Europe's Socialists Overjoyed at Democrat Victory

(By Ray D.)

Social Democrat Martin Schulz is a man of little shame. For only a man of little shame could claim that Germany's Social Democrats have "worked hard to prevent the widespread desperation among European citizens, caused by the aggressive policies of the Bush administration, from turning into a naked, entirely unjustified anti-Americanism." (Read the entire article German.)

One has to ask: Is there such a thing as justified anti-Americanism?

But beyond that: Sometimes you really just have to laugh at the monumental hypocrisy of people like Mr. Schulz. For years, his party has failed to condemn or so much as utter a peep of protest as mountains of the most vile and repulsive anti-Americanism polluted the German media landscape. Not one member of the SPD condemned IG Metall when it ran a magazine cover depicting Americans as bloodsucking insects. During the 2002 and 2005 elections, the SPD shamelessly took advantage of anti-American sentiment, going so far as to exploit the images of dead Americans on their campaign posters. Gerhard Schroeder used Hurricane Katrina to shamelessly promote his big government worldview. Yet Mr. Schulz expects us to believe the disingenuous claim that his party worked "very hard" to prevent anti-Americanism. The opposite is true: Mr. Schulz's Social-Democrats have worked very hard to spread (or at least ignore) anti-Americanism over the past six years in Germany. After all, it's helped them win key elections for decades now.   

And Mr. Schulz has another message for America: Europe's Socialists are overjoyed to have the Democrats and Nancy Pelosi as their new partners. Schulz, who is head of the 201 Socialist representatives in the European parliament, gushed his congratulations in a letter to the future House Speaker:

"Your victory has made it possible for the United States and Europe to renew their partnership and to create a dynamic and progressive agenda for global, peaceful development."

Can't you just feel the love American friends? Europe's Socialists accept you again. Let's all cuddle...

Update: Apparently, Germany's Socialist aren't the only ones thrilled with the election results. Al-Qaeda in Iraq is also hailing the outcome.

Update #2: Howard Dean and the Dems are getting cozy with Europe's far-left. See Europe's Socialists Overjoyed at Democrat Victory: Part II

Comments

[joe]

friends have to support friends.

[Scott_H]

I said this in a previous comment, but perhaps it bears repeating just to remind folks that the US does not have a Parliamentary system. Despite the fact that the US Congress will be led by Democrats, who won a majority by the slimmest of margins (they have a majority by one Senator in the Senate), George Bush is still the President of the US -- and will be for the next 2 years. Our Congress does not decide who the President is going to be, the "people" do (I know, Electoral College, and all that junk, but you know what I mean).

So, Mr. Schulz and his comrads will still have to deal with a Republican Bush Administration, not with the Democrats. I'm not sure he really understands how things work in the US. If he did, he probably wouldn't be so overjoyed.

[Quo Vadis]

Not being a particular fan of the Bush administration, part of me would be willing to sacrifice them to ease the tensions with Europe, much as a parent might sacrifice a chocolate chip cookie to silence an hysterical child.

The other part of me would like to say to Mr. Schultz in the fullest and roundest of tones: Fuck you, Sir and everything you represent.

[WhatDoIKnow]

entirely unjustified anti-Americanism

Now I am confused; I need an EU deep thinker to explain things to me. We were told for years that there is no anti-Americanism in Germany, there is only strong Bush dislike. Now suddenly there is anti-Americanism. What a heck is going on?

I would appreciate any of the German MSM appologizers who comment on DMK (they know who they are) to lay out things for the feeble minded. Is there or isn't there blind anti-Americanism in Germany?

It looks like there is something to the accusation that the German MSM acts the way it does not out of "sensationalism" (as per DMK commenter Stagger Lee), but out of "ideology" (as per German MSM journalist Eberhard Piltz).

And Mr. Schulz has another message for America: Europe's Socialists are overjoyed to have the Democrats and Nancy Pelosi as their new partners

Jorg was saying in another thread that the world will blame the US if the US retreats from Iraq hastily, leaving chaos behind. This makes sense. Jorg was also saying that the world expects the US to fix Iraq. This makes sense too. Jorg said that Germans want the US to succeed in Iraq. Hmmm, OK, let's say that's true...

Do Germany's Socialists know that Nancy Pelosi would like to retreat from Iraq, leaving almost certain chaos behind? If they know that, and I don't know how they could *not* know that, how does this reconcile with their alleged desire for US's succes in Iraq?

Will Germany's Socialists blame the Democrats for the negative consequences of a premature withdrawal from Iraq? Or will they blame... drum roll... Bush? I guess everyone knows the answer to this question (except Jorg, Stagger Lee and a few others).

[Dan Kauffman]

I have some news for those with the attitude

""Your victory has made it possible for the United States and Europe to renew their partnership and to create a dynamic and progressive agenda for global, peaceful development."

Yes the election was a Democratic Party Victory, but I think if one checks the Republican Party's position in the House they will find it much better than Reagon's during both of his terms and the Senate numbers about what they were for half of that time.

Controling majorities in both halves of one of the 3 co-equal branches of the Government gives a Party Power, but they do not Govern, they participate in the Government.

They are going to have to Stand and Deliver or face a backlash in two years.
There are runours that the next chairman of the Republican Party may be Michale Steele, that will be as Historic as Pelosi being Speaker of the House.

The Great Party Chairman Face Off
Now this could really make the next two years interesting. Howard Dean and Michael Steele faced off at ten paces across the American Political Landscape

[WhatDoIKnow]

Will Germany's Socialists blame the Democrats for the negative consequences of a premature withdrawal from Iraq? Or will they blame... drum roll... Bush? I guess everyone knows the answer to this question (except Jorg, Stagger Lee and a few others).

I didn't make this clear enough - I meant to say that of course that Jorg, Stagger and others will blame Bush.

[Carl Spackler]

It seem historically and world wide that the first principle of leftist argument is to lay down or create a image of hate by various techniques. Once this is established in the readers/audience/citizens mind then the argument can proceed. Naturally leftist outcomes are the most reasonable and logical since they have established that the argument will accept their leftist premise.

In this case the lefty logic goes Bush badàBush lose to DemocratsàNot all Americans badàDemocrats not Bush must be good. For now. The lefty/euro machine will recycle and the process will continue. The only lefty logic relief from this is to become exact replicas of lefties as of course they are good. That is unless one gets into a inter lefty argument cycles like National Socialism vs. International Socialism vs Stalinism vs Leninism vs Trotskyites vs …….and on and on and on.

Half of us are seriously onto this leftist Mau-mauing, and of course we are bad, bad, bad.

[Jake]

As per a recent post at the Brussels Journal, Germans and Europeans in general need to appreciate the anti-European sentiment that is becoming more and more pervasive in the United States. Many people here in the US (myself included) would be very reluctant to come to Europe's aid if, after a quick US exit from the Middle East, all hell broke loose and spread into the European Islamic communities. After years of anti-American rhetoric (a sentiment that existed well before Bush took office), we would be just as happy to continue concentrating our efforts on securing a strong mercantile relationship with the booming Asian economies and be satisfied to see the stagnant European economies stew in their own anti-American juices.

[Aquarian]

Ah the light at the end of the tunnel beckons:

1) the unsavory association of anti-walmart unions,
George Soros' MoveOn.org and Democrats before all else
suggest (EU: finally, things are coming true!) a trifecta
of Demo Senate, House and President.

2) then if the US really does suck up on the global warming
juice and do something really really stupid

3) then maybe Germany and the rest of the high welfare EU states
can maybe find their trade goods not too expensive compared to the
US goods

4) and then maybe they can find growth in some place other than
the hold-your-nose-and-suck-up-to-the-shits like in Iran and the
now transformed Iraq. But with the Demo's wimp factor, at least these
well tested avenues promise to open up again.

5) and there's the wonderful thought that the US will enact trade barriers
with China and force greater consumption of union made US goods then the US
might just tip into a recession/depression that will guarentee Demos for a
generation or two. Need one make notice that US trade goods would start to
look as (or even more) expensive as Germany's? The EU four can only hope.

[PamM]

@Jake

As per a recent post at the Brussels Journal, Germans and Europeans in general need to appreciate the anti-European sentiment that is becoming more and more pervasive in the United States. Many people here in the US (myself included) would be very reluctant to come to Europe's aid if, after a quick US exit from the Middle East, all hell broke loose and spread into the European Islamic communities. After years of anti-American rhetoric (a sentiment that existed well before Bush took office), we would be just as happy to continue concentrating our efforts on securing a strong mercantile relationship with the booming Asian economies and be satisfied to see the stagnant European economies stew in their own anti-American juices.

You won't get any argument from me. Western Europeans enjoyed American protection after WWII and during the Cold War years. Since they didn't have to spend those years defending themselves from the Soviets, it became quite easy for them to believe that they were above such unsavory practices as war, and look down their noses at those churlish American yokels. I liken it to teenagers who, not having the same responsibilities as their parents, think themselves as superior until they have to face life on their own.

Thomas Sowell has written a wonderful article along these lines:
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2006/11/09/where_is_the_west

Europe wants us to stay quiet until it's time to open the pursestrings for financial aid and, if the situation warrants, our military to come in and clean up the mess. They expect us to play "Mother May I?" when it comes to American foreign policy, yet would laugh if we asked for a similar "courtesy."

I say cut 'em loose. They don't like us? Fine. We've done quite nicely for ourselves, and except for the leftwing elitists, really don't shed a tear when we hear of anti-Americanism overseas. Let the kids take care of themselves.

[blue]

Here are some German articles from the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung which I found worth reading:

Stimmung gegen Bush (06.11.2006)

Bushs größtes Debakel (09.11.2006)

Fade Genugtuung (09.11.2006)

Sorry, no English version.

[Jake]

@PamM

You said it better than I. Thomas Sowell is a national treasure, his book "Race and Culture" being my favorite.

Jake

[Mike H.]

The first that Pelosi insults Europe by not kowtowing, it'll change back to anti-America from anti-Bush. The honeymoon should be short and sweet, then acrimonious once more.

[Mike H.]

BTW this is the original Mike H. who is Mike B H now

[Pat Patterson]

I predict that Germans will be in for the same kind of let down over the Democrats performance as the Americans are with the CDU and Angela Merkel. Maybe neither can do much lasting damage.

[LC Mamapajamas]

Mike... I think you're absolutely right about that.

One of the things they aren't "getting" in Europe is that the Democrat majority is SO razor-thin, they're not likely to accomplish anything even if they win the White House in 2008.

One of the peculiar things about this election is that a great many of the Democrats who won Senate and House seats won BECAUSE they ran right of the Republican candidate. If those people expect to get re-elected, they had BETTER stick to the promises they ran on. If they don't, the new House electees will be back out on the streets in 2008, the senators in 2012.

I predict that Pelosi will NOT be able to accomplish anything on her agenda, except possibly not making the tax cuts permanent (they will go away just from neglect), and that Congress will be in gridlock until one or the other party gets a more substantial majority.

[jlwb]

Considering how hard the islamofascists are trying to blow up a lot of people at one time, they will probably have some positive results.
Has it dawned on everyone that the targets will be Europe, NYC, LA, San Francisco, etc. In the USA we may not have to worry about the next elections. Fewer Dems voting. I find this the saddest of all. Those who are most in danger don't even see the danger!

[Scott_H]

@LC Mamapajamas, you hit the nail on the head. Many of the "new" Democrats won because they espoused positions that were more "moderate" than what the current Republicans had given us. In effect, they won because they were more Republican than the current Republicans. The question now is, will they remain true to the principles on which they ran, or will they give in to Pelosi and the rest of the old-line liberal Democrat cabal?

"I predict that Pelosi will NOT be able to accomplish anything on her agenda, except possibly not making the tax cuts permanent (they will go away just from neglect), and that Congress will be in gridlock until one or the other party gets a more substantial majority."

Ah, yes -- gridlock. Now, the question is, who will be more successful at placing "blame" for the inaction come 2008?

I think the bottom line is that anyone outside the US expecting any significant changes after this election is going to be sorely disappointed. Any actual changes are likely to be symbolic, at best.