Elections.

Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 8 June 2009 in Documentary & Street.

So Europe has elected its new parliament. Lame political parties, big-headed politicians, missing discussions on a decaying political culture that neglects closeness and responsiveness to people, an ever-growing political apparatus of arguable legitimacy that takes over grown structures.

It's a mess. Germany's liberal party positioned an attractive blonde (neo-liberal, ex-lobbyist, mother) who got into trouble because of some 'irregularities' in her attendance time during parliament sessions. She hired some lawyers who sued anybody who tried to shed light on this little affair; she issued two affidavits, declaring she was more present during sessions than the official statistics published by the EU parliament told so; she was putting pressure on EU officials to have these statistics 'corrected'. A little scandal that met almost no response in German mass media (except for one newspaper that reported on this issue; the liberal lady tried to prohibit this, but lost this case). Today, her party was among the winners of the election, the ugly affair is forgotten.

Other politicians feel like winners, because their parties didn't lose that many votes as expected - ignoring the fact that they all are losers: the voter participation barely exceeded 40 per cent in Germany. Some bugbears are entering the chairs of the parliament, but the old networks are still working, mixed with attractive blondes who survived a few scandals, it's business as usual, while billions of tax money keep flowing and politicians work hard for the further cutback of civil rights.

(Location: Via Cola di Rienzo, Rome, seen from Pincian Hill)

Download my coffee-table book of selected postings here. Enjoy!

Comments (10)

Steven from Chicagoland, United States

It's nice to see a photo shot of things below. You're one who usually likes to take shots of things above. :-) Not too many SUV's out and about that day.

8 Jun 2009 1:34pm

@Steven: Fortunately SUV's were never that popular in Europe than elsewhere. But big cars don't make sense in cities like Rome: at rush hour streets are that jammed that a scooter is the only possible way to quickly move through the city. Quite incredible, a city full of small cars, and it's still way too much.

Twelvebit from Victoria, United States

I love elevated street shots like this one.

Here, and there, the criminal class in power is asserting itself in the most outrageous ways, and for the most part, getting away with it. My inclination is to call the media complicit or even subordinate, but as my son has pointed out to me, it probably doesn't make much difference one way or the other. For instance, many parts of the media in the UK clearly understand how their government works, and despite the fact that this understanding is communicated to the public in a number of ways, the UK actually seems to be worse off than the US, where the media and the public are almost completely clueless.

People are complacent, and so far, in spite of everything, they haven't felt enough consequences to shake their complacency. Our elites are cocky and arrogant as a result, and I think this has led them to act with increasing impunity. If things don't come apart they may get away with it all. However, if things do come apart, the backlash engendered may be fueled by a rage that is way beyond anything they can have reckoned.

Knowing you've been screwed while maintaining your middle class existence makes it easy to rationalize inaction. But if the criminals running our countries miscalculate to the extent that such an existence disappears for enough people in a short enough period of time, there may be blood in the streets.

8 Jun 2009 4:37pm

@Twelvebit: First off, many thanks for this whopping amount of comments! Much appreciated, comrade, I'll reserve that nice house for you! :-)
I hope that intelligence hasn't disappeared completely. There are still a lot of good people, and sometimes even corrupt newsmags feature a well researched article. If this only would happen more often! At present, we're ruled by politicians who represent many people very well: disinterested, greedy, narrow-minded, maybe a reason why western societies didn't fall apart completely so far. There isn't even a 'diabolic intelligence', no bad mastermind who tries to rule the world - the few who would like to be sort of Dr. No are just caricatures. (Don't bother, Kim Jong-Evil!) If times would be 'normal' this could go on for a while even further.
But you mentioned the rage. Yes, it's there, and it's among young people. But apart from a few globalization critics (usually middle class people), most of them are rather apolitical. Usually it just needs a small spark to let their aggression come out (the soccer team of my city promoted to a higher league, a memorable event that ended in various battles between policemen and fans). They have no other means of articulation than their physical power, driven by alcohol. It's just a matter of time when the first one gets killed.

MaryB from Staffordshire, United Kingdom

I've alway's said you never see or hear of a poor politician. Some of the stories that have come out here about expenses are totally mind blowing, like the one that accidentally claimed for having his mote cleaned! a costly (to the tax payer, that is) accident.
Anyway back to your post, a fine view you had from up there, even if the weather wasn't being kind to you that day.

8 Jun 2009 7:11pm

@MaryB: Thanks, Mary! It's true, I've heard about politicians who preferably feather their own nest, bringing interesting headlines from the UK into my mind. :-) How low can they go?

Tracey from Maryland, United States

Wow! Everything looks very chaotic there with this street scene. Cars are going this way and that.

8 Jun 2009 7:31pm

@Tracey: Well - it's Italy! ;-)
Just kidding, this is correct, there are no marked lanes, so you may drive intuitively. But most of the time (especially in the afternoon) these streets are completely jammed.

Laurie from New Jersey, United States

Beautiful view here.

It sounds so much like politics here. One party seems to get glamorized and adored by a compliant media while the other cannot even sneeze without there being accusations and threatened investigations. For one side all the scandals get swept under the rug.

8 Jun 2009 7:58pm

@Laurie: So it is, especially one of our best political magazines had a dramatic decline in quality within the last ten years. It's always hurting browsing through today's issues. Witty coverages, great documentations, all gone. The rest is propaganda.

António Pires from Lisbon, Portugal

Similar situation in here (around 40% participation) but without attractive blondes.

8 Jun 2009 8:28pm

@António Pires: Look for Mrs. Koch-Mehrin - she's got her seat in the parliament now.

dj.tigersprout from New York City, United States

ooh -- a faaabulous view and pov!! wonderful angle of height!!

10 Jun 2009 3:57am

@dj.tigersprout: Just a few steps away from where I took this shot.

xavier cardell from menorca-barcelona, Spain

Good composition. Very expressive of the caos. A photo that tells.

11 Jun 2009 1:13pm

@xavier cardell: Glad you like it, Xavier! You should see this street at rush hour! :-)

Laurent from Lyon, France

well sorry I don't fell ready to read all that text today ;o) but regarding the picture, I like the nice perspective made but the avenue and the foreground obelisk

11 Jun 2009 6:29pm

@Laurent: You're welcome! :-)

akarui from Kagoshima, Japan

The high point of view makes a very nice shot on that street. Even if it is a rainy day, there are nice colors on the buildings.

11 Jun 2009 10:17pm

@akarui: The sun came out moments later, after we were soaked with rain. Rome in winter is nothing for beginners! :-)

Add your comment ...

next day →