De Lokale Politiek

Elections were held here recently. On a Sunday not a Tuesday. You may find it interesting (or frightening) to know that it's mandatory to vote here. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. I shudder to think all voters are as uninformed as me yet still forced to punch out a chad using criteria such as:

"You can't go wrong voting solely in alphabetical order, right? No one names a politician Xavier."

or

"Do I want to vote for someone named Bambi or Skeeter? Tough choice."

or

"I'm not about to vote for someone whose campaign signs were in fuschia. That's so . . . reddish-pink."

You know, important issues like these.

About a month or so prior to an election here, flyers go out and billboards go up. Unlike in the U.S. where it can (correction "does") go on for years, here it's fairly short and sweet. Well, short, but not so sweet from what I can see.

Like in the U.S., politics "is what it is" here too. The new guy (or vrouw) is going to solve all the worlds problems or at least the ones the voters care about. At the moment. Nothing new here either. However, the topics are slightly different and it seems the politicians are slightly different as well.

Here's what I mean.

First, the majority of the candidates are not beautiful with perfect hair and teeth. Now, I know not all candidates in the U.S. are lovely, but for the most part, they are. Or at least filthy rich which equals lovely, doesn't it?

Second, the issues include things like:

"Geen Turkije in de EU"

Translation: "No Turkey in the EU".

Turkey is a meat served at Thanksgiving and also a country. I found it impossible to locate a turkey at Thanksgiving so I must assume this campaign shout-out refers to the meat and not the country.

and

"Stop immigratie-invasie, asielmisbruik en islamisering"

Translation: "Stop immigration invasion, asylum abuse, and Islamization"

I think most Turks are Muslim. As I've said before . . . Gotta hate somebody, right? Or at least be ignorant and fearful of them.

and

They even use the U.S. as an example.

Another campaign flyer had this - (translation via Google): "The world has made it possible for a global housing crisis in the United States could grow into a global banking crisis"

Yeah, that's the translation and yeah, it most definitely could grow into that.

and

"Ziekte mag geen pijn doen in de portemonnee"

Translation: "Disease should not hurt the wallet"

and once again using the U.S. as an example.

Translation via Google: "The personal intervention of chronic patients in their health, the pain threshold. We slip off to the U.S. situation: who has a lot of money, is first in line and get the best care. Our position is clear: to fall ill should not hurt the wallet. Everyone has the right to affordable and quality care."

Well, who can disagree with that. Answer: the ones paying the bill, I suppose. Everyone most certainly has the right to affordable and quality care, but do we have to pay for it?

and

"Het gezen: Hoeksteen van onze samenleving"

Translation: "The family as the cornerstone of our society"

This rhetoric even works over here.

and other slogans like:

"honest and trustworthy"

"the situation is serious but not hopeless"

"fair taxes"

"decent pension"

Sound familiar?

Guess it really is a small world after all.