Week 4 Politics

Whether it's the 2 hopeless candidates in the U.S. or the gaggle of sameness in France or the new shiny Teresa May this is the thread to talk about you thoughts, feelings and love of politics and politicians.

Hello my friend !!!!!! I will speak about the politics in Turkey and the current aim of the terrible Erdogan !!!!

Turkey has a president and a prime minster. The prime minister is the leader of whichever party wins a majority in parliamentary elections, such as those being held on the weekend. The president used to be appointed by parliament, but a referendum in 2010 changed that to allow for direct presidential elections, the first of which was held last August and won by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Erdoğan had been, until that point, prime minister of Turkey and leader of the ruling Justice and Development party (AKP).

Erdoğan claims the current parliamentary system is ineffective and is calling for Turkey to move to a strong presidential system of government, which he believes necessary to turn Turkey into a world power.

In order to set up the presidential powers, the ruling party would need to change Turkey’s constitution. A party needs to win 276 seats to form a government, but if it wins 330 seats it can call referendums on proposed constitutional changes throughout its rule. If it wins 367 seats – a two-thirds majority – it can change the constitution without calling a referendum, giving the ruling party an enormous amount of power.

Erdogan wants this political system because it can't be to become Prime minster (currently, who is more power that the president of the Republic) and he knows that if the presidential system is set up, it will become again the stronger man of Turkey.

Hello everyone,

I will write about the two main political parties in the USA and their different views about the economy.

As you probably know, Trump is the nominee of the Republican Party whose ideology is “American conservatism” as opposed to the Democratic Party’s modern liberalism.  The latter’s nominee is Hilary Clinton. Here are the main differences that concern the economy:
- Democrats think that there should be tax cuts for people with lower income, whereas the Republicans believe that there should be tax cuts for everyone (including big companies)
- Democrats believe that the minimum wage should be increased, whereas Republicans are against it

It is not a surprise that Republicans are supported by business owners. They are considered as the business-friendly party, because they believe that the involvement of the government in business should be limited. The Democrats think that the government should be more involved in the country’s economy.

If I were American, I would support the Democratic Party. Frist, their candidate is not a crazy muppet screaming out populist messages. Second, The Republican party supports the possession of guns, whereas the Democrats call for strict gun control. Third, the Democrats favour human rights such as abortion and gay marriage – rights for which the fights should be long forgotten. But anyway, I am not American and I will never understand the importance of the Second Amendment for the Americans.

One thing is certain: the president of the USA should have a strong temperament and for the time being none of the two candidates has shown any such traits.

Hi everybody,

Today, I will talk about Brazil and its uncommon elections system.
Indeed, in Brazil, the population uses an electronic ballot box to vote for various political representatives as the councilors, the mayors, the state and federal deputies, the governors and the president.
Each candidate has a number assigned to him and the voters must enter the number of their favorite candidate using the figures on the electronic ballot box to vote.
In this context, some candidates use very creative ways in order that voters remember their assigned number.
As you can see in this video, ridiculous don't kill... This man was elected as federal deputy in 2010.


If you want to laugh again, you can watch this video with a combination of several candidates for the 2012 elections.


Moreover, in Brazil, voting is obligatory for people aged between 18 and 70 years. It is facultative for the illiterate people and for those aged between 16 and 18 years.
And it is forbidden to drink alcohol on election day !

Hi!

Personally I dislike politics. In the Netherlands I was barely up to date with what was happening in the politics, just a little with a lot of effort. Now that I live in France I completely stopped following the Dutch politics and to be honest the French politics don’t interest me much either. We don’t have TV at home and no newspaper, so all the important info get passed on by friends or I find myself on internet websites. Not that I live underneath a rock, completely cut off from the world. I suppose since I got no voting right in France I don’t put in a lot of effort to follow things that don’t interest me.

I guess I will talk about politics in the USA then. On the internet I read a lot about the elections, but to me it seems more like a circus attraction with two clowns in it. It is hard to believe that these two are the best presidential candidates that the country has to offer.

Hello economists
Today, I am going to speak about French Politics. As you know, in France, there is Election in 2017. I want speak about the themes which are choose by the differents candidates.

I feel that the most recurring themes are the national idendity and terrorism.

I am sad and disappointed to see that we pass next to various topics such as unemployment, poverty and growth, which are in my opinion more interesting. Know that we will forbid a woman to wear a burkini or that everyone should be happy to be French will not change our lives.

Politician take us for idiots and prefer divided communities that assemble.

I do not feel particularly bound to a party or candidate but what is certain is that I prefer to vote for a person who gather rather than a person who uses religion to seduce weak minds

Finally, I want speak this sentence of a french rapper : « L’amour des siens, c’est pas la haine des autres ».
Lucas DC

Hello everyone,

I will be talking about the politics in Germany, because next semester I will be studying in this country. Also the German politics are quite important for Europe. Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany since 2005 and leader of the Christian democratic union (CDU), is having trouble at the moment for her immigration politics welcoming the Syrian refugees. Recently she lost regional elections because the population is unhappy and afraid of the immigrants, because of what happened during New Year’s Eve and January. Following these events the German people have started voting for extreme right wing parties (nationalistic parties). In the home region of Angela Merkel the nationalists (AFD) won the election for example. This is a big step backwards for Germany, I hope it will not continue like this. Especially since I will be passing my second semester there!!!!

Hugs and kisses,

Celia Butel

Hi everyone!
I have to admit I don’t what to say about politics. I don’t hate it but I neither love it. I try to follow the candidates of the next presidential in France because I will vote but it’s complicated.
The main problem for me and probably for other people is I will not vote for the candidate I like the most but for the one I hate the least.
But I know the candidates I absolutely won’t vote!
Since September, I read a lot of things about American presidential. When I saw few moments of the debate, I thought “it’s like a TV reality show”.
Maybe Donald Trump is good in business but I think it’s not enough to be a president. Plus he is sexist. Plus he insults people, how can he imagine governing a big country as United-States with his childish comportment?
Even Marine Le Pen is more respectable than he (maybe not her father), I mean, in her attitude to the French.
I think Trump would be a great character of American Dad or South Park.

For obvious reasons I'd rather Hillary won the U.S. election. I fear for the foreign relations if the silly man wins. He's not mentally stable, I mean no one is, but he's a champion in this field.
Hillary cannot be considered a very good choice either, but it's better to choose the lesser evil. We do the same in Poland, usually.
Nowadays, our government is stricken with conservatism. Let it be, but they really don't want to take into account the liberal minority's voice; however, the society is now divided 50-50, I think. The problem with conservatists is really that they don't listen. They don't have to bother thinking they'll be elected again soon after this turn. The main lesser evil is the so-called liberal party, but they're known for stealing and allowing too much privitization by the German hand. Privitization - bad, German - even worse for an average Polish person. This topic is dreadful. I've always avoided it despite being forced to read press on multiple occasions by my teachers. I think reading media is depressing, politics is too complex and usually presented in a disfigured way, so I've given up on understanding it. Last governemental election, we even had an application helping people evaluate their convictions and thus find their candidates. That was great but still it didn't change the lack of the best choice. Uh, it was tiring to write about politics

Hello economists,

Amazing subject this week, I like that. So I will talk about French Politics. Since a few weeks, all the newspapers and generally the TV (broadcasts on TF1, M6) speak about politics. The French elections approach and all the political parties try to gather most voice.

In my opinion, today politics became tedious. Indeed, People and jounarlists prefer the side "celebrity", « people » of the politic. I don’t care to know the love stories of the president Hollande. The politicians do not dare to take big economic measures because they are afraid for their image, especially concerning the current situation …

Moreover, it’s so difficult to dissociate PS and republicans in their choice of politics because it’s very similar. In summary, for me, the French politics go out of control.

Just a precision concerning the US elections. I recommend you to look the tv show "Quotidien" with the reporter Martin Weill. It’s very constructive, playful, and we understand all the stakes in USA. It’s so better that the « reports » of BFM TV.

Maxime Calogine wrote:
Just a precision concerning the US elections. I recommend you to look the tv show "Quotidien" with the reporter Martin Weill. It’s very constructive, playful, and we understand all the stakes in USA.  It’s so better that the « reports » of BFM TV.

I watch it too, it's the only way for me to watch TV, it's original! The explainations are quick and clear, I used to watch "Le petit journal" before "Quotidien", still funny and very interesting.

In the US, concerning Trump and Clinton I think they are both put in the same bag, in the sense that each of them have reached this position thanks (or because of) money. Scandals on Donald Trump currently made public and which date back 10 years, they may be true but it looks like a frame- up from the opposite party. That's why politics annoys me. In France it's the same thing, as soon as a public man stands out so there is always a scandal burts in (and we can ask ourselves if it was caused, wanted, created). We have the example of Nicolas Sarkozy and Bygmalion.

Finally, the only politician who has always fascinated me for his charisma, his natural and policies is Barack Obama, unlike candidates Trump and Clinton didn't inspire me, Obama gives me confidence, just to see him on TV before or during its election. While Trump and Clinton are fighting without thank you. Trump also is what it is, personally I don't like him but he has a quality: He's frank and mocks what others think. He has his owns ideas (same if they are rotten).


Good night everybody !

Since few weeks, in the USA there is a scandale about Donal Trump. Donald Trump is accused of assaulting around ten women. This women publicly accused him. Maybe it's truth, I don't now. But often this scandales appear in the medias when it's the elections. In France, shortly before the last presidential election, there was the same scandale with DSK. It's a important scandale for those men and all media published published about them. After, the DSK's scandale, he wasn't presented to the presidential election. Shortly time after, the medias don't publish about this scandale. Maybe those scandale are truth, but appear in the same time, and interfere in politics.

Hi,
That say about politics ? Except that it's now a source of conflict when it should allow a more just society. Always, people's opinions differed on Policy. This is normal because everyone has their own ideas. This has led to conflicts. But I think today a new trend appears : people are right, left or elsewhere, they increasingly difficult to believe in the sincerity of political leaders. We can observe this phenomenon through the white votes or the rate of absention in elections. For me, I don't think either in the sincerity of these people. Even if some are surely. But it is true that it must be extremely difficult for them to want to change a system that gives them many advantages...

I will talk about politics in Spain to avoid repeat.

Following the democratic transition after the death of Franco( who led a dictatorial politic regime from 1939 to 1975) and the Movida, the cultural movement of the time; Spain became a constitutional monarchy to parliamentary democracy.
The monarch has political and symbolic powers, defined by the constitution; he is the head of state and army; sign laws, appoint the prime minister, may dissolve Parliament after a proposal from this latter. Moreover, he is the representative of the Spanish State in international relations, especially concerning the relationship with the Hispanic world. The current sovereign is Felipe VI. The executive power is still held by the President of the Government. At present, Mariano Rajoy is the President of the Government. He is in office since December 2011.

The majors political partis are :
the Popular party (PP)
the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE)
Unidos Podemos ( the union of United Left (IU), Podemos and EQUO)

Hi everybody!
So, I have to admit that talking about politics it’s not easy for me because I don’t really like it. It doesn’t really interest me. When I try to watch meetings on TV, it annoys me. Indeed, I just see people talking in the same time without listening each other…
Even if I don’t like politics, I think that it’s important to be informed a minimum. Indeed, next year we have presidential elections in France. I feel concerned because that’s the first time I will vote for this kind of elections.
However I think that to take a decision, it’s important to take information from different sources. Indeed, I believe that journalists play a too important role in the political life.
See you !
Julie

hello everybody !

This week the theme is politics and I find it interesting to talk about gender inequality in politics and sexism that can exist in this environment. In France the gender balance in politics is still not acquired. Indeed the 2012 elections women represented only 26,9% of MEPs and 25% of senators in 2014. In France the proportion of women was higher in the municipal and departmental elections thanks to new elections rules favoring gender equity. Internationally, women have places more and more important and they have access to positions of chief of state or prime mnister as Angela Merkel, Theresa May or Hilary Clinton in the news with US elections. However sexism is still very present in the political world, in France women parliamentary have created a website to denounce sexism and sexual harassment in politics following numerous cases of harassment and assault as Baupin case or Baylet case for exemple.

Good evening everybody !
Ok... This subject doesn't inspire me... at all. Maybe that's why I waited the day before the deadline to post...
So I reflected about a subject dealing with politics. And since I don't want to speak about french politic (boring) and I don't know enough about foreign country politic to give an opinion... I choose to make a post about the time frame of Obama presidency.
The first nomination of Obama was in October 2009. In October the same year Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize for his effort to reinforce the international diplomacy and the cooperation between people.
In march 2010, "Obamacare" was promulgated, according to numbers, it's allows 20 millions people to have access to health benefit. The next year was marked by the death of Ben Laden during a raid of special forces.
On 6 November 2012 Obama is reelected against Mitt Romney.
In December 2012 it's the Newtown shooting, despite that there is no law against assault rifles.
2013 is known for the movement #blacklivesmatter, in reply to the killing of Micheal Brown by a policeman.
The 26 June 2015 gay marriage is legalize in all United-States.
Another step in international coordination is the agreement Iran concerning nuclear program.
And the most important step in international cooperation is the visit of Obama to Raul Castro in Cuba.
Unfortunately the last big event of the presidency of Obama was the most dramatic shooting in the history of US (Orlando).

Hello everybody,
I will speak about the politics in Canada. Because this topic don’t inspire me, so i choose the country where i will go the next semester. More, i think some people don’t really know how the particular system of Canada operate.
I concentrate my post around the difference with the french’s system. In the first place, the geography of Canada enforce to there country to applicate something else that an unitary system (like France)
So, Canada is a federation and the federate states are called « provinces », with a monarchical framework. (the monarch is Elizabeth II) but the rules are those of a democraty ( election by universal suffrage to elect leaders)
Each provinces has a sovereignty, because the constitution assign of each federate state the power to applicate and adopt, specific rules concerning education, administration of justice, hospitals….
In an authentic federation, the federal government does not impose its desisions to the provinces. That’s why, in the respect of the federalism principles, it is said, that federated state formed a « government order ». It must not associate the canadian federalism to the territorial decentralization.
To respect the constitution, there is a monarch’s representative in each province, call « Lieutenant Governor ».
Elizabeth II is also the monarch of Australia. That all, and i hope that you have learned something !

[quote="Pauline Avril"]
2013 is known for the movement #blacklivesmatter, in reply to the killing of Micheal Brown by a policeman.

You wrong pauline, he was deadly shot in august 2014, by the way there's an amazing tribute done by j.cole, so much wisdom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VzpCmRtCL0

Well now about all these clowns that politicals are, they doing their job. Look at boris jonhson's example, that man wrote two pappers, where in one he's for "bermain" and like two days after he's for "brexit". The funniest is when he had to assume his responsabilities and become GB prime ministre, he leaved the boat as a coward, just as Nigel Farrage "my job is done".

In France, for 2017 presidential elections, ship sailed for Nicolas sarkozy, left wing is completely fucked up and certainly we will have Juppé as France président. Amazing to have a such old président ( 71 years old ) and they still wonder why the youth don't give a f*** about politics

Hello everybody !

For this topic, I will speak of the debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and specifically  in verbals attacks that have engaged the two candidates during the debate.

The debate marked of many bitter polemics, with much nastiness especially said by Donald Trump. The candidate stand up for rape allegation but during the debate, he made macho remark and accused Hillary Clinton to be liars and he attacked himself to put her an awkward situation. He threatened this rival in prison  if he won presidential. Donald Trump hasn't stopped to put her in difficult.

This confrontation between the two candidates didn't benefit for the billionaire who loses votes according to the most recent surveys. Indeed, Donald Trump was too hostile and incoherent whereas Hillary Clinton remained calm and imperturbable.

To the American media, Hillary Clinton comes out victorious struggles.

Luis Ferreira wrote:

Pauline Avril wrote:
2013 is known for the movement #blacklivesmatter, in reply to the killing of Micheal Brown by a policeman.

You wrong pauline, he was deadly shot in august 2014, by the way there's an amazing tribute done by j.cole, so much wisdom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VzpCmRtCL0

Well now about all these clowns that politicals are, they doing their job. Look at boris jonhson's example, that man wrote two pappers, where in one he's for "bermain" and like two days after he's for "brexit". The funniest is when he had to assume his responsabilities and become GB prime ministre, he leaved the boat as a coward, just as Nigel Farrage "my job is done".

In France, for 2017 presidential elections, ship sailed for Nicolas sarkozy, left wing is completely fucked up and certainly we will have Juppé as France président. Amazing to have a such old président ( 71 years old ) and they still wonder why the youth don't give a f*** about politics

What's it like in Portugal Luis?

Léa wrote:Hello everybody !

For this topic, I will speak of the debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and specifically  in verbals attacks that have engaged the two candidates during the debate.

The debate marked of many bitter polemics, with much nastiness especially said by Donald Trump. The candidate stand up for rape allegation but during the debate, he made macho remark and accused Hillary Clinton to be liars and he attacked himself to put her an awkward situation. He threatened this rival in prison  if he won presidential. Donald Trump hasn't stopped to put her in difficult.

This confrontation between the two candidates didn't benefit for the billionaire who loses votes according to the most recent surveys. Indeed, Donald Trump was too hostile and incoherent whereas Hillary Clinton remained calm and imperturbable.

To the American media, Hillary Clinton comes out victorious struggles.

Or cold and uncaring?

Hello,
I post this quote a second time because the first doesn’t work, I’ve just lost 30 minutes and I have to restart !
I don’t really understand politic but in fact, I don’t really interested by politics, I just inform myself for the elections and general knowledge. Every politics have good ideas but those ideas have some compensation and the politic either will not hold the promise because compensation is too hard or the politic will hold the promise but peoples will not satisfied. It become rare that see a French president take a big decision, and satisfied the majority. I believe the president is more in charge to “keeps the boat floating”, and it’s enough harder …
I can’t choose any party like I said before, lot of politics a good idea but in general, I find the extremes too extremes and a “left” who look like the “right”, I don’t see a really difference.
So now, I’m going to read the candidate’s programs, goodbye !