Politics From Across the Globe

[Jacob]

Of course it does. China still has to keep the masses basically content.

Otherwise they would not care what Hollywood showed.

I don't think Hollywood packs that much of a punch in keeping the masses basically content.

If the CCP banned all Western films from being shown domestically tomorrow, sure some people would complain but the level of complains would not stand out against all the other things people in China complain about. A bunch of people would start watching bootleg Hollywood films (not that they aren't already). Occasionally the CCP would crack down on the most vociferous complainers and most egregious bootleggers (in a way that would really suck for them), and that'd be that.

Hollywood saying "fine, we won't even LET you see our films" is basically zero leverage IMO. Sure, some Chinese people would be really annoyed, but compared to the annoyances of where the economy is going, the price of housing, shitty Covid measures, cracking down on celebrity culture, corruption, education reforms that make life harder, and a million other things banning Hollywood films all out doesn't really rate.

They care what Hollywood shows because they care about exercising control and people submitting to their authority, not because Hollywood is crucial to their bread and circuses plan.

At least that's what it looks like to me.

[Berkut]

Of course it does. China still has to keep the masses basically content.

Otherwise they would not care what Hollywood showed.

I don't think Hollywood packs that much of a punch in keeping the masses basically content.

If the CCP banned all Western films from being shown domestically tomorrow, sure some people would complain but the level of complains would not stand out against all the other things people in China complain about. A bunch of people would start watching bootleg Hollywood films (not that they aren't already). Occasionally the CCP would crack down on the most vociferous complainers and most egregious bootleggers (in a way that would really suck for them), and that'd be that.

Hollywood saying "fine, we won't even LET you see our films" is basically zero leverage IMO. Sure, some Chinese people would be really annoyed, but compared to the annoyances of where the economy is going, the price of housing, shitty Covid measures, cracking down on celebrity culture, corruption, education reforms that make life harder, and a million other things banning Hollywood films all out doesn't really rate.

They care what Hollywood shows because they care about exercising control and people submitting to their authority, not because Hollywood is crucial to their bread and circuses plan.

At least that's what it looks like to me.

My point here, and using this as an example, has nothing to do with how "critical" it is, or whether the leverage would work or not.

It is about having some standards for how we tolerate interference in our own world. The point to telling China to suck rocks when it comes to Hollywood is not to protect Chinese civilians from their governments interference, it is to protect OUR civilians from their government interference.

And to just establish some basic, humane, standards for how we tolerate other, non-liberal countries interference in the western, liberal, global market.

[DGuller]

The point to telling China to suck rocks when it comes to Hollywood is not to protect Chinese civilians from their governments interference, it is to protect OUR civilians from their government interference.

Exactly.  China's tactics seem like a direct attack on sovereignty of other nations.  It's disappointing how the Western governments have left their citizens on their own to deal with a hostile foreign government.

[Jacob]

My point here, and using this as an example, has nothing to do with how "critical" it is, or whether the leverage would work or not.

It is about having some standards for how we tolerate interference in our own world. The point to telling China to suck rocks when it comes to Hollywood is not to protect Chinese civilians from their governments interference, it is to protect OUR civilians from their government interference.

And to just establish some basic, humane, standards for how we tolerate other, non-liberal countries interference in the western, liberal, global market.

I have no argument with that

[Syt]

Meanwhile in Austria: vice-general secretary of the ÖVP held an emergency press conference. She complained about multiple journalists asking if there had been/will be raids by investigators on ÖVP premises, denying any such allegations and that it's unfair towards younger party members who worry about the safety of their smart phones. Also, since everything is routinely deleted because of data protection, there would be nothing to find anyways.

General public reaction to this was: "Err, who with the what now? "

Seems that in the ongoing investigations re: how certain positions in publically (co-)owned companies were handed and other connected suspicions of corruption some passages in the files are redacted for review by certain parties because of ongoing investigations. So it seems ÖVP lawyers were nervous about there coming more raids by police, which filtered through to journalists who then asked directly about it.

Cynics say this is an attempt to get the message to every ÖVP member: "Delete anything that might be a problem."

(Not that it saved Schmid and others because their chat logs could be restored.)

[Syt]

So over the last days Chancellor Kurz again railed against the WKStA (prosecution office for economy and corruption) as undermined by "leftist cells". Never mind that the chief prosecutor investigating the various ÖVP irregularities has a history of investigating (and successfully charging) Social Democrats before.

And today this happened, though I guess last week's press conference (see above) may have undermined this.

https://www.dw.com/en/austria-police-raid-chancellery-and-peoples-party-offices/a-59421892

Austria: Police raid chancellery and People's Party offices

Investigators in Austria have searched the offices of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his People's Party's headquarters. The raids are thought to be linked to newspaper ads alleged to have carried misleading information.

A spokeswoman for the party of Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said the workplaces of some of his aides and confidantes had been raided on Wednesday.

The swoops were in connection with the placement of misleading advertisements, according to media reports.

Officers were reported to have been looking for data and documents at the offices of Kurz's press spokesman Johannes Frischmann, media officer, and strategic adviser Stefan Stein.

The newspaper Die Presse reported that the raids were tied to possible corruption offences in the publication of adverts and opinion polls in the Österreich daily newspaper.

It said Kurz was suspected of being an accessory to the offences.

Deputy Secretary-General of the People's Party (ÖVP) Gabriela Schwarz said the allegations were false.

"This always happens with the same goal and scheme: To massively damage the People's Party and Sebastian Kurz," she said.

Schwarz said the raids had taken place "for show" and that "accusations were constructed over events that date back as far as five years."

It's also reported that a raid took place in one department of the finance ministry.

Kurz himself is under investigation on suspicion of having made false statements to a parliamentary committee on corruption. However, he has not been charged.

[Syt]

Small aside: the federal government is the biggest newspaper advertiser in Austria. Hence big papers usually try to not piss off the government too much (unless they can help someone else get into office who will be grateful ... ). Money is often tied to circulation, so the biggest, shittiest tabloids get the most money. In this case, Der Standard reports that among the allegations is a supposed agreement between government members and associates and Fellner (owner of the Österreich media group) that in exchange for 1.3 million Euros Kurz could have some influence on the news and editorial part of the paper.

The ÖVP of course sees a left-wing witch hunt and denies all accusations.

[Syt]

Addendum: allegedly ÖVP paid Fellner media to change numbers in polls to show ÖVP leading more decisively, and the SPÖ further behind, than they actually were.

EDIT: Also, allegedly Kurz's circle used party funds (which is largely tax money) to make sure polls show that people want Kurz to run the ÖVP in the run up to his taking over the party which were then published by their media friends..

[Jacob]

Hopefully there are real consequences.

[Syt]

We'll see. Interviewed on the late night news yesterday, Kurz tried to deflect and said he would of course remain in office, since there was no criminal activity connected to him.

Today, ÖVP leaders from the Austrian states released a statement of support.

Meanwhile, the Greens vice chancellor has said he sees the chancellors Handlungsfähigkeit (ability to act) in question and has asked all parliamentary parties and President van der Bellen to have separate talks. The opposition parties are bringing votes of no confidence into parliament (they would only need 6 defectors from the government.

The current impression from the Greens seems to be that they want to continue the coalition (in truth there's no realistic coalition majority in parliament that would include them) but with a different chancellor.

At any rate, Kurz will deliver another statement at 4 pm (so in a bit over half an hour) and right afterwards talk to the President.

EDIT: Kurz's statement - uncomfortable to be accused of something that isn't true, but also good, because he knows he's innocent. Also, presumption of innocence, remember? Anyways, if the Greens want to seek new coalition partners they're free to do so, but they're happy to continue the coalition.

[Sheilbh]

I know nowhere near enough as I should about Indian politics but election results and polls occasionally pop up on my timeline and you see things like, say, a 40% swing in a regional election - or this showing the incredible popularity of M.K. Stalin (centre-left):

[Josquius]

If it's not the Hindu nationalists then I approve. Funny names are a bonus.

[Sheilbh]

Genuinely named after Stalin. He was born four days after Stalin died so his dad thought it'd be a nice tribute - which sounds like a friend of mine who has a wild middle name because her dad felt like it when he went to the registry office

[The Larch]

How wild is that middle name? 

[HVC]

Genuinely named after Stalin. He was born four days after Stalin died so his dad thought it'd be a nice tribute - which sounds like a friend of mine who has a wild middle name because her dad felt like it when he went to the registry office

I have a cousin the was named ben-hur. Now he wasn't named that when he was born. His father saw the film when he my cousin was like 5 and decided he liked the name so much he renamed his son