Category: Elections

On Zimbabwe, Mbeki, and South Africa

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First, we have Robert Mugabe’s statement that Thabo Mbeki’s resignation as South Africa’s president is, “devastating”.

While it’s clear that there is a large amount of personal affection between the two leaders, I think that it is also that there is a class issue behind this statement, which I will get to, that has served to protect Robert Mugabe to the disadvantage of the Zimbabwean people.

We now have reports of Mbeki knowingly pressuring the MDC’s Tsvangerai to sign a an ambiguous deal, to the advantage of Mugabe, and now it’s clear that Mugabe’s ZANU-PF is completely disinterested in forming a meaningful unity government.

At the same time, we have elements of the ANC threatening to leave the party, and I think that both of these have to do with the class issues within that part of the world.

When you look at Robert Mugabe, Thabo Mbeki, and head of the splinter MDC Faction Arthur Mutambara are all western educated, and wear clothes made in Saville Row, and they look upon the idea of an African born and educated trade unionist (Morgan Tsvangerai) or strong union sympathiser (Jacob Zuma) with no small amount of alarm and disdain.

At the core of Mbeki’s support for Mugabe was, I think, a sort of noblesse oblige where he does not believe that Tsvangerai, or people “like” has the wherewithal to lead.

Small minded bigotry knows no color, and I hope that Mbeki is feeling bad right now because someone else got the Nobel Peace Prize.

Livni Wins Kadima Leadership Election

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I really don’t think that her victory in a tight race to replace Olmert as head of the Kadima party will amount to much.

Kadima was very much the party of Ariel Sharon, who is gone, and I would not surprised to see them in 3rd place next election. I peg Benyamin, “The Craziest Motherf%$#er in the Middle East,” Netanyahu winning it.

Then again, my knowledge of Israeli politics is neither broad nor deep, that way madness lies.

It’s Definitely the Weird Season

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You may recall Vito Fossella, who dropped out of his race for reelection after he was busted for driving drunk from his wife to his mistress, both of whom have borne him children.

Well, the Republicans selected Francis H. Powers, whose son Francis M. Powers was running against him on the Libertarian ticket.

And then Francis H. Powers died.

Well, it now looks like Vito Fossella is considering re-entering the race.

The political gods are smoking some serious dope in Staten Island.

Why State Secretaries of State Matter

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Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat who replaced the Uncle Tom Republican Ken Blackwell, has just moved against voter caging, “Brunner issued a release last week directing that 60-day notices sent by boards of election to voters that are returned as undeliverable cannot be used as the sole reason for canceling an Ohio resident’s voter registration.“

This is why having a Democrat as the chief election official in the state, and why Republicans try for these positions.

Republicans take a page out of Stalin’s book,* “Those who cast the votes, they decide nothing. Those who count the votes, they decide everything.”

*Actually, it’s not his book, it was the memoirs of his secretary, who quoted Stalin as saying this.

Canada Calls Snap Elections

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Here and here.

Here is his political calculus in calling snap elections:

  • If Obama wins, Canadians will favor someone who is closer ideologically to the new president.
  • If the sick old man wins, then Canadians will want someone who will do their best to oppose 4 more years of Bush and His Evil Minions™ without the military restraint.

Thus holding Canadian elections after the US election is simply a losing proposition.

I hope that this doesn’t work for Harper, because he really wants go with Bushonomics, and we can say “buh-bye” to the best health care system in North America if he wins another term.

It’s Always Florida Isn’t It?

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Yes, it’s a story from February, but once again, the state of Florida is f$#@ing with the right to vote.

A little-known legal opinion issued days before Florida’s presidential primary has slammed the door on public oversight of the final vote tally in Florida elections.

The closure comes because of questions posed by Sarasota County Election Supervisor Kathy Dent, whose controversial District 13 congressional race drew national scrutiny in 2006.

Attorneys for the Florida Department of State say county election supervisors can eject outside observers from central computer rooms as they receive and add precinct results.

Their ruling hinges on where votes are actually counted, a process that state law requires be open to observers. They contend that “tabulation” occurs at individual precincts and that computers in the central room are merely “accumulating” those results.

What is more, the opinion states, observers and the public can be excluded from watching the local canvassing boards that must certify those vote counts — as long as there is alternative access, such as listening over a speaker system.

Florida: still a banana republic.

Zimbabwe: Something Good Happened Today

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Well, as announced by Mugabe, the Zimbabwean parliament met today, and as feared, some (2) of the MPs were detained by the police, though one was released later.

That being said, what did happen once they were seated was surprising, Lovemore Moyo, of the MDC Tsvangerai won the election for speaker in a secret ballot, 110 to 98, which means that MDC Mutambara voted against Mugabe, as did at least one ZANU-PF member, though ZANU-PF won the Senate presidency, though since most of those members are appointed by Mugabe, or by provincial governors appointed by Mugabe, this came as no surprise.

Just When You Thought that Zimbabwe’s Path Could Not Get Any More Twisted

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Well, it appears that Robert Mugabe has stated his intent to reconvene the Zimbabwean parliament, because it seems that Arthur Mutambara splinter faction holds the margin for a majority, even though yjr MDC-Tsvangerai is very clear that this will jeopardise the power sharing talks.

As if this was not Mugabe’s goal in the first place.

For what it’s worth, I rather like this article, The bullying black Englishmen, and how it adds a new layer to the already complex interactions going on here.

Basically the authors thesis is that the bad actors in this drama, Mugabe, Mbeki, and Matambara, all of whom were educated in the West, see Tsvangerai, who was not, as unworthy of power by virtue of this:

With his humble origins and poor school record, Tsvangirai lacks not only the lofty Western educational qualifications that his three opponents display in their wordy speeches, witticisms and articles, but their sartorial style.

Bulging out of his cheap suits, Tsvangirai seems uncomfortable alongside the three Savile Row dandies, who are said by some close to the negotiations to despise the former trade unionist and principal Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader.

It appears that every society has its despised minority, and in southern Africa, it’s Africans.

Missing the Point

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The Wall Street Journal discusses the netroots campaign against Representative Chris Carney (D-PA 10), but they miss a big point: in 2006 Chris Carney lied though his teeth to get the support of Blue America, Moveon, etc. on any number of issues (the example that springs to mind is that he flipped flopped completely on sexual orientation based hate crimes legislation).

Carney has welded himself to George W. Bush in Congress, despite protestations to the contrary in 2006, and I approve of Blue America welding him to George W. Bush, “Mr. 29%,” back in his district.