International Politics Thread - Disease and Disaster

[Nintex]

im' about to walk over to the polling place.

I'm still undecided. it's a tough choice.

for me it's either I go center-left with Ciro Gomez. A very intelligent guy but a bit too cozy with the party responsible for this countries problems or I go with Bolsonaro.

We've nearly proven this facade we call life is a simulation brother. We just need one more nutjob in office. 

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/OSCE_RFoM/status/1048960689145090049
Another journalist killed. That makes 3 killed journalists investigating EU corruption who've been offed so far.
She was investigation fraud with EU funds in Bulgaria.

[zepblackstar]

I am shooked

One of Brazil’s most prominent political journalists, Ricardo Noblat, is now reporting that presidential exit polls (which are due out in about 40 minutes) will suggest a first round victory for the far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2018/oct/08/brazil-election-2018-polls-close-after-chaotic-and-unpredictable-campaign-live?page=with:block-5bba781de4b0b8830be6b533#block-5bba781de4b0b8830be6b533

[Assimilate]

I am shooked

One of Brazil’s most prominent political journalists, Ricardo Noblat, is now reporting that presidential exit polls (which are due out in about 40 minutes) will suggest a first round victory for the far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2018/oct/08/brazil-election-2018-polls-close-after-chaotic-and-unpredictable-campaign-live?page=with:block-5bba781de4b0b8830be6b533#block-5bba781de4b0b8830be6b533

Nope.

Now it's a fucking runoff at the end of the month and I'll have sit in that fucking line again.

 I'm now all in on Bolsonaro because the other choice is this fuck Haddad.

[Nintex]

half the vote counted. Bolsonaro might win this outright

https://twitter.com/mialberti/status/1049059047629094913

[zepblackstar]

71% in and he has 48.5%

[Assimilate]

what a turn of events if he won outright but it doesn't look like it will happen

[benjipwns]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/07/world/europe/latvia-election-russia.html

e Baltic state of Latvia, governed since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union by political forces inclined toward Europe and wary of Russia, on Sunday became the latest country whiplashed by rising populism with the announcement of election results that showed strong support for pro-Russia and anti-establishment parties.

The results delivered a serious blow to mainstream politicians and opened the way for coalition talks that, for the first time, could lead to a government that includes Harmony Center, a Moscow-friendly party that until this year had a cooperation agreement with Russia’s ruling party, United Russia.

Not only did Harmony win nearly 20 percent of the vote, the most in the parliamentary election held Saturday, but it was followed in second place by a new anti-establishment party. The party, KPV LV — Who Owns the State — is led by Artuss Kaimins, a flamboyant former actor turned unruly politician whose critics in Latvia deride him as “our Donald Trump.”

Public discontent with Latvia’s traditional parties has been fed in recent months by a series of scandals that have left the governor of the central bank under investigation for corruption and led to the collapse of ABLV, the country’s largest locally owned bank. The United States Treasury issued a report in February describing the bank as a sprawling, money-laundering enterprise.

Nils Usakovs, an ethnic Russian who is mayor of Riga, the capital, and chairman of Harmony, hailed the result and said it opened the door to government for his party. “No coalition combination is possible without Harmony that would appear able and stable,” he told the news agency LETA.

The alternative, Mr. Usakovs said, is “a coalition of xenophobes and gay rights supporters”

[Kara]

Latvia wasn't "populist" when it rendered long-term residents into aliens and curtailed Russian language education in private schools?

[benjipwns]

 

[Rufus]

https://twitter.com/OSCE_RFoM/status/1048960689145090049
Another journalist killed. That makes 3 killed journalists investigating EU corruption who've been offed so far.
She was investigation fraud with EU funds in Bulgaria.

First sentence: Corruption by the EU?
Second sentence: Oh.

[Sman]

Latvia wasn't "populist" when it rendered long-term residents into aliens and curtailed Russian language education in private schools?

Considering their precarious history, I'd argue this was a pretty logical decision on their part. Ditto for Estonia. All within a fairly solid legal framework too.

[Nintex]

The 'problem' in all those countries seems to be the same.

- Widespread corruption by political establishment
- Kinda doing a 'both sides' thing regarding NATO and the Eurasian block
- Fucking over their citizens or a particular group of citizens one way or another

SHOCK AND DISBELIEF as populist outsider ousts the people in power!

[Kara]

Considering their precarious history, I'd argue this was a pretty logical decision on their part. Ditto for Estonia. All within a fairly solid legal framework too.

Populism, logic, and a legal basis for implementing policies aren't mutually exclusive.

[james]

Assimilate is a fascist who hates gays and black people.

I am shocked

[Nabbis]

Baltics are a corrupted shitshow that are kept afloat with EU money.

Estonia and Latvia have cool old towns though, pretty cheap as well.

[Assimilate]

Assimilate is a fascist who hates gays and black people.

I am shocked

woahhhhh what? nice slanderous hot take.

I was having lunch with my godfather today (he's gay) and we both agreed that we would be voting for Bolsonaro in the second round. His exacts words were "sometimes you have to go to bed with the enemy". That's the reality of the situation here.

We have two candidates left and one of them could easily sink this country into a Venezuela type situation. The markets do not want another member from the party responsible for the worst corruption in this country's history (or in any modern country for that matter).

Bolsonaro is a risk, without question but it is a risk this country will unfortunately have to take.

[james]

we both agreed that we would be voting for Bolsonaro

Assimilate is a fascist who hates gays and black people.

I am shocked

[Steve Contra]

Juncker is such a dumb motherfucker.
https://twitter.com/guardian/status/1048500886690041856

The British tabloid press vs. EU technocrats is something no one should have the energy to take a stance on.

[Assimilate]

we both agreed that we would be voting for Bolsonaro

Assimilate is a fascist who hates gays and black people.

I am shocked

James sometimes you have to be an adult and make tough choices.

One day maybe you will understand. it's not all about being offended.

[Stro]

(he's gay)

[Madrun Badrun]

I didn't realize that Assimilate is a fascist who hates gays and black people.  Legit shocked to find someone like that on this forum. 

[james]

hue hue hue fuck the gays hue hue hue

[Assimilate]

what are you going on about you whack job

you libtards are constantly crying over culture wars. enough already.

[curly]

reactionaries always go fash when the alternative is a leftist

hell, they're already killing socialist politicians, wait until Assi's boy gets into power and starts "cleaning up"

[Assimilate]

reactionaries always go fash when the alternative is a leftist

hell, they're already killing socialist politicians, wait until Assi's boy gets into power and starts "cleaning up"

Hopefully he does clean up.

 This woman constantly defended drug criminals under the guise of defending citizens of the favelas. You can hear gun shots ring out in the favelas between gangs which kills more innocent people than any fucking cop ever could. She should have not have been targeted but it is all part of the fucked up situation this place is in. It's a terrible cycle of violence that needs to stop.

Innocent 18 year old girls die for their sell phones here.

You fuckers don't have a goddamn clue

[Nintex]

The choice before Brazil is actually worse than the one the US had with Trump/Clinton.
You're looking at Maduro vs. Pinochet-lite.

On google you find some statistics alright:

Brazil breaks own record for number of murders in single year as deaths hit 63,880

Rapes also up 8 per cent to 60,018, while 4,539 women were murdered, a rise of 6.1 per cent

The left had to replace their candidate a popular former president. Because he's in jail.
Plus they're pretty much going through the worst recession in their economic history.

I can see why they're voting for 'any' alternative.

Oil economy fueled Socialism. Not even once.

[Stro]

If they're anything like Assy, they'll get tired after a month and go eat some cheeseburgers and get distracted by some other shiny thing

[Assimilate]

The choice before Brazil is actually worse than the one the US had with Trump/Clinton.
You're looking at Maduro vs. Pinochet-lite.

On google you find some statistics alright:

Brazil breaks own record for number of murders in single year as deaths hit 63,880

Rapes also up 8 per cent to 60,018, while 4,539 women were murdered, a rise of 6.1 per cent

The left had to replace their candidate a popular former president. Because he's in jail.
Plus they're pretty much going through the worst recession in their economic history.

I can see why they're voting for 'any' alternative.

Oil economy fueled Socialism. Not even once.

It's staggering isn't it?

The best part is the outcry from libs saying that somehow this guy is going to make it all worse, that it's "over" for Brazil, for women, for gays..... like, isn't it already bad? lol where's their heads at? It shows you how fucking delusional they can get simply from being offended by words.

The right mentality is simple. Crack down on crime, grow the economy, let people buy shit so they'll be enjoying themselves too much to do something dumb. People need something to lose, right now people don't have anything, young men have nothing so they take to the streets, they force themselves on everything.

They're also fearless. They know the system is broken and they take advantage of it.

[james]

fAsCism iS enJOyAble

vARgas wAs the BeSt pReSIdEnt

[Assimilate]

 

I just checked, apparently everyone is either hitler or a fascist these days

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/JamesCrisp6/status/1049283494004903936

 

[Sman]

Considering their precarious history, I'd argue this was a pretty logical decision on their part. Ditto for Estonia. All within a fairly solid legal framework too.

Populism, logic, and a legal basis for implementing policies aren't mutually exclusive.

Around these parts, a word like populism is not thrown around dispassionately but as demeaning. My point is the Baltics (mostly Estonia and Latvia here) have limited choices to insure their long-term survival. At least they're not throwing kids in cages.

[shosta]

Saudi dissident possibly killed by government after last being seen in a Saudi consulate in Turkey.

BBC reports: "The country has demanded Saudi Arabia prove he left - despite not giving evidence of the claim he was killed inside."

Uh... 

[Assimilate]

The dollar keeps dropping....

maybe I should indeed vote for the leftist 

[Kara]

My point is the Baltics (mostly Estonia and Latvia here) have limited choices to insure their long-term survival.

My point was that post-Soviet Latvian politics has been about "populism" for much longer than that New York Times article is trying to argue. Curtailing the power of a dominant minority, however justified, is "populism."

[Nintex]

NATO did some war games that concluded that the Baltics could and would not be defended so they've watched their neighbors closely ever since the Russians occupied parts of Ukraine.
Limiting the rights of Russians might've the opposite effect but they wanted to prevent a Russian friendly government inviting over the 'green men' to keep order.

[shosta]

I'm a little late on the Bolsonaro stuff but I suspect if he's elected the country will go down the same path the Philippines has, where Duterte commands strong support and approval but thousands have been killed extrajudicially. I expect crime will go down substantially, and there will be some political kerfluffles that will lead to executions. Increasing security will lead to reinvestment in the country and the economy will probably recover. But with increasing political power will come the recession of hard earned "derechos humanos" that Assimilate derides so frequently. I suppose the risk of that is a tradeoff for Brazilians to make themselves, because what they're witnessing right now is the slow collapse of a state.

[Assimilate]

with increasing political power will come the recession of hard earned "derechos humanos" that Assimilate derides so frequently.

You gotta understand something here - This country, it's people, criminals, thugs, ignorant assholes, no one fears anything. Depending on which part of the country I'm in I usually stay in the nicest areas, and even there there's so few cops around. It can get scary.

As if I t matters because even cops turn to criminals because why not? They go in with good intentions and then realize they can killed easily or be prosecuted for shooting at a fucking thug with a machine gun for so little pay. It gets out of control. The whole system is fucked.

It's weird for me to adopt a Ayn Rand mentality considering I lived most of my life in the States, and would laugh at idiots that thought she was some type of great voice...... but you know what over here it makes fucking sense. There's such a talent drain. Smart decent people in the middle class try to do what they can to bounce the fuck out.

This also probably explains why the country is filled with unbelievably gorgeous women with absolutely stellar bodies and then a bunch of bunk dudes. The decent guys get the fuck out when they can.

Bolsonaro says a lot of dumb shit. He has some really stupid ideas that align with Trump but this is all we have over here folks. Either this guy or someone that can potentially plummet this country into a failed socialist state (which it's getting there already).

[Stro]

Sounds like y'all need Batman

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/dnvolz/status/1050087740685963264

Batman is too busy working for the Russian state rn

[shosta]

After running out of funds to pay his own lawyers, Mr. Glushkov, 68 years old, planned to represent himself, and had amassed tomes on British law and forensic accounting. “This case was his purpose in life,” said Georgy Shuppe, a friend and former business partner. “He was not going to give up.”

On the eve of a preliminary court hearing, Mr. Glushkov stopped answering his phone. When his daughter drove to his house to investigate, she found him inside, strangled to death with a dog leash. Later that night, dozens of antiterror police cordoned off the house and began digging holes in his yard.

In Russia, his death was portrayed by state-controlled media as a homosexual tryst gone wrong.

this belongs in the bad vibes thread.

[Nintex]

The most cynical thing about those Russians dissidents who get killed by Moscow are the 'cover stories' that are cooked up that make it look so obvious that the Kremlin was behind it.

[zepblackstar]

https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1050147756675870721

[Assimilate]

https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1050147756675870721

It's astonishing to me that I can literally ask someone "so, you want to vote for the same party responsible for the biggest corruption and recession in this countries history..."

and then they look at me with a stupid stink face and say something dumb like "uh yeah well it's better than fascism" or "I'm for women rights/gay rights" or some other media manipulated bullshit.

It's so fucking dumb. People are FUCKING DUMB.

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1050147756675870721

It's astonishing to me that I can literally ask someone "so, you want to vote for the same party responsible for the biggest corruption and recession in this countries history..."

and then they look at me with a stupid stink face and say something dumb like "uh yeah well it's better than fascism" or "I'm for women rights/gay rights" or some other media manipulated bullshit.

It's so fucking dumb. People are FUCKING DUMB.

All I'm reading is this guy is helped by Steve Bannon!

If you believe the press, Steve Bannon and Vladimir Putin pretty much run the entire planet with their stooges by now.

[Assimilate]

To be fair there are a lot of similarities in their campaign for president. . They couldn't be more different personality wise though.

I understand people and their concern in voting him in, I totally get the risk, but what is the alternative at this point? It's either him or the party responsible for the catastrophe that is this country.

[curly]

https://twitter.com/andreum/status/1050224596186800130

hOw CaN aNyOnE nOt SuPpoRt BolSoNarO

[Assimilate]

https://twitter.com/andreum/status/1050224596186800130

hOw CaN aNyOnE nOt SuPpoRt BolSoNarO

Ah yes the media doing its liberal media thang.

First, cops never said that. Second, both sides have been violent or are we going to forget the presidential candidate was actually fucking stabbed by a nut bag that opposed him and his party? Third, Bolsonaro already condemned the men and asked for justice.

But ya let's attribute all the extreme crazies out there with whatever party they associate with.

Keep it

 

Curly

[curly]

bOtH SiDeS ArE vIoLeNt

[Raist]

To be fair to the brazilian police, those cunts did fuck it up and carved a sauvastika, not a swastika. It's linked with Kali, so there's that.

[Nintex]

The guy is going to get elected. Throwing a tantrum isn't going to change things. 

[james]

It's astonishing to me that I can literally ask someone "so, you want to vote for the same party responsible for the biggest corruption and recession in this countries history..."

and then they look at me with a stupid stink face and say something dumb like "uh yeah well it's better than fascism" or "I'm for women rights/gay rights" or some other media manipulated bullshit.

It's so fucking dumb. People are FUCKING DUMB.

Youre either a fucking idiot or 16 or both.

Remind me, was the hyper inflation and stagnating economy in Brazils past caused by the big scary communists....

Or the far right military dictatorship?

[Assimilate]

It's astonishing to me that I can literally ask someone "so, you want to vote for the same party responsible for the biggest corruption and recession in this countries history..."

and then they look at me with a stupid stink face and say something dumb like "uh yeah well it's better than fascism" or "I'm for women rights/gay rights" or some other media manipulated bullshit.

It's so fucking dumb. People are FUCKING DUMB.

Youre either a fucking idiot or 16 or both.

Remind me, was the hyper inflation and stagnating economy in Brazils past caused by the big scary communists....

Or the far right military dictatorship?

What does that have to do with anything you fucking shit brain? Stagnation and inflation has also happened under democracy in the United States and across Europe and no one is electing the Brazilian dictatorship from the past into office right now lolll wtff lol

I love how libtarsds throw out these irrelevant statements "but but what about hitler!" uhhh?? what? what does hitler have to do with a guy in Latin America 50+ years later? lol

[james]

It's astonishing to me that I can literally ask someone "so, you want to vote for the same party responsible for the biggest corruption and recession in this countries history..."

and then they look at me with a stupid stink face and say something dumb like "uh yeah well it's better than fascism" or "I'm for women rights/gay rights" or some other media manipulated bullshit.

It's so fucking dumb. People are FUCKING DUMB.

Youre either a fucking idiot or 16 or both.

Remind me, was the hyper inflation and stagnating economy in Brazils past caused by the big scary communists....

Or the far right military dictatorship?

What does that have to do with anything you fucking shit brain? Stagnation and inflation has also happened under democracy in the United States and across Europe and no one is electing the Brazilian dictatorship from the past into office right now lolll wtff lol

I love how libtarsds throw out these irrelevant statements "but but what about hitler!" uhhh?? what? what does hitler have to do with a guy in Latin America 50+ years later? lol

Read over what you wrote, sit down, write it out on paper, and then think a bit.

Maybe youll see it

[Assimilate]

Yeah, libs are dumb all over the world. They think any opponent they do not like is automatically Hitler or a fascist. It's a cliche at this point.

[Kara]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/13/world/americas/colombia-farc-government-war.html

[HardcoreRetro]

Assimilate is a fascist who hates gays and black people.

I am shocked

woahhhhh what? nice slanderous hot take.

I hate how nobody pointed out that slander is a spoken thing. It's libel when it's written.

[Broseidon]

https://twitter.com/Ahmadinejad1956/status/1051937106392752129

[Rufus]

Who the hell runs this account for him?