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Post by dgriffin on Mar 7, 2009 6:41:45 GMT -5
 Tongue-tied Clinton gets warm EU welcomeBRUSSELS (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton raised eyebrows on her first visit to Europe as secretary of state when she mispronounced her EU counterparts' names and claimed U.S. democracy was older than Europe's. Tiredness appeared to show Friday when she answered questions in front of 500 young Europeans at the European Parliament, where she was the highest-ranking U.S. visitor since the late U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1985. A veteran politician, Clinton compared the complex European political environment to that of the two-party U.S. system, before adding: "I have never understood multiparty democracy. "It is hard enough with two parties to come to any resolution, and I say this very respectfully, because I feel the same way about our own democracy, which has been around a lot longer than European democracy." The remark provoked much headshaking in the parliament of a bloc that likes to trace back its democratic tradition thousands of years to the days of classical Greece. One working lunch later with EU leaders, Clinton raised more eyebrows when she referred to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who stood beside her, as "High Representative Solano." She also dubbed European Commission External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner as "Benito." www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE52540720090306Aren't we sure the US Media will be wagging their heads over Hillary, professing her to be unfit, uncouth and unable to lead, as they did Mr. Bush? We are sure of that, aren't we? That said, I think I'd agree with her that the US is indeed the older democracy, unless one wants to dismiss a lapse of more than two millennia. And that brand of so-called democracy was for only the wealthy. But "old Europe" isn't anything if not forgetful. |
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Post by frankcor on Mar 7, 2009 11:49:27 GMT -5
The next time Germany annexes France, we should just butt out.
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Post by dgriffin on Mar 7, 2009 12:37:31 GMT -5
The next time Germany annexes France, we should just butt out. Nah ... they're our shield from Russia. Even though the Russkies can shoot right over them, or even through them. I believe our protection of Europe began in the 1950's when the US wanted to make sure Elvis was safe on his tour of duty in Germany. This just in from AP: Button gaffe embarrasses ClintonUS Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presents Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with a mock reset button Mr Lavrov was not taken with the state department's Russian language skills. Russian media have been poking fun at the US secretary of state over a translation error on a gift she presented to her Russian counterpart. Hillary Clinton gave Sergei Lavrov a mock "reset" button, symbolising US hopes to mend frayed ties with Moscow. But he said the word the Americans chose, "peregruzka", meant "overloaded" or "overcharged", rather than "reset". Daily newspaper Kommersant declared on its front page: "Sergei Lavrov and Hillary Clinton push the wrong button." Relations between Washington and Moscow have cooled in recent years over Russia's role in the war in Georgia, US support for the entry of Georgia and Ukraine to Nato, and the planned US missile shield based in central Europe. 'Was it right?' Efforts to heal the rift got off to an awkward start on Friday as the two sides met in Geneva, when Mrs Clinton presented Foreign Minister Lavrov with a green box tied in green ribbon. As reporters watched, the US secretary of state assured her Russian opposite number her staff had "worked hard" to ensure it was accurate. "Was it right?" she inquired with a smile. "You got it wrong," Mr Lavrov responded, also smiling, before pointing out the mistake. Despite the embarrassment, the two made light of the moment in front of the cameras and pushed the button together to signify a shared hope for better relations. At a joint news conference after two hours of talks, both joked about the error. I'll bet some third assistant to an assistant just ruined a career. Maybe he or she will become a Republican. |
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Post by bobbbiez on Mar 7, 2009 16:37:00 GMT -5
 Hillary should have brought along the Staple's "easy" button to press when she screws up again royally. 
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Post by clarencebunsen on Mar 7, 2009 19:03:38 GMT -5
Is Iceland considered a part of Europe? The Althing dates from 930 although there was a 45 year gap when under Norwegian rule.
San Marino has ben a republic since 301 AD. Their present constitution dates from 1600.
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Post by dgriffin on Mar 7, 2009 20:17:53 GMT -5
Is Iceland considered a part of Europe? The Althing dates from 930 although there was a 45 year gap when under Norwegian rule.
San Marino has ben a republic since 301 AD. Their present constitution dates from 1600. Wiki says yes. Further, "Iceland is a representative democracy and a parliamentary republic. The modern parliament, called "Alþingi" (English: Althing), was founded in 1845 as an advisory body to the Danish king. It was widely seen as a re-establishment of the assembly founded in 930 in the Commonwealth period and suspended in 1799. It currently has 63 members, elected for a four year term." Also, "San Marino is the oldest sovereign state and constitutional republic in the world, having been founded on 3 September 301 by Marinus of Rab, a Christian stonemason fleeing the religious persecution of Roman Emperor Diocletian." Marinus probably overcharged the Emperor for his mausoleum. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland |
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Post by Swimmy on Mar 7, 2009 21:51:47 GMT -5
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Post by dgriffin on Mar 7, 2009 23:44:21 GMT -5
I think so, Swimmy, and many would see antecedents of British democracy back at the signing of the Magna Carta at the end of the first millennium (CE), even though the document was a contract between king and nobles for money. My remark about a lapse of more than 2,000 years was more toward the article's point about dating the "democratic tradition thousands of years to the days of classical Greece." But anyway, looks like Big Hill was more wrong than I thought, depending on how one defines democracy. America must have had an early lead on democracy for the common man, except slaves. |
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Post by frankcor on Mar 8, 2009 12:39:04 GMT -5
... and except the common woman
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Post by Swimmy on Mar 10, 2009 21:37:12 GMT -5
That was one of the criticisms against our government. That it was egalitarian and equal, as long as you were a white aristocratic man. The sad way that we justified the blatant sexism, discrimination, and racism was that slaves were property and so were women.
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Post by frankcor on Mar 11, 2009 6:43:39 GMT -5
And that's why we formed a constitutional representative republic and not a democracy.
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Hillary should have brought along the Staple's "easy" button to press when she screws up again royally. 
