[Czech Republic] Politics

[Tramfreak]

Originally Posted by ov_79

Mr.Klaus does not claim his private opinion to claim his private opinion, but to be controversial. It is not important what his opinions are about, the important is to be controversial and consequently the most important is the fact, when everyone talks about him.

Yes, maybe. He has a big ego certainly, so this would fit in his profile. It is a very outstanding characteristic of (not only) Czech politics, that ČSSD always has to be against ODS no matter what the opinions of the party members are. (And parties have no problem with forcing their members to vote 'correctly')

Originally Posted by ov_79

I am afraid, some people stopped to like a movie, because Vaclav Klaus does not like it (so one may feel as clever as the leader), or he likes it, but decided to say, he does not.

Very true!!! I must say that my grandparents belong to this 15% fanatic group, and after Klaus had criticized the movie, their previously beloved movie suddenly became bolshevik propaganda in their eyes. I believe that the movie was 'Vesničko má Středisková' - and I really dont understand whats so wrong with it.

[Giedrius_LT]

I'm very critical regarding your President because of his attitude and uncertain relations ("Wiki" says more).

I don't think that this guy is constructive and that it is beneficial for Czech Republic or for European Union to meet one like this.

[kokpit]

Václav Klaus is the biggest disaster of Czech society after 1989. However being president, he make much less damages to the country than back in 90's when being PM.
Now he has his opinions which can damage our reputation abroad, but that's nothing compared to damages caused by his government and himself in 90's. As he had lost most of executive power many years ago, he's just a parody of himself in early 90's since then.
On the other hand, from time to time I can agree with him on some topic. Unfortunately, this can't change the fact he failed nearly in everything in politics, which is sad for our country. History will judge him.
BTW, ov_79, very well said.

[ov_79]

Originally Posted by Tramfreak

... Very true!!! I must say that my grandparents belong to this 15% fanatic group, and after Klaus had criticized the movie, their previously beloved movie suddenly became bolshevik propaganda in their eyes. I believe that the movie was 'Vesničko má Středisková'- and I really dont understand whats so wrong with it ...

It was Marečku, podejte mi pero.

[Tramfreak]

Originally Posted by ov_79

It was Marečku, podejte mi pero.

Yes, now I see that he really called Marečku, podejte mi pero the worst Czech movie ever (??), or something like that. But he also had some comments on Vesničko má Středisková, because according to him, the movie was fake, as it was too positive and euphoric about the previous regime (??).

I think that both movies are amongst the best of their time, so I don't get why some politicians need to mess up with peoples' taste for movies.

[kokpit]

I don't want to comment on Klaus, but Marečku podejte mi pero was really quite propagandistic, personally I think the film is overrated. It's not like it is bad, there are some decent jokes, but Czech cinema has many more much better films - comedies. Vesničko má středisková, for example.

[Norkey]

kokpit: Personally, I don't like any of them, although I like Smoljak's later pieces about Cimrman (whole Cimrmannology is absolutely brilliant idea). For example Frantisek Filipovsky filmed better movies, not to mention Milos Forman in exile and so on..

and as for the politics, we have better diplomats in our current govt than Vaclav Klaus..

Karl Johannes Nepomuk Josef Norbert Friedrich Antonius Wratislaw Mena von Schwarzenberg


Most of czechs would like to have him as our president, or better, elected king, as some surveys showed.. that'd be great!

[historyworks]

LOL is that coat of arms serious!

von Schwarzenberg, isn't that a German name? So since Czechs have such a great tradition of importing foreign rulers can I offer myself to be your president (or King if you like)? I know a few words of Czech. And I have the advantage of knowing better when to keep my mouth shut (except on internet forums)

kokpit you are right - the Presidency is a better place to store such a person than have them still rattling around in live politics (a "loose cannon" as we say in English)! But maybe better completely retired.....

[X236K]

Kokpit, Mr. Klaus is definitely NOT the biggest disaster of our post-89 history. The real disaster is that some 50% of people is voting for a party that ruined this country while ruling for 40 years. No matter if for communists or socialists... they're the same party that murdered people for their opinion.

I don't want to say that Mr. Klaus as PM was perfect... no, he did a lot of serious mistakes. But he (or his government) did not order to murder anyone. He "just" lost money. And that's something I can live with...

[ov_79]

I have to disagree Y236K.

There had been several types of communists during several episodes of KSC rule during 1948-89. Those who were ruling in the 80's were not that much communists as rather opportunists, Technologists of power (TP). They wanted a power and so became communists. The TP's would become fascists if necessary. And these TP's, yes the communists, were those, who ruined Czech economy in 1990-1997 period. Because the power was under the right-wing, they became right-wing. Not because right-wing has been bad itself, just because that was the way to keep power.

Recent KSCM is not really a party of opportunists (staying a communist was rather dangerous than anything else in the 90's, naturally), neither of TPs. They have not ruled anything (excepted few villages) since 1989, so they haven't had an opportunity to be involving, powerful, rich (at least rich from politic careers). They are not really dangerous, because: a) there are no TPs there, b) Social democrats, not communists are the hegemon on left, therefore since they will cooperate, nothing but soc-dem program will easier go thorough, c) international situation gives no chance for KSCM in case they would try to follow an extreme-left discourse.

Why there are so many people voting them? Because of Mr.Klaus rule. As a protest against his Jelcin-like anarchy he provided as a Finance Minister and Prime Minister... After 40 years the communists orthodox state-self-rule, people expected a society of public-private-partnership. They got an orthodox neo-liberal market-self-rule, which ruined economy and elementary ethics just in opposite way KSC did once (because former communist TPs were the right-wing rulers in the 90s). True, not in that extreme way like 1950's and true, no physical liquidations (except few gang-fights among of speculants and asset strippers gangs).

1990's were times of a 180° opposite extreme then communist rule during 1948-89. With many similar characteristics: huge criminality organized by top politicians, understanding voting people as a brainless mass, extreme arogancy towards people, claimed feel of a power, mafia-like cooperation state-private, breaking a law or at least conforming the law to my interests, offenses and insults against opponents, colaps of elementary ethical codex, despect towards ecology issues, calling everyone not-with-us as a communist (mostly by 1980s TP-communists, now right-wing) in the same like everyone not-with-us was a bourgeoisie/fascist when communists took a power in 1948.

The high (15%) popularity of recent communists is a REACTION on the ACTION of the 90s. Extremist government make people think in extreme; for: ODS fanatics and left-wing killers, against: people voting communists again and right-wing-killers.

[historyworks]

That is a very interesting summary ov_79. But of course keep in perspective that politics is pretty dreadful in any country, even those that have kept democracy for a century or more. Institutionalised corruption (even if it's moral corruption, not financial) is one of the worst things to deal with. I think Czechs were subject to national psychological abuse for 50 years, it will take a while to climb out of it. At least you are still getting your national infrastructure projects built; in some countries politics even brings these to a halt.

[kokpit]

Někdo se tu se mnou nedávno hádal, že o našich politicích se v souvislosti s mafií a organizovaným zločinem rozhodně mluvit nedá. Doporučuji si přečíst např. toto http://zpravy.idnes.cz/slusny-clovek...46_kavarna_bos

Tato mafie funguje dosud a nevím jestli se těch vazeb někdy zbavíme. Má to velmi neblahé dopady na mentalitu celé společnosti, tzv. blbá nálada a všeobecný nihilismus jsou jen průvodní jevy.

[HiRazor]

Originally Posted by ov_79

After 40 years the communists orthodox state-self-rule, people expected a society of public-private-partnership. They got an orthodox neo-liberal market-self-rule, which ruined economy and elementary ethics just in opposite way KSC did once (because former communist TPs were the right-wing rulers in the 90s).

1. People got what they voted for. It's called democracy. If they actually "expected" something else they would have sure voted for that.

2. What they got was a pretty standard market economy which unfortunately also comprises some white collar crime. Some people are bad and greedy and would steal no matter what the ruling party. To blame a particular political party for what is a human nature of some really is not fair.

3. Czech republic was not ruined in 1990's. To compare it with Yeltsin Russia indicates a huge proportion perception problem.

4. The highest proportion of former communists among its members has CSSD hands down. Just look at your heitmanship. They were not a ruling party until 1998.

A sidenote on ethics and corruption after 1990. My personal experience - and I have the opportunity to watch these things pretty closely - is that there was much less corruption in the early 90s than there is today. The reason is the proportion of the likes you describe as TP (I call them politic enterpreneurs: for them politics are not about ideas and principles but a bussiness like usual and an easy mean to get money) among politicians no matter what party is constanly growing. The revolution has brought to politics many talented ethical people who did politics for politics and their motivation was enthusiasm and wish to make things better. Unfortunately among their successors, these virtues are more and more rare and political enterpreneurism is prevalent now. Political enterpreneurs are especially devastating for parties advocating liberal policies. A small and transparent state is the last thing these people wish as their might and wealth depends on number of comissioned contracts. Btw that's why Prague has such a socialistically opulent budget despite being lead by officially right wing politicians.

[ov_79]

This is for a longer discussion and rather not an e-one. And I don't want to play a ping-pong debate. Although I agree with some parts of your posts.

[Mateusz]

Is hooliganism a big social problem in CR ?

[Reichenberger]

Maybe in Prague or Ostrava (which has quite big hool influences from Poland). But it isn't so serious problem for whole CR.

[Mateusz]

Topolanek resigned...

Who might be the new PM ?

[kokpit]

Topolanek...

[Norkey]

or some bureaucrat. If he'll be lucky enough..

[Mateusz]

Topolanek ? Again ? Even though he just resigned