"Our New Old Friends"

[madfloridian]

First a post about the reaching out to Europe that our Democrats are doing lately. There is a post at European Tribune, the other half of Booman Tribune. They explain what is going on to combat the conversatives who are so warlike and insistent on totally taking government out of the lives of its citizens completely.

Plan for a New Social Europe

Mon Dec 18th, 2006 at 09:05:30 PM EDT

The PES, a coalition of the mainstream European socialist, social-democratic and labour parties had its big biannual congress last november 7th and 8th in Porto. Howard Dean was there, as were Ségolène Royal, Romano Prodi, Jacques Delors and a load of other luminaries. Didn't hear anything about it? That's because the press wasn't reporting.

Thanks to the miracles of the internets, however, we can still access the main documents that were discussed and agreed upon. Here's the link.

Here are 10 of their goals listed at EuroTrib:

Rights and duties for all - the essence of cohesion

Full employment - the basis for the future

Investing in people - we take the high road

Inclusive societies - nobody left behind

Universal child care

Equal rights for women and men

Social dialogue - we cannot do without

Making diversity and integration our strength

Sustainable societies - tackling climate change

An active Europe for people

At first glance it sounds a hell of a lot better than the principles of the Bush administration.

Here is a column which caught my eye:

Our Old New Friends

The opportunity for unity between progressives in the US and in Europe may have arrived. After a century of snootily looking down their noses at each other, are the US and European mainstream lefts linking up? Howard Dean, leader of the US Democratic Party, was the first-ever mainstream Democrat politician to address the congress of the Party of European Socialists, held last month in Portugal. Ségolène Royal from France, Romano Prodi from Italy, and a gathering of other centre-left prime ministers and party leaders sat as Dean made a classic social-democratic pitch for better wages, stronger labour rights, an end to wars and a united front to tackle global warming.


Howard Dean - Chairman of the Democratic National Committee and José
Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa - Prime Minister of Portugal

This was not the post-White House oratory used by Bill Clinton to schmooze Labour Party conferences, but a workaday appeal for formal links between the Democratic Party and its opposite numbers in Europe. Dean's call was reinforced by Nancy Pelosi, the new Democrat leader in the House of Representatives, who turned up unexpectedly at the seminar of European politicians in Washington and - in contrast to George W Bush - pledged to work with Europe on tackling climate change.

These attempts to reach out to Europe are filtering down to the smarter of the Washington top officials who are beginning to work on life after Bush and Cheney. European politicians have been surprised on visits to the state and defence departments at the friendly cries of: "We are all Europeanists now!" The Rumsfeld language of "old" (bad) western Europe and "new" (good) eastern Europe is no longer used.

And a little more:

For the first time in the history of European socialism, there is a realisation that the North American and European democratic lefts have more in common than the differences that kept them apart in the 20th century.

This week the leftist and centrist parties of Italy merged in Rome.

Dean in Italy for merger of parties

[bonito]

1. K&R n/t

[madfloridian]

2. Appreciated.

Someone said the word "socialism" would get the right wing started. I say of course it will...but I am posting anyway. This out of control conservative stuff is spreading through Europe, too. We gotta do what we gotta do.

[madfloridian]

3. Interesting post from someone in Italy on the other thread.

He traced the links to DU.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3228271&mesg_id=3230153

Part of the post:

"It took a long time but we seem to have made it! My party, the Democratic Left (DS in Italy) had their last congress and Mr. Dean held a discourse that we appreciated much. Italy has an historical tradition in socialism: now it's time to interpret our past and experience in a new way that fits the contemporary world. It's not the social sensibility that changes, nor the attitude towards political action aimed to help the weaker part of society. It's the way we are going to collaborate with more progressive movements and parties all around the globe, it's the way we are going to involve more people that felt diffident in entering a pure socialist party.
The PSE and the International Socialism will undergo changes, as Fassino and greek Papadopulous explained. The contemporary enterprises are global: no one can think to solve problems at home, even less alone.
I came to know about your community because you quoted our latest congress and shew Mr. Dean and Mr.Fassino pics.
Thanks for your attention. I hope relations between our newborn democratic party and yours will strenghten and grow."

I find it interesting, but the post will drop quickly.

[lildreamer316]

8. I posted to him..

thanking him for the translation and welcoming him.
I knew we were being censored;but I did not realize how much so even here on the internet.I tend to view it as uncensorable in ways. Guess I was wrong. (I'm talking about the fact that we can't seem to get to some of his links at all).
Very distrubing as well as encouraging.
Thanks for pointing this out.

[madfloridian]

9. What links do you mean?

I did not see links there. I did not realize he had responded today as well with his summary of Dean's speech there. Could you direct me to the links you mean?

I have had a terribly hard time searching for several things. My Belgian friend will send me links....nothing appears.

I can't believe the search engines can not pick up on any of the name combinations...I agree with you there is something odd.

[lildreamer316]

10. Umm..maybe I'm referring to the person that responded to

him talking about the links Google wouldn't let him see; sorry.
I beleive he said he couldn't find any English translations of the speech, and I believe the other person said they couldn't either; which is why he had to translate for us. This means no english news outlets are carrying the story/speech AT ALL.

I think I am talking ABOUT you TO you. Ha ha!
Ah well, same thing. Interesting to know we can't get to some of these things; either way.

[madfloridian]

11. I see what you mean now. Thanks.

I did another search today and still nothing in English except the pictures I found at Yahoo in the other thread. :shrug:

[and-justice-for-all]

4. Dems are Diplomats

and this is a great sign, one the ShrubCo deliperatly runs from. What Dean and Pelosi are doing (Talking with other Governments like Civilized people) is the kind of Government WE need.

[madfloridian]

5. Civilized people talking....well said.

Yes, the Democrats are diplomats.

:hi:

[pberq]

6. Yes, this is the dialog we need now

By working together with the European left, we can achieve more

[madfloridian]

7. The headline when Pelosi went to Europe....

"Democrat leaders contravene US policy, continue to meet with terrorists"

It is like a breath of fresh air to see our Democrats with world leaders. Bush has turned people against us for so long....it is like getting a good breath for the first time in 6 years.

:hi:

[Jemmons]

12. Europeans would like nothing more than to se the US come back

to a sane way of relating to the rest of the world.

[madfloridian]

13. Yes, they would.

It is like we have been back in the dark ages.