Left Rising.

Written By: - Date published: 2:49 pm, April 23rd, 2017 - 49 comments
Categories: class war, elections, International, Left, political alternatives, Politics - Tags: , , ,

The political landscape in France broadly mirrors that of other western democracies. The parties who claimed to be the parliamentary expression and flag-bearers for labour’s left sentiments abandoned any pretense of supporting even sorely compromised shades of  socialist ideals  some years back, and jumped in bed with liberals, and markets, and finance on the pretext that there was no alternative.

Now in France as elsewhere, the chickens look like they are coming home to roost. People have had enough of the bullshit and are abandoning politic’s banal centre ground. That abandonment’s essentially a death knell for those parties that first of all sold out, and that now seek to cling to the ground, no-one except idiots of mainstream media outlets want to occupy.

So, just as I’d hoped that as a first step towards decency and something better, people would lend Sanders support in the USA; back Podemos in Spain; Syriza in Greece; Cunliffe in NZ; the SNP in Scotland; UK Labour in England and Wales and push Trudeau in Canada lest he embrace the cynicism of the Liberal’s election strategy – so I hope that a majority in France give Melenchon the big tick of approval.

It’s time to take that first step – to choose to move on. The two minute video below is quite fantastic and part of a series of similar productions. If you listen to what is being said, and if you then dare compare it to the messages coming from NZ’s self proclaimed parliamentary left, you might weep for whatever time we might still have to spend being subjected to the pointless politics that’s occasioned by their stupid stumbles in the dark.

(h/t – mauī)

In the years of our immediate future, battles will be lost and potential gains squandered or stolen away (eg – Cunliffe, Syriza). But when we choose to move, it’s not as though our unstoppable force will be encountering any immovable objects. And people are moving.

49 comments on “Left Rising. ”

  • Comments are now closed

    • RightWingAndProud 1.1
      23 April 2017 at 4:14 pm

      And here are a couple of charts.

      http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user5/imageroot/2017/04/19/france%201.jpg

      For President-election we see the centre-left (Hamon) in last place and the right (Le Pen) and centre (Macron) neck and neck at the top with the centre-right (Filon) and far-left (Melenchon) fighting it out just below.

      For voters choice we see Le Pen in first place with the centre-right just below. And about 20 points below them is the centre and far-left with the centre-left in last place.

      Left rising? Technically, yes, but still far behind.

      “Ignoring something is not the same as being able to handle them. If you don’t listen to people on the net, then you wind up in a echo chamber that is not useful.
      We eject the people who violate our rules.”

      • Ad 1.1.1
        23 April 2017 at 7:04 pm

        The hard right (and in a few places extreme left) appear to be rising in most mature democracies except New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. The old world is shrinking fast, and the extremists are winning.

        • Robert Glennie 1.1.1.1
          24 April 2017 at 11:26 am

          The right is in power in Australia and the number of cretins who like Pauline Hanson is rather disturbing.

          They deny climate change is a problem; asylum seekers and refugees are criminals in Peter Dutton’s book and he thinks their human rights don’t exist; Turnbull wants to take $30 billion in funding from Australian schools .

          Problem is Labor are not a lot better. They are similarly screwed on refugees and asylum seekers.

          And neither seem able or willing to give New Zealanders a fair path to citizenship.

  2. Ad 2
    23 April 2017 at 3:17 pm

    He has a good turn of phrase.

    His actual policies, in summary form:

    http://www.euronews.com/2017/04/14/jean-luc-melenchon-what-do-we-know-of-his-policies

    – Renegotiate EU membership, or leave it.
    – Renegotiate the use of the Euro.
    – Reject the CETA agreement.
    – Withdraw from NATO
    – Withdraw from World Bank.
    – Develop closer ties with Russia.
    – Join ALBA, a Cuban-Venezuelan alliance.

    – 173m Euro public spending increase
    – Incomes over 400,000 Euro a year taxed at 90%
    – 16% Minimum Wage rise to 1,326 Euro net per month based on 35 hour week
    – Abolish Hollande’s labour reforms
    – Limit executive pay
    – Lower retirement age to 60 with full pension
    – Separate investment banks from other banking operations

    – Make the right to housing a constitutional right along the lines of the right to property
    – Compulsory national service
    – Nationalise utility companies
    – Ditch all nuclear power and go sustainable

    – Legal status to undocumented migrants who have work

    There’s a few more in there, but that’s some highlights.

    • RightWingAndProud 2.1
      23 April 2017 at 4:51 pm

      So he wants France to withdraw from NATO and join a Cuban-Venuezuelan alliance . I mean Venezuela, the Zimbabwe of central America, and Cuba, the place that never left the 70s. I never thought I’d say this about any politician but he makes Corbyn look like a political genius.

      “Ignoring something is not the same as being able to handle them. If you don’t listen to people on the net, then you wind up in a echo chamber that is not useful.
      We eject the people who violate our rules.”

      • Ad 2.1.1
        23 April 2017 at 4:54 pm

        I know people rarely cast their vote on policies these days, but it’s always good to see what their stated policies are anyway. Takes a fairly small search about Melenchon to figure that there is good debate about his policy positions.

        • RightWingAndProud 2.1.1.1
          23 April 2017 at 5:39 pm

          In the interests of robust debate would you be kind enough to explain, in your opinion, how aligning with Cuba and Venezuela will help the left to rise?

          “Ignoring something is not the same as being able to handle them. If you don’t listen to people on the net, then you wind up in a echo chamber that is not useful.
          We eject the people who violate our rules.”

          • Ad 2.1.1.1.1
            23 April 2017 at 5:56 pm

            I would not have a clue.

            Yourself?

            • RightWingAndProud 2.1.1.1.1.1
              23 April 2017 at 6:36 pm

              I have no idea either which is why if I was a left winger and French I would not be voting for Melenchon.

              “Ignoring something is not the same as being able to handle them. If you don’t listen to people on the net, then you wind up in a echo chamber that is not useful.
              We eject the people who violate our rules.”

              • Ad …
                23 April 2017 at 7:00 pm

                Not sure the point of repeating your quote there.
                Is there something you want to get off your chest?

              • WILD KATIPO …
                24 April 2017 at 1:22 pm

                RightWingAndProud

                Are you a parrot?

                Or just a moron?

                Whats with the continual quote as if that is some sort of established pearl of wisdom that we all have to be grateful for that you have dispensed from on high to us lesser mortals ?

                You really are a drongo , mate.

          • Bill 2.1.1.1.2
            23 April 2017 at 6:59 pm

            No-one has claimed that it would. But joining ALBA could be very useful from the perspective of the few remaining French colonies in the Caribbean, no?

            • Ad 2.1.1.1.2.1
              23 April 2017 at 7:02 pm

              It’ a bit of a mixed bag as a set of ideas, to be kind.

              I can’t even remember the last French President who proposed denationalizing anything. I think it was Mitterand?

              • Carolyn_nth …
                23 April 2017 at 7:09 pm

                Ad, do you mean renationalising anything?

              • Bill …
                23 April 2017 at 7:10 pm

                I guess you mean nationalising. Well, leaving aside the ideological left/right perspectives, if we’re going to do a damned thing in preparation for global warming/climate change, then a a lot f infrastructure is going to have to be scrapped, moved, retro-fitted, built from scratch – and all very quickly.

                Can you envisage ‘the market’ getting up off its butt and doing anything other than exploring how to keep extracting record levels of profit?

                I can’t.

                I’m no statist, but if electrical capacity is going to have to be increased by 3 or 4 fold in the space of a decade or two to cope with the expected demand coming from a huge shift to non-fossil energy….

                • Ad …
                  23 April 2017 at 7:13 pm

                  That’s one small step for statism,
                  One giant leap for mankind.

                • Gosman …
                  24 April 2017 at 3:41 am

                  Ummm… the government can still spend on infrastructure without having to own the businesses that carry out the infrastructure work. Unless you think the State should control any business providing services to the State. Is this what you think ?

      • mikesh 2.1.2
        24 April 2017 at 12:36 pm

        The USA doesn’t like these countries very much. Isn’t that a good enough reason.

    • Stunned mullet 2.2
      23 April 2017 at 5:04 pm

      Nut

  3. ianmac 3
    23 April 2017 at 4:09 pm

    Melenchon’s great speech above was played the other day and how resonant it is. Won’t forget it in a hurry and it is so credible.

  4. Adrian Thornton 4
    23 April 2017 at 4:33 pm

    It has been really interesting following the MSM’s take on the French election, they couldn’t seem to get enough dirty thrills from the possibility of a far right fascist like Le Pen in government (although strangely the coverage hasn’t been all that negative) and so have consequently given her the lions share of ink, while Melenchon has pretty much been ignored until a few days ago.
    Now that Melenchon has surged in the polls, the establishment is really freaked, check out The Herald..
    “Nightmare scenario’ could be looming as France heads to polls”
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11843364

    Yes the possibility of upsetting the markets is a true nightmare to the editors of The Herald..not having a fascist racist xenophobe in the seat of power, it says volumes about the principles and moral codes at the Herald if nothing else.

    • Draco T Bastard 4.1
      23 April 2017 at 6:02 pm

      it says volumes about the principles and moral codes at the Herald if nothing else.

      The NZ Herald and it’s owners only care about the rich and how much they can steal from everyone else thus any swing to actually becoming sustainable and ensuring that everyone can have a reasonable standard of living is anathema to them as it’s threat to that ongoing theft.

      • In Vino 4.1.1
        23 April 2017 at 8:33 pm

        C’est vrai. Vive la révolution!

      • Gosman 4.1.2
        24 April 2017 at 3:45 am

        Yes aligning yourself with successful’ economies like Venezuela and Cuba will really ensure a sustainable future for France. At least the French people will lose weight.

        • One Two 4.1.2.1
          24 April 2017 at 8:21 am

          You left out Zimbabwe ..

          Tell us about successful economies and counter party risk, go on

          You know nothing first hand of the nations you refer to, including France or the people of France

          They’re much smarter than you are, and one of the most left leaning nations

          It matters not the outcome of this election, because France is left and it’s going to rid itself of the parasites

          French people know who they are, and they know who the parasites are..

          • Gosman 4.1.2.1.1
            24 April 2017 at 8:33 am

            What is the unemployment rate in France especially amongst youth?

            • One Two 4.1.2.1.1.1
              24 April 2017 at 9:47 am

              Asking questions in a silo, no context and no equivalence

              As I’ve already said, the people of France are man woman smarter than you…and you know little to nothing other than the lines you’re given to run with which you can gleam from Wikipedia etc

              France has led the way before, and Iceland are leading the way now..France will come after the traitors, they are acutely aware who those responsible are..

              Take your lack of understanding, your agitators instructions sheet and run along..

        • Draco T Bastard 4.1.2.2
          24 April 2017 at 8:57 pm

          It’s more likely to do so than aligning with the wastrels in the US and UK.

  6. One Two 6
    24 April 2017 at 9:51 am

    What about all the ‘Russian interference’..

  7. joe90 7
    24 April 2017 at 3:08 pm

    Hamon and Fillon are calling on their supporters to vote for Emmanuel Macron to block Marine Le Pen.

    https://www.neweurope.eu/article/fillon-hamon-ask-voters-support-macron-second-round/

  8. Skeptic 8
    24 April 2017 at 6:10 pm

    I love the global analysis of the left -right – centre patterns you’ve presented here, Bill. Apart from the idiotic trolling comments – I think you’re onto something here.

    Incidently – DON’T FEED THE TROLLS – please ignore them – DON’T ANSWER THEM – no matter how much you’re tempted.

    It’s clear that the vast majority of people can see that neo-lib and neo-con policies do not work. Only the watchers of the Kardasians and readers of Murdoch still remain self-deluded. When I read David Cunnliffe’s speech, I was very much heartened as he articulated what we Standardists have long known. Having almost finished a review of Labour and Greens background policies leading up to our next election, these policies seem to fit in well with the general trend of the “traditional” left re-asserting itself as a credible alternative.

    However, like France and Britain, I see the real problem as how to get these across to ordinary voters who are (a) blinded by MSM talking heads (who are mere overpaid propagandists), and (b) by and large know no other economic system than “market economy”, that a vote for the right is slow suicide. How do you articulate that simply and effectively?

    I confess i’m at a loss.

  9. Liberal Realist 9
    24 April 2017 at 6:16 pm

    Sadly for France they’re now left with the choice of Globalism or Le Pen.

    You just have to look at Macron’s background at a glance to see that’s he’s a tool of the global financial elite.

    No need to comment on Le Pen…

    That said, Macron may take the presidency but les republicains will likely take the house, therefore control of domestic policy.

  10. timeforacupoftea 10
    24 April 2017 at 6:34 pm

    New Zealands lucky strike – Gerry Brownley our next Trump for sure.