So how are y'all preparing for the Apocalypse?

[Matthew Hughes]

99% of people do not see real politics. All they know is media and Internet hysteria.

Maybe in your country. Not in mine.

Our last federal election featured an incumbent party trying to play the Anti-Muslim hysteria card -- hijabs and "barbaric practices. We threw them out in favor of a party that offered diversity and inclusion.

 

[Fish Owl]

Maybe in your country. Not in mine.

you will be surprised.

 

[Matthew Hughes]

you will be surprised.

You're saying you know more about Canadian politics than I do? From reading the internet?

 

[Facing]

Maybe in your country. Not in mine.

Our last federal election featured an incumbent party trying to play the Anti-Muslim hysteria card -- hijabs and "barbaric practices. We threw them out in favor of a party that offered diversity and inclusion.

That's the second time we've thrown that particular party out with s vengeance. You'd think they would learn. They did get to keep official party status this time. Moore's the pity.

 

[Matthew Hughes]

That's the second time we've thrown that particular party out with s vengeance.

Not really. The first time, it was Mulroney's PCs. Today's Conservative Party is really Alberta's old Christian-right Social Credit morphed through several changes of sheep's clothing.

The thing to watch now is whether the CPC will invest their hopes in this Trump wannabe, O'Leary. A know-nothing egotistical business type who can't speak French. If he wins the leadership, the rest of us -- that is the overwhelming majority of us -- will have to come out and put an end to these Socred dinosaurs.

And I'd bet we will.

 

[Facing]

Not really. The first time, it was Mulroney's PCs. Today's Conservative Party is really Alberta's old Christian-right Social Credit morphed through several changes of sheep's clothing.

The thing to watch now is whether the CPC will invest their hopes in this Trump wannabe, O'Leary. A know-nothing egotistical business type who can't speak French. If he wins the leadership, the rest of us -- that is the overwhelming majority of us -- will have to come out and put an end to these Socred dinosaurs.

And I'd bet we will.

I was never a fan of Mulroney but, after years of Harper, I sort of miss him. O'leary is doing well but I keep hoping for someone rational to take the lead. My favourite thus far is Michael Chong but he's not doing very well.

 

[Matthew Hughes]

My favourite thus far is Michael Chong but he's not doing very well.

I think he'll get such a rough ride from the right wing of the party he may decide to cross the floor to the Liberals or sit as an independent.

 

[Fish Owl]

I don't know a lot about Canada, but I do know that people are the same anywhere. And do a lot of same things. In 2013 I too heard a lot of stuff like "we are not aftican barbarians, we are Europeans". It ended up the same. Today USA is on the same very road.

 

[Av Demeisen]

Misconceptions about the direction and consequences of elections in foreign countries are common. On the Guardian's comments sections, for instance, a number of Brits cling to the possibility of Geert Wilders winning next May's election, becoming prime minister and taking the Netherlands out of the EU.

While Wilders' PVV is on course to become the largest party in the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer), he would realistically need an outright majority of 76 to rule alone. This wasn't even achievable for the Christian CDA in its heyday. Currently Wilders is topping around 36 seats in the polls which I believe is not far removed from the upper limit of what he will ever be able to achieve. Even if this upper limit is higher than I expect it to be he will never be able to form a sizeable minority government on his own. Becoming the largest party in an election also does not give one the right to supply the new prime minister for any new coalition. Add to that that all major parties have agreed not to step into a coalition with the PVV and the outcome is clear.

Wilders' will become the largest opposition faction in the Tweede Kamer, he will make more noise than ever, his supporters will feel outraged 'the will of the people' has been ignored. A coalition government of up to five or so parties, more than we have ever had, will be formed, but on the other hand this is something we Dutch are very experienced in.

It will not be us that precipitate the breakup of the EU. The only two major eurosceptic parties are the PVV and the socialist SP, and the SP is not for breaking up the union but for reforming it along more socialist lines and giving some powers back to the national parliaments.

 

[Facing]

Misconceptions about the direction and consequences of elections in foreign countries are common. On the Guardian's comments sections, for instance, a number of Brits cling to the possibility of Geert Wilders winning next May's election, becoming prime minister and taking the Netherlands out of the EU.

While Wilders' PVV is on course to become the largest party in the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer), he would realistically need an outright majority of 76 to rule alone. This wasn't even achievable for the Christian CDA in its heyday. Currently Wilders is topping around 36 seats in the polls which I believe is not far removed from the upper limit of what he will ever be able to achieve. Even if this upper limit is higher than I expect it to be he will never be able to form a sizeable minority government on his own. Becoming the largest party in an election also does not give one the right to supply the new prime minister for any new coalition. Add to that that all major parties have agreed not to step into a coalition with the PVV and the outcome is clear.

Wilders' will become the largest opposition faction in the Tweede Kamer, he will make more noise than ever, his supporters will feel outraged 'the will of the people' has been ignored. A coalition government of up to five or so parties, more than we have ever had, will be formed, but on the other hand this is something we Dutch are very experienced in.

It will not be us that precipitate the breakup of the EU. The only two major eurosceptic parties are the PVV and the socialist SP, and the SP is not for breaking up the union but for reforming it along more socialist lines and giving some powers back to the national parliaments.

I don't know the mood in the Netherlands. The family I have there all sit to to the left so don't think much of Wilders. I see a number of countries seeing a rise in nationalism but I wonder if Trump's antics and their implementation will turn off some of their less solid supporters before the elections in those countries take place.

 

[Av Demeisen]

I don't know the mood in the Netherlands. The family I have there all sit to to the left so don't think much of Wilders. I see a number of countries seeing a rise in nationalism but I wonder if Trump's antics and their implementation will turn off some of their less solid supporters before the elections in those countries take place.

I believe a significant percentage of Wilders voters have dug their heels in and will vote PVV no matter what Herr Trumpler is up to. I am not optimistic Wilders will dive in the polls in the short run. I think even his less than hardcore support derives mostly from unrepentant xenophobes for whom no other issue is more important than immigration and supposed islamisation. That leaves them only with the PVV as a viable option, although the rightwing VVD does dangerously flirt with far right populism and American election antics when it suits them in order to steal voters from the PVV.

 

[Matthew Hughes]

but I do know that people are the same anywhere

Have you traveled much? I've lived in twelve countries and I find that there are substantial differences between cultures.

 

[John William Thiel]

I'm attempting to identify myself with the cosmos so that I can transcend the apocalypse.

 

[John William Thiel]

Oh, you mean the election. I'm preparing for that by forgetting all about the country.

 

[Matthew Hughes]

I'm attempting to identify myself with the cosmos

Does that require picture ID, or will a comprehensive gesture do?

 

[John William Thiel]

Nothing so anthropomorphic, just entering into a psychic state of mind.

 

[Contrarius]

But seriously -- I'm planting a lot more veggies this year, and I'm thinking of having my old fireplace serviced so I can actually burn firewood in it next winter. I have some large oak and hickory trees that need to be taken down anyway, so at least I'd have a start on my own wood. I also may be checking out the feasibility of placing solar panels on my big barn roof, though that's likely to be out of my price range. And I keep threatening to buy a shotgun, though I hate the thought of giving in to the "good guy with a gun" hysteria. I already raise chickens, ducks, and goats, and I already have big dogs, so I'm halfway there already.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Permaculture is a way forward.

 

[Contrarius]

Permaculture is a way forward.

If anyone survives the apocalypse, I've always said it's going to be the Mormons. When I lived in Salt Lake City, every backyard in my area had fruit trees -- and they're serious about stockpiling food and supplies. And they have the right group cohesiveness and belief in hierarchy to make a go of it.

 

[Matthew Hughes]

If anyone survives the apocalypse, I've always said it's going to be the Mormons.

In my first, unpublished, unpublishable novel, the survivors of the apocalypse were Hutterites.