Norway's Red Dawn

[bjornart]

Why would the government get the boot?

Isn't Norway the #1 place to live according to the UN?

Sheesh...Some people are never happy!!!

Is Norway bucking the Scandanavian liberal trend?

hmmmm...

The liberal trend (Scandinavian definition) is actually what gave the government the boot. The old government was a minority government with the Conservative, Liberal and Christian Democratic parties. (Never mind the names, they're the central-right of Norwegian politics.) It ruled with support from the Progressive Party (which is the furthest right you can get in Norway... except their populist nonsense makes it a bit confusing), but they weren't allowed to play at governing, because they're very much not really friends with the Liberal and CD parties. Even so, they (and when I write 'they' or 'the Progressive Party' I mean Carl I. Hagen, party leader since... forever) started the campaign by saying "everyone on the right should play nice, not talk dirt about one another, and concentrate on beating the lefties." Then halfway through the campaign he (i.e. they) suddenly threw a fit, and declared that no matter what he wouldn't support a continuation of the current government with the current prime minister (Kjell Magne Bondevik, CD party). This sort of messed up the whole campaign for everyone not on the left, except for the Progressive Party who got the best result ever, mainly because they want to use all our oil money for health care, the elderly and free petrol, and lower all taxes.

 

[Jaggy Bunnet]

Why would the government get the boot?

Isn't Norway the #1 place to live according to the UN?

Sheesh...Some people are never happy!!!

Is Norway bucking the Scandanavian liberal trend?

hmmmm...

How can Norway possibly be the best place in the world to live when beer is so expensive?

Visited last week to watch the football and was so shocked by the prices I had to have a drink to recover.

 

[Bjorn]

The liberal trend (Scandinavian definition) is actually what gave the government the boot. The old government was a minority government with the Conservative, Liberal and Christian Democratic parties. (Never mind the names, they're the central-right of Norwegian politics.) It ruled with support from the Progressive Party (which is the furthest right you can get in Norway... except their populist nonsense makes it a bit confusing), but they weren't allowed to play at governing, because they're very much not really friends with the Liberal and CD parties. Even so, they (and when I write 'they' or 'the Progressive Party' I mean Carl I. Hagen, party leader since... forever) started the campaign by saying "everyone on the right should play nice, not talk dirt about one another, and concentrate on beating the lefties." Then halfway through the campaign he (i.e. they) suddenly threw a fit, and declared that no matter what he wouldn't support a continuation of the current government with the current prime minister (Kjell Magne Bondevik, CD party). This sort of messed up the whole campaign for everyone not on the left, except for the Progressive Party who got the best result ever, mainly because they want to use all our oil money for health care, the elderly and free petrol, and lower all taxes.

That explains it all ....

 

[Luke T.]

The second largest party after this election is the Progressive party. They're pro-USA, pro-NATO and pro-Israel. They're also anti-imigration, anti-muslim, populist morons who want to spend more and tax less.

Ah. Republicans.

 

[RandFan]

Ah. Republicans.

I had the exact same response but lacked the chutzpa to say so.

 

[Ryokan]

Is Norway bucking the Scandanavian liberal trend?

Do note that liberal means something entirely different in Norway and Europe than it does in the US.

European Liberalism :

A political theory founded on the natural goodness of humans and the autonomy of the individual and favoring civil and political liberties, government by law with the consent of the governed, and protection from arbitrary authority.

American Liberalism :

Not Conservative.

Edited for typos

 

[RandFan]

American Liberalism: Not Conservative

Depends on who you ask. To some the definition would be "communist", anti-American, anti-family, anti-hot dogs, anti-apple pie, anti-freedom fries.

 

[Ryokan]

Which was my point, RandFan. European politics has a lot more shades and degrees, while American politics is pretty dualistic.

 

[Mike B.]

Do note that liberal means something entirely different in Norway and Europe than it does in the US.

European Liberalism :



American Liberalism :



Edited for typos

I am aware of that.

I say this because Denmark has re-elected the Liberal Party and its partners, I think for the first time ever.

Also, I believe the Scandanavian countries are with the UK in backing greater liberalization of labor practices, etc. in the EU.

Of course being liberal is all relative...

 

[Mike B.]

The liberal trend (Scandinavian definition) is actually what gave the government the boot. The old government was a minority government with the Conservative, Liberal and Christian Democratic parties. (Never mind the names, they're the central-right of Norwegian politics.) It ruled with support from the Progressive Party (which is the furthest right you can get in Norway... except their populist nonsense makes it a bit confusing), but they weren't allowed to play at governing, because they're very much not really friends with the Liberal and CD parties. Even so, they (and when I write 'they' or 'the Progressive Party' I mean Carl I. Hagen, party leader since... forever) started the campaign by saying "everyone on the right should play nice, not talk dirt about one another, and concentrate on beating the lefties." Then halfway through the campaign he (i.e. they) suddenly threw a fit, and declared that no matter what he wouldn't support a continuation of the current government with the current prime minister (Kjell Magne Bondevik, CD party). This sort of messed up the whole campaign for everyone not on the left, except for the Progressive Party who got the best result ever, mainly because they want to use all our oil money for health care, the elderly and free petrol, and lower all taxes.

Thanks for the info.

 

[RandFan]

Which was my point, RandFan. European politics has a lot more shades and degrees, while American politics is pretty dualistic.

I agree. I was just backing you up and further poking fun at the extreme and silly notions about liberals. I also like to point out to my conservative friends that their hero Orwell was a socialist.

 

[delphi_ote]

WOLVERINES!

Gah! You people got no style.

 

[DanishDynamite]

Monday september 12th we had a parliament election here in Norway.

The results are now in, and although it was a very close call, the parliament majority went to the red-green alliance, which consists of Labour (62 seats), The Socialist Party (15 seats) and the Center Party (11 seats). (Total = 169 seats)

What follows now is that these three parties will get together and agree on politics, then form a new administration.

Now, although Labour is huge compared to the other two parties, an agreement on politics is essential to get majority in the parliament to form the administration.

There's some obstacles to that, though. And many of those obstacles come from the Socialist party, who, amongst other things, have in their program that 'USA is the biggest threat to world peace'.

As well as being extremely anti-USA, they are also anti-NATO, anti-Israel and anti-EU.

I guess Norway now can start to say farewell to all our friends in the world.

Signed, Comrade Ryokan.

My condolances, Comrade.

However, I don't think you'll be losing all that many friends, even with the current administration. Remember, you have oil in abundance and over a trillion crowns ($200 billion) in your oil fund.

Money buys or retains a lot of friends.

 

[peptoabysmal]

Hey, we've got all that oil, you know, being the third largest oil exporting country, so we're all expecting someone to come for our 'weapons of mass destruction' at any time

OK fess up. You've been hanging out with Hugo Chavez again, haven't you?

 

[Freakshow]

Gah! You people got no style.

I knew EXACTLY what you were talking about!

Man, that movie was great. A horribly under-rated movie. Of course, it has been a LONG time since I've seen it. Don't know if I'd still like it now or not.

 

[Freakshow]

...the natural goodness of humans...

 

[PogoPedant]

Don't laugh too hard. The liberalism Ryokan described is the kind of political thought that spawned what americans call conservatism (at least from an economic angle). The idea is basically that the government should leave the people alone as much as possible, because people are capable of handling themselves.

 

[Ryokan]

The idea is basically that the government should leave the people alone as much as possible, because people are capable of handling themselves.

Yes, religious, political and economical freedom is the core of (European) liberalism, and the values that lie at the core of the founding and the constitution of the United States of America.

 

[Freakshow]

Don't laugh too hard. The liberalism Ryokan described is the kind of political thought that spawned what americans call conservatism (at least from an economic angle). The idea is basically that the government should leave the people alone as much as possible, because people are capable of handling themselves.

That's not the "goodness" of humans. I interpreted the statement to mean a belief in a well-intentioned, well-meaning, generous, and all around "nice" nature of humans. I could have misinterpreted it.

I definately believe that government should leave people alone as much as possible, and that people are mostly capable, if either allowed to or forced to, of taking care of themselves. But this also means low social-spending, which requires low taxes.

But as for human nature being "nice"...no, not by a long shot.

 

[Ryokan]

I definately believe that government should leave people alone as much as possible, and that people are mostly capable, if either allowed to or forced to, of taking care of themselves. But this also means low social-spending, which requires low taxes.

Which is why small government, privatization and low taxes are important (European) liberal issues

As I've said before, what you Americans call liberalism is NOT the same as what we Europeans call liberalism.