Political discussions go here!

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Permalink Reply by Vance Roy on November 10, 2008 at 10:01am

Grand idea! Glad that someone quit complaining about the chats, as if the Gestapo was watching, and came up with what should be very suitable forum. Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Walt Slazyk on November 10, 2008 at 1:16pm

Previously I haven't been very motivated to visit the Café but now I have a poweful incentive. Speaking in general terms, I think Untours attracts a more educated and more open minded group of people than the public at large. People, too, whose thinking is not limited to their own immediate personal pleasure or gain. Just the kind of people with whom to engage in an interesting and informative political discussion. This should be fun.

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Permalink Reply by Laura Locklin on November 12, 2008 at 6:54am

I have always found people overseas much more interested and knowledgeable about our politics than we tend to be about theirs. Back in 1980 English people asked how it was we could elect an actor to the presidency.

Just this year, in Argentina I met New Zealanders in a restaurant (granted they were national politicians, 10 Labourites, who had rented a van and were touring) and we had an extremely lively chat for an hour while waiting to be seated. When I told some Kiwi friends they were all very disparaging about my new acquaintances since it turned out all my "old" friends are Conservatives.

The recent elections were also a hot topic when I was in Ottawa visiting French Canadian friends in June. They and all their friends constantly asked me about the elections. I'm a political junkie so I was very happy to oblige. The internet has really facilitated these discussions.

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Permalink Reply by Vance Roy on November 15, 2008 at 12:16pm

My wife, Barbara, teaches English as a second language in the business school run by Kanton Obwalden in Sarnen. She meets other teachers along the way, and before the election, she ran into a teacher at the Gymnasium (a high school would be the USA equivalent). He asked if she would speak to his history class about the electoral college and the primary system in the USA. She agreed, and the day before the election she gave a presentation using Powerpoint, DVD movies, and such to 45 students in two classes.

Before this took place, she tried her presentation out on her regular business school English students. These people are mostly teachers with graduate degrees who teach at various levels in the Swiss schools. Almost without exception, they said that the presentation was far above the Gymnasium level and were afraid it would be over the heads of all. It was too late to change, so she went ahead.

Much to her surprise, the students (at junior and senior high levels in the USA) grasped the concepts well, and they had many questions regarding the material to demonstrate their comprehension. I wonder how it would go over in an average USA high school. Remember, these students will be voters in a very few years

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Permalink Reply by Walt Slazyk on November 16, 2008 at 11:39am

A letter I mailed today to Frank Deford, the famous sports writer.

Dear Mr. Deford,

Pardon me for responding so late but I wish to thank you for your NPR broadcast of some months ago when you related how minority sports players were partly responsible for Barack Obama’s success. You coalesced and expressed perfectly the thoughts I’ve had for some time.

Like you, I’m not a young man and like you, I’ve seen a lot. I remember when “Negroes” were the men who shoveled coal into our cellars and that’s all I knew. Having left my Chicago home for college in 1966, I remember the shame of seeing on television that priests from my parish were protesting as Martin Luther King Jr. marched through the park where I played ball. I left the church at that point and never went back.

But we’ve seen too, how seemingly small steps lead to big things. Contrary to Al Campanis we have seen men of color answer with their deeds the question of whether a black man can become a quarterback, a coach, a manager, a head coach, and a general manager.

I am proud to say that in the last several years thanks to the leadership of men of color, the city of my birth has produced a World Series winner and a Super Bowl team. I am even more proud to say that the people of the city have embraced those leaders whole heartedly without regard to their race.

There is no doubt in my mind that the successes of these athletes, coaches and managers established in people’s minds, beyond any doubt, that people of color can be as hard working and capable as anyone. Indeed, Barack Obama is in their debt. Indeed, we all are.

Walt Slazyk
Downers Grove, IL.

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Permalink Reply by Vance Roy on December 13, 2008 at 11:38am

Walt, what is your take on the IL govenor and his actions?

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Permalink Reply by Vance Roy on December 13, 2008 at 11:36am

The Swiss have a three part government patterned after the USA. This was done with a constitutional revision sometime in the 1800s. There are legislative, judicial, and executive branches. The most striking difference is that the executive branch is made up of a seven person group known as Federal Councilors. These are men and women elected by a combined session of the Nationalrat (our House of Representatives) and the Standrat (our Senate). They serve at the pleasure of these two bodies and are usually (but not always) reelected until they resign. These seven councilors are in charge of the various departments (economic, defense, treasury, foreign relations, transportation, etc. Each year by their own agreement, one of their number rotates as President of Switzerland. Theoretically, any Swiss man or woman can become a federal councilor if they can obtain enough legislative votes. Their name could be added to a ballot by any member of the legislature up until the third ballot is taken. It takes a simple pleurality to win. Practically, the councilors are members of the four main political parties in Switzerland. These are parties from the far left, middle-left, middle-right, and the far right philosophies. This is to preserve the principle of collegiality, an idea that has served the Swiss well for many years. It means that the executives put forth a consensus arrived at by compromise and not by political infighting. This had been sorely tested when the far right member of this "magic formula" stressed the collegiality idea so much so that he was not re-elected a few years ago. He was replaced by a more moderate woman in his party, and that party kicked her out. She and another councilor in the same party formed another moderate right party.

This past week, a special election was held to fill a councilor position vacated by a man who resigned. He was the councilor in charge of the military and left his post because of no wrongdoing on his part but that of the army chief (hanky panky with some women who complained). In any event, the combined legislature met to relect a new federal councilor. This was of prime interest because he was a member of the newly mentioned moderate right party. It turns out that the far right party had their candidate in the running, and he won the councilor seat by ONE vote. The man who won is a member of the SVP (Swiss People's Party). The SVP is a very conservative group as a rule who want Swiss neutrality preserved, strict limits placed on asylum seekers and other foreign immigrants, and for Switzerland to remain out of the EU. This man was formerly known as the mouthpiece of Herr Blocher, the main guidance of the SVP. He is the same guy who did not get re-elected several years ago. This new man, Ueli Maurer, has been the president of the SVP until recently but is apparently a much more collegial minded politician.

The opinion now is that Maurer will be given a year or so until the next scheduled councilor elections are held to demonstrate his ability to become a part of the "magic formula". Seeing all this played out live on television with my friend, Albert Greutert was a real treat. Swiss politicians began at 7:30 AM and had a done deal before noon. I cannot imagine any USA congressional group getting anything done that early or that fast!

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Permalink Reply by Walt Slazyk on December 13, 2008 at 1:39pm

In regard to Gov. Blagojevich, I have already written to my State Representative to express by support for impeachment proceeding to begin. The Federal Attorneys have been investigating him for many years and now have enough evidence to charge him with a crime or, short of that, disgrace him in the court of public opinion. The Governor has displayed an arrogant attitude for many years, fighting with other members of his party, the legislature, and the press.

Here in Illinois (and especially in Chicago) we are accustomed to politicians giving favors to relatives and supporters. The unions do it, too. The need for a family member or family friend to secure a government or union job is well established and accepted. The general attitude is that, in general, it works. The exchange of favors is accepted as long as it doesn't get out of hand. When the practice becomes excessive, abusive or embarrassing then it is not tolerated. That's what has happened here.

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