Article

2008-09-08 Europe

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2008-09-08 00:00|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [11129 views ] Top

#1 Running yes but not going anywhere

Posted by European Conservative 2008-09-08 15:31|| 2008-09-08 15:31|| Front Page Top

#2 Can you elaborate for us, EC? Then perhaps I can go on German MTV and harrangue the electorate from a Yank perspective.

Posted by Seafarious 2008-09-08 15:54|| 2008-09-08 15:54|| Front Page Top

#3 He's a die hard Schröderite (contrary to US beliefs Schröder was NOT a leftist when in office). Steinmeier is not liked by the SPD left and with him a coalition with the radical left (ex-Commies) is not likely.

That sounds like a good thing. But what will happen is that the radical left will take the votes of the disgruntled SPD leftists and grow. That means the SPD will shrink. If they get 25% they should consider themselves lucky. Not enough to form anything like a new Grand Coalition, because the larger Commies will block anything else.

The thing is, that it may not work. Either CDU/CSU and FDP will strengthen enough to build a coalition on their own and the SPD is f****

Or the Greens jump ship. Steinmeier may be hoping for a SPD/Green/FDP coalition (Spd and Green only will never get a majority) but that won't work. The FDP has no suicide wishes.

Posted by European Conservative 2008-09-08 16:28|| 2008-09-08 16:28|| Front Page Top

#4 contrary to US beliefs Schröder was NOT a leftist when in office

OK. But was he on ~~Putin's~~ Gazprom's payroll?

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-09-08 16:41|| 2008-09-08 16:41|| Front Page Top

#5 Most likely

Posted by European Conservative 2008-09-08 16:48|| 2008-09-08 16:48|| Front Page Top

#6 But he was not a leftist? Just a croney capitalist?

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-09-08 18:00|| 2008-09-08 18:00|| Front Page Top

#7 The old definitions of left and right do no longer work.

Posted by European Conservative 2008-09-08 18:10|| 2008-09-08 18:10|| Front Page Top

23:52 CrazyFool
23:46 CrazyFool
23:46 JosephMendiola
23:38 Silentbrick
23:30 Silentbrick
23:28 JosephMendiola
23:20 FOTSGreg
23:12 Procopius2k
23:11 Pappy
23:10 JosephMendiola
22:55 Betty Grating2215
22:49 3dc
22:48 mhw
22:47 Barbara Skolaut
22:45 Barbara Skolaut
22:43 IG-88
22:41 3dc
22:39 3dc
22:39 ed
22:38 mojo
22:37 ed
22:33 MoreScotch4Me
22:31 3dc
22:28 bigjim-ky
Merry-Go-Blog