So, we had the first round of presidential elections today and it turned out the far right candidate came in first. That, to clarify matters, isn't a simple rightwing populist, that's a german nationalist with a past of being apologetic towards the Hitler regime. Now, the president isn't a very powerful office in Austria, but with the very real chance of a far right/right coalition after the next general elections, checks and balances are out of the window, with the possibility of changes to the constitution. In short, we're going down the Hungarian or Polish shitter next.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36124256

Hmmm, a German nationalist would probably be sidelined in Germany. So Unlike in 1938, this time country might actually be better off if it were absorbed by Germany.

Democracy. If it's what the people want, it's what they get.

(April 24, 2016 at 11:58 am)Anomalocaris Wrote: Unlike in 1938, this time country might actually be better off if it were absorbed by Germany.

But not by that kind of Germany this guy dreams of.

(April 24, 2016 at 11:58 am)Bella Morte Wrote: Democracy. If it's what the people want, it's what they get.

No.  Democracy is where you calibrate people's expectations and modulate their intelligence to the point where they can be trivially menipulationated into agreeing with what you want and revolt against what you don't want.

(April 24, 2016 at 11:59 am)abaris Wrote:

(April 24, 2016 at 11:58 am)Anomalocaris Wrote: Unlike in 1938, this time country might actually be better off if it were absorbed by Germany.

But not by that kind of Germany this guy dreams of.

No. And the irony is he would get nowhere if he was actually in Germany.

(April 24, 2016 at 12:00 pm)Anomalocaris Wrote:

(April 24, 2016 at 11:58 am)Bella Morte Wrote: Democracy. If it's what the people want, it's what they get.

No.  Democracy is where you lower the people intelligence to the point where they are easily takes into agreeing with what you want.

Okay, what's your alternative to democracy then?

I'm not surprised we're starting to see this happen in Europe, and it'll happen in more countries yet. The far-right have become really savvy in marketing themselves to the working and middle classes, by co-opting traditionally leftist language of "rights" and "freedoms".

It's all "freedom" and "rights" until they get into power and start throwing the people who supported them under the bus, naturally. I wish more people could see through the bullshit.

(April 24, 2016 at 12:01 pm)Bella Morte Wrote:

(April 24, 2016 at 12:00 pm)Anomalocaris Wrote: No.  Democracy is where you lower the people intelligence to the point where they are easily takes into agreeing with what you want.

Okay, what's your alternative to democracy then?

Another democracy where people want what I want them to want, instead of what someone else want them to want.

We always managed to have reputable presidents, since the office got introduced after WWI. Even the clerical office holder when Hitler was on the horizon, was the last line of constitutional defense against the madness in refusing to resign when being threatened. Only exemption being Waldheim, although he wasn't as bad as some made him up to be. He was an idiot, but he certainly wasn't a nazi.

That would change big time, if that piece of shit was to win the run-off in 4 weeks time.