the differences are growing too.
“It is possible that neither the EU, nor the USA for that matter, as we know it will exist in their same form 30 years from now.”
It is quite likely. EU is already a shadow of what it was 20 years ago (lost the appeal, prestige, political-moral authority, and the drive/optimism behind the project)….Even the 30 years which vdL projects is way too much. Not many will buy her offer.
US may avoid violent break up and preserve freedom if the constitutional right to free-association is restored (it was de facto abolished during the 1960s, for the sake of “integration”, etc.). Then people will freely segregate according to their preferences/affinities and thus minimize the inter-ethnic/racial friction (sort of “Swiss cantons” solution to preserve peace).
The presidential system has to be abolished as well. It worked well when US was 90% White, now it can’t satisfy all groups. Abolished and replaced by one based on negotiations between the leaders of the different ethnic/racial/identity-based political groups (something which already happens in the case of big American cities).
Yes, we know that Trump wants to be a dictator for life like Putin, and now Orban too.
„It worked well when US was 90% White, now it can’t satisfy all groups.“
90% white when would that have been? When a racist starts to fart it is not thinking Ovidiu it is only farting. The US system has never worked very well, ask Rosa Parks. You can also ask NASA or look at Hidden Figures. Or check out Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, which is a US military prison, if they don’t kill, they torture.
Don, he thought about the “good old times” when most blacks were just slaves and not regarded as being humans.
Istvan-C, are you familiar with Peter Turchin’s (Univ. of Connecticut) work/books ?
If not give it a try, I bet you will like it.
from 2012
https://www.livescience.com/22109-cycles-violence-2020.html
Totally OT – but maybe interesting for the Trump-interested:
Without informing the German politicians Trump decided to reduce the US forces in Germany from around 35 000 to 25 000.
Comedian Sarah Cooper whose family is from the West Indies does a crazy impersonation of Donald lip synching to his original texts.
Fantastic!
https://youtu.be/bPLE34EemoE
Since he became president, all the allies and partners involved with the USA have been informed through his tromboning tweets, leaving the dialouge to the more qualified US ambassadors and govt. representatives.
Tangentially on topic….Soros everywhere… Albeit I don’t support wholesale Orban’s takes on this topic (they are an oversimplification, good only for simpletons, i.e. ~80% of the Hungarian voters) I have to say that they are closer to truth than, let’s say, the Russia-Collusion hoax or the beatification of St. Floyd as a victim of “systemic racism” and the ineffable but all pervasive “White privilege”
(and many other delusional narratives pushed unto the public by the American mainstream media/politicians… we can take them one by one if anyone here is interested).
–Black Lives Matter “is a Jew hating, White hating, Israel hating, conservative Black hating, violence promoting, dangerous Soros funded extremist group of haters,” ZOA (Zionist Organization of America) President Mort Klein tweeted on Saturday.–
https://www.jta.org/2020/06/09/politics/at-a-time-of-racial-strife-liberal-groups-say-no-room-at-communal-table-for-organization-attacking-black-lives-matter-and-refugee-agency
Everyone belongs to this World
and our World belongs to Everyone!
Now, that’s true Globalism for you! 😉
‘Everyone belongs to this World
and our World belongs to Everyone!‘
Spot on.
A major major problem with the leaders in our most discussed country is that they haven’t gone out into the world and check it out.
Their internal reference points cause them to be too insular in outlook.It’s like the world’s breath overcomes them and they can’t operate or have to rage at something or other.
Narrow minded thinking really doesn’t help them solve the questions they need to answer to build a better country for all its citizens. And you can’t be a champion when you don’t have the real stars that help a country to shine in a big world that’s not going to sit still for one fellow in a small and should be tranquil country in a Europe.
Point: the world spins on regardless of a country’s ‘rotations’ during decades and centuries.
It was a humorous reply.
But I agree. A population relying on it’s leaders to set the world-corners straight and draw the maps, can only achieve drift.
It takes more than leadership – it takes organized civil initiative and responsibility to build the skills of observation, orientation and action necessary for successful navigation in the political waters outside the home pond.
If it belongs to everyone then it does not belong to anyone, it is like property in communism (another utopia, as globalism).
Did you read that article at all?
that could result in the ZOA’s expulsion
Other Jewish groups don’t appreciate the racism of this extreme right wing ZOA – but for you it might be ok. 🙂 🙂
Other Jewish groups don’t appreciate…
So what ? How many appreciate my posts here ?
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane” Marcus Aurelius (121–180 AD)
Óvoda in the ranks of most insanes!
off-topic, if you have followed what has been going on during the last few days in the ‘enlightened’ West, namely the defacing, and also demolishing, of statues in UK and Blegium…Itself a monkeyish contagion of the American war against statues- (they even took down the Texas Ranger of the Dallas Airport https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/removed-statue-dredges-racism-against-blacks-latinos-texas-rangers-history-n1227716)
and now…
A four-time British prime minister, William Gladstone, cancelled. Who’s next ?
The University of Liverpool has agreed to rename one of its halls of residence after a group of students called on it to remove former Prime Minister William Gladstone’s name due to “his views on slavery”.
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/university-rename-student-halls-named-18387566
University spokesman: “We share in the shame that our city feels because its prosperity was significantly based upon a slave economy.”
What a bad idea to refuse slavery! But Orbán decided to rename a lot of our streets. Former Gagarin tér in Pécs is now Kápolna tér. The only crime of Gagarin was his Soviet passport. Morality vs ideology and ideologist Óvoda is upset about morality….