Front(al) assault

[ddstory]

The year is 2017. In the White House, president Donald Trump is preparing his promised bill on barring Muslims from entering the US. Meanwhile, in the Elysee Palace, president Marine Le Pen is announcing a referendum for a Frexit, and reversion to the franc.

Sure, sounds like a mere (dys)topia. But the fact that both Trump and Le Pen are the

Comments

[luzribeiro]

It's a fact that such politicians and parties tend to gain popularity among the, let's call it, intellectually-challenged electorate. Those applauding every piece of turd that Trump vomits are basically the same who used to do the same with Sarah Palin. They're a firm lump of electorate on whom the GOP will be increasingly relying as the demographic pressure mounts upon them with the years. The problem with such firm lumps is, they've got their limits. And they don't have too much potential to expand their influence and gain more support from among other segments, once the general election comes.

Of course, when Hillary demolishes Trump in the general, he'll present it as a conspiracy by the establishment that wanted to suffocate the One True Maverick. Some of us may even nod a bit in feigned sympathy.

[abomvubuso]

Well, seems like Ted Cruz is doing much better among the Tea Party base than Trump is, if that's what you meant by that unflattering qualification.

[mahnmut]

What, another political dynasty? And this one a xenophobic populist one? Great.

[johnny9fingers]

Makes the Plantagents or Tudors seem almost benign.

Or maybe not. :)

[mahnmut]

Whoa, hey, let's not get carried away.

[dreamville_bg]

Ever since World War II, Europe is being gradually and methodically "leftified". We've reached a point where the right has taken the position of the liberals, and in some cases the Trotskyists, which were just a milder version of the Marxists. Where do Merkel, Barroso, Hollande et al fit in that spectrum, what do you think? We've reached the point where the right in Europe is even left-er than the Democrats (i.e. the progressive left) in the US. We've been hearing that the US spectrum is tilted to the right, but could it be the other way around

[ddstory]

The part of your point that agree with is that when the political elite is inadequate in its interaction with the public, then the public would naturally react negatively and want to punish said elite. FN is an embodiment of that disillusion, and unless the political establishment makes their conclusions and takes the necessary measures to amend that, it's going to be beaten up very badly. With unpredictable consequences.

[dreamville_bg]

Merkel was elected Chancellor with the votes of the socialists. There's no way she could be a conservative. The moment she dares to pursue a truly conservative policy, she'll be removed. Sarkozy also became president with the votes of the socialists, who gathered the ranks to vote him, the conservative, in - lest the old Le Pen got the post. No doubt they'll want to repeat the exercise again, but it'll be much more difficult.

[ddstory]

Well, let's take Poland. It's been given as an example of the return of conservatism in Europe.

Well, there's a huge wave of dissent rising in Poland. The biggest since 1989, actually. The policies of the national-conservative government has unleashed a unprecedented rift in the Polish society. Some have even started hushing words like "coup" and "civil war". So there's a reaction to the reaction as well.

[htpcl]

And here I thought our political process was rotten. At least our very own home-grown Le Pens have been successfully drowned out by the ubiquitous apathy that has defined my people's national psyche for, like, forever. I suppose being the ass of Europe has its upsides as well, as bittersweet as they may taste.