WTH, New Hampshire!?!

Go look at the results. 

Nuff said.

Democracy Should be Updated for the Information Age?

Hong Kong's Democratic Struggle Produces an Occupy Movement

FOR more than 30 years now, political activists in Hong Kong have been agitating for a more democratic political system. On August 31st China made it plain they will not get their way. “Take it or leave it,” is how the South China Morning Post summed up China’s position. Not wanting to take it, several thousand people attended a rally in protest that rainy Sunday evening. They heard Benny Tai Yiu-ting, a mild and thoughtful academic, declare a new “era of resistance” and civil disobedience. He is one of the organisers of the “Occupy Central” movement, which is planning waves of street protest, culminating in the peaceful “occupation” of Hong Kong island’s central business district. “The road of dialogue has come to the end,” he said. Months of debilitating confrontation are in prospect.

link.

Ukrainian Presidential Run-off Results

Via World Elections.

The crucial thing now is Yulia. What will she do? She could fracture Ukraine really badly. My hope is that she backs off and runs for PM again. Then she can bide her time and run again in 4 years. The peaceful hand over of power is damned important. I sincerely hope she realizes that.

Timoshenko Loses By 2.8%, Called on to Concede

Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich pressed rival Yulia Tymoshenko to concede defeat on Monday after a narrow victory in a presidential election that could tilt the ex-Soviet state back toward Moscow.

Adding to pressure on the fiery Tymoshenko, international monitors declared the election an "impressive display" of democracy and urged her to shake hands with her opponent.

With 98.4 percent of votes counted, official figures gave ex-mechanic Yanukovich, whose party is allied to the Kremlin's United Russia, a margin of 2.8 percentage points over Prime Minister Tymoshenko, meaning she could not catch him up.

Tymoshenko, who called supporters onto the streets in the 2004 "Orange Revolution" to overturn a Yanukovich election win that was ruled fraudulent, was uncharacteristically quiet on Monday. She put off a planned news conference until Tuesday.

Her supporters alleged numerous violations of electoral law in Sunday's runoff vote but election officials and monitors said they had not seen serious faults.

The international observer team headed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) called on Ukraine's feuding political leaders to "listen to the people's verdict."

The OSCE verdict was tantamount to a call for Tymoshenko to accept the fight was over.

"Normally for the good of the nation the one who loses shakes hands with the one who wins," Assen Agov, head of a NATO monitoring delegation, told a news conference.

She seemed likely to make clear her position on Tuesday.

We'll see what Tuesday brings.

She lost this election based on her commentary about the East. The Donbas rejected her because her nasty, nasty comments she made the first time around in 2004. She really, truly lost this on her own, fair and square. I really hate Yanukovich. However, this election does seem clean. So long as Yulia concedes, then we will have seen a real and truly transformative event in Ukrainian history (which I hope Yanukovich doesn't undo), that the party in power hands over to the other...peacefully. This is a serious accomplisment.

Ukraine: Between Yanukovich and Timoshenko, Left and Right Banks

So, the election, round one, is over. Yushchenko got crushed. Now its between Yani and Timo in a run off since neither got more than 50%. It was 35% and 25% respectively. Timo's base of support was in the West. Yani's in the East, especially the Donbass. It'll be close, but either can win. As I have said before, Timo is like the Ann Coulter of Ukraine and Yani's...well...Nixon (bad side) crossed with ... Bush Jr.

Something that I truly hate about all of Ukrainian politics is that it has devolved into blocks purely based on personalities. The Block of Timoshenko, The Block of Lytvin, even the Party of Regions is really just the block of Yanukovich.

bleh.

My bet? Yani's gonna win. He won't be a Russian pawn, but the corruption will get worse and he'll make nice-nice with Darth Putin while trying his best to walk a careful line with the West.

HR 2499 To be Voted on Next Week?

Supposedly, HR 2499, the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009, is to be voted on by the relevant committee by Wednesday of next week. That'd clear it to go to the full House to vote. This one seems to be progressing much faster than HR900 did...which eventually died. So? New state for the 2012 elections? mmm. Probably not. More likely it'd be by 2016 if at all.

Greenland Pro Independence Party Wins Election

Greenland's pro-independence leftist party Inuit Ataqatigiit, which won the Danish territory's legislative election on June 2, has agreed to form a coalition with two centrist parties, it said Sunday.

The three parties will hold a majority with 19 of 31 seats in the local parliament, the Landsting, IA leader Kuupik Kleist said in a statement.

IA, which ousted the social democratic Siumut party after 30 years in power, will hold 14 seats, the Democrats four seats and the Kattusseqatigiit Partiiat one seat.

Even though Siumut and IA had served in a coalition together as recently as 2007, Kleist had ruled out forming an alliance with Siumut after it became embroiled in a slew of scandals in recent months.

Final details still needed to be worked out on the government coalition and the cabinet portfolios were to be divided up Monday, Greenlandic radio KNR reported.

This is something I've not seen in my light cone of the blogosphere. I'm surprised at least Randy didn't pick it up. I really wonder what the economic prospects of an independent Greenland would be. After all, they receive a nontrivial amount of subsidies - more than half a billion, for 60k people!!! - from Denmark at this point and presumably that'd go away. Oh the other hand, lots of natural resources are becoming more accessible. Is it worth half a billion in subsidies though?

Puerto Rico Election News

The mainland of the USA wasn't the only place that had elections yesterday. Puerto Rico also had their elections. There were some very interesting results. First off, the governorship has changed hands from the Popular Democratic Party's Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, the incumbent, to the New Progressive Party's Luis Fortuño. It was an 11 point margin. The New Progressive Party is roughly allied with the mainland's Republican Party and is pro-statehood for Puerto Rico. The Popular Democratic Party is approximately aligned with the Democratic Party and promotes the so-called enhanced commonwealth status (*cough*unconstitutional*cough*). For once, the race wasn't as much about pro or anti statehood, Vilá has been indicted on 20 (?) federal corruption charges and the economy there is TEH SUCK. Fortuño promised to clean up everything and fix the economy. That seems to have won him the governorship.

The nonvoting representative to congress - that's all you get as a colony, ahem, unincorporated territory - is also of the New Progressive Party. Furtehrmore, it looks like their legislature just got pwnd by the New Progressive Party as well. I'm a little unsure as to the percentages, but it looks like they got over 50%.

It looks like interesting timing here...y'know, with HR 900 sitting out there, the pro-statehood party takes control of PR's government...very interesting.

Hat Tip Latino Pundit.

PS the Puerto Rico Independence Party recieved something around 1%. Ditto for the Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party. Both will lose accreditation as parties if true.

GET OUT AND VOTE!

Democracy only works if we go out and minimally get out to vote.

Sooo...

Why isn't Obama just smacking McCain around like a little...ahem?

I mean, the economy is going bonkers. We have a war that we are still in that he has promised to draw to a close. We have another war that we are slipping up in and...we have the single most unpopular President in decades, if not ever, in office. Not to mention he's far more articulate than McCain is on the stump.

Why does it seem that the whole election is really a toss up?

With the pronunciations of a landslide prior, I'm wondering: what the heck is up?

Strong Words: an Excerpt from McCain's Speech

If you find faults with our country, make it a better one. If you’re disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and work to correct them. Enlist in our Armed Forces. Become a teacher. Enter the ministry. Run for public office. Feed a hungry child. Teach an illiterate adult to read. Comfort the afflicted. Defend the rights of the oppressed. Our country will be the better, and you will be the happier. Because nothing brings greater happiness in life than to serve a cause greater than yourself.

I’m going to fight for my cause every day as your President. I’m going to fight to make sure every American has every reason to thank God, as I thank Him: that I’m an American, a proud citizen of the greatest country on earth, and with hard work, strong faith and a little courage, great things are always within our reach. Fight with me. Fight with me.

Fight for what’s right for our country.

Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.

Fight for our children’s future.

Fight for justice and opportunity for all.

Stand up to defend our country from its enemies.

Stand up for each other; for beautiful, blessed, bountiful America.

Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight. Nothing is inevitable here. We’re Americans, and we never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history.

Amen.

Words to live by.

Too bad the base doesn't seem to get it. They'd rather heckle and get nasty.

*sighs*

Tymoshenko Government Survives No-Confidence Vote

The opposition in Ukraine’s parliament has failed to oust the government of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Only 174 deputies in the 450-seat chamber voted in favor of a no-confidence motion against her on July 11, far short of the 226 needed. Summer vacation started for parliament on the same day. This means that Tymoshenko stays until at least September, when parliament will reconvene.

This was a victory against the odds for Tymoshenko. She no longer has the support of a majority in parliament after two deputies left the coalition of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYT) and President Viktor Yushchenko’s Our Ukraine—People’s Self-Defense bloc (NUNS) (see EDM, June 25). Nor does she enjoy the backing of Yushchenko or those ministers who represent NUNS in her government. Yushchenko is unhappy with her economic policy, and he apparently views her as a probable rival in a presidential election campaign that should start in 2009. Nevertheless, the opposition turned out to be even weaker than the Tymoshenko government.

Whoa. I thought her falling out with Yushchenko would ahve cost her the PMship. She obvious has been working behind the scenes to prevent her own fall. I'm impressed.

VOTE!

If you are in any of the above States, a US citizen, and the party you are in happens to be having its primary or caucus today, GET OUT AND VOTE. This election is really, really, really important. It doesn't matter if you are a Repugnant, ahem, Republican or a 'Brat, Democrat, if you really, truly care about where this country is going one way or another, get your rumpus maximus to the voting booth and do your citizenly duty.

It doesn't matter who you vote for - well, it does to me, but I am not deciding for you all - JUST GET TO THE BOOTH AND VOTE.

Minus Three Now from the Brats

Richardson dropped out. This follows Biden and Dodd. I can't say that I will miss Richardson. Biden on the other hand I regret not getting more support.

The Repugnants are still wide open though.

Ukraine: Orange Again

Parties linked to Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" that swept President Viktor Yushchenko to power initialed an agreement on Monday to form a post-election coalition in parliament and a government.

The "orange" coalition is all but certain to propose former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, head of the largest "orange" group in the assembly, be restored to the job to which the president appointed her after taking office.

Endorsement of the coalition took place after officials announced the final results from a parliamentary election giving two "orange" parties a wafer-thin majority of 228 seats -- two more than needed for a majority in the 450-member chamber.

"Let me just say that the election has led to a change in parliament. Power has changed hands in Ukraine and we have achieved the result we had hoped for," Tymoshenko said after the brief ceremony.

"The democratic team has all grounds to reform all sectors of life so that people feel tangible changes in the country."

Vyacheslav Kyrylenko, head of the pro-presidential Our Ukraine party, also initialed the agreement.

Yuri Lutsenko, head of the allied People's Self-Defense group which ran in tandem with Our Ukraine, was present, though he did not put his name to the document.

Yushchenko's office had earlier announced that the coalition agreement would be endorsed only on Tuesday.

So! Some thoughts here. No coalition of national unity! Yanukovich is kicked to the curb. The article also stated that Ole Yan could only muster 202 seats. That's really interesting. It means that the 'Block of Lytvyn' didn't want to join with Ole Yan's crew. Do we have a third pole developing? Or are they hoping to get concessions from the Orangers to strengthen their coalition? Is the Party of Regions in a real world of hurt? Or...? We will see.

We'll also see how long their coalition lasts. They have a majority of 3 seats!

Ukraine's Election Results a Little Less Orange

Opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko’s hopes to become prime minister may be dashed. President Viktor Yushchenko wants to invite the Party of Regions (PRU), led by her archrival, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, to join a new Cabinet of Ministers. If the PRU, which will have more seats in parliament than the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYuT) as a result of the September 30 parliamentary election, joins the cabinet, it may elbow out Tymoshenko.

Yushchenko explains that he wants unity in Ukraine, which is impossible without cooperation with the most popular party. However, a weakened Tymoshenko may be his real goal, as she is expected to be his rival in the next presidential election.

On October 3 Yushchenko called on the PRU, the BYuT, and his Our Ukraine-People’s Self-Defense Bloc (NUNS) to launch talks to form a majority in parliament and the next cabinet. Yanukovych, who has never objected to a grand coalition, hailed Yushchenko’s statement. Tymoshenko suggested that Yushchenko did not mean coalition talks, but consultations with the PRU about its role as a party that should become the major opposition force. Yuriy Lutsenko, who topped NUNS’s list for the election, said that NUNS would not join a coalition with the PRU.

*sighs*

Final Ukrainian Election Update

With 99.97% of the vote counted, it's highly unlikely that any shakes ups are going to happen. Indeed anything other than a .01 or .02 percent change for ANY of the parties would be crazy suspicious and pretty blatant at this point. The standings are as follows:

Party of Regions (Yanukovich)                          34.36%
Block of Yulia Tymoshenko (duh)                        30.72%
Our Ukraine - People's Self Defense Block (Yushchenko) 14.16%
Communist Party                                         5.39%
Block of Lytvyn                                         3.96%

The Socialists have definitely and unrecoverably fallen below the 3% requirement, so....byebye Moroz you PITA! HA!

So what happens now? My bet is, unless Yushchenko blows it - and there are hints he might - that Tymoshenko is going to form the government and become Prime Minister again. If she does not, then next go 'round for the elections will deliver the Rada to her on a platter: she'll probably get over 50% the next time - an outright majority - and the other parties be damned.

What is Putin Up to?

Over the last few weeks, President Vladimir Putin’s has elevated long-time associate Viktor Zubkov as prime minister, “accepted” the pro-Kremlin United Russia party’s “invitation” to head its list of candidates for the upcoming State Duma elections, and strongly hinted he may become prime minister (Putin said becoming prime minister was “entirely realistic” but that it was still “too early to think about it”). In the wake of these moves, a consensus seems to be emerging that Putin will remain “in power” after his second and final constitutionally authorized presidential term ends next March. Exactly how he will hold on to power remains an open question.

[...]

It could happen as follows: in the aftermath of United Russia’s victory in December’s State Duma elections (its margin of victory made all the larger by Putin’s name at the top of their ticket), Putin resigns as president and is named United Russia’s presidential candidate for the next presidential elections -- which, according to Russia’s constitution, are to be held “no later than three months after the early termination of the President’s powers.” Zubkov would then become acting president, but would serve in that capacity for no longer than three months – hardly enough time for him to consolidate power (were he inclined to do so). Putin then runs for president and wins by a landslide – and does so without violating the constitutional prohibition on a president serving two terms “in succession.”

Not only would Putin be “clean” in terms of not having violated the letter of Russia’s constitution, but he would be the first Russian head of state to have been elected as the candidate of a political party – something that the Kremlin’s spin doctors would no doubt point to as yet another stage in the maturation of Russia’s “sovereign democracy.”

Now let's contrast this with the 'maturation' of Ukrainian democracy: the Ukrainians might not have all the corruption out of their system as yet, but if the vote count finishes with no surprises in the last .13% they will have a third time that through elections a government has changed hands peacefully. I'd have to say that the Russians are not showing their best here. I don't want to stereotype here, but, erm, uh yeah.