Andrew Stroehlein

Mainstream politicians thought adopting far-right policies would keep the far right away from power.

But beating people at borders, sending them to torture, letting kids drown en masse - all Europe’s immorality & illegality - it’s only fed the bloodlust at the core of far-right extremism.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/world/europe/netherlands-refugees-government-collapse.html

Collapse of Dutch Government Highlights Europe’s New Migration Politics

Prime Minister Mark Rutte resigned after his coalition partners rejected his tough new line on refugees, favoring his own political future, critics say, over compromise.

The New York Times
Jul 9, 2023 at 6:44amMastodon for iOS
Show threadAndrew StroehleinJul 9, 2023

The political sadism of mainstream politicians hasn't even "worked" in their narrow, self-obsessed sense.

They showed themselves willing to let children die en masse, because they thought it would help them maintain political power, and it's not even doing that.

Show thread@[email protected]Jul 9, 2023
@andrewstroehlein it might be trite to say we told them so but we fkn told them so
Show threadPēteris KrišjānisJul 9, 2023
@andrewstroehlein problem is that right leaning "no taxes" crowd which has benefited greatly for last 30 years in the world find increasingly hard to maintain their coalitions to support their ever growing desire to keep all the money.
So they start to lean into things they just do not understand how dangerous they are, all this out of pure greed which keeps them going.
Show threadTim ReedJul 9, 2023
@andrewstroehlein is the govt collapse considered a loss for Rutte and rightward movement, or is this a likely opportunity to solidify a new even more right wing coalition?
Show threadTonJul 9, 2023
@andrewstroehlein 💯
Show threadAlanJul 9, 2023

@andrewstroehlein mainstream politicians are too beholden to money and corporations which have a lot of very wealthy far-right funding billionaire interests.

We’re not seeing a failed policy of appeasement, we are seeing expanding corruption.

Show threadzeemeerminJul 9, 2023
@andrewstroehlein Ehm, no. They don't do it to keep the far right away. They do it to appeal to their base and because this is really what they want and think. We've known this for years.
The far right wants even more draconian policies. And none of their populist BS is going to work.
Show threadA Tattered ScrapbookJul 9, 2023
@andrewstroehlein I disagree, Andrew. I think mainstream politicians *wanted* far-right policies, to keep the imbalance of wealth. And, just like 1930s Germany, people like von Papen didn’t really understand who they were really giving power to.
Show threadDeath-Toy Scissor TabbyJul 10, 2023
@andrewstroehlein "We need to keep the far right out of power by doing everything they want!" is never going to stop them, its only capitulation. and notice how they never try to stop the far left from coming to power by doing everything the left says we want. its not just cowardly, its extra salt in the wounds of the people they're making suffer.
Show threadErich VJul 10, 2023

@andrewstroehlein

“Dutch analysts say that a critical issue that feeds the angst over migration is an affordable housing crisis, reinforced by the idea that the country, with its growing population and sprawling agricultural sector, is running out of space.”

Once again, I am helpless from observing that “Funding more housing would help this.”