18-01-2005 20:46									#31
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

We are not a banana republic.

Why, our Queen just postponed a state visit to Mexico over this whole election business!

	18-01-2005 20:48									#32
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote: Originally posted by Winston We are not a banana republic. Why, our Queen just postponed a state visit to Mexico over this whole election business!

You aren't a banana republic? Obviously in your country the government can call elections when it feels like to crush the opposition? You are right.. I apologize.. you aren't a banana republic... it sounds more like a Putin-ocracy to me.

	18-01-2005 20:50									#33
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

quote: Originally posted by Giancarlo The democrats are funded by leftists groups like Moveon (as shown with the recent election).

I had a long response to Fez written, but then I thought, this is about Danish elections, not the U.S. I'd like to see our fellow Danes give us more info on Danish politics.

	18-01-2005 20:50									#34
	Remove this text

Putin-ocracy is much better.

	18-01-2005 20:51									#35
	Support Apolyton

quote: Originally posted by Giancarlo Obviously in your country the government can call elections when it feels like to crush the opposition?

So Britain and Israel are banana-republics too? There's nothing wrong with timing an election to your advantage. In fact, I'd say regular timing of elections is more undemocratic since it removes the ability of the populace to have a say when important issues are actually being debated. Not that it would matter in our country, since as soon as election are on the horizon, our politicians get allergic to important issues.

	18-01-2005 20:53									#36
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: I'd like to see our fellow Danes give us more info on Danish politics.

What would you like to know, my "fellow Dane"?

	18-01-2005 20:56									#37
	Increase Your PM Length

quote: Originally posted by chegitz guevara So Britain and Israel are banana-republics too? There's nothing wrong with timing an election to your advantage. In fact, I'd say regular timing of elections is more undemocratic since it removes the ability of the populace to have a say when important issues are actually being debated. Not that it would matter in our country, since as soon as election are on the horizon, our politicians get allergic to important issues.

I think it is more democratic to have elections on fixed dates, rather then dates the government could switch around. Having a fixed date is more democratic because it allows for more campaigning. You are a commie and you are the one who avoids the issues.

	18-01-2005 21:09									#38
	Increase Your PM Length

quote: Originally posted by Winston What would you like to know, my "fellow Dane"?

* chegitz guevara might have Danish blood, being part English and decended from Normans and all.

I'd like to know more about : how your system works, what the parties stand for (more than your little half sentences), how they've done historically, and who their leaders are.

	18-01-2005 21:20									#39
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

That's quite an order there, perhaps you'd better come investigate for yourself.

Ok, I'll try and write something up, considering it's election time and all. It won't be right away, maybe tonight or tomorrow, but then I hear you Communists are kind of used to the waits.

In the meantime, for anyone that's interested here's the English section of Venstre's site, my party.

Last edited by Winston on 18-01-2005 at 21:25

	18-01-2005 21:42									#40
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

quote: Originally posted by Winston That's quite an order there, perhaps you'd better come investigate for yourself.

Well, you don't have to do it all. There are other Danes to help you.

As for invetigating Denmark, someday I hope to visit your country . . . in the summer.

	18-01-2005 22:07									#41
	Full PM-box? Change here!

quote: Originally posted by Giancarlo And the republicans are funded by patriots.

What, funds from Patriot missiles sold in secret arms deals, like another Iran-Contra?


Tell us more, tell us more.....

	18-01-2005 23:10									#42
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by chegitz guevara Well, you don't have to do it all. There are other Danes to help you.

I'm not doing anything tonight. If you ask a particular question, I'd be happy to answer it.

	18-01-2005 23:14									#43
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by Monk I'm not doing anything tonight. If you ask a particular question, I'd be happy to answer it.

How many cups of tea and danish pastries have I consumed today?

	18-01-2005 23:20									#44
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

quote: Originally posted by molly bloom How many cups of tea and danish pastries have I consumed today?

AAAAAARGH

Already I feel like getting into a longboat to invade England.

	18-01-2005 23:25									#45
	Increase the size of your Attachments

quote: Originally posted by Monk AAAAAARGH Already I feel like getting into a longboat to invade England.

Just England, the former Danelaw, or the United Kingdom?


In any case, I'd say my mother's red hair indicated a bit of Norse fury had invaded our genes a long time ago.




So, second question:

how many times did I watch 'Babette's Feast' over the holidays?

Detective Monk

	18-01-2005 23:26									#46
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

What about Fremskridtspartiet - teh Progress Party.

Vice president Rasmussen seems nice...

	18-01-2005 23:29									#47
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

quote: Originally posted by Gangerolf What about Fremskridtspartiet - teh Progress Party. Vice president Rasmussen seems nice...

Mmm, sexy lardbeast.

	19-01-2005 00:09									#48
	Support Apolyton

OMG, that bearded fellow's name actually IS Rasmussen.

Curiously, his middle name translates into 'victim' in Scandinavian languages.

	19-01-2005 00:11									#49
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

quote: Originally posted by Gangerolf What about Fremskridtspartiet - teh Progress Party. Vice president Rasmussen seems nice...

He looks like the poor guy who used to be on the off ramp of the I-405 in northridge (in california) begging for money...

	19-01-2005 00:29									#50
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

quote: Originally posted by Monk OMG, that bearded fellow's name actually IS Rasmussen. Curiously, his middle name translates into 'victim' in Scandinavian languages.

Well of course his name is Rasmussen. How many votes do you reckon they'll get?

I remember the founder, Mogens Glistrup - colourful fellow. A bit of a racist too IIRC. He seems to be retired now, living in "Fremskridtspartiets Æresbolig" ("the house of honour")

	19-01-2005 00:30									#51
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

This seems like the personification of the word 'fatbeard'.

	19-01-2005 00:31									#52
	Support Apolyton

quote: Originally posted by Gangerolf Well of course his name is Rasmussen. How many votes do you reckon they'll get?

None - they haven't met the criteria for running.

	19-01-2005 00:37									#53
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

When it comes to Rasmussens, nobody gets even close to my party, Venstre. The 3 top positions are all held by Rasmussens:

Party Leader: Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Deputy Leader: Lars Løkke Rasmussen
Head of party secretariate: Jens Skipper Rasmussen

Now how do you like them Rasmussens.

	19-01-2005 00:37									#54
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

ahhaha I just read about that. Glistrup doesn't believe there's going to be an election before september/october.

http://politiken.dk/VisArtikel.sasp?PageID=355501

	19-01-2005 01:05									#55
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

I did believe Fogh Rasmussen would have a problem in the party leader debate since the VKO bloc (edit: the VKO bloc is the present gov't plus Danish People's Party) stands three against six with one neutral. However, according to polls conducted during the debate he's doing a good job.

Last edited by Monk on 19-01-2005 at 01:22

	19-01-2005 01:51									#56
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

Why is it called Venstre? Doesn't venstre mean left? Didn't think liberals would be seen as left in a eurocentric perspective, but suits them well.

Now.. where is my radical neocon party?

	19-01-2005 02:02									#57
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

I think it's because back in the old days (until the 1880s or thereabouts) there were only two parties; Left (liberals) and Right (conservatives).

	19-01-2005 04:02									#58
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

quote: Cuz we don't have a proportional sytem.

Well as far as the Radikale Venstre goes, that's true, but as far as the Ventre goes that style of European liberalism is quite mainstream and probably would have as many people in favor of it in the states as would be in favor of Republicans, and would be a very welcome change of pace if we had someone like European liberals on the right instead of the Republicans.

quote: Originally posted by Giancarlo If you are leading in polls, you shouldn't just call for elections because you feel like it. That is why the American republic is much better at representation and is far more proportional then the banana republics throughout Europe. MikeH, you don't know what you are talking about.

Exactly, nothing gets in the way of proportional representation like proportional representation

quote: Having a fixed date is more democratic because it allows for more campaigning.

And that's a good thing??? The length of American presidential campaigns has gotten ridiculous.

And a question for Danes: in every opinion poll I see, Denmark is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay waaaaaaaay more favorate towards the Iraq war than pretty much everyone else. How did they get to be such an outlier?

	19-01-2005 10:46									#59
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Boshko,

To answer your last question about the Iraq war, I think Danes are more in favour of being in the international coalition because our PM Anders Fogh actually took the debate in public right from the onset.

Anders Fogh carries a lot of weight in the debate here, and his principles are such that he will always stress how freedom and democracy are privileges that should be defended, and if need be fought for, also in other parts of the world. For the good of the people directly affected and for the benefit of ourselves as well in the long term.

Now without turning this into yet another Iraq debate, I think the liberation aspect of the war was stressed much more here domestically than what we saw in the US, and UK even.

It is also a comparatively small force we have in Iraq, around 600 troops, and they haven't been involved in open battle, but concentrated on security and rebuilding efforts. And they're doing a good job, which is generally acknowledged by the Danish people.

Another thing which may play a part is that the keeping of troops in Iraq now has the support of 90% of the seats in Parliament, largely thanks to skillful political manoeuvering by PM Anders Fogh.

The lesson here is that if you tell people fair and square your reasons for making tough decisions like this one, many of them will believe you, and perhaps even be convinced that it's the right thing to do.

But yes, it still is surprising. Not many political leaders in Danish history could have done it.

	19-01-2005 15:15									#60
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

What is the approval rate of the Iraq war there?

I'll apologize for calling you a banana republic. You have troops in Iraq.