Spanish Socialists defeated in regional elections

[Mike Renzulli]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/23/zapatero-socialists-defeated-peoples-party

[sbeaulieu]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/23/zapatero-socialists-defeated-peoples-party

Having lived there a number of years in my youth, I take great pride in learning the socialists are out on their ears. I guess the lessons learned during the Spanish Civil War didn't stick as much as it should have.

~ Shane

[Mike Renzulli]

What's significant about the article I posted was that it was reported by the U.K. Guardian which is well known in Britain for being a left-wing rag. I'll bet the staff of that paper took pains to report the story of Spanish socialists getting spanked.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/23/zapatero-socialists-defeated-peoples-party

Having lived there a number of years in my youth, I take great pride in learning the socialists are out on their ears. I guess the lessons learned during the Spanish Civil War didn't stick as much as it should have.

~ Shane

[anthony]

It is going to take more than getting the Socialists out to change Spain's fortunes, I reckon, since the mindset of entitlement from the State is embedded in the majority of Spaniards - from the Civil War onwards, they have not recognized that fascism and communism are same-old, same-old.

I think this wasn't a vote against socialism, or for Capitalism, but against unemployment (21%), and they are mostly government workers out of work.

I got the impression when I was over there in December that all that was carrying the country was the tourism industry - and that took a big knock recently. So now this.

The financial cost of creating a cradle-to- grave, egalitarian society, will tell eventually. The human cost was that I hardly remember seeing a happy face in the month I was there.

I'll say this, though, that socialism sure keeps cities immaculate and clean, and public services punctual...

Tony

[Selene]

It is going to take more than getting the Socialists out to change Spain's fortunes, I reckon, since the mindset of entitlement from the State is embedded in the majority of Spaniards - from the Civil War onwards, they have not recognized that fascism and communism are same-old, same-old.

I think this wasn't a vote against socialism, or for Capitalism, but against unemployment (21%), and they are mostly government workers out of work.

I got the impression when I was over there in December that all that was carrying the country was the tourism industry - and that took a big knock recently. So now this.

The financial cost of creating a cradle-to- grave, egalitarian society, will tell eventually. The human cost was that I hardly remember seeing a happy face in the month I was there.

I'll say this, though, that socialism sure keeps cities immaculate and clean, and public services punctual...

Tony

Yep, very good train service under El Duce and I heard that the German cities were quite clean once you got rid of all those Gypsies, Jews and other dirty undesirables!

[sbeaulieu]

It is going to take more than getting the Socialists out to change Spain's fortunes, I reckon, since the mindset of entitlement from the State is embedded in the majority of Spaniards - from the Civil War onwards, they have not recognized that fascism and communism are same-old, same-old.

I think this wasn't a vote against socialism, or for Capitalism, but against unemployment (21%), and they are mostly government workers out of work.

I got the impression when I was over there in December that all that was carrying the country was the tourism industry - and that took a big knock recently. So now this.

The financial cost of creating a cradle-to- grave, egalitarian society, will tell eventually. The human cost was that I hardly remember seeing a happy face in the month I was there.

I'll say this, though, that socialism sure keeps cities immaculate and clean, and public services punctual...

Tony

I'm hoping to go back in the near future. I missed a great opportunity to work for NATO in Madrid due to a clerical error (I'm still miffed to this day). What I remember there was nice people, full of life. Of course, this was back in the 80s. Madrid was amazing!

I hope the change will spark something better for a country I love dearly. Time will tell if the majority of the population will push for lasting change.

As for the feeling of entitlement, some of that may come from their Catholic upbringing. It sure was hard to steal a kiss from the girls when I was growing up there...haha!

~ Shane

[anthony]

I'm hoping to go back in the near future. I missed a great opportunity to work for NATO in Madrid due to a clerical error (I'm still miffed to this day). What I remember there was nice people, full of life. Of course, this was back in the 80s. Madrid was amazing!

I hope the change will spark something better for a country I love dearly. Time will tell if the majority of the population will push for lasting change.

As for the feeling of entitlement, some of that may come from their Catholic upbringing. It sure was hard to steal a kiss from the girls when I was growing up there...haha!

~ Shane

Shane,

It is a wonderful country in so many ways, and potentially, a great one. Just that it seems as if the switch from the left was more out of frustration with the ex-government's austerity program of job cut-backs and salary cuts.

IOW, I believe the socialists were trying to do the right thing to save the country's economy (even they can't be blind - but too little, too late), and the public sector reacted angrily with waves of strikes last year -and then booted them out. That's what I meant by the sense of entitlement, and it goes as a lesson for other nations. There are times one has to accept what the work market pays, or lose even that.

I can imagine how you could love the place, with only a bit of your experience of it. I didn't get into Madrid, but ahh, Barcelona! One senses the depth of layers in these Old World cities, or countryside, that one could never completely delve in to.

If only ... but I would so like to try, by exploring Spain for a month every year.

Tony

[sbeaulieu]

Shane,

It is a wonderful country in so many ways, and potentially, a great one. Just that it seems as if the switch from the left was more out of frustration with the ex-government's austerity program of job cut-backs and salary cuts.

IOW, I believe the socialists were trying to do the right thing to save the country's economy (even they can't be blind - but too little, too late), and the public sector reacted angrily with waves of strikes last year -and then booted them out. That's what I meant by the sense of entitlement, and it goes as a lesson for other nations. There are times one has to accept what the work market pays, or lose even that.

I can imagine how you could love the place, with only a bit of your experience of it. I didn't get into Madrid, but ahh, Barcelona! One senses the depth of layers in these Old World cities, or countryside, that one could never completely delve in to.

If only ... but I would so like to try, by exploring Spain for a month every year.

Tony

Tony,

I see what you mean. The People's Party (PP) did a good thing for Spain in trying to become more competitive in the world market. I'm just surprised that it took the Madrid bombings to shake the nation to shift the political climate so drastically. I agree the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) were trying to do right by their people. Spain did see a lot of growth since the mid-80s. The downturn came with the economic crisis of 2008, and Spain was hurt badly in the process. So the standing governement isn't solely to blame other than maybe not having a contingency plan in place? What that would be, I couldn't say.

I've managed to do a lot of traveling in Spain with my father and some friends... Madrid, Toledo, Cuidad Real, Getafe, Zaragoza, Santander (where I was lost for a few hours on a small island...haha!), Aranjuez (best strawberries and cream in the world!), and Calpe for my last trip to Spain. Of note, I spent my summer there when I was 14. THAT was an experience. When I was younger, I managed to be in a couple commercials (MacDonald's and Gitano jeans), and a couple appearances on their kids' show, La Cometa Blanca (The White Kite).

What I miss most are the people. I was never ostracized for being American during my weekend visits with my step-family in Getafe. I spoke fluent Spanish back then which probably helped a lot in that regard. I made many friends in all the barrios there, too. It was a very rich childhood. Their food was my next love from their paella, seafood, ham, bread, and churros! Even the foreign restaurants were amazing. The best Chinese and German restaurants I've eaten at were in Madrid. Their culture is very rich, and I enjoyed their art museums... Goya was my favorite. I only hope that Spain can make a strong comeback and come to prominence once again.

~ Shane